Bernie's dream battle: Vettel vs Lewis

If Bernie Ecclestone could pick any battle he would want to see, the F1 supremo reckons it would have to be Lewis Hamilton versus Seb Vettel - and in the same car. While Hamilton won last year's Drivers' Championship title with McLaren, Vettel, at the other end of the grid, was making a name for himself with Toro Rosso. The German driver clinched both pole position and the victory at the 2008 Italian GP, pulling off what many believed no Toro Rosso driver would ever do.

This year, though, Vettel is off to Red Bull with Hamilton remaining at McLaren. However, if Ecclestone had his own way F1's two young stars would be up against each other in the same machinery in a battle royale. "Young Vettel is fantastic. I think he is super talented and ballsy," he told the Daily Telegraph. "It would be interesting if we could see him in the same car as Lewis Hamilton. Just as it would have been to see (Ayrton) Senna and (Michael) Schumacher in the same car."

Source: planetf1.com

Malaysia and Australia GP's postpone race start

Like Australia, fellow faraway F1 race host Malaysia will also stage a 'twilight' Grand Prix beginning in 2009, it has emerged.Instead of agreeing to install expensive floodlighting and run a Singapore-style night race, organisers of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne last year negotiated to postpone the race start-time to 5pm beginning in 2009."Obviously, the later it is the better. I suppose it is easier getting up in Europe at 6am than 3am," a half-satisfied F1 Chief Executive Bernie Ecclestone said last year.

Also to benefit European television viewers, it appears Malaysia has also agreed to the 'twilight' scheme, as the FIA on Tuesday confirmed the 5pm race start-time for both opening rounds of the 2009 championship.Qualifying in Melbourne and Sepang will also take place at 5pm local time.E.A.

Source: GMM