FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - Formula One teams have signalled their readiness to embrace eco-technology and other environmental initiatives being championed by the sport's governing body.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - Formula One teams and drivers have signalled their readiness to embrace eco-technology and other environmental initiatives being championed by the sport's governing body.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - Drivers world championship leader Lewis Hamilton said Thursday he is in a far stronger position this year than last as he approaches the final races of the Formula One season.

PARIS, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - It's nicknamed the 'rally of 10,000 corners' but a win in this weekend's Rally of France could see Sebastien Loeb turn the last corner in his bid for a fifth consecutive world title.

PARIS, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - World championship standings ahead of the Rally of France in Corsica this weekend:

TOKYO, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Japanese auto giant Toyota Motor Corp. is planning to downgrade its earnings forecasts for the year to March 2009 amid the global financial turmoil, reports said Wednesday.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Nico Rosberg is keen to build on his career-best second place at the Singapore Grand Prix, and is hoping the heavens will open in Japan on Sunday to help his cause.

BERLIN, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - German carmaker BMW said Wednesday that the financial crisis led to a 15-percent plunge in unit sales in September, with deliveries in the United States alone dropping by more than a quarter.

'The crisis in the financial markets is currently making consumers highly reluctant to purchase, especially in the United States,' BMW said in a statement.

TOKYO, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Lewis Hamilton expects a 'tough weekend' at the Japanese Grand Prix when he aims to boost his own and his team's leads in the Formula One standings.

'I hope we'll have just as competitive a weekend as we did here last year and I'm sure we'll be strong,' Hamilton said here Wednesday ahead of Sunday's race at Fuji Speedway.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Felipe Massa and his Ferrari team will be bidding for an overwhelming one-two triumph in this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Mount Fuji as they try to rein in McLaren and Lewis Hamilton.

The 'scarlet scuderia' need a victory to boost their confidence and revitalise their challenge for this year's Formula One world championship.

TOKYO, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Toyota Motor Corp. shares plunged Wednesday after a report that the automaker will miss its profit forecast as the financial crisis reduces demand for automobiles.

TEHRAN, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - The chairman of Iran's biggest car maker accused France of 'inappropriate policies', which he said are hampering joint ventures in a country where French manufacturers have a 40 to 50 percent market share.

PARIS, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Formula One chiefs, concerned by the spiralling cost of motor racing in the current worldwide economic downturn, will hold talks later in October to discuss the crisis.

BERLIN, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Europe's carmakers are cutting production and reporting falling sales in a clear sign that the global financial crisis is spreading from banks to other sectors of the economy.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Ferrari have decided to dump their 'traffic light' pit stop signal system at the Japan Grand Prix and revert to the traditional 'lollipop' after their disaster in Singapore.

STOCKHOLM, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Beleaguered Swedish car maker Volvo, a unit of US auto giant Ford, said Wednesday it planned to cut more than 3,000 jobs in Sweden and abroad in addition to the 2,900 cuts announced earlier this year.

FUJI, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Felipe Massa and his Ferrari team will be bidding for an overwhelming one-two triumph in this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Mount Fuji.

The 'scarlet scuderia' need a victory to boost their confidence and revitalise their challenge for this year's Formula One world championship.

SINGAPORE, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - A claim by Formula One team Red Bull that static electricity from an underground train forced Mark Webber out of last month's Singapore Grand Prix has proven to be unfounded.

The gearbox on Webber's car tried to select two gears at once when he was at turn 13 on the street circuit, team official Christian Horner was quoted as saying by www.autosport.com

SINGAPORE, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - A claim by Formula One team Red Bull that static electricity from an underground train forced Mark Webber out of last month's Singapore Grand Prix has proven to be unfounded.

The gearbox on Webber's car tried to select two gears at once when he was at turn 13 on the street circuit, team official Christian Horner was quoted as saying by www.autosport.com

AHMEDABAD, India, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - India's giant Tata Group has found a new home for its project to build the world's cheapest car after violent protests forced it to abandon its factory in West Bengal, reports said Tuesday.

TOKYO, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Toyota are set to unveil a special 'Fuji package' for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix on their home track as they gun for a first-ever Formula One win.

'We will definitely aim for the top of the podium,' Toyota team principal Tadashi Yamashina said in Tokyo ahead of the race at Fuji Speedway on Sunday.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Fernando Alonso is realistic about his chances of another victory in Japan this week after his upset win in Singapore, but he remains confident Renault will again be on the pace.

TOKYO, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button are praying for rain this week, believing it will boost Honda's chance of scoring precious points at the Japan Grand Prix to brighten up a disappointing season.

'I hope the track will be a little bit wet so we can get some more points with the cars,' Barrichello said in Tokyo ahead of Sunday's race at Fuji Speedway.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Even though his outfit is the only one not to earn a point this season, billionaire Force India owner Vijay Mallya says the team has done the country proud.

The beer-to-airlines tycoon headed a consortium that bought the former Spyker team exactly one year ago and renamed it Force India for this season.

PARIS, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Abu Dhabi was voted onto next season's Formula One Grand Prix championship at an International Automobile Federation (FIA) meeting on Tuesday.

The most notable absence from the race schedule is Canada.

The new 18-race Formula One season will kick off on March 29 in Australia and end in Abu Dhabi on November 15.

June 21: Great Britain

MONTREAL, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Montreal faces losses of up to 75 million dollars after Formula One's governing body, the FIA, excluded it from next season's Grand Prix circuit, according to the city's mayor Tuesday.

MONTREAL, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Montreal faces losses of up to 75 million dollars (49.7 million euros) after Formula One's governing body, the FIA, excluded it from next season's Grand Prix circuit, according to the city's mayor Tuesday.

WARSAW, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - With sales suffering due to the global financial crisis, automaker Opel, the German arm of General Motors (GM), has temporarily halted production at a Polish plant based in Gliwice, a spokesman for GM Poland said Tuesday.

LONDON, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Formula One will only survive for one more year unless drastic spending cuts are implemented, FIA president Max Mosley warned on Tuesday.

Mosley, who is to stand down next year, said the sport's future was under threat because of the rising costs of running a team, and he highlighted the fate of the Super Aguri team.

WASHINGTON, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Talk about a back-seat driver!

Ford Motor Co. has created a device which allows parents to control how fast their teenagers drive, limits the volume on the car radio and makes sure their seat belts are fastened.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Kazuki Nakajima admits the nerves are jangling ahead of his first-ever home Grand Prix, but the rookie Williams driver is determined to put on a show for his fans.

He is the only Japanese driver in the field at Fuji Speedway this weekend, but is riding high after the team announced last week it would retain him for the 2009 season.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Felipe Massa says staying positive will be crucial at the Japan Grand Prix this week as he attempts to close the gap on world championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Lewis Hamilton goes into the Japan Grand Prix on Sunday with a seven-point lead over championship rival Felipe Massa having learned a valuable lesson at the last race in Singapore.

PARIS, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - European carmakers are seeking 40 billion euros (54 billion dollars) in aid to develop green technologies, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said Monday.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Experienced Italian Giancarlo Fisichella has denied rookie outfit Force India is going backwards, insisting their improvements have been overshadowed by other teams also getting better.

FUJI SPEEDWAY, Japan, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - BMW Sauber ended weeks of speculation Monday by announcing it will retain Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld as its drivers for next year.

Poland's Kubica is currently third in the world championship standings behind Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa heading into the Japan Grand Prix, while Germany?s Heidfeld is fifth.