Seasons Greetings Sports Fans

Hi guys, just a quick one here:
Noticeably it's gone a hit quiet on TracksideOffside over the past week or so. This, as im sure is apparent, is because A)There's minimal Sport activity, B) Durr, it's Christmas, and C) well okay, there's probably not a third reason.
Anyway, just a quick post to assure readers of the blog that come 2013, normal service shall be resumed, and in anyway possible improved. I have a few plans and ideas in the pipeline, but any feedback, guest writers, or just general tips are as always, appreciated!
In the meantime, check out my recent series of my top 10 2012 Sporting Memories.
Im going abroad for a week or so now as of tomorrow (Don't be mad, please), so hoping you've all had a fantastic Christmas and wishing you all a Happy New Year !

2012 Sporting Memories: BBC SPOTY 2012

Seasons greetings guys,

For my tenth and final edition of 2012 Sporting Memories, I have chosen a memory that not only stands out for me over the past year, but one that will stay with me forever. In an numerically ideal kind of sense, it's this memory in question that is my favourite of the ten I have documented.
As with every year in recent history, the sporting year is celebrated by the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards ceremony; an awards show that recognises the British  and to a lesser extent foreign sporting-exploits over the past twelve months. Luckily, in 2012, I was offered the opportunity to help out with rehearsals for the show, an opportunity which a seized and relished like no other.
Having spent the night in a Travelodge, I made my way to the London ExCeL Arena on a brisk Saturday morning in December, still fighting-off a severe bout of tiredness throughout my walk. I hardly a perked up when I did eventually arrive, with a health & safety briefing hardly helping my situation. To be honest, the excitement hadn't quite yet kicked in.
It didn't take long though. Before long I was issued with my own 'access all areas' type pass-card, stating my name and role as a 'Contractor'. Very professional. My road to excitement soon reached fever-pitch soon after, as I walked into the SPOTY arena for the first time, an arena that come Sunday at 7:30 pm, would hold 16,000 live audience members and be entertaining BBC One's viewers at prime time.
It soon became apparent that my role as a volunteer would be crucial to the shows rehearsal. Michael Jackson (snigger now, and get over it) as lead Floor Manager explained that I would be representing the identity of certain sporting athletes that would be present during the actual show. This was in order to allow the cameramen, visual-mixers, sound and floor manager themselves, to create a real-sense of how the ceremony would pan out, and fine-tune every single last detail to proceedings. For example, 760 camera shots were planned for SPOTY 2012, with every single one needing to be practised.
Throughout the weekend, I was issued with the task of 'being' some biggest sporting stars of 2012 and, well ever. For example, Christian Horner, Boris Becker, David Brailsford, Mo Farah, and the man himself, Bradley Wiggins. It's these last two names that required the most effort and thought, with both having to take to the stage at one point and deliver speeches, thoughts, answers, and the occasional joke. No joke.
Im not going to lie, it was scary. With 60+ cameras looking you in the eye, it's hard to think of intelligent things to say, especially in the case of the 'winning' the main SPOTY award during rehearsals, with the persona of Wiggins... which was very much the case. Despite cracking the joke of: 'Ive won more Tours than Lance Armstrong', I doubt I got anywhere near the levels of excellence that Wiggo excelled to himself on Sunday evening.
The highlights? Standing on stage, being interviews by Gary Lineker and Sue Barker, whilst chatting away to David Beckham. Absolutely, surreal. It's still not sunk in, and I doubt it ever will! Regarding 'surreal', standing on stage with a performing Emeli Sande a matter of meters away, was also off-the-scale.
Come show-time, I'd spent nigh on 20 hours as part of rehearsals, and seen the Awards performed no less than five times! Despite this, the show was an absolute treat, and a privilege to have been a part of, especially in 2012. Our Olympic year.
I'll gloss over the shows' after-party details and leave this post with the notion that having suffered minimal sleep, endless hours of rehearsals, and the horror of London's transport and food pricing, it was one of the best weekends I've ever had. Im sure to take the experience I gained and the insight into the operation-required to pull such a show off, into the rest of my life. A great way to round 2012 off, a year that has without hesitation been the finest in, Britain's, and Sport-in-general's,and my, lifetime.

That concludes my top ten 2012 Sporting Memories. Feel free to share your own favourite memories with me either on TracksideOffside or Twitter. Have a happy festive season readers!

2012 Sporting Memories: Brazilian Grand Prix

As my blog almost certainly shows, I am a huge fan of Motorsport. Most namely, I am a fan of Formula One, so it's without surprise that the 2012 season finale of what has been a phenomenal season, has managed to creep it's way into my top ten memories from 2012.
It's a rarity in recent years for a Formula One season to be decided at any time other than at the final race of the season, and 2012 was no exception. With Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso both vying for glory heading into the race, it was definetly a continental affair in the title race concerning Red Bull Racing and Ferrari's lead drivers.
However, as per, the Brit's were hardly down and out, with McLaren sticking their departing man Lewis Hamilton on pole heading into the race... hardly 'going quietly' was he. As for second place? Jenson Button. A man deprived of a win since the first race of the season in Australia...
On the grid Vettel found himself in an oddly-low fourth place, yet still four places ahead of title contender Alonso. As was the case for the entire season, the Spaniard was competing with Vettel et al in a evidentially under-developed car compared to Ferrari's rivals, and would seemingly have to dig deep and display his outstanding race-craft to overturn the deficit to the young-German. Oh, and run into some luck...
He did. With the race under way and the rain beginning to fall, Vettel soon found himself facing the wrong way, following a hefty clash with Bruno Senna. Alonso to be champion then? This is Vettel we're talking about; a man who which ever way you look at it, could find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in his sleep. Despite substantial damage to his Red Bull's exhaust cross-section, he was able to continue in hot-pursuit of climbing back up the order.
What followed that unbelievable first-lap was a truly breathtaking race. With the rain changing it's mind more than Grosjean changes front-wings, the teams on the pit-wall were engaged in tactical warfare; second-guessing the changing weather and chomping at the bit to see their drivers on the right tyres at the right time.
On track, and it was the McLaren-duo leading proceedings, switching positions occasionally and demonstrating just what a strong driver partnership McLaren have been blessed with for three years. Perhaps the strongest? I think so.
Nico Hulkenberg however, dropped by to spoil Hamilton's swansong. Having worked his way through the madness, the Force India found himself in combat for the lead of the race, all until he under-steered dramatically into the side of leader Hamilton,  leaving Lewis with imminent retirement and himself with a drive-through penalty, This left the rain-drenched path wide open for Button, to waltz through and stride to a comfortable win at Interlagos.
Strangely enough, the race winner was reasonably irelevent, with everyone's eyes on the two title contenders. A faultless driver from Alonso, for me the most complete driver in 2012, saw him clinch a fantastic second place in a poor machine, leaving it up to Vettel to finish seventh or higher in a truly battered car... which he duly did.
 Once again, the season finale had kicked up an absolute treat in Sao Paulo. Vettel took his third consecutive drivers title, McLaren finished the season with the quickest car, Caterham sealed 10th place in the championship and with it, a whole lot of money, crashes, penalties, rain, pain, overtaking , swansongs... you name it, it had it.

2012 Sporting Memories: Wiggo Mania

As the recent BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards showed, 2012 was a year for Britain. It was our year and our time. This was relevant to no-one more than Bradley Wiggins: Blighty's first Tour De France victor.
You'd have to walk, or ride, many miles to find a sceptical sports fan who'd describe Wiggins' win as anything less than popular, and even if you did, they'd probably be guilty of doping. Yes, 'Wiggo' continued the upwards trend of Cycling's appeal as a sport in 2012, by living up to his tag as favourite for the prestigious event, and leaving the field quite frankly for dead.
However, Wiggo's victory on the Tour had far bigger implications that merely bringing the title to Britain; for instance, had the Brit not sealed a memorable and popular victory, would Cycling's reputation be in tatters after the Lance Armstrong affair this year? Would, as confirmed today, the sport receive a 17.5% increase in funding for Rio 2016? Would we look back with greater regret on Team GB's failed Gold Medal attempt for success in the London 2012 Road Race? Would the 2013 Tour De France be launched in Yorkshire? The answer to all those questions I feel, is a straight no.
So, popular, important, but what else? Well more than anything, stunning. Bradley Wiggins, the Londoner, a man who upon first impressions is a typical 'bloke'; likes a pint, enjoys a pub-sense of humour, and isn't afraid to be himself and voice opinion. NOT, you'd presume, the worlds current greatest road cyclist. I for one, can look back on 2012 as the year Cycling (beyond Velodrome events) for me became a sport I genuinely began to follow, and I owe this thanks to watching Wiggins' rise to success in the Media and of course the Tour De France. That iconic moment witnessed on my TV, of Bradley Wiggins standing atop of the podium in Paris, is one im likely to never forget. 
To add to the amazement, Wiggo didn't simply take to an open-top bus to revel in his glory when he arrived back on home turf. Instead, he went out and monstered the cycling Time trial at London 2012, a matter of days after returning home from France! That gold medal in London now sits next to not only his Yellow Jersey, but the small total six gold medals won in previous Games'. He's not too bad on two wheels is he really...
The summer of 2012 then, saw Bradley Wiggins become one of the nations most cherished athletes. Following in the footsteps of Mark Cavendish, Wiggo picked up BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2012, and you really need look no further than the word 'personality' to see why. His frank, 'mod', comical, grounded and honest persona was for me, the key to his awe-inspiring year. A year that saw Bradley Wiggins lead the way in well and truly bringing Cycling, to the people.

2012 Sporting Memories: Chelsea in Europe

*First off, an apology; it may have been noticed that yesterday I didn't post one of my 2012 memories (cue gasp). My lame excuse? I simply didn't have time, and im dreadfully sorry, honest.*

Anyway lets dust myself off and state my seventh 2012 Sporting Memory of 2012. It's one that will linger in the mind for years to come, big and blue: Chelsea's UEFA Champions League title.
Stamford Bridge certainly wasn't a happy place early on in the tournament, with Andre Villas-Boas' team struggling to adapt the Portuguese gaffer's preference to 'beautiful', carpet-football, Barcalona-esque. Their struggle finally reached breaking point in their first leg final-16 tie against Napoli, with the Italians running out convincing 3-1 victors, leaving Chelsea in turmoil, and AVB's head rolling after a stuttering 6-month campaign at the helm.
And so, enter Roberto Di Matteo. A man who not only boasts a solid managerial record after spells at West Brom Albion and the MK Dons, but also an affinity with the Chelsea-faithful, after a prolific playing career at Stamford Bridge. It's a culmination of these two aspects to Di Matteo that vitalised Chelsea, and saw them waste no time in overturning a two-goal deficit to Napoli in the second-leg, to reach the Champions League Quarter-final; a feat almost unbelievable after such a turbulent season.
Having put Benfica to bed in the Quarter-Final round, The Revolution soldiered on into the Semi-Finals.  Their opposition? Barcalona. Just the name sends a shiver of disappointment down any awaiting teams spine, but despite this, Chelsea held out in the first-leg to ensure a goalless affair... or at least they would have had they not fielded a certain Didier Drogba, who put the home side ahead on the brink of half-time in the only goal of the match. This left it all to play for in the second-leg at the Nou Camp... John Terry sent off, a full-strength Barca side, a Messi penalty... All of these factors would surely equate to to an absolute riot in the home-sides favour, right? In a game that for me, matched the excitement of any Champions League match previous, Chelsea dug deep, defended admirably, held possession, and struck on the counter-attack without panic, to do the unthinkable and draw 2-2 courtesy of a Ramires wonder-goal and a calmly taken effort by under-fire striker, Fernando Torres. Two vital away goals, in a game that for me, remains the second finest football match of 2012.
...So what's the finest match of 2012 I hear you say? Surely it doesn't get bigger than defeating Barcalona on their turf? Oh it did. In a Champions League Final, with a severely weakened team absent of Terry, Ivanovic and Ramires, Di Matteo's transformed men faced  Bayern Munich, in Munich. Surrounded by Chelsea fans, I watched the game with my eyes firmly on stalks, heart in my mouth and an alcohol-solution the only antidote. Two late goals left the game in the balance going into extra-time, with Drogba's late headed effort the savour for the Blues in a 90 minutes that Bayern absolutely dominated.
Extra-time proved ineffective,  with neither team able to successfully unlock one-another, with tiredness, a degree of desperation, and conflict between ranks leaving the players, fans and management at their absolute wits-end.
With England watching with baited breath,  the shoot-out began, and distributed it's usual dose of pandemonium and mental-fraying, until two men rose to the fore: Petr Cech and Didier Drogba. The latter of which, calmly tucked away THAT penalty to the left of the goalmouth, in a shot that will be be remembered, savoured, and idolised as one of the greatest of all-time in club football history. As for Cech? He was the architect, saving two penalties from Sebastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben, to set the stage for Drogba to send Di Matteo's Chelsea F.C to Champions League stardom.
You'd be forgiven for titling Chelsea's Champions League victory a 'fairy-tale', but from my perspective, Stamford Bridge's hold on European football's most sought after trophy, is down to one man who stepped-in, took control, and restored order to such an extent that bought eventual success. Hats-off Roberto Di Matteo.

2012 Sporting Memories: Opening of the Games

Okay, first things first, this is going to be a short one. Im in a hotel for the night, minus a laptop. This means im left to text today's Sporting Memory. Oh fun.
So to the point now, and the Olympic Opening Ceremony. I don't think anyone who watched it can say that it was nothing less than amazing to the eye, with goosebumps to the skin. David Beckham on a speedboat, the Queen errr, 'parachuting' her way into the Olympic Stadium, NHS nurses bouncing on hospital beds... pretty memorable.
Okay, so the start was somewhat slow, with a portrayal of historic stages in Britain's illustrious history, proving somewhat odd and perhaps boring (dare I say?). But thankfully, it picked up, and soon became the brilliant, witty, bonkers 'Britain in a nutshell' we all anticipated and enjoyed.
The highlight? The music. A rendition of Come Together by the Arctic Monkeys, and a closing explosive serenade by The Who to name a few, but in truth the musical influence well and truly matched the visual masterpiece in the ceremony, and all but overshadowed the sport that would follow the Boyle-directed show. The sport, that would soon have it's time to shine, as we can now say, it did.
It friday night show that would deter even the most dedicated soap-opera fans from tuning into Eastenders. The London 2012 Opening Ceremony did more than open the Games and light the famous flame, but also ignited a passion of sport for a generation.

2012 Sporting Memories: Super Saturday

For anyone (everyone) who watched the London 2012 Olympics, it was a sporting event that defined a generation. One that will forever be credited as giving the nation the right to call 2012, 'our year'. At the heart of the event though, was one historic day that nigh on any British resident will remember above and beyond all.
Super Saturday will forever go down as one of Britain's finest sporting days in history. A day that yielded no less than six gold medals for Team GB, caused a million rapturous applauses and screams around the nation, and numerous BBC commentators to be dangerously close to exploding with elation. 
First off, it was Team GB's rowers doing us proud with gold in the men's four and the women's lightweight double sculls at Eton Dorney, of Great Britain's most prolific hunting grounds in terms of medals throughout the Olympics.
Speaking of prolific hunting grounds... the nations women's team pursuiters added a third gold of the day from the Velodrome, and doing so reinforcing the notion that Blighty is king in terms of cycling. 
The following three gold medals from that historic Saturday came from the Olympic stadium, and all within the space of just one hour! One hour that was spent by yours truly, aswell as im sure half the nation, sitting in the living room along with the rest of the household going quite frankly ballistic. 
First to christen the hour was Sheffield's golden girl Jessica Ennis, who was crowned Olympic Heptathlon  Champion after establishing  a landslide victory in front of her adoring fans. Fans that, not ten minutes later, had yet more success to go wild about, with Greg Rutherford claiming Gold for Team GB in the men's long jump, ahead of Australian competitor, Mitchell Watt. Pure, sporting ecstasy.
Surely, no more success? But wait... here comes Mo Farah, well and truly placing the golden cherry on top of the Olympic cake by winning the men's 10,000m race within the stadium, in front of 80,000 ecstatic supporters and millions of viewers watching through the Beeb. It wasn't 'just' a gold, but a gold won with Farah displaying a sense of determination and gritted teeth to claw his way through the field and to the front with one lap to go, a place he maintained with the backing of the nation and the heart of man clearly desperate for Olympic success.
Six medals, all gold, on summers Saturday in London. Thank you London 2012, and Saturday August 4th, 2012.

2012 Sporting Memories: Hooray & dismay for Murray at Wimbledon

For my fourth Sporting Memory from 2012, I had to get out my shovel and dig deep; way past all the Football, Motorsport, and Olympic memories, and right down to the depths of that pokey little tennis Championship held in London every year...

Yes, Wimbledon. In your average year, Wimbledon is one of the highlights on the sporting calendar, one of the few true blue ribboned events that the U.K and the world can look forward to. Despite London 2012 hanging over this years event, Wimbledon carried on this traditional reputation, and somewhat surpassed it, thanks to one man by the name of Andy Murray. 

Scotland's golden boy has been knocking on the door of a Wimbledon final for nigh on five years now, and in 2012, his persistence got him what he wanted, in a crack at the Wimbledon title. Just one man stood in Murray's way, in the form of a certain Roger Federer, who for me is the undisputed king of mens-singles Tennis in recent years, even more so than Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray, of whom make up the sports 'big four'.

For many, including me, funnily enough it wasn't the final contest itself that stands out as a favourite memory from 2012, but instead the aftermath of the encounter. Having been quite frankly given a masterclass by one of the sports all-time greats, Murray failed to give his nation(s) the home-title they craved, one that has deprived Britain since Fred Perry's title at SW19 way back in 1936. 

But it's not the match we all remember, is it? I mean, who could forget the emotionally charged speech from Murray afterwards? Here we have Andy Murray, a man portrayed in the media and prejudiced to be a hard-nosed, emotionless, somewhat-grumpy and cold competitor. It's the runners-up speech in question on the 8th July 2012 that completely changed that. One that, both visually and through hearing, was one charged with pure heart and emotion, as he acknowledged fans, team and family alike, through a tear-jerked presentation on Centre Court. 

Needless to say that for myself watching at home, it was far from comfortable to watch, as I witnessed a man fighting through his critics and cynics against him to deliver to the world and more specifically Britain, a confession of love and passionate-drive for the sport, the competition, and all those behind him. The 2012 Wimbledon men's final won't be remembered for the final Murray lost, but for the final he made.

2012 Sporting Memories: THAT Aguero Goal

Okay, so for my third post in a 10-part series of 2012 sporting memories, I decided to stop beating about the bush and discuss the greatest goal in Premier League history. Greatest, not because of the finish, build-up play, individual brilliance or outright outrageousness, but because of the shockwave-causing implications it caused...
Sergio Aguero. Where do we even start. it's often said that you remember where you were when you heard a significant news story break... for any sports fan, this goal provokes the same statement. I was on the edge of my sofa, grinning like a goon at Jeff Sterling on Sky Sports News, as he neared inevitable explosion thanks to his animated excitement. With the Premier League in the balance at both ends of the table, all eyes were on the Etihad Stadium with title-challengers Manchester City facing QPR, a team battling for Premier League survival. Despite the two teams contrasting fortunes... they had some definitive similarities. In fact, its the word 'fortune' that causes the most significant similarity between them, with bibilically rich owners, high investment rates, and intense expectation resting on the the shoulders of both teams managers, Roberto Mancini and Mark Hughes.
Anyway, back to the point. That goal. Who could forget the scenes of desperation? City were drawing level with QPR, in stoppage time, and facing not the Premier League title, but that all to familiar title of 'Manchester's second best', with rivals United beating Sunderland and heading for another championship. BUT THEN; in it went. Sergio Aguero scores from close range to put City ahead, give City the title, and send every single City and neutral fan into absolute pandemonium. Through the thick, ugly, unpleasant smoke-screen of  'money in Football', came a goal that bought out scenes of pure passion and joy. A moment which when the net behind Paddy Kenny's goal was disturbed,  caused the most outrageous and joyous scenes ever witnessed in the Premier Leagues 20 seasons, and perhaps even the finest in world football as a whole.
I for one, was beyond words, laughing in disbelief! For one thing, I prefer United if im brutally honest! And for that, I came to a conclusion that day: If (here comes an idiotic statement) 'money bought the league', and caused such a climatic finish to it, then shake the sheikh's hand for doing so. That wasn't money, that was football, at it's finest.

2012 Sporting Memories: Austrailian Grand Prix

Okay, so I could hardly miss out the curtain-raising race in the 2012 Formula One season, could I? Well, I haven't, and more so, it helps that the race was an absolute peach.
The opening race of any Motorsport series is of course, riddled with excitement, but non-more so than the Australian Grand Prix, the spiritual home of the sports opening race weekend. The 2012 edition was certainly worthy of that title, with a whole host of factors going into the race gripping audiences, teams, fans and drivers alike, and creating a sense of tension and anxiety in and around F1 that can only really be matched by the final, and normally title deciding race of the season.
Even tuning into the event on your TV, was interesting enough in itself, with the BBC and Sky going head-to-head for the first time in terms of broadcasting. For me, I decided to ride the waves of change and go with Sky's all-new coverage. I wasn't disappointed.
Back to the on-track antics, and a soon established pecking order to came to the fore, with McLaren leading the way. Red Bull, without the blown-diffuser as banned for 2012, struggled with their contender early-doors, but nothing compared to Ferrari, who's pre-season testing fears were confirmed at the first race, with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa finding themselves over 2.5 seconds off of the pace in Qualifying. Drama already.
Race day itself, summoned millions of U.K viewers to set their alarms for early-Sunday morning, in preparation for lights-out down under. With McLaren front-row, the end result looked ominous.It wasn't. Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton found himself in second behind teammate Jenson Button after a poor get away, but clear of the rest of the competing field. At this point... ENTER Sebastian Vettel, who despite a evidently under developed car, was in third. Introduce and timely safety car period and a fortunately timed pit stop for the German amd yes, you've got it, Vettel's rub of green got him ahead of Hamilton's McLaren and into second. Come the end of the race however, neither the Red Bull of McLaren driver could do nothing about the victorious Button.
Somehow, Alonso dragged his pig-of-a-car to a fourth place finish, and in doing so would set the tone for a number of staggering drives in a genuinely poor car, for the rest of the season.
With DRS and KERS providing a whole host of overtaking moves throughout the field, the race left Martin Brundle and David Croft breathless in the Sky Sports commentary box, and myself very much awake and smiling in the early hours of an early Sunday morning back in the U.K.
A great race, and one that stood out for me looking back on a year of sport in 2012. Roll on F1 2013.

2012 Sporting Memories: Autosport International Show

As with the start of every calendar year, the Autosport International Show gets the wheels in motion for the up and coming Motorsport season. Held at the the N.E.C in Birmingham, race-series from across the world are represented and displayed across the worlds biggest Motorsport exhibition, and 2012 was no exception.
With literally hundreds of Stands, cars, bikes, and entertainment features on offer, it's certainly one of my most fond memories from the year, with the chance to meet McLaren-Mercedes driver Jenson Button and F1 commentary god Martin Brundle, only adding to the pleasure of the day. 
One of the greatest aspects to the show, is the sheer diversity in Motorsport on show, with Touring Cars to Stock Cars, and the World Rally Championship to British Superbikes. But at the centre of the show, was the Autosport Central Stage, showcasing a whole host of infamous names both from inside and outside the cockpit, but all from the world of Motorsport. Such examples from 2012 stand as: F1 stars Anthony Davidson (pictured) & Paul Di Resta, Sportscar legend Allan McNish,  and double BTCC champion Matt Neal.
One of the greatest highlights for me in 2012, was the Lotus stand (pictured top-right), which showcased some of the companies finest examples of machinery from across it's international involvement in Motorsport, from race-prepared Lotus Exige's all the way up to the brands flagship machine, it's Formula One car.
Without intending to be a PR agent for the show... I'd genuinely recommend the 2013 ASI show to anyone with even the vaguest whiff of interest in sport. Any sport. I know first hand how it helps bring new fans in, thanks to members of my own family coming away from the show with a newly lit passion for Motorsport!
But back to the task in hand, and as a vivid memory from 2012, I can safely say that the 2012 Autosport International Show was one of my personal highlights from the past year of sport.

2012 Sporting Memories

With 2012 drawing quickly to a festive end, I figured it would be an ideal time to look back on a year of sport, that to whoever it may concern, has been truly outstanding. Starting as of tomorrow (Monday 10th December), I will be counting down my top 10 favourite sporting highlights from 2012, by posting one of these highlights on TracksideOffside for the next ten days in the run up to Christmas. Stay tuned, festive and ready to discuss these highlights over the coming days!

Formula E. Electric Ecstasy or Sorry Silence?

Now that the majority of the Motorsport calendar for 2012 has come to a close, it's time for the sport to do one of two things; ease the foot off of the gas and get all festive, or pent-up and looking ahead to the future, and the return of the green light and chequered flag. Oh, and this can also involve getting festive.
I am doing the latter, and perhaps being too eager. For you see, it's not 2013 at the moment that im particularly excited about, but 2014, and the introduction of Formula E.
This new-for-2014 series is perhaps one of the most important Motorsport ventures of our generation, well mine at least, and could possibly help significantly shape the future of Motorsport around the world. The 'E', as maybe guessed, stands for electric (cue the booing over no noise, from me included). Yes, that word thats creeping into the automotive world like a Bull in China Shop. Not welcome, but there. So put two and two together, and  you've got it; a racing series  comprising of all-electric, single-seater machinery.
It's not the first attempt to launch a series based on similarly environment-friendly principles, but unlike previous failed efforts, the project has a severe amount of backing behind it, leaving failure as a practically  redundant option. The single most important aspect to Formula E, is it's FIA-granted License, which in itself grabs the attention of anyone with even a vague whiff of Motorsport knowledge.
Perhaps more interesting and insightful however, is the more hands-on features of the series. For example, McLaren have themselves agreed with series CEO Alejandro Agag, to supply the motor, transmission, and electronics, or in Queens English  the cars essentials. Speaking of cars, no-less than 42 of them have been ordered, with ex-Formula One and GP2 driver Lucas Di Grassi tasked with the vital job of testing and fine-tuning the radical new car.
So just why does this bode so significantly on Motorsport as a whole? Well the first key point to remember, is that FIA President Jean Todt has publicly expressed his wish for a greater influence of 'green technology' to be used not just in Formula One, but across the FIA spectrum. When you consider that Formula E's inaugural series in 2014 coincides with dramatic technical rule changes taking place in Formula One (new engines, more environmentally friendly aspects throughout the cars),  it could be judged that the new Formula could stand as a so-called 'guinea-pig' series for the next set of technical regulation changes after 2014 in the premier-class, which one would predict to be yet more 'green' focused.
McLaren's involvement stands in itself, as a significant indication of just how  seriously Formula E is being taken, with the Woking-based team seemingly chomping at the bit to move-in and begin development on electric-Motorsport solutions. Such development would surely benefit not only their Formula One outfit, but also the brands road car-division and overall reputation as industry-leaders when it comes to environmentally -aware technology. After all, their Formula E endeavour was announced only a matter of months after McLaren was officially confirmed as being carbon-neutral, in February 2012.
The creation of Formula E as a whole is clearly one fuelled by ambition, technological-advance and long-term focus for Motorsport as a whole, and despite the inevitable loss of the noise-aspect, should be at least welcomed cautiously by all. With the series already confirming events in Rome and Rio di Janeiro, aswell as promising a calendar filled only by street-races, Formula E certainly can be commended for being nothing short of promising and exciting, and certainly one to keep an eye on during it's 2013 pregnancy.

The Becks Factor

So after 6 years at L.A Galaxy, David Beckham yesterday waved goodbye to the MLS on the back of a second consecutive MLS Cup Final victory. 
Beckham's move to America back in 2007 was one shrouded in raised eyebrows and cynical reception, the money, the publicity, the influence from a celebrity wife... all overshadowed the heart of his move state-side, the football. 
Despite a shakey start to his time in L.A, with injury and a lacklustre string of performances, Beckham eventually began to up his game, seemingly after the immediate attention and intensity of the media spotlight on him dimmed. 
With the influence of the former England-Captain, Galaxy can now boast two Cup Final victories, three victorious league campaigns, and a whole host of minor competition wins. 
But above and beyond all, David Beckham's American endeavour has significantly enhanced the health of American soccer, a sport which alongside national sports such as Baseball, NASCAR, Basketball and American Football, has always struggled. The MLS League itself has inflated in size, with 12 teams becoming 19 teams due to the increased interest in the sport. Merchandise sales across the globe are up 231%, as is undoubtedly the profile of American soccer as a whole. After all, you don’t attract names such as Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane to a league on the other-side of the world, without an incentive and catalyst figure such as David Beckham and his role in North America. Well done Becks.

Senna Out, Bottas In at Williams

Williams have confirmed that their 2012 reserve driver Valtteri Bottas, will replace Bruno Senna for 2013. 
Bottas will race alongside Venezuelan team-mate Pastor Maldonado, of whom will venture into his third season with the British squad, after months of uncertainty regarding the security of his seat for next year.. Aswell as joining the world's elite drivers on the grid, Bottas' involvement next year means that for the first time since 2002, their will be two Finnish drivers on the grid, with Kimi Raikkonen again spearheading Lotus F1's charge for a second season running. 
Having impressed team personnel, fellow drivers, fans and experts alike, Bottas' promotion to a race-seat is far from unexpected, with his predecessor Bruno Senna rumoured to be on his way out of the team for the majority of this season, despite a string of strong results. Sir Frank Williams himself boldly stated that the Finn is "one of the most talented young racing drivers we have ever come across". Such a statement puts the youngster in the same bracket as former Williams stars such as Alan Jones, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Coulthard, and Jacques Villeneuve. 
With Bottas and Maldonado on board for 2013, it cannot be overlooked that the line-up is one that concerns significant financial backing from the two drivers, and may have acted as a catalyst for Senna's removal and Bottas' promotion. 
Bottas' reputation comes before him, having won the inaugural GP3 Series in 2011 with ART and clinched the infamous Masters of F3 held at Zandvoort the year previous. More impressive however is Bottas' promotion to Williams Reserve Driver, seemingly skipping feeder-categories such as Formula Renault and GP2. It is clear that Bottas has impressed. 
So where now for Senna? With race seats for 2013 now few-and-far between, it would seem that the Brazilian's dwindling career in F1 is nigh, with the most probable destination for Senna being North America, and more namely, IndyCar. 
With regards to IndyCar, with the likes of Heikki Kovalainen, Kamui Kobayashi and Vitaly Petrov likely to be ousted from Formula One, the North American series could be about to see an influx of proven F1 drivers enter it's drivers market, with their respective track-records likely to become appealing for team bosses throughout the IndyCar franchise. 
As for Bottas, 2013 signals a debut year filled with pressure, a probable baptism of fire, and a great degree of promise.

Q&A with Harry Stafford

A quick glance at former 125cc Moto GP rider Harry Stafford's Twitter page*, and you'll soon come across the words: 'Is it a race or a chase?'. In truth, the British racer's career has been a story of both so far. I caught up with Harry, to look back, at the present, and to the future of his impressive career on two wheels:

How did you first get into racing/why?

My dad used to sponsor a racer on a 600 and we were watching him at Donington Park. They were only using the National Circuit, so the Melbourne Hairpin wasn’t being used and a mini-moto race meeting was on the Hairpin. I sat on a bike and said I could ride one of these to my Dad. I was seven I think.

What happened after that first meeting with a mini-moto then?

My dad bought me a bike (mini-moto) and I used to ride it down at the go kart tract at Hindleys Community College (In Shepshed, my and Harry’s hometown). I think they’re are astro pitches or netball courts now!

Must have been quite a moment when you realised Dad had got you a mini-moto! Can you remember it?

Yeah there is a store room at the back of the shop and I went into there and looked to the side of the door and saw it. I couldn’t believe it because for so long I had loved bikes and now I had my own.

I Bet that moment will stay with you forever! Your first race/championship win; remember it?

I didn’t win my first championship until 2005 on a 50cc bike. It was a great feeling because I was so dominant in the class and to know I out rode all of the other riders all year was brilliant.

So after that first championship, was it a case of doors opening for you in your career? Or did you have to dig deep in terms of sponsorship/opportunities to carry on your love for racing?

Well I was a factory rider (for Conti) then and they wanted to keep me for the year after, but for me I wanted to move onto something bigger and better so that I could move on my career. Sponsorship is always difficult but when you’re younger the level of sponsorship is much less.

Sounds as if you were eager to move onwards and upwards through the ranks; would you say it’s that attitude that caught the attention of Red Bull?

Well I did the trials for Red Bull at the end of 2007 for the 2008 season. I was riding a 125 in the UK at the time so my results got me to the trials.

Was that in the British 125 Champs?

No just club at the time.

With Red Bull being such a huge brand with enormous backing, how did it feel to make it on the international stage? How did you handle the ‘pressure’ of it all?

I turned up at the first race and there was the huge hospitality, huge team, loads of people working in the team, racing in Moto GP. It was all so big and daunting so it took me all season to be settled down and to be able to ride like me.

Quite a big step up then in terms of the size of it all off-track then, but did you still have that same enjoyment-factor  you got before the Red Bull Rookies (RBR), when it was visor down, lights out?

Yeah it was a huge step up and the enjoyment went down. The results were harder to come by and the pressure really started to get to me so it crossed my mind whether I should give up racing. I thought maybe I had reached my level but I carried on working hard and the results started to come.

Having stuck with it, despite a huge crash at Jerez (I can remember that one!), did you find that with the results starting to pick up, so did your enjoyment/passion for racing?

Yeah that crash was my first race in my second season of the RBR. I was battling for the lead at the time so I had improved massively. I had half the season off to recover so then it was starting from scratch really building my confidence back and getting the results.

With a string of strong results afterwards, followed by the graduation to the 125cc World Championship, would you go as far to say that crash in Spain was a turning point?

Yeah I think so. It made me more mature as a rider after recovering. My third season in the rookies cup was much more successful but a little bit of misfortune stopped me challenging for the championship. But I was ready to move into World Championship Grand Prix racing. Even people like Kevin Scwantz said I was ready so that was the step I was making next.

Having clearly proved your resolve and talent in the Rookies, was the jump to GP 125’s a matter of teams falling at your feet, or did you have to go knocking on doors, and ringing up team managers? Did the backing of Scwantz help you progress to GP in any way?

Well at this point in my career I realised the reality of a professional career in motorsport and sport in general, that money speaks and talent doesn’t come to the fore as much. I had to get a manager and to search for sponsorship so that I could go race at GP. The costs are astonishing, but to race at the top level, you have to pay.  With the lack of tobacco sponsorship now, this is the reason it costs so much to the rider.

With so much effort clearly gone into clinching sponsorship, gaining contacts and promoting yourself as a serious contender for a ride in the 125’s, would you say that the season itself justified all that time and effort? Was it a case of ‘living the dream’ or more a case of ‘pressure to deliver’?

Yeah it was something I had worked for since I use to imagine being there when I was little. It was so difficult not having the equipment of the top teams so I had to ride at 100% all the time. It made me a better rider but it was so demoralising. But it was such an experience travelling the world and doing what I love.

Have you got a specific favourite memory from that season with Ongetta Racing?

My favourite memory was probably when I got my first points. It was at Brno in the Czech Republic and I had problems with my bike in Qualifying so I qualified 31^st. But I had a brilliant race and was in the battle for 9^th, ending up 13^th but the change in result over night was brilliant and I was proud of the team. We showed real determination.

So after such a brilliant season racing at the highest level possible around the world, just how hard was it for you this year (2012), having to take a step back from racing/why?

Well for me to watch it on TV is difficult, but I’ve had to accept the fact that in sport this happens. Opportunities aren’t easily come-by and unfortunately I didn’t get an opportunity to race again this season. But I carry on working hard training, and trying to get back where I want to be. I did one race in the British Championship and won it, and I’ve recently done some testing for KTM, so this year hasn’t gone to waste.

Despite these positives taken from 2012, are we right in saying that a return to full-time racing is the goal for 2013? Is anything beginning to fall into place?

Yeah that's the goal. Where I'm going to race I don't know but it would be nice to be on a competitive bike. I could be doing a lot of testing next year also, so what I'm doing exactly is unknown. I'll know more in the New Year.

Do you see yourself ever reaching the heights of 2011, back in the GP?

I hope to be back there. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and going down a different route maybe to get there again but it’s possible and I will always do my best.

Biggest inspirations?

My biggest inspiration has got to be Valentino Rossi. He has the skill on the bike and he has the personality in the paddock to be the people’s champion. I see it as the way to be the best.

Is there set of words, or mentality that you have carried throughout your career so far?

"People ask me if I will be the next Valentino Rossi or Barry Sheene and I reply 'no', I will be the first Harry Stafford."

*You can follow Harry on Twitter @HarryStafford21 ,aswell as leaving any questions or comments below.

Ana Carrasco joins Maverick Vinales at Laglisse for 2013

15-year-old Ana Carrasco has signed a deal with the JHK Laglisse team, to participate in the 2013 Moto 3 World Championship. 
In doing so, the Spanish rider will partner fellow statesman and established Moto 3 frontrunner Maverick Vinales, and perhaps more significantly, become the first female rider to grace the Moto 3 championship. 
Carrasco's place at the highest level appears to hinge not just on her gender, which in itself poses as an lucrative selling point to sponsors, but also rightfully down to her talent on a bike, with a 2011 season boasting three points-scoring finishes in the intensely competitive CEV Spanish Championship. 
With the addition of Carrasco and Vinales, JHK Laglisse stand as a force to be reckoned with next season, with such a partnership bringing strong sponsorship, high expectation and almost undoubtedly an ever growing fan base beneath it's feet. 
Speaking of 'beneath'... Vinales and Carrasco will sit astride 4-Stroke KTM machinery next season, after the Austrian manufacturer successfully carrying Sandro Cortese and the Red Bull AJO Team to title success in 2012. 
From a management perspective, Jaime Fernández Avilés looks to be sitting pretty going into the festive season, with two riders guaranteed to bring unprecedented levels of success both on and off the track in 2013, with publicity levels likely to go through the roof for his Laglisse outfit.

Can McLaren Give Lewis a Fitting Brazilian?

It's twilight time for Lewis Hamilton. After being under the wing of McLaren for a mere seventeen years, the world has watched in awe, shock, disappoint at times, and always with great interest in Lewis' rise to the very pinnacle of Motorsport.
After this weekends race in Brazil, as is common knowledge now, Hamilton will move to pastures new at Mercedes-AMG, where for the meantime at least, the grass certainly doesn't look any greener. So then, can we hear the curtain call of one of the world's fastest men challenging for stardom? Sadly, those echoes are getting louder.
Going into the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is by far the man on the move, in more ways than one. His and McLaren's pace since the Singapore Grand Prix back in October has been clear for all to see, and, minus a string of torrid reliability woes, the British combination would almost certainly be alongside Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso in the title fight at this perilously late stage.
So with the 2012 title out of reach, can Lewis and his adopted Motorsport family based in Woking manage one last hoorah? It'd be fitting wouldn't it; at an Interlagos circuit that in 2008, gave team and driver the Drivers' World Championship in staggering circumstances, on the last lap, at the last corner, of the last race...
The team certainly have momentum, having out-gunned Red Bull down in the deep south in Texas last weekend, and with a fired-up Lewis widely regarded to be in the form of his life, you'd be a brave or simply stupid man to look past him for the perfect parting of ways of a truly amazing partnership grace F1 since 2007. Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, is soon to be an emotional story for the history books.

DRS Ban for 2013

It's been revealed by F.I.A Race Director this weekend that the unlimited use of DRS in Practice and Qualifying is to be banned for 2013. The decision comes a a seemingly harmonious one, with drivers and officials alike citing safety concerns  as the primary motive behind the move.
For me, this new stance on DRS brings with it a mix of opinion. Of course, as has become the focus of the governing body ever since Ayrton Senna's death in 1994, safety has been the primary concern beyond and above all others within the sport, and this move almost certainly continues that principle.
 However, are we now getting to a point in Formula One where the very mentioning of 'safety concern' sets alarm bells ringing in the heads of the sports big-wigs, almost unnecessarily? The use of the Drag-Reduction System is of course, entirely driver dependant. It isn't something that is forced upon the 24 drivers in the sport, it is instead up something that up until next season, a manner of pushing the limits of a Formula One car, in the hands of 24 drivers who are praised and renound for being the 24 finest of their kind in the world.
The basic principle, and the thing that prevents Qualifying from being a bore from a fans point of view, is seeing car and driver dicing with the absolute ragged edge of speed, low fuel, new rubber, maximum revs, and all that jazz. Under that umbrella also comes DRS, as each driver seeks to extract  the very last tenth of a second from a lap by using the system as much as possible. That now, has gone, and I feel it can only be seen as an avoidable shame.
Im not for one minute neglecting safety as a vital matter in Motor-Sport, as it is clearly something that needs maximum attention. The introduction of raised cockpits a few years back for example, was a simple one I felt was fantastic, and easily a potential life saver. But with the ban of F-Ducts two seasons ago and now this limitation of another passive system in the form of DRS-usage in Qualifying in Practice, I feel we're stepping over the line of what is needed and acceptable in the name of changes in the name of safety.
It isn't the first time that safety has perhaps gone a step too far, and im sure as we become ever more paranoid and on edge about such concerns in the 21st century, it wont be long. Stay tuned for the next batch of nanny-style safety interventions, coming soon to a sport near you.

Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Leicester City: Match Report

Leicester City managed to stop the rot of a two-game losing streak after playing out an entertaining goalless draw away to Bolton Wanderers.

On a freezing cold night, it was Leicester who looked the most promising from the get-go, with David Nugent going perilously close to putting the visitors one goal to the good, only for Hungarian goalkeeper Adam Bogdan to pull off a fantastic reflex to save his teams blushes.

Bogdan would very much become the key man in the first half, making further saves to prevent Lloyd Dyer and Danny Drinkwater netting for the Foxes. Despite Leicester’s continued attacking presence, Nigel Pearson’s team were clearly a shadow of the team enjoying a six-game winning streak not two games previous, with an array of ill-judged passes and lack of understanding blatant in the eyes of the 1,227 travelling Foxes fans; Antony Knockaert and Danny Drinkwater the worst offenders.

The half-time whistle couldn't come soon enough for Dougie Freedman’s men, as the visitors continued to press the Trotters deep into their own half, yielding no less than nine corners within the first forty-five minutes of match,  despite how fruitless they proved to be. But Bolton soaked up the pressure well, with former Leicester captain Matt Mills leading Bolton’s back-line well, to the echoes of the boo-boy’s sitting in the away end.

The second half proved to be an entirely different kettle of fish, with Bolton severely picking up their game and threatening the score-line in favour of the home-side’s fan base. Lee Chung-yong went closest for Bolton shortly after the break, with Kasper Schmeichel parrying a long-range effort from the South Korean player. Lee in fact was the man of the match for Bolton in my eyes, with a string of brilliantly weighted passes orchestrated across the pitch to awaiting team-mates being highly commendable.

Despite Bolton’s increased presence in the game, and the introduction of play-maker Martin Petrov in place of a flagging Lee Chung-yong, Leicester remained the team enjoying the best chances on goal; Antony Knockaert, Andy King and Martyn Waghorn all with rasping efforts from outside the penalty area failing to foil the ever-impressive Bogdan between the sticks. King was as-ever, the man to keep Leicester ticking throughout the match, quiet and subtle but not to be understated as his set-up play and vision was at the very heart of Leicester’s offensive play. But it was Waghorn and Lloyd Dyer who put on the best display for Leicester, with Waghorn’s consistent ability to win balls and threaten the goal mouth alongside Dyer’s blistering runs down the wing and improved service to the box, most probably helping their respective quests for a solid position in Pearson’s starting line-up.

With Leicester squandering chance after chance, and with Bolton unable to maintain pressure on the visitors yet organised and strong as a unit, the game finished as a perhaps fair result of 0-0, sending the Trotters to 17^th in the table and carrying on Dougie Freedman’s undefeated run as Bolton’s recently appointed manager.

As for Leicester, the result see’s them remain in the Play-Off places, a mere four points off of the summit. Despite a clear need for work on set-pieces, Pearson can take many positives away from the trip to the Reebok Stadium, most potently the resumption of his team’s intensity on the pitch, and the individual performances of Lloyd Dyer and Martyn Waghorn, but also a strong display from Andy King and Ritchie De Laet, both putting in solid shifts in holding the midfield and defence units together respectively.

Why the Italian Grand Prix Could Prove Crucial

With dramatic Grand Prix weekends becoming the norm so far this season, it's becoming ever harder for teams, driver, the media and fans alike to decipher just what happens and why in the world of Formula One 2012. Whether it be on-track action, off-track rumours, F.I.A stances or just simply coming to terms with yet another Vettel helmet design, this F1 season has been relentless thus far.

 So it was no surprise come late-Sunday afternoon that questions outweighed answers, as the Autodromo Nazionale Monza had as ever played host to another thrilling Italian Grand Prix, with a swarm of questions and debates surrounding the cockpits of practically every driver currently participating in the f1 circus. Why then? In years gone past the timing of Monza's role in F1 shortly after the summer break, has allowed the Italian venue to become traditional platform for teams and drivers to announce their intentions with regards to drivers and staff for the forthcoming season. However, this season more than any other in current memory, that simply hasn't been the case.

 Some what appropriately, lets start from the top, and the man single handedly responsible for the stall in the drivers market: Lewis Hamilton. Comments from well-respected BBC F1 pundit Eddie Jordan shortly after the Belgium Grand Prix suggested that Hamilton is set to swap Mercedes power next season for, well, Mercedes power, in the form of the German marque's works team. Jordan went on to exclaim that Hamilton's proposed move would be made all the more harmonious by Michael Schumacher's rumoured imminent retirement. Despite the outspoken audacity of Jordan's comments, the move would make sense from a marketing point of view; since the start of year Hamilton has become the product of the XIX entertainment company, or to put it frankly, a management company driven by making Lewis as rich as possible. From their point of view, and to what is now common knowledge in the paddock, financially speaking Mercedes would be able to offer a much more financially lucrative offer to Hamilton then that of McLaren's contract renewal offer, as the latter attempts to reduce costs in response to the economic downturn. 

 Away from financial wrangles, Hamilton would almost certainly be more competitive in a McLaren next season, with the team being perhaps the sports most established front-runner alongside Ferrari for decades, and on the back of a 2012 season in which their car so far has been jostling for the 'quickest car' title consistently, unlike that of Mercedes' somewhat mediocre WO3 challenger.

With this in mind, and on the back of a dominant win in Italy at a seemingly delicate stage of contract negotiations, could Hamilton now be ultimately convinced to stay with the Woking based team? I'd personally like to think so.

 Despite the intense focus on Hamilton's future of the course of the weekend, it wouldn't be the Italian Grand Prix without the prime focus of course being placed on Ferrari. Come the end of Saturday afternoon, the team and tifosi alike found themselves in a spin, with Championship leader and Ferrari's adopted son Fernando Alonso set to line-up 10th on on the grid, with the massively under-performing and seemingly out-going Felipe Massa an impressive third behind the two McLaren's. A ray of hope for the Brazilian's hopes of staying at the Maranello team beyond this season maybe? 

 That ray turned into a blinding beam come the end of lap one on the Sunday, with Massa up to second having passed Button, and hanging onto the coat-tails of race leader Hamilton. How quickly hopes can be dashed; come the end of the race, Massa found himself in a poor fourth place, having been overtaken by team-mate Alonso, and perhaps more significantly, the man tipped to snatch his seat next season, Sergio Perez...
 Mr.Perez. Many peoples tip to represent the prancing horse alongside Alonso in 2013, despite comments from Luca De Montezemolo earlier this season stating that the Mexican simply has a 'lack of experience' not worthy of his famous race team for the mean time. These comments came as a surprise and continue to echo around the paddock, with Perez having achieved two podiums (one of which came at Monza, in front of the Tifosi, on Ferrari home turf...), displayed a wise head on young shoulders on the track, aswell as demonstrating a spectacular talent at understanding and nursing this seasons' Pirelli rubber time after time, and often gaining big points for himself and Sauber as a result. All these aspects to Sergio Perez are aspects which Felipe Massa of late can simply not claim, So with this in mind, not to mention his position in the Ferrari Young Drivers Program, it is no wonder that Perez continues to impress and be tipped.
 The only other candidates for the seat seem to lie within the Force India set-up, with Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta being equally impressive throughout this year and seasons previous. Out of the two however, it would be thought that Hulkenberg would be favoured should the phone-call from Maranello reach the Force India motor-home, with Di Resta being tied-up with rival marque Mercedes in terms of career guidance aswell as contractually most probably too.
 Having left Monza then, common sense from a purely sporting point of view would suggest that Hamilton will stay with McLaren, leaving a door open for Di Resta to join Mercedes should Schumacher, as widely expected, walk away from the sport for good shortly after the final race in Sao Paulo.
 As for Ferrari? Well, Monza only went to highlight Massa's inability to perform at the very sharp end of the grid, leaving tails wagging in reference to Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez. However, it could well be case of which driver is prepared to accept only a one-year deal, with current World Champion Sebastian Vettel believed to be in-line/agreement for a move to Ferrari come the start of the 2014 season, and the new generation turbo era.
So, all taken into account, one would believe that crucially, Hamilton's win, Perez's perfect performance, Massa's demise and Di Resta's continued pace during the Italian Grand Prix could well be sticking points in the competition for race seats come the end of the remaining eight races, and the start of 2013. 

My thoughts: Rodwell to City

Oh dear. This can only end badly for all concerned. Here we have Jack Rodwell, one of England's many promising stars of the future, who has seemingly decided that joining Manchester City is the perfect next step for him in his blossoming career. One can only assume that poor old Jack doesn't have Adam Johnson's mobile number...
If anything, it's saddening to see that the Evertonian has joined the vast majority of professional footballers plying their trade in Europe currently, in following their wallet as appose to the best 'career' choice for them as a footballer. Rodwell made noise shortly after joining City on Sunday about it being a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'- really though? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for what? Training all week in anticipation for 90 minutes on the bench every weekend? I mean sure, Nigel De Jong may well be on his way out of Eastlands (good riddance quiet frankly), and should the likes of Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, or David Silva get injured, maybe he'll get some half decent game-time under his belt. But for one of England's most promising players, is that really what he/we should come to expect? We've seen it with the likes of SWP and Walcott in the last decade or so, both of which are far from the finished article of which they at one point both appeared to be striving for.
This is one of the fundamental issues with English football as it currently stands, it's almost as if the juggernauts of the sport are suppressing young talent purely for the sake of a half-decent back-up player for any given position on the field, which im sorry, is wrong.
 We, as a pessimistic nation, are often criticising the somewhat elderly age of our national teams starting XI compared to the likes of Italy and Spain's squads. In these nations, young players are at the very heart of Starting XI's throughout club-leagues, regardless of how much noise the wallet of a wealthy chairman makes.which im afraid is simply not the case in English football today. I can't but help but fear that Rodwell's probably ill-fated move to Man City, illuminates this disappointing fact.