McLaren : Price For A Testing

teamcar - Fernando Alonso's eleventh-hour release to test for McLaren last Friday came with a hefty price tag, according to reports.

Germany's Bild-Zeitung claims that although Flavio Briatore said he and the Spaniard still enjoy 'a very good relationship', the Italian probably still demanded that McLaren pay for the privilege - according to speculation - of using a Renault employee for the Jerez test. The sum of (US) $2.6m was mentioned.

NEW ZEALAND TAKE FIRST A1GP VICTORY IN SENTUL

teamcar - New Zealand has secured its first-ever A1GP World Cup of Motorsport victory with a dominant lights-to-flag drive from Jonny Reid in the Sprint race at the Sentul circuit, Indonesia. A1 Team Mexico's Salvador Duran put Reid under pressure in the closing laps of the race to finish a fighting second ahead of Great Britain's Robbie Kerr.

Reid led the field away from the grid and steadily extended his advantage over the 15-lap Sprint race until Duran's push over the last two laps closed the gap to just under a second. Reid was delighted to score New Zealand's first win in 31 A1GP races, "This is a very emotional feeling for me. The whole team has been working really, really hard and the result is fantastic as we came back from 16th in practice to the pole and now the win. I stayed focussed and I'm totally over the moon with what's happened. Now we've got to re-focus and get the job done this afternoon."

Home team Indonesia enjoyed a race long battle with Malaysia and Netherlands for 12th position. On lap nine, Malaysia took the Dutch car for 12th, leaving the door open for Indonesian Ananda Mikola to gain position. Mikola seized the opening and forced his way into 13th, much to the delight of the packed grandstands.

Mikola put Malaysian Alex Yoong under heavy pressure and feinted to get past the following lap, but the Netherlands Jeroen Bleekemolen was determined to get back his lost position. The Dutchman capitalised on the Malaysian-Indonesian battle in front and, seeing a small gap, pushed through to relegate Mikola back to 14th.

Raikkonen visits his new team

teamcar - Second day of testing this week for Ferrari, working again today at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit, in southern Spain.

Luca Badoer and Felipe Massa continued with the technical programme initiated yesterday, comprising engine endurance testing, experimentation with new components and working on finding the best set-up on the 248 F1.

The day in figures is as follows: 61 laps for Felipe (best time 1.20.013) and 107 for Luca (1.20.553).Testing continues at this circuit tomorrow, again with Badoer and Massa on track.

Also tomorrow, Marc Gene will be centre stage at the Bologna Motor Show, for an exhibition in the Shell area at the wheel of a 248 F1.

Kimi Raikkonen was at Jerez today but not as a driver. The Finn joined Ferrari as an avid ‘spectator’, although he also took part to the Italian team’s technical meetings. Raikkonen is not scheduled to drive for Ferrari before January.

Hamilton takes Rookie award

teamcar - Britain’s newest Formula One driver, Lewis Hamilton, first attended the Autosport Awards in 1995 to collect a karting trophy, and used the opportunity to talk to the McLaren Team Principal, Ron Dennis. “It’s strange to be standing here 11 years later,” said Hamilton as he collected the 'Rookie of the Year' award. “I was wondering about getting autographs from some of the drivers. I didn’t know who Ron was, my dad just told me to go up to him and introduce myself. I told him that one day I’d be in Formula One.”

The 'International Racing Driver of the Year' award went to Fernando Alonso, but the 2006 F1 season will go down in history as the final chapter in Michael Schumacher’s career. Former rival and 1996 World Champion Damon Hill, who lost out on the title in 1994 after a collision with the German, was on hand to honour the seven-times champ. “He has left an indelible mark on the sport, and on my car a few times as well!”

The biggest names in motorsport were at the Grosvenor, and Jenson Button commanded the most attention. Having accused Button of being a no hoper last year, compaire Steve Ryder was forced to eat humble pie. Literally! Having scored his first Grand Prix win in Hungary four months ago, Button went up to collect his award for 'best British competition driver' brandishing a meat pie that had been purchased in a petrol station mini-mart en route to the capital.

De la Rosa warns McLaren to expect difficult season

teamcar - Pedro de la Rosa has issued a warning to McLaren to expect a difficult transition in the 2007 season.

The Spanish test driver, in a huddle of his national journalists at the team's Woking factory on Thursday, was visibly still disappointed to have recently missed out on the seat alongside Fernando Alonso to the GP2 rookie Lewis Hamilton.

2007 will be the first year in more than a decade in which McLaren will enter a season with a completely new race line-up.De la Rosa, 35, told the Spanish newspaper Marca: "I believe that stability is very important.

Change can sometimes be a very bad thing, like after 2004 when Williams lost both Ralf Schumacher and (Juan Pablo) Montoya.

Team boss Ron Dennis said on Thursday that Pedro's future at the Mercedes powered team 'is secure', even if de la Rosa did not rule out leaving the sport at the end of the season.Pedro commented: "I cannot deny that their decision is difficult to accept, but my attitude and the professionalism of my work is not going to change.

"My motivation in 2007 is to help Fernando to win the championship."