Legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker has revealed he is set to undergo treatment for cancer.

'The voice of formula one', who hung up his microphone more than a decade ago, told his former employer, the BBC, that the lymphatic cancer was detected when he was hospitalised last month for a broken pelvis following a fall.

Melbourne has all but confirmed news it has lost its status as the opening race on the formula one calendar.

It emerged recently that F1's hugely controversial Bahrain grand prix is provisionally scheduled to kick off an unprecedentedly-long 21-race schedule in 2014.

Red Bull would like to keep Sebastian Vettel beyond his new 2015 contract, and even the reigning world champion is not ruling out a longer career with the premier energy drink-owned team.

Some in the paddock, who had linked the 25-year-old with a switch to Ferrari or Mercedes in the future, were surprised when Red Bull announced last week that Vettel has added another year to his existing contract.

Jenson Button has backed former teammate Lewis Hamilton to bounce back strongly after finding his feet at Mercedes.

Since 2010, the pair were teammates at McLaren, where Hamilton began his F1 career, won the 2008 title, and solidified his reputation as one of the very best on the grid.

Sam Michael has hit back at claims heads should be rolling at McLaren as the team endures one of the worst starts to a championship campaign in its history.

Having erred with a radical new car for the final season of V8 regulations this year, the great Woking based team - lagging even behind the similarly-powered Force India - can no longer count itself among the 'big four' at present.

All eyes will turn to Paris' Place de la Concorde on Thursday, as the very fate of Mercedes' F1 foray rests in the hands of the governing FIA.

It is at president Jean Todt's new international tribunal that some sort of penalty is expected to be levied against the German carmaker, after sanctioning a highly-controversial 'secret' Pirelli tyre test at Barcelona recently.

Bernie Ecclestone has hit back at claims costs are too high in formula one, insisting the teams waste too much money.

It has been reported that with the exception of 'big four' Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes, every team in pitlane is groaning under financial strain.

They may not be at the front of the field, but two German drivers are not throwing their hands in despair as they battle in F1's midfield.

Adrian Sutil only returned to the grid this year in the wake of a criminal conviction for assault, and so for now he is happy with his solid Force India comeback.