Nico Hulkenberg competes for Williams in Formula One. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

African Stowaways Hid In F1 Trucks: Five illegal immigrants made their way into Britain last week by hiding inside trucks operated by Formula One Management. The canvas-sided trucks, boarded by the African stowaways in Calais, were returning to FOM's Biggin Hill headquarters in Kent from the recent Monaco Grand Prix. The trucks were also carrying F1's broadcasting equipment, and the drivers only discovered the extra cargo once the journey was complete. FOM staff phoned police and the illegal immigrants were handed over to authorities, a UK Border Agency spokesperson confirmed. A FOM spokesman said: "This is the first time we have had such a problem."

Williams In Talks For Renault Power: Williams has emerged as a third possible recipient of Renault engines for the 2011 season. After the French marque said it has the capacity to add more teams to its current F1 roster, it was rumored that the hopeful newcomers ART could be eyeing Renault power. Reports then emerged that the new Cosworth-powered Lotus team might be contemplating a change of engine supplier. Now, Italy's Autosprint reports that Williams is already in talks with Renault. There may also be a link between the Williams/Renault talks, and rumors that Renault's former long-time engineering director Pat Symonds could soon be a consultant to the design of Williams' forthcoming FW33 car. Renault currently supplies the team that bears its name, as well as the dominant Red Bull Racing, and Renault's head of engine operations Remi Taffin said: "We still do not know how it will be in 2011. But we do know that we have the ability to assist more than two teams."

Montezemolo - New F1 Teams Should Be In GP2: Luca di Montezemolo has repeated his disapproval of F1's new teams. In the wake of the carmaker exodus, the Ferrari president expressed his desire that big teams be allowed to field third cars. Instead, new teams including Virgin, HRT and a relaunched Lotus debuted with the support of the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone. But earlier this year, Maranello based Ferrari ridiculed the new entry list as being more deserving of the name "Formula GP3." Montezemolo is now quoted by Tuttosport: "In the 60th year of Formula One, Ferrari is celebrating its 800th Grand Prix. Let me say with pride that no one will be able to match this record. For us it is a source of great satisfaction and pride because is represents that Ferrari has been here even in difficult times, while other teams have come and have gone. I repeat that Formula One without Ferrari is not Formula One, and this year there are many teams that should be racing in GP2."

Mercedes Crew Winning 2010 Pit Stop Speed Race: Mercedes is winning the race as the team with the fastest pit stops in 2010. An analysis by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport shows the Brackley based team has performed the fastest race pit stop at the last four Grands Prix of the season. Interestingly, Michael Schumacher was turned around the fastest of the entire F1 field in China, Spain and Monaco, while his teammate Nico Rosberg only received the quickest service in Malaysia. The Red Bull pit crew, meanwhile, did the fastest pit stops at the opening Bahrain and Australian Grands Prix, with both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber benefitting equally from the quick service. The speed of the tire-changing pit crews is more significant this year than in the recent past due to the ban on refuelling.

The yacht of Flavio Briatore was recently seized by police. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Italian Police Seize Briatore's Yacht: Italian police have seized Flavio Briatore's yacht. A week after the banned former Renault boss hosted Bernie Ecclestone on the 60-meter Force Blue on the Monaco harbor, police boarded it on Thursday. They had followed the yacht with high speed boats to the port of La Spezia, near the northern city of Genoa, with the 60-year-old Italian, his wife Elisabetta and new son Falco all on board. Local prosecutor Walter Cotugno ordered the boat be impounded on the suspicion it is improperly registered as a charter. Investigators suspect Briatore has registered it in the Cayman Islands, with a hire price of 275,000 euros a week, in order to obtain a tax break and to avoid paying sales tax when anchoring in European harbors. They suspect the yacht is not chartered at all and in fact is used only by Briatore's family.