That’s some serious helmet hair

Swiss F3 star Natacha Gachnang is the first female driver to sign up for the new FIA Formula Two Championship. Don’t be surprised if one day she makes it all the way to F1. The 21 year-old certainly has the genes to succeed in motorsport: she is the cousin of Red Bull test driver Sebastien Buemi, who looks set to win a 2009 race seat for Toro Rosso.

The new F2 category will use a new car based on a chassis built by Williams and an engine built by Audi.

Lewis Hamilton’s WAG pouts for German mag

Nicole Scherzinger stars in the January issue of Maxim Germany, and Gridcrasher has tracked down the best photos from her cover shoot. Because we care about you in that way.

More photos after the jumpy thing…

Lewis honoured by Europe’s premier sports newspaper

After missing out on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Lewis Hamilton can take comfort in the news that L’Equipe has voted him one of their top five sportsmen of the year.

Hamilton came fifth in the voting, behind sprinter Usain Bolt (who was voted the Champion of Champions), swimmer Michael Phelps, tennis star Rafael Nadal and MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi.

Does this mean the French love Lewis more than us Brits? Shurely shome mishtake.

Scuderia chief forsees wage wars

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes drivers should not be immune from F1’s cost cuts. 

In an interview with Autosprint, Domenicali said: “I think in the following months there will be a major revolution, also with the drivers, as far as retainers are concerned.

“Let’s be clear: at a moment when the teams, whether big or small, must reduce costs in a significant way, one could feel like saying you need an ace (driver) to make the difference.

“However, I feel in the current climate the big teams won’t have the ability any more to think of offering certain amounts of money that some drivers get. So discussions can be held on this issue.”

She’s cute and she’s a better driver than you

Carmen Jorda is 20 years old and cuter than a basketful of kittens. She drives in Spanish F3 for the Campos Racing team, which means she’s also more talented than a basketful of kittens. Last season, she finished fourth in the Spanish F3 Cup.

Carmen qualifies as a WAG because she’s going out with Superbikes rider Fonsi Nieto. The pair have just announced their engagement, so Carmen is off the market. Doh.

More photos after the jump…

F1 world champ honoured with place in wax museum

Lewis Hamilton is the latest star to be turned into a waxwork by Madame Tussauds. This week, the F1 world champion underwent 300 measurements in view of becoming part of the famous museum’s “Sports Zone” in 2009.

Many digital photos of Lewis wearing his McLaren racing overalls were also taken for reference, and other details, such as the colour of his eyes, were noted.

Hamilton’s wax double will reportedly cost £150,000, although it’s too early to say if the new model will be injected with as much personality as the original.

[F1 Fanatic]

Captain Slow turns off the charm

Unless you’re a billionaire, in which case it doesn’t matter what you say to girls, it’s best not to use a slightly creepy “Hello…” as your opening flirt gambit. And especially not when your victims targets are a good 15 years younger than you.

More Top Gear awards after the jump…

But that’s the only reason people watch it!

This season in Nascar, accidents and spins fell to their lowest level in five years. The new, sturdier model of racecar, introduced this year after a successful trial in 2007, was involved in 211 incidents resulting in a caution, according to Nascar race data. That represents a 12% drop from last season and marks the lowest total since 2004.

“Everyone is just getting better and better,” said Nascar star Carl Edwards, who finished second in this year’s championship. “Guys are realising how to race and not make mistakes, so I think part of this is the sport changing a little bit, and I think part of it is the car.”

This is unacceptable. Nascar needs lots of crashes (like the NHL needs fights, say), otherwise it’s just a lot of colourful brand names going round and round and round without incident. Sort it out, or we’ll change channels.

Crasher video bonus! Nascar crash compilation: