April 5 2012 – vol 208 no 1 CONTENTS

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

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REPORTS 34 BTCC Brands Hatch

Rob Collard (BMW), Matt Neal (Honda) and Jason Plato (MG) secure wins during the opening weekend in Kent 42 WRC Portugal Ostberg takes maiden win after Hirvonen’s disqualification 46 IndyCar Barber Power on top to make it two out of two for Penske 50 WTCC Valencia

Muller and Menu are Chevrolet’s winning pair 52 ELMS Paul Ricard

Beche/Thiriet take opening spoils in TDS Racing’s ORECA 54 World of Sport

NASCAR; Auto GP; V8s; Grand-Am; Indy Lights; Super GT

FEATURES 26 What’s gone wrong with Red Bull?

Mark Hughes examines why the world champion squad hasn’t quite been at the races so far in F1 2012 58 British Formula 3 season preview

Singing the praises of Carlin’s very special Dallara F308, chassis #016; plus race dates and men to watch 62 GT1 World Championship season preview

How Stephane Ratel saved his series from extinction; plus race dates and men to watch

NEWS 8 Why F1 2012 will remain close all year long

We’ve got tyres and regulations to thank 10 Williams pins hopes on development pace

British team aims to keep up early-season momentum 12 French GP to return on full-length Ricard

Le Castellet venue closes on F1 hosting deal 15 This week in Formula 1 A round-up of what’s been happening since Malaysia 18 Loeb could race his own prototype

Rally ace wants to make sportscar racing return 20 Carlin back to Formula 3 Euro Series

Category giant to maintain VW engine presence 22 Neal angry over turbo-boost equalisation

Power disparity will wreck chances, says BTCC champ 24 Latvala linked to long-term VW WRC deal

Ford Finn set to move to German superteam for 2013

REGULARS 5 From the editor 6 Snapshot 17 Mark Hughes column 32 Subscribe for a free gift 92 Final drive

Letters and latest gear 94 On track/on screen

The best action in the next week 97 From the archive

David Leslie wins Thruxton BTCC, 1993 98 Race of my life

Julian Bailey, San Marino GP, 1991

SPORTS EXTRA 77 More top cars and drivers for British GT

Motorbase to field Porsche for Tandy, while RJN Nissan commits to Oulton Park season opener 78 Jelley firms up Blancpain McLaren move

Brit to race MP4-12C GT3 in European sportscar series 82 National reports

Silverstone 750MC; Pembrey BARC; Donington Park BARC; Oulton Park BRSCC; Kirkistown 500MRCI 88 Season previews

British GT and Formula Ford UK

COVER IMAGES: FERRARO/LAT; THOMPSON/ GETTY; GARY HAWKINS

April 5 2012 autosport.com 3