Diary
This year's hot petrolhead calendar dates
Jan 3-18Dakar Rally, ArgentinaThe Dakar may be in South America this year, but its 5500 miles should be as gruelling as ever. www.dakar.com
Jan 8-11Autosport Show, Birmingham NECCome and say hello at the evo stand, where we’ll also have a Zolfe for you to ogle. autosportinternational.com
Mar 5-15Geneva motor showIf you only go to one motor show, make it this one. Europe’s key 2009 cars will be there, plus concepts like the Pininfarina Sintesi. www.salon-auto.ch/en
Mar 27-29Australian GPF1 begins in Melbourne. If four lovely ladies can’t extract a grin from Lewis, perhaps a second world title will? www.f1.com
April 4-5BTCC Brands HatchThe Touring Car season kicks off sans SEAT – does that mean Vauxhall and Giovanardi (above) face even less of a challenge? www.btcc.net
May 13-17Mille Miglia, Brescia, italyUltra-rare classics get driven through northern Italy. www.1000miglia.eu
May 15EVO TRACK EVENING, BEDFORD AUTODROMEThe first of four Friday sundown sessions at the Autodrome. See you there!
May 30- June 13Isle of Man TTCan anyone topple the mighty McGuinness? www.iomtt.com
June 13-14Le Mans, La SartheMake the legendary endurance race ten times more exciting by cheering on Aston alongside evo – book on 08700 339923. www.lemansrace.com
July 3-5Goodwood Festival of Speed This year’s rather cinematic-sounding theme is ‘True grit – epic feats of endurance’. It focuses on motorsport’s finest performances under less than ideal circumstances – think Jackie Stewart’s 1968 German Grand Prix win despite him suffering a broken wrist. There’ll also be celebrations for 60 consecutive years of Le Mans races, 50 years of the Mini and the centenaries of Audi, Bugatti and Morgan. The famous hill climb will be frequented by dozens of supercars, classics and iconic racers, of course, with Britain’s (and indeed F1’s) youngest world champion sure to be in attendance performing to his adoring fans.www.goodwood.co.uk
July 10-11Isle of Man RallyMay be more worthy of your eager spectating than the increasingly competitor-free WRC. www.rallyisleofman.co.im
June 19-21British GP, SilverstoneThe last slice of F1 pie in Northants, for now at least. Donington Park does the honours from 2010. www.f1.com
July 18-19WTCC Brands HatchCan Guernsey’s fastest man, Andy Priaulx (above), reclaim the World Touring Car title? Show him your support at the UK round. www.fiawtcc.com
July 26Moto GP, Donington ParkWill 16-year-old 125cc racer Scott Redding nab himself another chequered flag at Donington? www.motogp.com
Aug 21Evo trackday, Bedford AutodromeAn all-dayer this time. And we’ll be thoroughly offended if you don’t join us.
Sept 17-27Frankfurt motor showThe world’s largest motor show. Plenty for you to read about, but a real workout for our shoes.www.iaa.de
Sept 18-20Goodwood RevivalSome superb classic racers line up alongside some slightly less superlative fashions. www.goodwood.co.uk
Oct 23-25WRC Wales Rally GBWill the Welsh forests be the same without a Mica Blue Subaru wildly redistributing all the mud? www.wrc.com
Oct 30-Nov 1Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas marina circuitF1 heads to the United Arab Emirates for its 2009 season finale, to a track that features a Monaco-style harbour section and a corner that apes Spa’s tricky Eau Rouge. With the financial crisis eating its way into F1, Bernie could use the support of the UAE right now, and a circuit that takes the greatest hits from its European forebears and provides the potential for more night races should be good news for spectators too. www.f1.com
