CONTENTS

November 10 2011 – vol 206 no 6

“It was ridiculous lots of power and pretty mind-boggling – but every time I went out in the car I was happier” McLAREN AUTOSPORT BRDC AWARD WINNER LEWIS WILLIAMSON ON HIS McLAREN F1 PRIZE TEST DRIVE

NEWS

Up-to-the-minute news and reports from F1, WRC and more. Subscribe for must-read opinion, stats and images

COVER IMAGES: TEE/LAT INSETS: DREW GIBSON, FERRARO/LAT

101 The number of Formula Fords that appeared at the 11th Walter

Hayes Trophy extravaganza at Silverstone last weekend. The race was won by Adrian Campfield’s Spectrum 011C

SUBSCRIBE... to AUTOSPORT and get a free McLaren T-shirt P95

FEATURES

10 Renault plans overhaul Teams promises to come out fighting as Lotus next season 12 Button hails F1 line-up McLaren driver reckons current crop is best he’s raced against 14 Bottas in Williams frame Young Finn for Abu Dhabi test

COVER STORY

J O N E S

,H O N E/ L AT,ST E V E

,M C K L E I N

:D U N B A R

P IC S

Jenson on driving better than ever, p34

34 Jenson Button exclusive The McLaren driver tells Edd Straw why he’s never performed so well nor been so happy with his lot 40 Paddy Lowe profile The man who follows in the footsteps of John Barnard, Gordon Murray and Adrian Newey as McLaren tech chief 54 Rally GB preview It’s Loeb v Hirvonen – again – for WRC title honours in Wales. David Evans previews the showdown

The WRC title decider heads to Wales this week

17 David Coulthard column 18 Abu Dhabi GP preview 24 NASCAR: the gloves are off Stock-car governing body gives thumbs up to on-track scraps 26 Lotus Indy engine progress Works engine supply deal for 2012 is close, claims Brit firm

Button: F1 field is best I’ve raced in, page 12

28 Wurz in Toyota LMP1 move Austrian explains why he’s joined all-new sportscar effort 31 Tweets, polls, top-fives 32 Rally GB date clash fear September date clash with big agricultural event could be a problem for 2012 Rally GB

REPORTS

44 WTCC Tianma Chevrolet racers Alain Menu and Yvan Muller win the races, as Briton Rob Huff loses ground in the title race with one round left 46 World of Sport

NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Trucks; IRC; FNippon; Brazilian V8 Stock Cars 52 FIA GT1 Potrero de los Funes Buurman/Pastorelli win twice as Krumm/Luhr take drivers’ title

REGULARS

7 From the editor 8 Snapshot 23 Mark Hughes column 95 Subscribe for a free gift 88 Final drive Letters and Latest Gear

90 On track/on screen The best action in the next week 93 From the archive Juha Kankkunen wins ’91 RAC Rally 94 Race of my life Jurgen Barth, Le Mans 1977

SPORTS EXTRA

75 Tate lands Donington MD role Experienced hand to guide venue 80 National reports Silverstone WHT; Snetterton BARC; Brands MSVR; Croft Brit Rallycross 86 FRenault/FFord 2011 reviews

Walter Hayes Trophy, p82

November 10 2011 autosport.com 5