Around the tracks 13 August 2010

THE Qantas Australian Grand Prix will again run second on the world championship program next year, based on a preliminary calendar. The provisional date for the AGP at Albert Park is Sunday, March 27, following Bahrain on March 13 as part of a 20-race season that includes an Indian Grand Prix for the first time in October.

PERTH is back on the V8 Supercar calendar, with a return to Barbagallo Raceway set for next year. A new format, with three 120km races, will be run next year after an agreement for major improvements at the West Australian circuit.

SECOND place at the Mid-Ohio course last weekend keeps Will Power in the lead of the IndyCar World Series, though race winner Dario Franchitti slightly narrowed the points gap. The other Aussie in the field, Ryan Briscoe, was sixth to stay in fourth in the IndyCar standings.

THE first two "Car of the Future'' prototypes for V8 Supercar racing will be up and running before the end of the year. V8 Supercars Australia has commissioned the two cars, one Falcon and one Commodore, before passing the blueprint to teams to build their own racecars.

AMERICAN Ben Spies looks like replacing Valentino Rossi in the Yamaha MotoGP squad for next year. Yamaha has named Spies as its first choice to partner Jorge Lorenzo next year if - as expected - Rossi confirms his switch to Ducati.

RED Bull design ace Adrian Newey was taken to hospital last weekend after crashing during a celebrity guest drive in a Ginetta sports car race. It's not the first time Newey -- designer of Mark Webber's pacesetting RB6 -- has had a major crash -- he also trashed his personal Ford GT40 several years ago while competing in a historic race at Le Mans.

DANIEL Erickson celebrated a return of Australian Motor Sport Foundation funding with another podium result in the American F2000 series last weekend. Erickson was second at Mid-Ohio and moved to fifth in the championship, despite running a limited program in the US.

DAVID Brabham (above) suffered a rare defeat in the latest round of the American Le Mans series at Mid-Ohio last weekend. But he and Simon Pagenaud still comfortably lead the sports-car championship after taking second with their Honda-powered prototype.

HIGH-PROFILE guest drivers will be welcome at major events on the V8 Supercar calendar after a rule change. Teams will be allowed to run a third car for guests at some events, though there will be strict conditions.