Formula One Features — July 2008

July and it may as well be October. It is raining so hard here in the Cotswolds that it looks like it™s actually raining upwards and even the cows ambling down the road outside The Amberley Inn, looking for shelter, look totally fed up.

It's back to Hockenheim this weekend, after a two year gap now that the German GP is being alternated with the N¼rburgring. I'm not so sure that this arrangement will be sustainable for much longer, given that Bernie's fees go up every year and the size of the crowd doesn't. That, my friends, is a recipe for disaster, one that the local municipality will not be willing to underwrite for ever.

Lewis Hamilton wrestled his car to pole position at the 2007 British Grand Prix, and could seemingly do no wrong. Immediately afterwards, as dad Anthony headed down the paddock to congratulate his son, Hamilton senior was swamped by media wanting the inside track on the team's feelings.

When you consider how popular motor racing was to become in post-war Britain, it is surprising to reflect that in its 59 runnings as part of the FIA championship, our premier event, the British Grand Prix, has been held at only three venues. Since then, the only other circuits to have promoted the BGP have been Aintree and Brands Hatch.