MOTORSPORT: Rage over F1 revised schedule

Next year's Australian Grand Prix will be a week earlier on March 18 (before the AFL season gets underway) as part of a record 21-round championship that includes a new United States GP in mid-June. There are indications, however, that F1's "greener" rules due to be introduced in 2013 – with turbocharged four-cylinder, 1.6-litre engines and a target of a 35 per cent reduction in fuel consumption – could be delayed. An announcement after a World Motor Sport Council meeting last Friday raised the possibility of a vote before June 30 "to redefine the implementation date" of the regulations so strongly opposed by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Ferrari.

And closer to home, the next three rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship -- in Darwin this weekend, then Townsville and Ipswich -- are to be screened, according to V8 Supercars Australia, "live or 'as live' in all states", either on Seven or its secondary digital channel, 7mate.

V8SA chairman Tony Cochrane is talking up the prospect of an American round in the championship, perhaps from 2013, claiming "very strong interest from a number of American circuits".

And, finally, the route for the new Rally Australia at NSW's Coffs Coast and Clarence Valley on September 8-11 is to be revealed at 11.15am tomorrow (Tuesday, June 7).

Australia's top rally driver, Chris Atkinson, is to be at the Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club for the announcement, perhaps with news that he has secured a drive in the event.

Bahraini protestors opposed to the kingdom's rulers have promised a Day of Rage if the race happens at the Sakhir circuit (pictured).

F1 teams are dubious about going there and also angry that the championship will continue into December, encroaching on the holiday time of already exceptionally hard-working crews.

Australia's Mark Webber has been the most outspoken driver against the Bahrain race, saying there are human rights and moral issues there that are more important than sport.

"I'll be highly surprised if the Bahrain GP goes ahead," Webber said at the weekend.

"Like it or not, F1 and sport in general isn't above having a social responsibility and conscience. I hope F1 is able to return to Bahrain eventually [it is again scheduled as the first GP of 2012 on March 13] but now isn't the right time.

The World Motor Sport Council said that, after a recent Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) fact-finding mission to Bahrain, it "unanimously agreed" to reinstate this year's race there -- a decision it claimed "reflects the spirit of reconciliation in Bahrain".

However, Avaaz, a global web-based human rights group, called the decision "a kick in the teeth for the Bahraini people".

"Now F1, plus Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and every other team will be directly linked with a bloody crackdown that's ruined the lives of hundreds of innocent people," it said.

F1 commercial supreme Bernie Ecclestone said the FIA delegation had reported that "everything is fine" in Bahrain and running the GP at the end of October would be "a means of helping to unite people".

The race fees from Bahrain and India could amount to almost $100 million on these two GPs, but former FIA president Max Mosley, who for so long was Ecclestone's closest ally, said F1 was becoming a tool of a brutally repressive regime.

"By agreeing to race there, F1 becomes complicit in what has happened [30 deaths, hundreds of arrests and reports of torture]," Mosley wrote in a column for The Telegraph in London.

"It becomes one of the Bahrain government's instruments of oppression. The decision to hold the race is a mistake which will not be forgotten and, if not reversed, will eventually cost F1 dear."

Apart from moral qualms, teams are concerned about insurance issues in going to Bahrain. Mercedes is reportedly vehemently opposed to the event. Ironically, McLaren – to which Mercedes still supplies engines, even though it now has its own factory team – is largely owned by Mumtalkakat, Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund.

Mercedes, meanwhile, is reputedly offering Nico Rosberg a five-year contract extension that would guarantee him 60 million euros – about A$81.5 million.

Henry has been associated with the Walkinshaw Group in Australia and overseas for much of the past 23 years, including in the V8 Supercar titles of Rick Kelly in 2006 and Garth Tander in 2007.

Walkinshaw Racing managing director Ivan Krizman said Henry had "all the credentials to be able to lead this team through its next phase" and "returning it to what it does best – winning races".

Penske driver Brad Keselowski took the victory in a Dodge ahead of the Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt Junior -- who has now gone 106 Cup races without a win -- Denny Hamlin (Toyota), Jeff Gordon (Chevrolet) and series leader Carl Edwards (Ford).

Meanwhile, prominent team owner Richard Childress punched controversial Kyle Busch in a garage after the earlier pick-up truck race, in which Childress driver Joey Coulter and Busch came together on the last lap as they battled for fifth place. Busch then tapped Coulter's truck on the cool-down lap.

NASCAR called 65-year-old Childress' action against 26-year-old Busch "unacceptable" but did not suspend him, saying his organisation needed a leadership representative throughout the weekend – although a punishment could be announced soon.

Busch and Kevin Harvick, a Cup star for Childress, had a confrontation a month ago at Darlington and are on what amount to good behaviour bonds until the middle of this month. Busch was not held responsible by NASCAR in the latest incident. However, his Cup team, Joe Gibbs Racing, is still deciding on what to do about him speeding at more than 200kmh on a public road in a 70kmh zone recently.

NASCAR this week goes to Pocono, a road course in Pennsylvania, that should suit Ambrose.

Martin, who had six wins and 10 podiums in the Superleague series last year, finished sixth in race one at Assen, second in race two and fourth in the five-lap dash for the top eight drivers in 'Super Final'.

"I should have won race two and the Super Final," 26-year-old Martin said.

The series includes Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, once Mark Webber's F1 teammate at Jaguar, and 2007-08 A1 GP series winner, Switzerland's Neel Jani. However, the driver Martin is sharing the Superleague Formula lead with is Britain's Duncan Tappy, representing Japan.

The second round of the series is at Zolder in Belgium on July 16-17.

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