By Andrew Benson

BBC Sport at Silverstone



A story in the Daily Mirror claiming Ferrari had tabled a £20m bid for the BAR driver was treated with scepticism.

More probable is that he will stay with BAR-Honda, despite Williams having a contract option on him for next year.

Williams will probably need an engine following BMW's decision to buy Sauber, and it is said Williams may give Button back to BAR in return for Honda V8s.

BAR boss Nick Fry admits Button might not be easy to hold onto but he is hoping the driver will choose to stay.

"Our contract (with Button) is not watertight but we're relying on the fact Jenson will see there is a good future with Honda," Fry told BBC Radio Five Live.

"Honda have a huge heritage in F1, we've won in the past and we will in the future. We're a good place to be and Jenson's got to make up his mind."

Webber drives Williams' "new and improved" car at Silverstone

BMW's decision to run their own team in 2006 has left Williams looking for an engine because staying with the German firm would be expensive.

So Williams people are finding it hard to hide their disappointment with the service and performance they have received from BMW in recent months.

And the fact that their heavily updated car - driven by Mark Webber this weekend - appears to be no better than the old one is doing little to improve the team's mood.

Mosley gets the answer he wants from fans

The not-altogether-surprising results were that 94% want more overtaking, 74% a greater emphasis on driver skills and 70% a re-think on one-lap qualifying.

FIA president Max Mosley said the survey would be "an invaluable addition" to discussions on F1's next set of rules.

Cynics point out that, conveniently, the results seem to correlate precisely with the controversial new low-tech rules package Mosley has recently proposed for 2008.

This week, the majority of the drivers appear to have fallen out with Michael Schumacher, who refused to sign a letter criticising the FIA's handling of the crisis.

Jarno Trulli - like Schumacher, one of the four directors of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association - accused the German of not signing for "political" reasons.

"We work towards safety and the position he's taken isn't what it should have been," said the Italian.

Formula One's see-sawing rules could be set for more changes in 2006.

It seems a single-tyre formula is being considered for next year, probably leaving Michelin out in the cold.

Following the fiasco at the US Grand Prix, that might be greeted with a certain amount of relief in some quarters, but it is not necessarily a good thing.

With all cars on the same tyres, any team who has opened up an advantage would keep it with little prospect of a quick change.

BAR are to try to establish the ultimate top speed of an F1 car by running one at Bonneville Salt Flats in the American state of Utah in November.

Bonneville, where land speed records are attempted, is flat and large enough.

The car will still be fitted with front and rear wings to ensure it remains stable, but these will be as small as possible so as not to slow it down with too much drag.

F1 cars reach 230mph on the fastest tracks, but could go much quicker given more space and time.

Raikkonen sees McKenzie honour his bet

The Daily Express writer said he would run naked around Silverstone if McLaren won a race in 2004.

Team boss Ron Dennis made him honour his pledge after Kimi Raikkonen won in Belgium.

The run raised money for a children's charity after fans made donations in return for voting on McLaren's website whether McKenzie should run naked or clothed.