Brits on Pole

Compound fractures, gold medals and the hitherto completely unsuspected fluffy side of Dietrich ‘Didi’ Mateschitz. Read on for the best of the week’s F1 and motorsport news…

See Sheffield’s Justin Wilson blast past Marco Andretti, Will Power throw away a certain victory, and fellow Aussie Ryan Briscoe take the chequered flag in front of his home fans.

Almost two months after Scott Dixon wrapped up the 2008 IndyCar championship in Chicago, the series has run its final race of the season - a non-points holiday jaunt to Surfers Paradise in Australia.

Justin Wilson made a successful return to the Texas Motor Speedway as his Newman/Haas/Lanigan team used their final test of the 2008 season to work on their lack of oval racing experience.

The actor, philanthropist and motor sport supporter Paul Newman has died of cancer at the age of 83.

Darren Manning has lost his Indycar drive at Foyt Racing to Vitor Meira, the Brazilian who found himself suddenly out of work when Brit Dan Wheldon jumped from Target Chip Ganassi.

Earlier in the season, just when the threat of a split in world motorsport seemed to be receding, up popped Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone with dangerous talk of F1 breakaways and rivals to GP2. But if it happens, does it have to end in tears?

In part two of Brits On Pole’s exclusive interview with Indycar and Le Mans Series driver Darren Manning he talks about his plans for the future and how driving a prototype sports car around Silverstone is very different from the violence of the IRL.

The 1000km of Silverstone saw Indy Car driver Darren Manning return from the United States to compete for Embassy racing. He took time out after Saturday qualifying to chat with Brits On Pole about his career, his future plans, and how Formula One is failing fans and drivers.

What with the terrible stewards’ decision in Spa, and the future of the British Grand Prix looking so extremely dodgy, it feels like a pretty bleak time to be a F1 fan this morning. So, what else is out there?