This week's Grapevine brings you information fresh from the paddock on: It's a question of Sport The cost of a Russian GP Silly Season Update

It's a question of Sport

With the world making such a fuss over team orders, the Grapevine is compelled to report on pitlane feeling on the subject – but is not going to say much on the subject.

Most of the paddock expected Barrichello to yield before the finishing line. When it happened, they duly took note, then packed up and went home. Just another day at the office – and a chance for some PR at the expense of Ferrari.

McLaren, as title protagonists, share the stage with Ferrari, and are well known to run on a different philosophy to the Maranello team. They make no bones of being whiter than white with their drivers, and put down Ferrari's as unsporting, and ultimately destructive.

That said, the whole team orders issue has been a significant factor in Formula One since the sport started. Just because it is no longer permitted for "number two" drivers to give up their car to the "number one" driver in a pit-stop does not mean the issue went away. Ferrari aim to win both championships, but place a premium on the Drivers crown – accordingly, they work to ensure the best possible chance within the rules of attaining this result. And everyone in the paddock know that's what happened on Sunday.

The cost of a Russian GP

With Bernie Ecclestone disclosing his interest in running a Russian Grand Prix in 2003, probably at the expense of a European fixture, paddock talk after Friday practice considered which of these circuits was most likely to get the chop.

Only one circuit saw consensus. All the teams were unanimous that the place they'd most like gone, and the least likely to go, was Monaco. The street circuit is considered the jewel in Formula One's crown, but is a seriously difficult place to go racing. The pits are overcrowded, with all bar the top four teams having to tow cars to and from "garage" space away from the track, and the crowds really get in the way. Once the spectacle has been experienced a few times, they really start to think there are better places to race...

Staple tracks on the calendar include the Austrian A1-Ring, France's Magny Cours (which is politically very correct, with the FIA based in Paris and embroiled in French politics) and Italy's Monza. There appears to be little danger of these being passed over... and few see it happening. But the remainder seem to have a significant chance of being given the boot.

Obvious targets include the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which is annually slated for awkward public access, and inadequate paddock standards. Belgium's Spa Francorchamps, despite the challenge as a driver's circuit, and numerous thrilling races, comes into dispute most years, courtesy of the politics of tobacco advertising. Less obvious targets include the Nurburgring, which gives Germany a second GP under the guise of "European," and Imola, whose contract was suspiciously only extended until next year...

All this concern, however, simply goes to demonstrate the manner by which Ecclestone is exercising pressure to control the calendar for 2003. By announcing a new circuit, and committing to keeping the number of races to 17 or fewer, Ecclestone has placed inordinate pressure on the European tracks to meet his requirements. All now know that failing to do so, and with some alacrity, make them a serious candidate for being dropped.

The irony, of course, is that Kyalami has been lined up in the same manner as the prospective Russian event, ready to host a race since 2000, and are also still waiting for Ecclestone to sign on the dotted line…

Silly Season Update

Every year, particularly around this time of the season, speculation about the future of all the key players in the sport takes off. For the most part, the rumours are contradictory, unlikely, or just plain untrue, but all too often there are gems hidden amongst the dross that bear consideration.

Over the remainder of the year, the Grapevine will be keeping tabs on the latest hot gossip from the Silly Season, to keep you up to date on who is going where, and why, in 2002: