Spyker F1 team new owner Vijay Mallya has announced that from the next year the team will be renamed to Force India. This was expected and I have mentioned the likelihood of introducing a new name mentioning India.

Thew new brand name for the team was revealed at Interlagos on Saturday. "We have applied to the FIA for a change in name of the company and the team from Spyker to Force India. I think that sums it all up as to why I am here." says the Indian businessman.

The name change has been approved by the Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. However, it would still require approval from the competing teams.

Force India is the fourth name for this team. The initial name of the team was Jordan, then Midland, then Spyker F1 and now the fourth name is Force India.

Ink has not yet dried on the agreement, but the seal is already placed. India will host its first-ever Formula One race in 2010. Period. This news was announced by the Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi today.

It looks like Hermann Tilke has provided the Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone with a positive report about the situation in India. Thew new circuit will be built either at Greater Noida or Sohna, the final decision still pending.

I believe this is wonderful news for every Formula One in India. Congratulations guys.

Today I was checking visitor statistics and to my amazement over 80% of all visitors coming to Blogvasion.com from Google during past couple of days were searching for Formula 1 2008 Calendar.

Dear friends, unfortunately the 2008 calendar has not been confirmed yet. Moreover, there isn't even a preliminary schedule. Need a speculated one? Oh dear, here it is found on Wikipedia.

However, there are a couple of facts.

Fact number one is that we won't see the US Grand Prix. I've already written a post about this.

Fact number two is that Australia has lost the pole position and that Bahrain will host 2008 season opener.

Fact number three is that Bridgestone will be the official tyre supplier for the 2008 season and probably up to 2010.

The article on Wikipedia provides more "facts" but I don't take anything on Wikipedia as a fact. As soon as the Formula One 2008 schedule is confirmed, I'll publish it and where the hell I wrote down Bernie's cell phone... :)

Brickyard drops off the Formula 1 2008 calendar, though the Indianapolis door is left open for potential future races. This was the mutual agreement between Tony George, the CEO of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Formula One Management Ltd. CEO Bernie Ecclestone.

In June this year, at the 2007 event, George and Ecclestone agreed to a mid-July deadline for a decision about future events. According to the speedway officials, they needed a long term solution and not the one-year agreement the speedway officials achieved with Ecclestone last year.

According to the estimates, the attendance at Indianapolis has always been good at around 125,000 people. It is believed that the inaugural race in 2000 drew more than 200,000 people. Exact figures have never been published but it was apparent the US Grand Prix has been a popular event. But in 2005 the event was spoiled. 14 of the 20 drivers pulled off the track just before the start over concerns about the safety of the Michelin tires used by seven teams. Tony George even refused to wave the checkered flag or join Michael Schumacher in the winner’s circle. Furious and dissapointed spectators and Formula 1 fans threw beer cans on the race.

With or without the Formula 1 event, the speedway most likely will be the site for three races next year. Along with Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR's Allstate 400, the Brickyard will be hosting the MotoGP World Championship in 2008. Confirmation still pending on this.

But the Brickyard won't be the same without Formula 1 and I hope someday the sound of the Formula 1 car engines will be heard on this fast and wonderful motorway.

This post has been featured on BLOGVASION.COM

There is a possibility that we won't see the British Grand Prix in the Formula 1 calendar in 2010. Silverstone is old and needs to be reconstructed. Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that the British government covers the reconstruction costs, as well as pays the fees demanded by the F1 Group. No money means no British Grand Prix, which is sad indeed.

An estimated budget for the reconstruction is around $200 million. Not a cheap job, however, the amount is far less than that spent on the Olympcis by the British government.

From pure economic point of view, the Olympics is a one-time event (though lasting a couple of weeks, bringing in a steady stream of tourists and revenues), while a Formula 1 grand prix is an annual event. This means that in the long run, a Formula 1 grand prix can bring in higher revenue for a country than the Olympics can.