Sebastian Vettel led a Red Bull one-two in first practice ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix as rivals Mercedes were forced to play the evaluating game.

Lewis Hamilton can thank Michael Schumacher’s indecisiveness for allowing Mercedes to pull off a signing coup and push the seven-times champion towards the brink of retirement for a second time.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn is hopeful the issues to have so far blighted the season will be cracked in China this weekend.

JENSON BUTTON is relishing the prospect of embarking on a fresh challenge after being signed by McLaren to partner fellow world champion Lewis Hamilton in a stellar all-British line-up.

ROSS BRAWN has indicated Jenson Button’s salary demands will not be met and is instead prepared to offer the new world champion more freedom to seek out personal sponsorship deals to boost his income.

Ross Brawn has indicated Jenson Button’s salary demands will not be met and is instead prepared to offer the new world champion more freedom to seek out personal sponsorship deals to boost his income.

The future of the former Honda Formula One team has been secured after the Japanese manufacturer agreed to pass ownership of the operation to Ross Brawn, who becomes team principal of the new Brawn GP outfit.

Nick Fry admits Honda are feeling the pressure to provide Jenson Button with a winning car, but concedes his backroom reshuffle is likely to cause more headaches than it solves in the short-term.

Jenson Button needs to break his Formula One duck next season for the good of British motorsport, according to former boss David Richards.

Formula One looks unlikely to have an 11th team in 2006 after the Super Aguri squad were left off the FIA’s entry list.

BAR will tomorrow be hauled before world governing body the FIA to explain why Jenson Button’s car was found with a secret fuel tank at Imola.

BAR-Honda chief executive Nick Fry wants to tie Jenson Button to the team for the rest of his racing career.

David Richards believes BAR stand a much greater chance of keeping hold of Jenson Button after Honda bought into the team – and tipped them to threaten Ferrari next year.

BAR technical director Geoffrey Willis has promised his drivers Jenson Button and Takuma Sato better cars for next weekend’s inaugural Chinese Grand Prix.

Frenchman Olivier Panis has announced his retirement from racing in Formula One, although he will continue as a test driver with Toyota.

Jenson Button’s BAR team have received another blow just days after their star driver announced his intention to quit.

It was an unsurprising Ferrari one-two at the top of the timesheets following the first practice session for Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix.

Takuma Sato’s exit from Jordan could hand a Formula One lifeline to Eddie Irvine.

Young British hot-shot Darren Manning has set his sights on a Formula One drive next season - as a replacement for former world champion Jacques Villeneuve.