CONTENTS

October 13 2011 – vol 206 no 2

“Scotland is a great event. It doesn’t even have to produce a profit – it just has to wash its face…” MSA CHAIRMAN ALAN GOW ON THE PRECARIOUS FINANCIAL STATE OF THE RALLY OF SCOTLAND

REPORTS

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

COVER IMAGES: THOMPSON/ GETTY INSET: COATES/LAT

COVERSTORY

1.75millionpeopleinAustraliatunedintotelevisioncoverageoflastweekend’sGreatRace–

the Bathurst 1000 at Mount

Panorama. Reckon the

BTCC would kill for figures like that…

SUBSCRIBE... to AUTOSPORT and get a free Arai trolley rucksack P84

NEWS

34 Japanese Grand Prix Button takes 12th F1 win, while third gives Vettel his second title 55 Renault 3.5 Barcelona Wickens takes crown for Carlin

56 British F3 Silverstone Huertas breaks his series duck 60 IRC Rally of Scotland Andreas Mikkelsen comes good for maiden victory for Skoda UK

Button wins the battle; Vettel wins the war, p34

64 Bathurst 1000 Tander/Percat star for Holden 67 World of Sport Blancpain Endurance; NASCAR; Superstars; FRenault Eurocup

FEATURES

48 Silverstone BTCC showdown Five drivers can win tin-top title 50 It’s Franchitti v Power Las Vegas IndyCar finale preview

REGULARS

5 From the editor 8 Snapshot 23 Mark Hughes column 84 Subscribe for a free gift 96 Final drive Letters and latest gear

98 On track/on screen The best action in the next week 101 From the archive Francois Cevert wins US GP 1971 102 Race of my life Max Papis, Barcelona F3000, ’94

L AT

&,COAT E S/ L AT

:M A S O N/G E T T Y

P IC S

10 Vettel joins F1 greats F1 hails its youngest-ever double world champion 14 Rosberg heads market With Button secure at McLaren, the German is on the F1 radar 17 David Coulthard column 18 Korean GP preview 24 British F3 in civil war Teams at loggerheads over four-car limit in 2012

Rosberg could be in demand

26 Drivers back Wheldon bid IndyCar stars support Brit’s bid to scoop Las Vegas prize 28 Thommo back in the BTCC Former champ to help Motorbase Ford squad in Silverstone finale 31 Tweets, polls, top-fives 32 Rally Scotland in jeopardy IRC qualifier is popular but is not financially viable – so much so that its future is uncertain

SPORTS EXTRA

Radical is expanding

81 New MG series in 50th year 82 Palmer back to Festival Former winner Chrissy Palmer aims to snare FFord event again 86 National reports Cadwell Park 750MC; Pembrey BARC; Mallory Park BARC; Mondello MPSC; Knockhill SMRC 94 Radical reform British constructor in ambitious plans to tap into new markets

October 13 2011 autosport.com 3