FFSA cancels French GP

France’s motorsports federation, the FFSA, has announced that it will not promote the racenext season due to financial difficulties.

“For reasons related to the financial situation, the Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile has decided to cancel the Grand Prix of France,” an official statement read.

“The FFSA would like to thank all customers who attended the Grand Prix of France and have supported this international event in recent years.”

The shock decision leaves the 2009 F1 calendar with just 17 races. Does this leave scope for the Canadian government to step in and negotiate a rescue package for Montreal? We hope so, although it seems highly unlikely that Bernie Ecclestone will reverse his decision to scrap Canada for 2009.

An aside to this news: the official F1 website runs the story under the headline “French Grand Prix to rest in 2009″. Hmm, interesting use of the word “rest”.

It’s what YouTube was made for

In which a few pictures of girls, taken at last weekend’s GP at Magny-Cours, have been hastily thrown together to create the amazing illusion of a video.

Or, as one YouTube commenter puts it: “I will bust a skeet skeet on all of you bitches at Silverstone.”

Quite.

More fuel for the anti-McLaren conspiracy theorists

Part of Kimi Raikkonen’s exhaust fell off during the French GP, but should he have been allowed to drive round with it hanging off in the first place? It could have flown off in any direction. Worst case scenario: it hits another driver, or a steward, or a spectator.

Okay, the chances of that happening are very slim indeed, but why do we get the nagging feeling that had it been a McLaren, then different action may have been taken? Hmm… (strokes beard pensively)

Charlie Whiting should have at least ordered a black-and-orange flag, forcing Kimi into the pits; some might say the Ferrari driver deserved to see a full black flag.

The best pics from Magny Cours

Nick Heidfeld and Bobby Kubica enjoy a cheese and wine tasting session. Nick, in particular, seems to be having a fine time. Question (we have asked it before): why do the poor BMW drivers always get to do the shittiest PR set-ups? You wouldn’t catch Kimi Raikkonen sat in a field before a GP, with a wooden tray of brie and grapes laid out in front of him.

More pics this way…

Who got lost in France?

Five winners:

1. Felipe Massa (1st) Won a race that he didn’t really deserve to win, though that’s no criticism of Ferrari’s No.2, who could yet win the world title - especially if Kimi continues to have zero luck.

2. Nelson Piquet Jnr (7th) Wouhou, at last! Junior brings his Renault home in a points-paying position. Now we could see a totally different Piquet. Or not.

French beauty queen hangs out with Toro Rosso

Valerie Begue, the current Miss France, was a guest of Toro Rosso at Sunday’s French GP. She wore a few more clothes than in her day job though, as the pics below show…

Poor quali by Lewis & Kovi points to Ferrari 1-2

A poor performance by both McLaren drivers in yesterday’s qualifying session for today’s French GP means that a Ferrari 1-2 is almost inevitable, reliability permitting. Kimi Raikkonen (pole) and Felipe Massa (second) did a solid job in locking down the front row, but they were put under no pressure from Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen. Hamilton was fastest of the non-Ferrari cars, but he ran wide and could have possibly grabbed a vital pole. He later apologised to his team, saying “I didn’t do a good job at all”.

With Hamilton already pushed down the grid, this was seen as a chance for Kovalainen to step up and put some heat on Ferrari, but he did an average job, qualifying only sixth-fastest. At this rate, we’d be surprised if McLaren hang on to him for 2009.

Ferrari No.2 fastest in first Magny Cours session

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa dominated Friday morning at the French Grand Prix. The Brazilian set the pace at Magny-Cours with a lap of 1:15.306, some 0.696 seconds quicker than second-placed Lewis Hamilton - both McLarens struggled for grip on a mild, partly sunny morning in central France.

Hamilton’s team-mate Heikki Kovalainen was third fastest, ahead of world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Full times below: