Signalling a return to form for his team, Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello set the fastest time in the first practice session here in Valencia on Friday morning, lapping in 1m 42.460s in 27 degrees Celsius ambient temperature. It was close-run, however, as the Brazilian had the McLarens of Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton right behind him on 1m 42.636s and 1m 42.654s respectively, indicating that their form is also carrying over from Hungary…

Situated in the marina area of Valencia, the European Grand Prix street course is one of the most exciting additions to the Formula One calendar in recent years. Hemmed in by concrete walls, the 25-turn circuit combines a mix of high and low-speed sections and presents a challenging layout for the drivers and engineers. Good straight-line speed and stability under braking are therefore paramount, as is good mechanical grip through the mix of low and medium-speed corners, as the Renault team explain…

With a newly-built, bespoke street circuit awaiting them, the Formula One paddock couldn’t wait to arrive in Valencia ahead of the track’s inaugural hosting of the European Grand Prix last year. Boasting 25 corners, and located within the Spanish city’s marina, it was an exciting proposition, especially after the end of F1 racing’s traditional three-week summer break.

Lewis Hamilton comes to Valencia in the same frame of mind he approached every Grand Prix in 2007 and ’08: expecting to fight for victory. Since his surprise success in Hungary, which yielded his first victory since China last year, the reigning champion believes that McLaren can now fight for wins for the rest of the season – partly because his car’s KERS energy storage system will come into its own on the remaining tracks, and partly because of further aerodynamic revisions to its configuration…

Surfing the net and finding out that your job has all but evaporated is a bit hard to swallow, but that is exactly how Robert Kubica found out that BMW will be withdrawing from Formula One racing at the end of 2009.

He may be modest about the significance of his breakthrough win in the recent German Grand Prix, but Red Bull’s Mark Webber appears more relaxed and self-assured than ever heading into this weekend’s Valencia race. With his new-found confidence, the Australian lies second in the drivers’ standings and is definitely looking for more, both for himself and his team…

Adrian Newey is about as close as a Formula One designer comes to being a household name.

The ban on refuelling during Grands Prix next year will mean a return to low-fuel running in the top-ten shootout for pole position during qualifying. The move is one of a number of changes confirmed by the FIA in the newly-published 2010 regulations. With up to 13 teams expected to feature on the grid next season, the first Q1 phase of qualifying will see eight (rather than the current five) drivers eliminated after 20 minutes…

Welcome to the 11th round of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship, the Grand Prix of Europe in Valencia.

The 11th round of 2009 championship sees yet more driver changes.