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Sebastien Loeb set a new record in his first attempt of the Pikes Peak hill climb race, beating the previous record by more than one minute and a half.

Photo: Citroen Racing

Nine time rally world champion was driving a Peugeot 208 T16 specially developed for the event. He set a new record in 8'13''878, more than forty seconds faster than reigning champion Rhys Millen (Hyundai).

Jean-Phillipe Dayraut (Mini) was third quickest driving his Mini, in 9'42''740. Romain Dumas' Norma prototype had to stop following mechanical issue in his attempt.

From GMM

As Mercedes speeds ahead in formula one, tempers remain frayed and fingers are still pointing in the wake of the 'test-gate' scandal.

Many in the paddock believe Mercedes' dramatic turnaround - two wins in three races - since its secret Pirelli test is because of the unfair advantage gained by Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton over those 1000 highly controversial kilometres.

Asked if he still would have won at Silverstone if not for the Barcelona test, a defiant German Rosberg said on Sunday: "For sure. Definitely."

Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team

Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali, however, is not so sure.

"We have nothing to say," he is quoted by Spain's AS newspaper. "We avoid controversy and stay calm."

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda, however, blasted the paddock insinuations.

"I cannot hear this nonsense. Everything was finished with the court (tribunal) ruling. So we are concentrating on racing," said the Austrian legend.

Relations between Mercedes and Red Bull, who along with Ferrari filed the original protest and have been highly vocal about the Barcelona test, are particularly fraught.

Photo: WRi2

Mercedes director Toto Wolff is believed to have made some crass comments about the Red Bull company in the German press last week.

He justified his counterpunch by insisting to Tagesspiegel that "there is a limit and Red Bull exceeded it", and admitting his comments might have made Dietrich Mateschitz "spit out his cereal".

"Eloquent. Very eloquent," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko hit back. According to Kleine Zeitung, Marko has vowed only to deal with Lauda in the future.

"At least he (Lauda) is a man of character," said Marko.

From GMM

Nico Hulkenberg is the victim of a financial crisis at Swiss team Sauber, the German newspaper Bild reports.

We reported on Sunday that, as the Hinwil based team runs out money, development of the uncompetitive C32 has stopped, and suppliers' bills are going unpaid.

The Swiss newspaper Blick said Sauber is desperately waiting for a new sponsor, believed to be Russian natural gas giant Gazprom, to sign up.

Bild correspondents Helmut Uhl and Nicola Pohl claim Hulkenberg is yet to be paid for May.

Team boss Monisha Kaltenborn confirmed: "It's true, we're in trouble at the moment. But we will get out of it again, and in any case will still be here at the end of the season."

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber C32-Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Two F1 legends fundamentally disagree about Kimi Raikkonen's best next move.

It is rumoured the 2007 world champion is the hot favourite to replace Red Bull's Porsche-bound Mark Webber next season.

Photo: Lotus F1 Team

But Sir Jackie Stewart, a triple world champion turned consultant for Lotus team owner Genii, thinks becoming Sebastian Vettel's teammate would be a bad move for the Finn.

"I wouldn't want to go into the garage next to another top driver who for many years has established his place within that team," the Scot told Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.

Typically bluntly, however, fellow triple world champion Niki Lauda thinks 33-year-old Raikkonen should make the jump to Red Bull.

"If Kimi doesn't go, he's a wimp," the Austrian legend told German newspaper Bild.

"Yes, he might have to do a few more working days, but all that means is a few less drinking days!" Lauda added.