Vodafone are no strangers to Formula One racing, having been involved with the sport in one form or another for more than a decade. After a spell with Ferrari, the global communications giant switched allegiances to McLaren in 2007, becoming the British team’s title sponsor. Four years later, and with that initial deal now extended until 2013, the relationship between the two parties is clearly stronger than ever. Speaking exclusively to Formula1.com, Daragh Persse, Vodafone’s global head of sponsorship, cause marketing and media, explains why the sport is the perfect platform to reach out to customers around the world…

Q: Daragh, Vodafone has extended its involvement with the McLaren team until 2013, which suggests it is a very healthy partnership…

Daragh Persse: Absolutely. We are delighted with our sponsorship of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. The partnership allows us to continue to build value for the brand worldwide, but more importantly it allows us to engage with Formula One fans and customers, and showcase how our total communications solutions help the team on and off the track. Under the new agreement, we’ll remain as title partner but also become the official total communications partner of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. The partnership will continue forwards with a particular focus on empowerment and technical innovation. We’ll also be bringing Vodafone customers closer to the passion of Formula One through our services, events and experiences. The team partnership delivers an innovative, powerful and integrated marketing platform enabling Vodafone customers to get closer to the action through unique experiences, innovative content, events, advertising, offers and promotions. As I just said, we are bringing our customers closer to the passion of Formula One and empowering them to live the experience through our sponsorship programmes.

Q: 2011 will be your tenth season of Formula One involvement. Such longevity suggests F1 is the perfect platform for a global company. What have you gained so far from your involvement and what do you seek to gain in the future?
DP: Formula One is a passion for many customers across our markets, so it’s a great platform for us to open up a conversation with them and demonstrate what Vodafone has to offer. We can empower our customers, allowing them to get closer to the action and rewarding them with amazing once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Q: In 2007 Vodafone switched from being a Ferrari sponsor to being McLaren’s title partner. It seemed to be an unusual step, as the philosophies of the two teams are perceived to be very different. Can you explain the reasoning behind the move?
DP: Vodafone and Ferrari explored various sponsorship opportunities in order to continue the partnership beyond 2006. However, Ferrari was unable to guarantee a sponsorship opportunity that was agreeable to us for 2007 and onwards. The opportunity to be title sponsor a winning, successful team is one that arises rarely. And our partnership with McLaren-Mercedes as title partner is the ultimate in F1 sponsorship, as one of the clear synergies between Vodafone and McLaren is the constant desire to be leaders in our field. The obsession to win in the marketplace - or on the racetrack - is one shared goal. Ultimately, both companies are focused on making the most of every minute, be that on the racetrack or empowering our customers.

Q: How much can you influence the direction of the team? Can you influence driver line-up or the team’s marketing strategy for example?
DP: We don’t influence those decisions. The team is responsible for driver line-up selection and marketing strategy. However, we work very closely and of course support the team.

Q: Sponsorship involvement almost always depends on the guy at the top. During its participation in Formula One racing, Vodafone has had three CEOs. Are they all racing fans?
DP: In previous times it might have been the case that the interests of a CEO culminate in a sponsorship deal - at least that’s what I have heard from hearsay! But believe me it is not the case that we go racing because the CEO likes the sport. Our sponsorships are selected on merit of delivery against meeting our current business objectives and ensuring an acceptable return on investment. We strongly believe in the power of sponsorship as a way to help build our brand, delight customers and drive revenue. Sponsorship remains a critical element of brand-building activities, particularly in an environment where customers’ consumption of media has become increasingly fragmented.

Q: You must have learnt a lot after a decade of sponsorship. What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a sponsor?
DP: Sponsorship must play a role in engaging customers and delivering beyond pure awareness, otherwise it is in danger of becoming a pure branding exercise. For Vodafone, we are about empowering our customers to get closer to their passions, and this approach has served us well during 10 years in Formula One.

Q: What assets are included as part of your sponsorship agreement?
DP: The assets provided to Vodafone as part of the partnership with McLaren are key in bringing the ‘Power To You’ message alive. These obviously include rights to imagery, video footage and social media updates. Included within our core rights are driver appearances for events, filming and PR work and in-store promotion. We also use replica cars and pit-stop challenge cars - again, for events, promotions and filming. We also offer customers the opportunity to join the team, becoming a team member in order to enjoy unprecedented access during a Grand Prix weekend. We’ve created relationships within our local markets, too. They’ve been able to offer local businesses or charities the opportunity to place their company logo on the side of both cars during a Grand Prix weekend. We also run a hot laps promotion, offering our customers the chance to be driven around a circuit at high speed by Lewis (Hamilton) or Jenson (Button). It’s the ultimate thrill ride, and a good encapsulation of both the closeness of our relationship and the mutual thrill we share for racing.

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 With names like Sachin Tendulkar already being linked to a racing franchise concept, India's usually overshadowed motor racing fraternity is banking on the arrival of Formula One to spark a surge in domestic interest in their sport.

As workers put in overtime to get the Buddh International Circuit into shape, officials are growing in confidence that the Oct. 30 Indian F1 Grand Prix will change the face of motor racing in this country of 1.2 billion where all sports take a backseat to cricket.

``It's a dream come true,'' said Vicky Chandhok, president of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs in India. ``For the motorsport fraternity, it's fantastic to get F1 on home soil.''

Chandhok dismissed concerns about any delay in completion of the $215 million track about 40 kilometers from New Delhi in the satellite town of Greater Noida.

``It will project India as a technologically driven country, since F1 is the most technology-driven sport in the world,'' he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. ``We already have a few drivers in the international arena and you must note that F1 has huge television audiences. So you can expect a lot of youngsters to take to the sport.''

The 5.14-kilometer track is part of a sports city being developed by the Jaypee Group, which has vast interests in real estate. Jaypee Group has 10-year rights for the Indian F1 race. The venue has been designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, who has designed many of the new circuits that have been added to the sport's calendar in recent years.

Seeking to capitalize on the predicted boom, a motorsports management company has announced the launch of a city-based franchise competition this December, albeit using star cricket icon Tendulkar as its brand ambassador.

Motor racing joins an increasing group of sports launching pro leagues in India following the stunning success of cricket's lucrative Indian Premier League.

American football, field hockey, volleyball, badminton and tennis are among the sports to have either launched their leagues or made announcements already.

The i1 Super Series, which has sought clearance from motorsport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), will feature teams from nine Indian cities competing in seven Asian cities: New Delhi, Chennai in India; Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai in the Gulf; Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia; and Pattaya, Thailand.

``Cricket and Bollywood stars as well as some top industrialists have shown a keen interest to own teams,'' Machdar Motorsports' chief executive M. Darshan told reporters in Mumbai last week.

It is expected to further fuel interest in the sport initially evoked by Narain Karthikeyan, who in 2005 became the first Indian to race in the high-profile series for Jordan.

Karthikeyan, who drove for Hispania in the early part of this year's F1 championship, expects the Indian Grand Prix to make motor racing a mainstream sport.

``I'm absolutely sure that its success will be the starting point for a big surge in Indian motorsport. We've been on the threshold for a few years now and this should give us a shot in the arm,'' Karthikeyan said.

Vicky Chandhok's son Karun, who emulated Karthikeyan when he made his debut with Hispania last year and had since switched to Lotus, feels business support is vital.

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Over the last six decades Formula One racing has entertained millions of fans around the world, but the sport’s impact on the silver screen has been surprisingly minimal. Aside from 1966 blockbuster Grand Prix and the recent Senna documentary, there have been very few serious attempts to capture the essence of F1 on celluloid for cinemagoers. But that’s all about to change, thanks to a new project headed up by Hollywood director Ron Howard. Expected to tell the story of the thrilling title fight between Niki Lauda and James Hunt during the 1976 season, the film has been scripted by Frost/Nixon writer Peter Morgan. Speaking exclusively to Formula1.com, Howard discusses the forthcoming project…

Q: Ron, how did the director of Hollywood blockbusters like Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code fall for the idea of making a movie about Formula One racing?
Ron Howard: There are two reasons. Firstly, I am a huge fan of sports - almost any kind of sport - not just motor racing. Secondly, I am always in search of a good story with great characters. Peter Morgan, who did the script for Frost/Nixon, has known Niki Lauda for quite some time and started digging for information about 1976, when Niki had his accident and then literally rose again like a phoenix to fight James Hunt for the title. Peter has written a mesmerizing script - not only for Formula One fans, but also for everybody hooked on sports and drawn to extraordinary characters.

Q: But it’s not going to be a documentary like the Ayrton Senna film…
RH: No, it’s going to be a motion picture. It will be fascinating, sizzling, sexy and entertaining in the mould of Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon and A Beautiful Mind.

Q: Real life seems to write the best scripts…
RH: Absolutely! There are stories that, if you tell them, people struggle to believe they are really real. That’s the stuff that makes incredible movies. Some will argue that is a typical Hollywood-style answer, but I know better because A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon and Apollo 13 were all real. And the 1976 Formula One championship is also real.

Q: Will American audiences flock to the cinema to watch it though?
RH: This film is going to be a European production with a really big budget. And if we do our job well, and concentrate on the story and the characters involved, it will be a motion picture fit for the whole world. The story has so many elements that everybody can be interested in. Take for example James Hunt’s personal environment. While he was fighting for the championship, Richard Burton pinches his wife. That made headlines in the press for weeks! And it is not true that we in the US don’t understand anything about Formula One. We had two champions - Phil Hill and Mario Andretti - maybe it’s just that we’ve forgotten about it! (laughs)

Q: Do you have any actors in mind for Lauda and Hunt?
RH: No, that would be a little premature. Right now the project is in the pre-production phase. But of course when you start such a project you have some ideas about the cast.

Q: What about Tom Hanks playing Enzo Ferrari?
RH: (laughs) Let’s wait and see!

Q: How many Formula One races have you attended?
RH: Some time ago I visited the Monaco Grand Prix with my good old friend George Lucas, but that was just for fun. I was at Silverstone last month for my first field study and I am planning to visit some more races over the course of this season. I really enjoy it, even if I have to work hard to boost my knowledge of Formula One. But then I had no idea about astronautics before making Apollo 13. And had only rudimentary knowledge about mathematics before shooting A Beautiful Mind. Formula One racing has made a huge leap forward since 1976 and in some ways you have to acknowledge this fact. From all I have been told it seems to me that the protagonists of the past were adventurers with a kind of carefree innocence. Today Formula One is a mega business.

Q: Have you been met with Lauda a lot?
RH: We have had some very good conversations and I really found Peter Morgan’s script character in the real life Niki. He’s a fascinating character who stands for what he’s done in life and who is proud of what he has achieved.

Q: Are you planning to shoot at the Nordschleife?
RH: We will have to wait and see. Nowadays we do have the ability to do everything in the studio so going there is not a necessity. But, as I said, let’s wait and see.

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Mercedes boss Ross Brawn believes the team has reduced the gap with its opponents, but "not sufficiently" to fight for first place. Mercedes is currently in fourth position with an over 300 point gap with the Red Bull team and has not yet been placed this year. "Obviously we are still working very hard," said Brawn. "Obviously we are not yet as fast as we would like to be, but we are trying to recover lost ground. We have reduced the gap, but that is still not enough. There are a number of things we wish we had done differently." . .

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Question: Sebastian, you picked the right moment didn’t you to set your fastest lap of any of the qualifying sessions: right on your final flying lap.

Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, I think it was a very good session for us generally after yesterday, where these boys were a little bit quicker than us. It seems we have done the right thing and I felt much more comfortable this morning. Q1 and Q2 was just about to get through to the last section of qualifying and very pleased with the result. We changed a lot on the car overnight and the boys were working pretty hard and they didn’t get much sleep but to have a result like this today is the best way to say thanks. I am very happy. I have got the confidence back. Today I felt much more comfortable in the car and now I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Question: Sebastian, we saw Adrian Newey looking at the rear of your car throughout the session. Was there a problem with your rear wing or with your DRS?

Sebastian Vettel: No, I saw they were working a little bit on the rear wing. I saw that on TV actually, but I don’t know, I don’t think there were any problems. If any they fixed it, so the car was fine on the track. I never felt something being wrong, so a bit of maintenance maybe.

Question: Not enough to give you a few nervy moments?

Sebastian Vettel: No, not really. I trust in them. I trust in what they do and I think they know what they are doing. I don’t know what was the problem. I will ask later on, but on track there were no issues. Everything was fine and the car was very quick so very pleased with today.

Question: Sebastian, a great bounce back after yesterday and a lot of hard work by the mechanics overnight.

Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, indeed. I think they got back to the hotel around 5 o’clock, so we went a little bit longer than the curfew but it is the best way to show on the track straight in the morning that we made an improvement. Also today in qualifying, Q1 and Q2, was mainly to get through and we were a little bit behind. I was surprised by the lap times in Q2 but then in Q3 I think we were right on the pace. Lewis had a very competitive first run, especially in the last sector, but I was able to squeeze out a little bit more on the last run to get pole so very pleased.

Question: Not that you had a specific problem that I know of, unless you did have a specific problem with the car, but did it really start last weekend. Was it already there last weekend?

Sebastian Vettel: It is difficult to say, I think the conditions last weekend were very different to what we had all year. To be fair Silverstone wasn’t very hot, Germany wasn’t at all and also here it is not as usual. Usually it is 10 degrees warmer than what we saw today. Nürburgring is hard to judge because of the very different conditions, but I didn’t feel comfortable at the Nürburgring and struggling to match the pace of the guys at the front, so for here, yesterday was not ideal. It was already a bit better but today. I could feel much more comfortable in the car and back to where we have to be, so I am very happy.

Question: It did seem to be right from the word go, virtually from the first flying lap this morning.

Sebastian Vettel: Yeah, indeed. Straight away I noticed the difference and I was happier. If you are happier it is usually because you think the car is better and if you feel confident then you are also able to get more out of yourself. You are more consistent. It is not just one particular place where you find the time, it is just all around the lap a little bit everywhere, so I think that is a good sign and very important for tomorrow’s race.

Question: And does that come from confidence?

Sebastian Vettel: As I said half-half. If you struggle with the balance of the car a little bit here and there you reach a certain edge. Then you try to work on the car, which we did, and I think we improved it but finally overnight I think we released the knot and it was much better today. Then you gain the confidence back on top and you just go faster everywhere.

Question: Can you tell us a little more precisely what your mechanics did to your car during the long night?

Sebastian Vettel: It worked. No. we haven’t brought much new stuff so in the end, as I said, we have been testing a lot on Friday and I think we just put the car to the spec where we think it is best. Sometimes it’s not so easy because you have to take some parts off the car. It’s not a big secret: you change the engine and the gearbox overnight and it just took a little bit longer.

Question: Sebastian, last year yourself and Mark were quite evenly matched. This year it seems as though you’ve got a couple of tenths on him at pretty well every qualifying session. Is that a result of the renewed confidence you had from the World Championship, do you think?

Sebastian Vettel: No. I don’t think so. Last year I felt very comfortable here and we had a very good qualifying session as I remember. In the race it was a bit of a different story. I had a very good start and then a mistake which cost me the win but I think last year our car was very competitive here. This year again, but maybe the advantage is not that big. Last year we were much quicker than everyone else, I remember, so I don’t think it’s down to that. I haven’t had the chance to talk to Mark. Q1, Q2 I think he was there and then in Q3 the gap was obviously a little bit bigger. We will talk about qualifying later anyway and then I will find out, but I don’t think that it has much to do with last year. Sure, with experience, things become a little bit easier. You have a certain routine, but I don’t think it’s because of winning the championship that I’m on pole now.

Question: I think this year this circuit’s been on the calendar for 25 years. I was wondering if you have any comments on why it’s been so enduring, what’s the secret?

Sebastian Vettel: This is the 26th. I don’t know. I like this place, I like coming here. Obviously, as an Austrian team, we get a lot of support, a lot of Austrian people come. The border isn’t very far away, so it’s kind of a home Grand Prix for us and yes, the circuit might be a little bit Mickey Mouse in places but it’s different to most of the circuits we race on, so I quite enjoy that. It’s quite tough, there are a lot of laps tomorrow. Usually it’s very tough on tyres, on the car and on the drivers as well.

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Williams have signed a two-year contract to use Renault engines in 2012 and 2013, ending their relationship with independents Cosworth. The Williams-Renault partnership won four drivers' and five constructors' championships between 1992 and 1997.

These included titles for Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Damon Hill. Williams have plummeted some way from those heights. They have not won a race since 2004 and are lying ninth in the championship this season, ahead only of the teams that joined the sport for the first time in 2010.

Team principal Sir Frank Williams said: "Our previous relationship with Renault was one of the most successful in Williams' history but we will not allow ourselves to dwell too much on the past. "We must look to the future and continue to re-build our on-track reputation, which I am hopeful that this announcement will help us to do."

Renault won the world championship last year as Red Bull's engine supplier, and its F1 president Bernard Rey said that the new deal "reiterates how determined the team is to achieve results, which matches perfectly with our own objectives".

Rey added: "Of course there's also a great pride in reviving the Williams-Renault name. "Together, we produced racing cars that are recognised for their technical innovation and it is still Renault's most successful period in F1 to date.

"It's a hugely exciting opportunity for both Renault and Williams."Williams F1 chairman Adam Parr said the team were already "working on an extension" of the contract for 2014, when a new engine formula will see turbo-charged 1.6-litre V6 engines with extensive hybrid technology replacing the current normally aspirated 2.4-litre V8s.

Parr added: "We constantly put pressure on ourselves to improve our performance regardless of expectations. Hill predicts Renault-Williams 'spark' "We're not satisfied with just finishing races or picking up a few points, our aim is to win and we want to put ourselves back in a position to do so.

"Clearly our performance at the moment is not where would like it to be, but we are doing all we can to rectify that and this partnership is another step in that process. This partnership is about the future. In a sense, it is about earning the right to inherit the past."

Parr added: "Renault is serious about success and so are we. "They compete in Formula 1 because it's at the cutting edge of developing technologies and because it is the pinnacle of motorsport.

"This is also why we compete in the sport and together we believe we can return Williams to our former competitiveness."The Williams contract brings the number of teams Renault supplies in F1 to four, including Team Lotus and the Renault team, in which the French manufacturer no longer has any equity.

Until this year, engine manufacturers could supply a maximum of three teams, but governing body the FIA has now approved them having four partners. Williams have had their worst start to a season in their history this year and the disappointment has led to major changes in the team.

Technical director Sam Michael has resigned and will step down at the end of the season. Head of aerodynamics Jon Tomlinson has also quit the team. Former McLaren and Ferrari designer Mike Coughlan, who was at the centre of 2007's 'spy-gate' scandal, has joined as chief designer.

In addition, the team was floated on the Frankfurt stock exchange earlier this year, although Sir Frank Williams remains in overall control. It has been reported that his long-term partner Patrick Head, is to retire, but this is inaccurate. Head will stay on as a board member and shareholder.

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Work on the Buddh Indian F1 Grand Prix Circuit is progressing at a feverish pace even as the inaugural Indian F1 Grand Prix is all set to take place in October this year. Out of the blue, we have word surfacing about a proposed Formula1 track in Mumbai. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has shortlisted two consortiums, for building the F1 track somewhere in and around the suburbs of Mumbai. Here’s official word on this matter from MSRDC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Bipin Shrimali.

But the big question remains, will an F1 track in India, the second one after the Buddh Indian F1 circuit actually work and be profitable? Since the Maharashtra government is putting it’s weight behind, and hence tax payers’ money into the project, this is a critical question that needs examination. Motorsport in India is still a fledgling compared to the likes of other sports like Cricket and even hockey or football. In such a scenario, expecting the FIA to grant India another F1 race in the already crowded F1 calendar looks merely like a pipe dream.

So, the circuit hosting an F1 race in the near future isn’t something we’re betting on. But what the F1 track could instead do is, it could open up a wide range of possibilities for development of motorsport in the western part of the country. For decades, motorsport enthusiasts living in Western India have not had access to a race track. The only option for them were the tracks down south, off Chennai and Coimbatore, with the other of course the Indian GP circuit coming up near Delhi. Traveling long distances made accessing these tracks impractical for most.

So, while the proposed F1 Circuit off Mumbai might not be a bright idea to hold an F1 race, it could very well be a terrific bet to encourage motorsport of other forms in the western part of India. Thus we’re hoping that a race track does come up near Mumbai, as envisaged by the MSRDC. Even in the past, there has been talk about an F1 circuit near Mumbai, only to remain a non starter due to multifarious reasons ranging from feasibility issues to land acquisition problems. Will it be any different this time? That, only time can tell. Watch this space.

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The Austin, Texas, City Council on Wednesday voted to endorse the proposed Formula One Grand Prix, opening the door for the promoters, Formula One United States and Circuit of the Americas, to access the $25 million in funds from the state of Texas’s Major Event Trust Fund (METF).

Following yet another contentious public meeting, the council voted 5-2 in favor of endorsing Formula One United States. Council members Sheryl Cole, Bill Spelman, Mike Martinez, Chris Riley and Mayor Lee Leffingwell voted in favor of the event, while council members Laura Morrison and Kathie Tovo voted against it.

Well into the late afternoon Wednesday, the council continued to capture worldwide attention from F1 and its fans, just as it has over the past several weeks. Challenges on Wednesday were limited to the involved contracts--and whether or not they comply with applicable law.

The first speaker, James “Jolly” Clark of Austin, questioned the legality of Circuit Events Local Organizing Community (CELOC). Clark quoted chapter and verse of Texas laws that he believed would be violated by the City Council entering into any agreement with CELOC. Several speakers donated their time so Clark could complete his presentation.

While Clark addressed only the legal issues being considered Wednesday, as well as the contracts themselves, Leffingwell had to remind several other speakers to stick to the contract issues.

Susan Moffat, a self-described legislative researcher who is married to Nick Barbaro, publisher of the Austin Chronicle, urged the city council to enlist specialized outside legal counsel to review all the contracts. Moffat went on to describe multiple specific areas in which she felt the city was abrogating its responsibilities.

Following Moffat’s 15-minute presentation in opposition to the public funding of Formula One United States, the council once again broke into disagreement and confusion over what the contracts actually meant.

The city’s legal staff attempted to clear up the issues, but apparently not very convincingly, as Cole, herself an attorney and a CPA--similar to other Council members--still appeared unconvinced.

The hearing was so contentious, at one point a spectator called out from the gallery at Formula One and Circuit of the Americas attorney, Richard Suttle, as he was trying to clarify a legal point. Leffingwell announced that security would eject any individuals who disrupted proceedings. Despite Wednesday’s vote, Formula One remains a divisive issue within the Austin community.

Tuesday, in one of the more interesting twists in a city that prides itself on the motto, “Keep Austin Weird,” newly re-elected council member Riley announced a tentative deal between the city and race promoters. Riley, supported by many in Austin’s “green” community, announced a deal that included up to $15,000 in carbon offsets, such as planting hundreds to thousands of trees, $5 million in “green” technology and even providing five acres for a community garden.

In addition, the promoters are also supposed to use low-emission shuttle vehicles to transport people between the off-site parking lots and the racetrack, as well as between Austin and the track. In addition, according to the city’s understanding, parking will be limited at the event itself.

Those last transportation steps are necessary because the Austin is located approximately 12 miles from the track site; as of now, Austin’s only real public transportation system is a citywide bus service.

Martinez and Leffingwell co-sponsored the environmental agreement that apparently broke the latest deadlock, with Spelman indicating he would likely support the deal as well.

With those four council members voicing support following Tuesday’s announcement, it was widely believed the measure to support the promoters would pass Wednesday. And it did. But it was a tough slog to get there.

By the end of the hearing, even the many F1 construction workers who lined the back of the room, who are used to working all day in the 100-degree heat, had collapsed onto the floor.

How people will get to and from the Circuit of the Americas, and how long that will take, has been a thorny issue since the project’s beginning. Travis County authorities claim a post-race exit time of as much as 12 hours, while the race promoters produced a study that claims to be able to reduce that time to as little as three hours.

Also at issue is the fact that Austin has only 6,000 downtown hotel rooms and 30,000 hotel rooms in the greater metropolitan area. According to the economic-impact report provided by Formula One, most visitors will come from out of town.

That’s a substantial increase in traffic, especially near the circuit itself, which is served by only one two-lane road to the north, (Elroy Rd), and one other two-lane road to the south, (FM 812), which will be converted on race day to accommodate three lanes outbound.

Texas 130, a relatively new toll road located approximately 1.2 miles from the track (on FM 812), and accessible by both Elroy Rd and FM 812, feeds into Interstate 35 both north and south of Austin; it is the only major road in the area besides I-35.

In the ongoing battle over public support for Formula One United States, at least one lawsuit has been filed against the Texas Comptroller Susan Combs, arguing that the proper legal procedures, as specified in the METF, have not been followed.

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Amber Lounge had earlier announced that it will hold its exclusive Grand Prix After Party at the Indian Grand Prix in Noida – the new addition to the 2011 Formula One calendar. It signed up with The Claridges Surajkund, as the Official Venue Partner for its inaugural race.

Amber Lounge Delhi, owned by Sonia Irvine, the sister of Ferrari F1 star Eddie Irvine,  is a part of the Amber Lounge group. It will host the parties over the weekend of 29 and 30 October, the details of which will soon be announced now that the venue has been finalized.

The contract was signed by Sonia Irvine with Oliver Martin, General Manager of the premium property which has been winning awards and accolades for its beautiful construction, architecture and the magnificent Spa. It was the winner of the World Travel Awards last year and recently won the Five Star Diamond Awards from the American Academy of Hospitality Science.

‘By joining hands with the Amber Lounge we move into a whole new level of luxury sport and entertainment’, said Martin. ‘I have found a suitable partner with the same quality values as Amber Lounge with penchant for VIP Service, attention to detail and exclusivity’, said  Sonia after signing the agreement.

Parties hosted by Amber Lounge have apparently become quite famous and are often referred to as ‘Formula One’s Ultimate nightlife experience. At the party hosted last month in Monte Carlo after the Monaco Grand Prix, a group of celebrities and models had flown into the city for the parties that lasted till the early hours.  Kim Kardashian, Richard Branson, Michael Johnson, Alan Proust and Princess Beatrice of York were a few of the celebrity guests that partied for the long 3-day weekend, in which twelve drivers of F1 also showed up. (If my memory does not fail me, Vijay Mallya who owns a team was also present-editor)

If you think the parties will be for the rich, you are wrong.  Billed as the FI’s ‘Best kept Secret’  by the Billionaire’s Magazine, they would perhaps be for the super -rich (celebrities, politicians, bureaucrats, close friends of top cops etc will perhaps be excepted). The ‘Passes’ start from €630 a person and should be a great value for the Champagne or prime wine guzzlers. If you are a true billionaire or want to be seen as one, you would be well advised to book your only table for only € 5,200 and oblige many people at the same time.

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“For me that was a very good race. I’m happy that we seem to have regained the early season form after Monaco and Canada where I wasn’t really feeling too comfortable in the car. Today the conditions were pretty hot out there but I felt good all afternoon - I’ve prepared myself physically for this sort of heat so it wasn’t hard at all to push right to the end. I didn’t have any issues and after we went to the three stop strategy I was able to keep up a good pace after each stop. We know where we have to improve the car to keep taking the fight to the teams ahead, and that will come in time, but this is a long-term plan and we are definitely on the right course. ”

Jarno Trulli, Car 21 - Chassis T128-01: “That was a good race for me. We tried a couple of different strategies to cover all our options and even though my second set was gone by the end I definitely enjoyed myself out there. This was always going to be a track where we knew we would have to keep pushing to get anything out of it, but it’s satisfying for the team to get both cars to the end and be well clear of the cars behind us.

Thierry Salvi, Renault Sport F1 Support Leader: “Engine-wise that was a good race. Valencia is a track that is hard on both engine temperatures and fuel consumption and we managed both elements well on both cars. The maps we used gave the drivers the right options today which helped when we split the strategies as we did not suffer any drop in performance as a result of the switch.”

Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: “A very solid race from both drivers. We had considered two stops on both cars but when we saw higher degradation levels on Heikki’s car we put him onto three and kept Jarno on two to give both of them a chance to fight. Jarno nearly passed Heikki in the final stops but Heikki’s fresh rubber gave him the chance to edge ahead and the key goal today was to make sure they both finished, so I am pleased we achieved that. This has not been our most competitive type of track but despite that we finished well and that sets us up nicely for Silverstone.”

Tony Fernandes, Team Principal: “A pretty good day for us. I am happy both cars finished but as we are steadily increasing our competitiveness it would have been good to have finished a bit higher. It is obviously a big challenge for us to find the 0.5 seconds that will propel us towards the midfield teams, but we have the right elements in place to help us do that. We will find more downforce and we will continue to grow, both in experience and in pace, and that is why I see days like today as another step in the right direction.”
 

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