Official F1/Motorsport thread

[VR46]

About to be confirmed that Vettel will drive for the proper Red Bull team next season

Edit, now official

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7511778.stm

[Alastair]

No surprise there, bit of a pisser for Bourdais though who was supposed to be the next big noise after his performances across the pond. Can't see anyone else picking him up.

[Roddie]

Is Bourdais contracted for next year? I remember him being on course for a 4th or something in Australia but haven't seen much of him since then. It's hard to expect anything of him in a TR though.

[Alastair]

Don't know, what you can expect from every driver is that they need to be as good as their team mate though, and he's not. Not by a long shot in fact.

Will we even have Torro Rosso next year, they're up for sale remember and no buyer yet.

[Roddie]

I wouldn't say it's by a long shot, they're both lucky if they get to the end of a race.

[Shez]

I feel a bit for Bourdais, he's a good driver with good pedigree - He should have been in F1 long before now.

From what I was reading, it appears to be the grooved tyres that he is struggling with, which if I recall correctly are disappearing next season.

Whether he still has a drive then, remains to be seen.

[Alastair]

Thought you'd have to check the listings for this w/e's major motorsport action? Think again!

German Grand Prix on ITV from Hockenheim

Live quali Saturday 19 July 1210-1440 ITV1

Qualifying highlights Sunday 20 July 1030-1200 ITV4

Live race Sunday 20 July 1200-1500 ITV1

Race highlights Sunday 20 July 2245-2345 ITV1

Highlights re-run Monday 21 July 1800-1900 ITV4


GP2 action on ITV
Feature race Saturday 19 July 1700-1840 ITV4

Live sprint race Sunday 20 July 0925-1030 ITV4


US MotoGP on the BBC from Laguna Seca

Race Sunday 20 July 2140-2300, BBC TWO

[VR46]

oooh two of my favourite tracks Laguna and Hockenheim, should be a great weekends racing

[Alastair]

I know we've not been at Hockenheim for the last year (or is it two) but you can't have forgotten what a travesty it is now compared to the 'glory days'. Or have you? I can't bear it just out of principal now after that damn Tilke got his hands on it and a digger!

Laguna Seca though

[VR46]

Seeing (from the forest) the World Superbikes hitting 200mph at Hockenheim about nine years back is a very fond memory, it's not the same nowadays, but the place has a great history.

And can't help but love the corkscrew at Laguna, how I would love to stand at the top of it.

[Alastair]

To drive Laguna Seca is on my life 'to do' list. One day it will happen and I will be crapping my pants as I drop into the corkscrew the first time.

[VR46]

For true "crapping" it's got to be done on two wheels surely ?

[VR46]

Button & Barrichello have both been confirmed for Honda for 2009.

[Richard.John]

Yes, AS 'forcing' AP off the track into one of the chicanes in 90 or 91 was classic. Mansell winning in 91 was great too.

[Alastair]

Button & Barrichello have both been confirmed for Honda for 2009.

Button was a certainty but I really thought that Ruebens would be on his way at the end of the year. Maybe it was a case that no-one else wanted to drive for them!