Vivaldi came for Melbourne

44 cars on the grid in 2008? The answer’s no, because there are only allowed 12 teams in the championship, but under the new rules, no less than 22 teams have registered an interest with the FIA, including all the current squads. Current front runner to take the extra slot is Prodrive boss and former BAR-Honda and Benetton head man, David Richards.

Formula 1 folk are not exactly known for their love of Classical music, apart from the March of the Toreadors from Carmen by Bizet which is played on the podium after the races. However, even these philistines have heard of Vivaldi and his famous “Four Seasons,” which the Italian composer must have written in Melbourne, a city famous for allowing you to experience four seasons in one day. That was certainly the case here on Saturday where rain, wind, sunshine, clouds, heat and cold all put in brief appearances.

April Fool

It’s the first of April, so time for some fun in the paddock. First of all the Red Bulletin newspaper announced that the FIA’s Charlie Whiting and Herbie Blash were going to set up their own F1 team in 2008, resurrecting the March F1 name, with FIA President and former March man, Max Mosley also joining them. The press officer for the new team is apparently called Joe King (joking? Get it?).