As Abu Dhabi prepares to host its inaugural Grand Prix next month, race organisers have unveiled an unrivalled programme of events to whet the appetite of fans ahead of the race. Commencing over two weeks before November’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the celebrations will be held under the banner of ‘Yasalam’, Arabic for ‘fantastic, amazing and astonishing’. “We are incredibly excited to be launching this groundbreaking programme of events and entertainment,” explained John Lickrish, managing director of organisers Flash Entertainment

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa has admitted he isn’t expecting to return to the Formula One grid this season.

Red Bull and their former race driver David Coulthard will bring Formula One power to the Indian city of Mumbai this weekend when the Scot blasts his way across the spectacular new Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The recently opened bridge joins Bandra and the western suburbs of Mumbai with Worli and central Mumbai, cutting journey times of up to an hour down to just seven minutes. Coulthard is likely to slash that to under a minute on Sunday, when he is expected to hit speeds of up to 320km/h – possibly followed by a few donuts – during an F1 demonstration run which will form the highlight of the ‘Red Bull Speed Link’ event, a five-day Formula One showcase by the energy drinks company.

Bucharest is the latest port of call this weekend for Renault’s Roadshow programme, which aims to bring Formula One racing closer to the public. The French team will host a two-day event in the Romanian city from Saturday, with Romain Grosjean and third driver Lucas di Grassi both set to put in appearances

Keen to allay rumours that they may not be ready to take to the grid in 2010, US F1 Team boss Ken Anderson has revealed impressive progress at their North Carolina base, where they are readying their first car for testing early in the New Year…

Felipe Massa’s recovery from the fractured skull he sustained at July’s Hungarian Grand Prix picked up pace on Tuesday, with the Brazilian completing six hours behind the wheel of Ferrari’s simulator in Modena. Massa journeyed to visit the Italian team on Monday as he continues preparations to return to his Formula One cockpit. “We worked very well, without any problems,” Felipe Massa’s recovery from the fractured skull he sustained at July’s Hungarian Grand Prix picked up pace on Tuesday, with the Brazilian completing six hours behind the wheel of Ferrari’s simulator in Modena.

Felipe Massa returned to Ferrari’s base in Maranello on Monday for the first since he fractured his skull in a qualifying crash at July’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Massa, who got back behind the wheel of a kart in Brazil last week, used the Italian outfit’s F1 simulator, caught up with team members and attended various technical meetings. “I’m finally back home,” the Brazilian told Ferrari’s official website.

For the 2009 season, the FIA are making public the weights of all cars ahead of the race start to help give an idea of relative fuel loads. The cars that made Q3 are weighed after qualifying, while the weights of the remaining cars must be declared by their teams shortly after the session

While Fuji Speedway proved a popular venue with teams, drivers and media there is no mistaking the feeling here that Suzuka, with a track layout that McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton described as ‘the best I have ever driven’ is the spiritual home of the Japanese Grand Prix. The huge modifications to the old cramped paddock have been very well received, and the atmosphere of wellbeing was tangible…

Jarno Trulli bounced back from his disappointments in Singapore by setting the fastest time for Toyota when the final practice session for Sundays Japanese Grand Prix took place on a dry Suzuka circuit on Saturday morning. Sebastien Buemi had set the pace all through for Toro Rosso, but in the dying moments the Italian beat him by 0.062s with a lap of 1m 31.709s compared to the Swiss drivers 1m 31.771s. They were the only two below 1m 32s…