Lewis Hamilton spoke out about his over-use as a PR tool before this year's British Grand Prix - so he right that F1's commercial pressures are starting to damage drivers' ability to race?

In the days between the European and British Grands Prix, Hamilton says he travelled from Valencia to Portugal then to Switzerland for a couple of hours and on to the UK, working all the way. After arriving in Britain, he spent "pretty much the whole time" doing appearances, with little time to concentrate on racing preparations.

The intense PR schedule led Hamilton to alert McLaren to some strong demands

After several years in the wilderness the Renault team threatened
to break back into the big time this season only to fall back in recent races -
so what's going on at 'Genii Capital Racing'?

Things looked promising for the black-and-gold Lotus
Renault GP team at the start of this year. The completion of Genii Capital's
take-over (now 100 per cent team owner) looked to cement what had become a successful
structure and they had strong momentum from a 2010 season that saw them move
from eighth to fifth in the constructors' championship.

Their development rate matched their front-running rivals

In a frantic German Grand Prix fought between three drivers from three different teams (and not including runaway championship leader Sebastian Vettel) it was Lewis Hamilton's day - but how did he do it?

When Hamilton stepped out of his McLaren after Friday practice he said pole was out of the question but warned: "It's the race where we're able to do the most damage..." His predictions were a little off the mark on Saturday, as he did almost have the pace for pole, but he was certainly right for Sunday.

Red Bull were rattled by the pace of both McLaren and Ferrari and also by the fact that

Formula One teams are tentatively discussing a return to
in-season testing next year - but with the current cost-cutting focus how will
it take shape and can it really work?

Since the ban on in-season testing in 2009, which was
introduced to reduce costs, cut down on manpower requirements and limit
non-lucrative 'behind closed doors' running, the last few seasons have seen
teams frantically trying to test new parts during the Friday of a Grand Prix
weekend while also trying to work on set-up for the weekend ahead.

If a new part doesn't work or takes more time to test
than expected, teams risk

What looked like a simple solution to ban off-throttle blown diffusers turned out to be a nightmare for the FIA at Silverstone - but what went wrong and will the end solution prove satisfactory?

The legality of off-throttle blowing is down to an interpretation of the rules, as is so often the case in F1's controversial technical situations. There is nothing to suggest it is not acceptable as an integral part of engine operation, but there are interpretations that suggest it is not acceptable when it is done to gain aerodynamic benefit from the increased airflow through the exhaust outlets, as

Formula One voted last week to move to smaller turbo powered engines from 2014 - but how will the new designs change the cars and will it make the sport more attractive for manufacturers again?

Turbo engines were banned in F1 in 1989 and since then a number of differently sized normally aspirated units have been run, first a 3.5-litre, then 3-litre and, since 2006, the standard 2.4-litre V8 design used currently by all engine manufacturers.

The fixed engine format has proved to be a cost-effective solution, with limited development allowed year on year, and a move to a new formula will come

One brief chat in the Montreal paddock
has set tongues wagging about Lewis Hamilton's future in Formula One, but could
he seriously leave McLaren and what has he got to gain?

The names Hamilton and McLaren have been
connected ever since Hamilton, as a cheeky youngster, famously told team boss
Ron Dennis he wanted to race for the team. That was when he was 10. Three years
later, he was signed to their young driver programme and the rest is history.

A meeting with Red Bull boss Christian
Horner last weekend was taken as an indicator of the level of Hamilton's
apparent unrest at McLaren - but

Last weekend's race at Valencia saw every one of the cars
that started the race reach the finish - but is this impressive display of
technical perfection really a good thing for F1?

It was only the fourth time in the history of F1 that the
entire grid has made it to the finish, and with 24 drivers seeing the chequered
flag it was the highest number of cars to ever complete an F1 race - giving HRT
driver Narain Karthikeyan the dubious honour of being the only F1 driver ever
placed 24th.

The previous finishing record of 23 had been set just
five races earlier, in China this year, with Jaime