Already a firm favourite with children all over the globe, the F1 in Schools programme has cemented its reputation in the racing world after being honoured at the annual Autosport Awards this week. The educational initiative, which sees youngsters design, manufacture and race their own miniature F1 cars, won the Pioneering and Innovation in Motorsport Award at the event. Founder and chairman Andrew Denford represented the organisation at the ceremony and was handed the trophy by F1 in Schools patron and Brawn GP team principal Ross Brawn and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner.

Red Bull came so close to clinching the 2009 title that chief technical officer Adrian Newey could easily feel disappointed that they couldn’t quite wrestle the championship out of Brawn GP’s grasp. Newey, however, believes their ’09 performance has boosted the team’s confidence to such an extent that they are facing 2010 with optimism.

The British Grand Prix is to stay at Silverstone for the foreseeable future after the circuit and its owners, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), signed a deal to retain the event for the next 17 years.

Bridgestone’s 2009 specification Formula One tyres got their final test outing last week as 20 up-and-coming young drivers covered 2,602 laps at Jerez.

Ex-Formula One star Alex Yoong is to play a lead role in the driver development programme for the new Lotus team. Malaysian Yoong will concentrate on the Asian side of things, with Litespeed Formula Three team principal Nino Judge responsible for European activities

New Formula One world champions Jenson Button and the Brawn GP team were honoured at the prestigious 2009 Autosport Awards in London on Sunday. As the second consecutive British world champion after Lewis Hamilton, Button swept the board, taking the awards for International Racing Driver and British Competition Driver of the Year…

Fresh from his heat win at the International Challenge of the Stars just over a week ago, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa went one better this weekend with victory in the 500 Miles of Granja Viana kart race in Cotia, near Sao Paulo. It was Massa’s first outright motorsport win since fracturing his skull in a qualifying accident at July’s Hungarian Grand Prix, and the Brazilian dedicated it to his new son Felipinho, who was born just last week…

Fresh from his heat win at the International Challenge of the Stars just over a week ago, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa went one better this weekend with victory in the 500 Miles of Granja Viana kart race in Cotia, near Sao Paulo. It was Massa’s first outright motorsport win since fracturing his skull in a qualifying accident at July’s Hungarian Grand Prix, and the Brazilian dedicated it to his new son Felipinho, who was born just last week…

Reigning British Formula Three champion Daniel Ricciardo stole everyone’s thunder in the Red Bull as this week’s young driver test at Jerez drew to a close on Thursday. Riccardio’s best lap of 1m 17.418s around the Spanish circuit saw him finish over a second clear of the Force India of DTM racer Paul di Resta

During this week’s young driver test at Jerez, Brendon Hartley has been in the hot seat for Toro Rosso. Having already tested for Red Bull, and after joining the team for several Grands Prix as a reserve driver during the 2009 season, Hartley is no stranger to Formula One racing, but the 20 year-old New Zealander was glad to be back…