F1 news review: Malaysia considers night race

F1 could have two races under floodlights in 2009 as the organisers of the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang look at hiring the same company used for this year’s Singapore Grand Prix, which will be the first to be held at night.

Elsewhere Nigel Stepney gets a new job, Max Mosley and Jackie Stewart continue to argue, and Bridgestone consider bringing different tyre to this year’s races.

Nigel Stepney states his innocence in Spygate – “I was planning on getting out of Ferrari anyway”, he says, which is convenient seeing as he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.

Stepney signed by Gigawave company – The British mechanic moves to a developer of on-board cameras.

Racing legend criticises the way the sport is being run – The Mosley-Stewart row rages on, with Jackie Stewart calling the FIA President an “amateur”.

De la Rosa missing Fernando Alonso – The two Spanish driver got on well at McLaren. De la Rosa has also hinted he may quit his F1 testing role in the future for a race seat in another series.

Mosley on cost caps, customer cars, and the new McLaren – The source of Mosley’s pronouncement this week to the effect of ‘the next F1 team to get caught spying will be thrown out’.

Howett – Toyota exist only to win – Which raises the philosophical question: “Does Toyota exist?”

Toyota bound for Le Mans? – The Japanese manufacturer has also been linked with a return to the 24 Hours du Mans with a petrol-electric hybrid car.

Webber: Lewis may be five-minute wonder – The Australian driver has hinted in the past that he’s not keen on the new British star, perhaps partly because he blamed Hamilton for the crash that potentially cost the Red Bull driver victory in last year’s Japanese Grand Prix.

What did happen at that meeting in Paris? – GrandPrix.com hypothesises about how the talks on cost-cutting went.

ING to sponsor Hungarian Grand Prix – Renault’s title sponsor, one of the biggest new sponsors to come into F1 in recent years, expands its portfolio of activity. If only its colour scheme were a bit easy on the eye.

Malaysia wants night race in 2009 – The Singapore Grand Prix will be F1’s first night race this year – there could be two such events on the calendar next year.

Abu Dhabi plots hydrogen future – One of the most exotic future additions to the F1 calendar is also looking at developing alternative energies.

Hamilton receives Hawthorn memorial – More silverware for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, this one for being the most successful British or Commonwealth driver in F1. Mike Hawthorn was the first British/Commonwealth driver to win the F1 title, in 1958.

Stolen racing bust to return home – Damon Hill receives a bronze bust of his father Graham that was recovered having been stolen in 1999.

Wurz says retirement from racing is final – Alexander Wurz rules out a return to competitive action having become a test driver for Honda.

Minor refinements for Bridgestone’s 2008 tyres – 2008 rubber will be much the same as 2007. But Bridgestone have said they may bring different compounds to the races compared to what was used in 2007 – raising the possibility that they might intentionally provide less than optimal compounds in a bid to improve racing. And how well will the drivers to be able to preserve their tyres without traction control?

Agag buys into Aguri? – Fresh rumours link a Spanish businessman with the purchase of the Super Aguri team.

Meanwhile in Woking – Speculation persists that Ron Dennis is to step back from his leadership of McLaren following last year;s spying scandal, potentially to let Martin Whitmarsh take over.