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McLaren's deal with Vodafone is in jeopardy with reports that the latter is "reviewing its global sports and events sponsorships."

http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7858741/Vodafone-to-review-sponsorship

it could happen, they have already stopped their v8 supercar sponsorship.

Jessica isnt a bad piece of tale, but for the tiem being I will take Mrs Romain .

AND From Joe Saward...

Meanwhile in Belgium, the Spa Grand Prix SA, the company which has been promoting the Belgian Grand Prix since 2006, under the leadership of politician/financier Etienne Davignon, is rumoured to be close to a new contract to secure the future of the race until after 2016.

The current contract runs out after this year’s race and the locals hope that they can reduce the annual losses by getting a lower fee agreed. Reports suggest that they have asked for a reduction from $21 million a year to $19 million. The idea of the race alternating with the French Grand Prix has been dropped completely.

The recent races at Spa have failed to attract big crowds, with losses each year in the region of $4-5 million. The local regional government has accepted these as the economic impact of the event is very important for the region. Although the current government will be in power until at least July 2014, the contract is for four years, from 2013 to 2016.

There are also still hopes that the organisation of Spa can be restructured. At the moment there is the Intercommunale Spa Francorchamps, which owns the property, on behalf of the Liege province; the Societe de Promotion du Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (SPSF), a company owned and controlled by Wallonia region to run and develop the circuit and the Grand Prix company. There has been talk of merging these entities for years in order to streamline activities and the latest word is that this will now happen with the President of the Royal Automobile Club de Belgique (RACB) François Cornelis being put in charge. Cornelis is the former number two of the Total-Fina company, who retired from the oil company at the start of last year. He is also a member of the FIA World Council, thanks to his position as head of the Manufacturers’ Commission.

McLaren's deal with Vodafone is in jeopardy with reports that the latter is "reviewing its global sports and events sponsorships."

http://www.planetf1....iew-sponsorship

it could happen, they have already stopped their v8 supercar sponsorship.

Anything could happen. But the Australian Vodafone is a different company. A company which has a rubbish network that fails on so many levels it is just not funny. So the yocals pulled the cricket & 888 sponsorships to go build some towers.

F1 Marussia driver Maria de Villota in Duxford crash

A Formula 1 driver has suffered life-threatening injuries in a crash during testing in Cambridgeshire.

Maria de Villota was hurt while driving an MR-01 race car for the first time for the Oxfordshire-based Marussia team at Duxford airfield.

The car hit a Marussia support truck which had been used to transport it to the track.

The East of England Ambulance Service said the Spaniard, 32, had been taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Emergency medical charity Magpas, which helped to treat Villota at the scene, said she had suffered "facial and head injuries" and was in a stable condition on her arrival at hospital.

BBC Cambridgeshire presenter Chris Mann, who witnessed the crash, said the car had completed a circuit when it "suddenly accelerated" into the back of the lorry.

"From where I was standing it looked like the helmet took the brunt of the impact," he said.

"Strangely, the car suddenly accelerated into the lorry and the car went careering into the side of the loading board."

He added: "There was a terrible moment when everyone was just very shocked by the impact and the suddenness of what had happened."

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: "We were notified by the ambulance service of a slow-speed crash involving a racing car and a lorry.

"It looks like the driver has suffered a serious injury and we will be notifying the Health and Safety Executive as it happened on private land."

First run

East of England Ambulance Service spokesman Gary Sanderson said: "A woman has sustained life-threatening injuries and following treatment at the scene by paramedics, she has been taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital for further care."

The crash happened at the start of two days of Formula 1 testing at the site.

In a statement, Marussia said: "At approximately 09.15hrs BST, the Marussia F1 Team's Test Driver Maria De Villota had an accident in the team's MR-01 race car at Duxford Airfield, where she was testing the car for the first time.

"The accident happened at the end of her first installation run and involved an impact with the team's support truck.

"Maria has been transferred to hospital. Once her medical condition has been assessed a further statement will be issued."

'Fantastic opportunity'

Marussia entered the sport under the name Virgin in 2010, backed by businessman Richard Branson.

Russian car company Marussia acquired a controlling stake in the team toward the end of 2011.

In 2012, the team rebranded as Marussia, and drafted in Charles Pic to race alongside Timo Glock.

The team has not scored any points so far this season.

When Villota was unveiled as a test driver for Marussia in March, the 32-year-old Spaniard said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to work closely with a Formula 1 team and gain important experience to help me progress my career, including the chance to drive the new car later in the year at the Abu Dhabi test."

She added that the move "can only help my future ambition to step up to F1 racing".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-18685789

Edited by Whiplash

Marussia test driver Maria de Villota has lost her right eye and remains in critical but stable condition following her crash on Tuesday.

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/100907

Daniel Ricciardo admits STR need to get their qualifying act together, but is confident their race pace is good enough to keep them well ahead of Caterham.

Heikki Kovalainen qualified ahead of both Ricciardo and his team-mate Jean-Eric Vernge at the European GP, but Toro Rosso appeared to have much better pace on the Sunday.

However, Caterham will head to this weekend's British Grand Prix with several updates to their CT01 and will be eager to challenge midfield runners like STR come race day.

Ricciardo, though, says "not at all" concerned about qualifying behind Caterham.

"Although I do believe they've got some more updates for Silverstone - some that they are quite modest about - and it will probably work and they had good pace in Valencia," he told ESPNF1.

"I think with overall pace we're still a fair bit in front, it's just the qualifying we have to soak a bit more out of. I think it's between us drivers and also understanding a bit more with the tyres. But then our race pace still seems to be quite a bit stronger than theirs.

"I think if we don't get on top of our qualifying they will have more opportunities to be in front of us, but I still think our race pace will clearly be better than theirs."

There is a healthy rivalry between Ricciardo and Vergne developing. Although the Australian has the upper hand when it comes to qualifying, Vergne is not too far away when it comes to race results.

"I guess on paper with the qualifying it's been good," Ricciardo said.

"I think it's 7-1, which is nice. I guess the first thing is that you look at your team-mate, but if we're 17th and 18th then even if I'm 0.3s or 0.4s quicker than him it's not going to give me a great sense of satisfaction. I think we've always got to push for more. He's had some strong races and I think the last few have been stronger.

"I'm finding a bit more, which is good for the Sunday, so that's encouraging. If I can keep working this way then in qualifying I think I've already got a bit of an edge and in the race hopefully I can run away and get my nose clean in front. But in saying that, we can't really afford to try to push each other down because as a team we've got to try and get each other up. The rivalry is pretty good at the moment. I'd say it's healthy."

http://www.planetf1....about-race-pace

Formula 1's driver penalty system is set for an overhaul, after it emerged the FIA is discussing changes to the way punishments are handed out.

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/100898

Marussia test driver Maria de Villota has lost her right eye and remains in critical but stable condition following her crash on Tuesday.

http://www.autosport...t.php/id/100907

that really sucks, but if she gets out of it alive and without brain damage I reckon it will be a big win - 'that' picture of the empty car and the truck's loading deck was sickening.

I know hindsight is 20:20, but there would never have been a truck anywhere near there if it was a racetrack pitlane, let alone with its loading deck at that height facing towards where the cars were coming from. I don't think its too much to suggest a makeshift pit at an airfield test day should be treated in the same manner as a real pitlane.

I don't understand the reports about the possibility of it being caused by anti-stall - doesn't that disengage the clutch as well as take control of engine revs?

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