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From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone sounded unfazed earlier this week following reports a new F1 chief intends to 'rein in' the long-time F1 supremo.

The reports have said likely new F1 chairman Peter Walsh will be empowered by CVC chief Donald Mackenzie to push Ecclestone to become "more professional" within "a few months" of taking over.

Asked about Walsh's apparent intention to 'rein in' Ecclestone, the 84-year-old Briton hit back: "He would be unique if he could do that. First he's got to be appointed, hasn't he?"

However, Ecclestone did admit that Mackenzie is essentially pulling all the strings, remarking: "Do I have any input? Probably not."

But if it was up to him, he hinted that when he eventually does need a successor, his long-time aide Sacha Woodward-Hill is the obvious choice.

"I think perhaps if I was controlling the board, I would probably say it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a woman being the chief executive," said Ecclestone.

But he also said that, for now, he still regards himself as an invaluable contributor to F1.

"I've a little bit of experience," said Ecclestone, whose rise from team owner to power began in the 1970s.

"I'm in a good position with people who trust me, rely on me, I shake hands with them and they don't need a contract.

"The only thing is it takes an awful long time to develop that sort of reputation, and whoever does what I do it will take an awful long time for them to achieve that I suppose," he insisted.

Stefano Coletti, Rodolfo Gonzalez and Davide Valsecchi are set to test IndyCar machinery at Sebring, December 16th and 17th with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

If the test goes well enough, one of them could become James Hinchcliffe's teammate for next year.

All three though were enthused by the prospect of testing an Indy car.

"IndyCar seems to be the most competitive series in the world. I would love to be a part of it," Valsecchi, a Lotus F1 reserve driver, is quoted as saying by France's Autohebdo.

Davide Valsecchi (Photo: WRI2)

"Plenty of overtaking makes the races exciting. I can't wait to test the car."

"I've always dreamed of racing those big American cars and study their handling," added Coletti. "I've been following IndyCar on TV and it's a hell of a show.

"There's nothing like the Indy 500 in Europe."

From press release

Many of the world's greatest drivers have taken part in the first practice session at Bushy Park Barbados ahead of this weekend's Race Of Champions.

The annual end-of-season event, which has been running for over 25 years, brings together some of the world's best drivers from motor sport's major disciplines and sets them free to battle head-to-head in identical machinery on a unique track with two parallel lanes linked by a crossover bridge.

This year's track at Bushy Park will be twice as long as recent years, leading to even more speed and adrenaline.

The ROC 2014 field features motor sport legends from series including Formula 1, Le Mans, MotoGP, IndyCar, NASCAR, V8 Supercars, WTCC and World Rallycross. The drivers have travelled to Barbados from all corners of the world including the USA, Europe, South America and Australia.

The competition starts Saturday with the ROC Nations Cup and ROC Caribbean, followed by the Race Of Champions itself on Sunday.

Coverage of Saturday's ROC Nations Cup and Sunday's Race Of Champions will be available on television all over the world.

Stations showing ROC live include Motors TV throughout Europe, Fox in Latin America and Brazil, BEInSport (the Middle East), Sony Entertainment Network (India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), FOX Australia, Super Sport in Africa plus many more.

From GMM

McLaren has denied Bernie Ecclestone's claim that Ron Dennis has bought back majority ownership of the Woking based team.

The F1 supremo told business journalist Christian Sylt earlier this week that Bahrain's investment vehicle Mumtalakat has "sold the shares to Ron".

"He has got to pay for them by a certain date," Ecclestone was quoted by Forbes. "If he doesn't pay he will obviously take them back but at the moment Ron would own the company."

Ecclestone hinted the same was also true of Dennis' long-time business partner Mansour Ojjeh, but he said McLaren was in good hands as it enters the Honda era.

Ron Dennis (Photo: WRI2)

A McLaren spokesman, however, told us that Ecclestone's comments were "inaccurate".

"No transaction has taken place," he said, "but the shareholders have had discussions on how to best facilitate and enhance the future growth of the McLaren Group.

"When and if a transaction takes place, it is not envisioned that the current shareholders will exit McLaren completely, and announcements would be made at the appropriate time."

In other McLaren news, the team spokesman also told us that the Honda-powered 2015 chassis, the MP4-30, has passed all of its mandatory FIA crash tests.

Triple WTCC champion Yvan Muller used to be the ultimate benchmark in ice racing. But not anymore.

The Frenchman held almost every record in the Trophée Andros' history book, having won 10 straight titles between 1995 and 2006, and scored 48 victories.

Last week, though, his countryman Jean-Philippe Dayraut matched his win tally in Val-Thorens.

And this Saturday, Dayraut surpassed Muller with a record-breaking 49^th in Andorra, beating Olivier Panis and Franck Lagorce to the finish line of the week-end's first race.

Podium in Andorra (Photo: Pep Segalés)

The Renault-Nissan Alliance said today has shuffled its executive purchasing team, promoting Yasuhiro Yamauchi, 58, to executive vice president of the two companies' joint purchasing operation.

The Federal Trade Commission today charged two auto dealership groups with violating earlier orders from the FTC to avoid misleading advertising regarding payments and financing, such as improper use of fine print and failure to adequately disclose...

Audi is shrinking the Q7 SUV. By reducing the size slightly and constructing the body with a mixture of high-strength steel and aluminum, the three-row SUV drops 716 pounds.

Ford elected William Kennard, former US ambassador to the European Union and FCC chairman, to its board of directors.

Mazda said it will replace driver-side Takata airbag inflators in some 330,000 vehicles in the United States, expanding an earlier effort limited to regions with high humidity.

Tesla Motors' top manager in China is leaving the company.

Ford has named William Kennard, a former chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to its board of directors from 1 January, 2015.

Yasuhiro Yamauchi has been appointed Nissan-Renault Alliance executive vice president, purchasing and chairman and managing director of Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organisation (RNPO), effective 1 January, 2015.

Socialist union ABVV, says it will do everything its power to stop "even a screwdriver" leaving Ford's Genk factory in Belgium, as news emerges of talks between the automaker and Punch Metals imploding.

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