The most notable thing that could be improved were the excessive bumps. Normally it is quite hard to tell when a car hits a bump on a track because the pace at which the car is travelling and the fact that the downforce pushes the car straight back down onto the road means the cars appear to be moving very smoothly. However, when viewing the Singapore race last year, the bumps were very noticeable. The cars were bobbing along and when they reached turn ten, the kerbs often lifted all four wheels off the ground.

We want to reduce the bumps and smooth out the circuit, so that will be an improvement next year to make the race even better than it was in 2008. Colin Syn, Event Chairman.

Another area Syn is looking at is the first sequence of corners in the hope that more overtaking can be encouraged by re-profiling the turns.

We are modifying turns one, two and three because we want drivers to have more opportunities to overtake this year. Colin Syn, Event Chairman.

I’m not sure if Valencia are intending to make any modifications ahead of their second race in 2009, but comparing the two street circuits that debuted in 2008, I’d say Valencia needs more work than Singapore.

Schumacher has had a keen eye for architecture for many years, the former racing driver having been very much involved in the building of his Switzerland home. However, big though his home is, it doesn’t even compare to the towers that are to be erected. At 59-storeys, the first tower is said to emerge from the sea with a luxury harbour circling its base. The so-called Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower will be striking, intricately designed and mainly used for private residences. Fins on the exterior will move with the sun to provide shade to the balconies, and the design is said to be inspired by the shapes of snowflakes.

The unique collaboration with Michael Schumacher gave us new insights. Technology, precision, speed, elegance, paired with human intuition and extraordinary performance were a great source of inspiration for the design. Similar to the formula one operation, construction is a team sport with a lot of highly skilled experts. In this sense the architects take the driver seat in the process, taking the project to the physical limits of possibility. Alexander Rieck.

LAVA have previously been involved with other branded architecture, namely the Mercedes-Benz museum and the Fraunhofer Institute, both in Stuttgart. The Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower is due for completion in June 2011.

More information can be found on Dezeen.com.

It is highly unlikely that BlogF1 will win. For a start, this humble little corner of the Internet is up against F1Fanatic, a widely read and well written site that I’m sure most of you know about. Also in the sports category are many other well read sites, ranging from Kissing Suzy Kolber (dedicated to general sports gossip) to Metsgrrl (a site dedicated to the Mets Baseball Team). Also in the running and running away with the votes already is Hugging Harold Reynolds, another site dedicated to sports in their entirety.

However, with two Formula One sites in the finals, it shows the sport has really grown in popularity around the world this past season, especially when you consider Sidepodcast are also up in the Best Podcast and Best Community categories. Never have I before seen Formula One sites gain such publicity.

So without further ado, this is where you need to go and vote for BlogF1 as the best sports blog of 2008.

The main issue wasn’t really to do with the lights themselves - on the face of it they are a very good idea and remove one person from the pitlane. However, the first problem came when the fuel nozzle-retraction from the car didn’t indicate the lights to change. The second issue centred around the human on the pit wall who was charged with giving the final confirmation that all was clear for the car to go. It seemed that sometimes it didn’t always go to plan.

In Valencia, Kimi Raikkonen left the garage early, replays suggesting the light was amber, indicating that this was driver error. But in Singapore, Massa was given the green light to go. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, the fuel hose was still attached and ended up being dragged down the pitlane. In both cases, team members were pulled to the ground and received minor injuries.

So for the final three races of 2008, Ferrari reverted to the traditional lollipop system, whereby a member of the team stands in front of the car and gives instructions to the driver via the lollipop. But all these embarrassments haven’t stopped Ferrari from pursuing the lighting system, and now it is expected to make a return in 2009.

We’ve analysed the mistakes made in 2008 and we’ve improved the system. An electronic program will prevent the car from leaving when the fuel hose is still attached. Luca Baldisserri.

Since the end of the 2008 season, Ferrari have researched what happened and why the accidents occurred. The team have made several changes to the system, notably the software, and are now confident that it should work as expected, with a very good fail-safe systems in place to prevent any more early releases. Perhaps Ross Brawn let a few documents slip through the net in exchange for a few Italian-built motors…?

Ferrari will reveal their 2009 machine early, as is typical for Maranello. The Italian squad’s launches have been relatively understated of recent years and this season will be no different. Previously, the car would be photographed in the team’s studios, and the car would be shook down at one of the local circuits with limited press available to note down quotes. Ferrari are planning on letting Felipe Massa complete a few installation laps at Fiorano on January 12th.

Toyota will be next up on January 15th, rolling their TF109 out just 24 hours prior to McLaren’s unveiling of their MP4-24. Renault and Williams are due to take the wraps off their new machines on January 19th while BMW will launch the F1.09 the following day on the 20th. Scuderia Toro Rosso will likely use the Red Bull RB5, which will be shown to the press on February 9th at the Jerez test. STR may have to wait a few races before they receive their new car, just as they did in 2008. Force India will also have to wait a while before they can get hold of a new motor as the Silverstone-based team work hard at incorporating the Mercedes V8 power plant.

Regarding the tests, the teams are due to descend on Jerez once again on January 20th for a four day run, the day after Renault and Williams launches, and the same day as the BMW unveiling. It is expected that four of the teams will test in Spain, while the other half four will use the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal (Force India may not run). It is expected that Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and Toyota will test at the Portimao circuit.

The second big test of 2009 will commence on February 10th, using the facilities at Jerez again. It is expected that all teams will be present, although the future of Honda still remains unknown. The running at Jerez will once again be four days, although last year the teams only managed limited running due to thick fog on the track in the mornings.

The era of big change is now essential because the sport has grown larger than either the governors or the commercial-rights holders. And that’s just a fact. It has taken too long to achieve the things it should have achieved years ago and that other sports have long ago matured to, and other sports have prepared themselves more fully for the opportunities that have come their way. Jackie Stewart.

Jackie Stewart clearly believes that all the changes the FIA are now rushing through in an act of almost desperation should have been in place years ago, making a smoother and better planned journey into the future. The Scottish champion also believes that Bernie Ecclestone controls too much power over the sport.

Bernie has such power and influence that he could suffocate almost any performer who would dare to suggest that there must be change.

He [Ecclestone] has been so used to total control that if you look at his structure you have to ask yourself ‘is there a successor?’ and you would say ‘no’. That is wrong. The commercial reality has to be recognised… and there has be continuity that the aging process makes necessary. Jackie Stewart.

Ecclestone is now 78 years of age, and Jackie Stewart is right to ask about the future of the sport and it’s commercial aspects. While Max Mosley has hinted that he will not run for president again when his current term expires in 2009, there is no obvious structure to Ecclestone’s side of the sport. What would happen if Ecclestone could no longer function in his current role? Presumably CVC would appoint someone, but is that the best thing for Formula One?

Last month Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo attacked Ecclestone saying that the way the revenues are distributed needs looking at again, which in turn caused Bernie to fire back and admit that Ferrari get more than the other teams when they win the titles. Now, following on from this, Stewart has decided to back Di Montezemolo and ask for change.

The financial distribution of Formula One appears to have been sorted out by two people who have directed it in whichever way they have seen fit. Although this has been a significant benefit in some ways, it has also hurt the sport because the balance of contribution within Formula One is absolutely untenable. Jackie Stewart.

Stewart went on to also mention the fact that the circuits see little to nothing of the revenues, and all they have to re-invest with are the sales of tickets. It is no wonder that many tracks are struggling in the current economic climate.

The interview conducted by The Times is likely something Stewart has wanted for a while. The Times don’t often back Formula One chiefs, certainly not after Mosley tried to take Martin Brundle to court of the use of the word “witch-hunt” in an article of his. But what Stewart speaks of is certainly true, if perhaps not the best way to put your views forward.

Ecclestone will undoubtedly have to respond to Stewart, and it will be interesting if anything else comes of the cupboard, as did last time when Bernie rebutted Di Montezemolo. However, with Stewart being only indirectly involved with Formula One now, it is hard to see how his voice can be silenced.

Paris has long been rumoured to be high on Bernie’s wishlist. It is no secret that the diminutive Briton despised Magny Cours, the previous home of the French Grand Prix, and often talk has turned to running the Formula One cars around the Arc de Triomphe and down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. However, while romantic that may seem, very difficult it would be to organise.

Another potential city looking to grace the Formula One calendar is apparently Italy’s capital city, Rome. Grandprix.com today reported on former Formula 2 driver Maurizio Flammini hoping to boost Italy’s profile by staging a round of the Formula One World Championship on the streets of Rome. Flammini, who won three F2 races in the mid-seventies, now promotes sporting events, namely the FIM World Superbike Championship. However, Flammini believes Rome would be ideal for a street race, despite the fact that Monza is unlikely to be dropped from the calendar given its popularity and historical significance.

So, given that there are many hundreds of fantastic cities dotted around the world, where would you like to see Formula One race? Perhaps in downtown Manhattan, through Times Square and around the financial district of New York City? Or what about a return to Adelaide in Australia, or even the once mentioned London in the UK**? Las Vegas often crops up in comments whenever I mention the US Grand Prix, and Asia is plentiful in newly-redeveloped and vibrant cities.

Where would you like to see a street race?

*Okay, so maybe the 2009 race will not be warmly welcomed.
**Although I think we’re going to have enough trouble trying to organise the Olympics in the next three years!

Ross Brawn and Nick Fry have stated that little has changed since before Christmas and will now continue discussions with the apparent four interested parties to see who can and cannot afford to run the team into the future. Speaking to British newspaper The Telegraph, Brawn said that the Slim rumour was just that, pure speculation.

We would love it if it were true, but it’s pure speculation from various members of the media. It’s just been one of those rumours which has developed a life of its own.

There has been a huge amount of interest. It’s now got to the stage where we need to filter out the serious from the not so serious. We’re all hopeful that something will happen and we’re anxious to turn up the wick again in the new year. Ross Brawn.

Meanwhile, Nick Fry insisted that preparations for the first race of the year were still going ahead as planned, although it is unlikely the squad will attend the upcoming tests, something which will undoubtedly hurt the team should they be saved.

While it would be inappropriate to comment on any one potential purchaser of the team, Ross and I are very pleased with the level and calibre of interest in our team and we hope that we can bring this to a conclusion by the end of January. In the meantime, preparations for Melbourne continue. Nick Fry.

Perhaps the strongest of the names that have been so far associated with the Brackley squad is former Honda team principal Dave Richards. Richards tried to enter Formula One two years ago after winning the then-twelfth grid slot, beating other names like Eddie Irvine, Jean Alesi and Paul Stoddart. However, with a change due in the rules regarding customer chassis, Richards pulled the plug and ended talks with McLaren that would have likely seen the Woking team support Richards’s Prodrive operation. McLaren will now support Force India with Mercedes supplying engines.

There is also talk of a Middle Eastern consortium looking at buying the team, but they had a rather disappointing reception with Honda previously when Super Aguri was put up for sale earlier in the season. While perhaps the circumstances were different then, it is my belief from what has been rumoured so far that Richards appears to be in the best position, especially now that Subaru have withdrawn from the World Rally Championship. This frees up resources at Prodrive who will be looking to fill the gap.