Despite Red Rags best efforts to shoot itself in the hoof once again Mark Webber overcame not just his team-mate, but his team as well to dominate the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Webber led from start to finish to win from a determined Hoon and the Unter-Ubermensch’s uber team-mate, Nico Rosberg.

Webber celebrates after his dominating victory

After all the excitement of the Canadian Grand Prix the world of F1 racing came back to earth with a thud in Valencia. Well maybe not even a thud, more of an oozing squelchly sort of slop really. The only things that kept the eyelids apart were Kobayashi’s last two lap banzai and Mark Webbers attempts to prove that Red Bull really does give you wings. Whereas the excellent Ile Gilles Villeneuve circuit was designed to provide plenty of overtaking opportunities it seems that the circuit in Valencia was designed with a pretty background in mind. It’s a pity for the Spanish that of the four most tedious circuits (Albert Park, Catalunya, Valencia & the Hungaroring) they have two of them. It is a display of King Fernando’s popularity that so many turn up to be bored witless at each of the Iberian races.

Vettel won an excrutiatingly dull European GP

  A combination of tyres that did not quite suit the conditions, a track that was being constantly cleaned by overnight rain, and differing strategy calls gave us the best dry Formula 1 race in many a year in Canada. In the end it was an inspired gamble by the McLaren boffins, that was almost over-ridden by Martin Whitmarsh, that gave Team Britannia their second one-two finish in succession. The Red Rags chose a different strategy and went the other way to finish fourth & fifth. But many, many things happened along the way.

Hamilton celebrates his victory in a classic race

  On Saturday, June 12, Australian Motorsport lost one of its higher achievers. Mal Simpson may not have been a driver or team owner, as he put it, he was just “the boy’s” mechanic. It just so happens that “the boy” was Stirling Moss and throughout Moss’ time with the Rob Walker Racing Team, Mal worked on his cars under the legendary Alf Francis. 

Mal Simpson (Left) in deep discussion with Stirling Moss

  As Mark Webber has been putting on the pressure, Sebastian Vettel has become increasingly rattled by his inability to outpace his team-mate and this resulted in an accident that handed Team Britannia an easy 1-2 finish in the Turkish Grand Prix. After conducting a spirited inter team battle themselves, Hamilton and Button came home 24 seconds ahead of the recovering Mark Webber.

The moment of the gift - Vettel takes off Webber while the Hoon takes the lead

  Mark Webber made it a magic day for both Red Bull and Australian Motorsport by winning the Monaco Grand Prix. For the second race in just eight days Webber led from start to finish to put himself at the top of the drivers championship, equal on points with team-mate Sebastian Vettel. Earlier in the day, fellow Aussie and Red Bull reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula Renault 3.5 championship race also leading every lap after starting from pole. (See earlier story) 

Webber celebrates on the podium

  Pole-man Daniel Ricciardo (Tech 1 Racing) claimed his first win in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in the streets of Monaco. The Red Bull Junior Team's Australian driver led from start to finish, taking the win ahead of Mikhail Aleshin (Carlin) and Albert Costa (Epsilon Euskadi), on the podium for the first time this season. 

Daniel Ricciardo wins from pole at Monaco

  From the end of Friday practice it was obvious that no-one else but a Red Bull driver was going to win the Spanish Grand Prix at Catalunya barring an act of God, a volcano erupting under Barcelona or a colossal meteorite extinguishing all life on Earth. And from the end of first qualifying it was also clear that on this occasion, that driver was going to be Mark Webber. There never was a great deal between Webber and Vettel but as Vettel said after the race, “Mark was in a different league today.” Well, all weekend really.

Webber utterly dominated at Catalunya

  Eastern Creek on the last weekend in November was the setting for the second Tasman Revival meeting, a splendid memory trip laid on by the HSRCA. With a staggering 474 historic race cars from all corners of the earth in action it was an impressive effort by the organizers. The sight and sound of these, some of which have not been seen in this country for almost 40 years, and the quality of the racing made this one of the most enjoyable meetings I have attended here.   

Ferrari 246T

  After a wet and dismal summer the Sun Gods once again smiled on Lord March and for three glorious days in mid September bathed the Goodwood circuit under warm clear blue skies. The spectacular weather was then equaled by the sensational racing, and when combined with some stunning machinery, some of the greatest names in the sports history and the usual jaw-dropping air display, the world’s premier fancy dress race meeting was, as always, a resounding success. Three days of pure, unadulterated, absolute pleasure. And so thought the over 120,000 fans who attended. I guess there was probably someone who was disappointed (there is always one miserable git) but if there was, no-one noticed. Big Brother is ignoring you………

Stirling Moss in action at the Revival