A weekly wrap of motorsport from around the world.

A weekly wrap of motorsport from around the world.

V8 switch
JASON Richards is the latest V8 Supercar racer to be confirmed, as expected, at a new team this year. Richards has switched from Tasman to Brad Jones Racing, for whom he will drive a BOC Gases-backed Commodore alongside Cameron McConville.

Australia in eighth
JOHN Martin came fourth in the A1GP feature race to keep Team Australia in eighth after the latest round of the series at Taupo, New Zealand. Neel Jani did best for the weekend with a feature-race win and second in the sprint for Team Switzerland. Team Ireland still leads Switzerland in the series, thanks to Adam Carroll.

Comeback kid
CHAD Reed is still in front of the American and World Supercross championships despite another runner-up result to James Stewart in the latest round in Houston, Texas. Reed was best in his heat but, in a repeat of other first-lap failures, was elbowed aside at the start and had to come back through the pack on his Suzuki to consolidate his 86-77 lead over Stewart.

French full Monte
FRENCH youngster Sebastian Ogier has taken the first big rally victory of the year, driving a Peugeot to top spot in the classic Monte Carlo Rally. Ogier led a sweep by the French carmaker, though Skoda led in the early stages, as the Monte dropped back to the booming International Rally Championship series because of a controversial rotation system for the 2009 World Rally Championship.

Indy test ban
INDYCAR teams are the latest to be hit by a crackdown on testing, after a total ban in Formula One once the season has begun. The American series, in which Aussies Ryan Briscoe and Will Power will be frontrunners, has cut back to six private test days this year, though teams can win extra test credits by running junior drivers.

Seton makes history
GLENN Seton will try something new in motorsport when he is patron of the 2009 Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport from March 13-15. Seton is still driving the V8 Supercar long-distance races, but is building a growing reputation in historic events. He will race an ex-works BMW M3 at the Island.

Corser on course
Troy Corser was the fastest Australian in last weekend's world superbike pre-season testing in Portugal. Corser was 11th fastest on the new BMW. Broc Parkes was 15th on a Kawasaki. Defending world supersport champion Andrew Pitt was fifth fastest in the 600cc class.

Expert joins V8 body
BATHURST-winning technical guru Campbell Little has switched from the Triple Eight team, which won last year's touring car crown, to the governing body, V8 Supercars Australia. Little is the new category technical director.