May 24 2012 – vol 208 no 8 CONTENTS

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

“I tell you, those four corners are more difficult than many I’ve done in my whole life” BARRICHELLO ON INDY POLE DAY

COVER IMAGE: THOMPSON/GETTY INSET: GIORGIO PIOLA

REPORTS 44 Nurburgring 24 Hours Works-backed Audi takes honours on the Nordschleife 47 British GT Nurburgring New Aston takes first BGT win, then MTECH Ferrari hits back 48 DTM Brands Hatch Paffett finally breaks his DTM home-race duck 55 European Formula 3 Brands Hatch

Marciello follows up Pau double with Brands brace 56 World Touring Car Championship Salzburgring

Huff moves back onto Muller’s tail with Austrian win 66 World of Sport

Superstars; NASCAR; V8 Supercars and more

NEWS 10 McLaren risks throwing away title shots

Operational blunders compromise Hamilton/Button chances 12 Maldonado in good shape for second win

Monaco specialist aims to make it a double for Williams 14 Rosberg refutes his ‘softy’ tag…

…and denies Bahrain swerves were push to toughen up 17 This week in F1 18 Monaco Grand Prix preview 23 David Coulthard column 26 Lola problems ‘won’t affect’ Le Mans runners

Marque goes into administration, but life goes on for teams 28 Honda – no worries over Indy qualifying form

Only one in the top nine, but they say 500 miles will be fine 31 Yokohama promises no kneejerk reaction

Salzburgring blowouts provide drama in the WTCC 32 Greeks post toughest test of 2012

No, not the euro – rally boys are set for a gruelling Acropolis

FEATURES 34 Lewis Hamilton: in a better place

Chatting to a man who hasn’t won, but could become champ 40 Formula 1 gets all mixed up in 2012

Trying to get to grips on what’s going on with the F1 boffins 58 Damon Hill slips back behind the wheel

Full story behind 1996 world champ’s Brands return 60 Indianapolis 500 preview

Looking ahead to the big race, with full grid rundown 64 Dave Newsham: gunning for BTCC victory

Getting to know the new cult hero of the UK tin-top scene

REGULARS 7 From the editor 8 Snapshot 25 Mark Hughes column 79 Subscribe for a free gift 96 Final drive

Letters and latest gear 98 On track/on screen 101 From the archive

Eliseo Salazar finishes third in Indy 500, 2000 102 Race of my life

James Thompson, Valencia WTCC, 2007

SPORTS EXTRA 81 Formula Ford eyes wing plan for 2013

British championship weighs up aero appeal 82 Hodgetts makes Clio Cup comeback (again)

Tin-top specialist back on the grid with Scuderia Vittoria 86 National reports

Brands DTM supports; Donington Superstars supports; Silverstone historics; Rockingham BARC; Oulton Park BARC; Lydden SEMSEC; Croft DDMC 94 Frank Sytner’s miracle return

How veteran got back in saddle, one year after heart attack

May 24 2012 autosport.com 5