It is Formula One legend Michael Schumacher’s 50th birthday today but it will be an occasion tinged with great sadness. The German continues to recover at home from the life-changing skiing accident that left him in a coma for a number of months, five years ago, writes Niamh O'Mahony.

Lewis Hamilton will start from pole position in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix after edging out Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by just four hundredths of a second.

Vettel raised the bar on the penultimate morning of Formula One's final pre-season test.

Persistent snow and freezing conditions from a Siberian cold snap has badly affected transport and caused a handful of deaths across a swathe of Europe from Britain to the Balkans.

Lewis Hamilton has shrugged off Nico Rosberg’s threat that he is feeling back to his best — insisting that is still not good enough to beat him.

Jenson Button can understand the reasoning why Fernando Alonso will not be making his second debut with McLaren this weekend.

Australian Grand Prix organisers have dismissed suggestions a number of Formula One teams are threatening to boycott the race over safety fears surrounding McLaren.

Nico Rosberg sent out an ominous warning to the rest of Formula One by setting the fastest time so far on day two of the final pre-season test in Barcelona.

Fernando Alonso spent last night in hospital after suffering concussion in a heavy crash in testing in Barcelona.

RIVALS of the BMW 3 Series might be reluctant to admit it, but for 40 years the Munich machine has been the benchmark in the compact executive segment.

Mercedes will play the role of guinea pig this week as Formula One looks to pump up the volume.

Lewis Hamilton made it four pole positions in five races this season as he again left Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg trailing.

Nico Rosberg denied Lewis Hamilton a clean sweep in practice ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, although it was another Mercedes one-two.

Pirelli faces a searching examination of its credentials to continue to supply tyres to Formula One after Silverstone was left strewn with exploded rubber throughout the British Grand Prix.

The FIA has announced that Mercedes and Pirelli have a case to answer over a tyre-testing session carried out at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya last month.

A further three teams have criticised Mercedes for joining with Pirelli in what they believe was an illegal in-season test earlier this month.

Fernando Alonso yesterday provided Spain with a lift in a time of crisis courtesy of his third victory on home soil.

Nico Rosberg managed to hold on to his pole position on the first lap of the Spanish Grand Prix, but it was not such a good story for Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Nico Rosberg secured back-to-back pole positions for the first time in his Formula One career as Mercedes locked out the front row ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel denied home hero Fernando Alonso a practice double ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel denied home hero Fernando Alonso a practice double ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Frank Williams is convinced his team can fight their way back this season to again “challenge the very best”.

Pastor Maldonado has dismissed criticism of the way his Formula One career is being funded even though his country is racked by poverty.

McLaren have offered their assistance as Williams now attempt to quickly rebuild ahead of next week’s Monaco Grand Prix.

A full investigation has been launched into the cause of a fire that turned Williams’ Spanish Grand Prix victory celebrations sour.

Fernando Alonso had his home fans roaring with delight as he led at the end of the first lap in today’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton snatched his third pole position of the season for tomorrow’s Spanish Grand Prix, only to then grind to a halt as he made his way back to the pits.

Sebastian Vettel is threatening to grab a second successive pole position ahead of tomorrow’s Spanish Grand Prix after finishing quickest in practice.

Jenson Button is confident McLaren have cracked their pit-stop woes ahead of tomorrow’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso has dismissed suggestions Ferrari will throw in the towel on this season should they fail to deliver on Sunday.

Ferrari’s hopes of a resurgence in Spain this weekend at least started off on the right foot with home hero Fernando Alonso posting the quickest time in first practice ahead of Sunday’s race.

Lotus will tomorrow attempt to get their second pre-season test back on track after being forced to call an early halt to today’s session.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn today boldly predicted his team’s latest car will achieve the results long demanded by the manufacturing giant.

SEBASTIAN VETTEL left his rivals furious as he celebrated his fourth victory in five races this season with a bizarre rendition of the ‘Crazy Frog’ song.

Sebastian Vettel held off a determined late charge from Lewis Hamilton to continue his stunning start to the Formula One season.

Fernando Alonso produced a sensational start to the Spanish Grand Prix to the delight of his fans around Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

Bernie Ecclestone has today confirmed Neil Warnock will lead QPR into the Barclays Premier League next season.

Mark Webber finally ended Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel’s run of poles as he clinched top spot on the grid for tomorrow’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Red Bull scorched the field in final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on a morning when Nick Heidfeld narrowly avoided being set on fire.

Lewis Hamilton offered up hope Red Bull will not have it all their own way in this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Jenson Button was yesterday forced to his put pre-season woes into context after witnessing the devastation in Japan.

The final seat for the forthcoming Formula One season has finally been filled with Vitantonio Liuzzi to drive for Hispania Racing.

Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have both expressed concerns that McLaren are already playing catch-up this season.

Virgin Racing’s Timo Glock could be forced to miss the final pre-season Formula One test after undergoing an emergency appendectomy.

The season-opening race of the new Formula One campaign in Bahrain has today been officially called off.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed a decision on whether the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix goes ahead will be made next week.

Mark Webber was left grateful to his team’s energy drink for giving his mechanics the wings needed that helped him romp to victory in yesterday’s Spanish Grand Prix.

McLaren will today launch an investigation into the penultimate-lap drama that robbed Lewis Hamilton of 18 valuable points in yesterday’s Spanish Grand Prix.

MARK WEBBER cruised to his first Formula One win this season, and the third of his career, to underline Red Bull Racing’s dominance at the Spanish Grand Prix.