F1: Grand Prix News Briefs

get up and running in 2010. The Malaysian backed team said in a press release that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also sat at the wheel of the new T127 car while the Cosworth engine was fired up. Asked by reporters about his visit, he said: "I challenged them, 'you get the car ready and I will come and sit in it'. "They actually got the car running. Well, I lost my bet but fortunately, no money is involved," Dr. Mahathir laughed. He is now an advisor to Lotus Cars' owner Proton, and credited as the 'father' of Malaysian motor racing and the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang.

Teams Hopes For 'Good' Weather At Final Test: Already setting up their garages at the Circuit de Catalunya, F1 teams are hoping for a good week of weather. All confirmed 2010 teams with the exception of Campos and USF1 will test for four days between Thursday and Sunday, in what is the final official pre-season track outing prior to the Bahrain opener in less than three weeks. The recent winter outing at Jerez was badly affected by rain, but the Spanish sports newspaper Diario Sport said the weather forecasts for Barcelona this week are "good". Indeed, the skies above the Catalan capital on Monday are blue and clear, despite another weather forecast predicting some rain on Thursday and Saturday.