May 6 (GMM)  One of the innovations on the Mercedes car for the Spanish grand prix is the abolishment of the traditional ‘airbox’.

The airbox – an inlet for the normally-aspirated engines – has traditionally been part of the roll-hoop structure immediately behind and above the drivers’ head.

But the rollover structure of the revised W01 is now sharp as a knife, with air to now be fed to the 2.4 litre V8 engine via two symmetrical inlets on either side of the engine cover.

Also spotted in the Barcelona pitlane on Thursday was Christian Klien, having his moulded seat and settings fitted to the HRT car usually belonging to Karun Chandhok.

The team’s newly-appointed third driver will hand the F110 car back to Indian Chandhok ahead of Friday’s afternoon practice session.

Meanwhile, in the paddock, Virgin’s new double-storey motor home won the race as the most impressive of F1′s three new teams.

Sauber has taken over BMW’s imposing paddock structure of 2009, while Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel walked behind the Circuit de Catalunya pits sporting a new haircut.

Also spotted on Thursday was Joan Villadelprat, who is hoping his Spanish Le Mans outfit Epsilon Euskadi will be given a green light to race in formula one next year.

Apr.26 (GMM)  If the new team’s predictions are right, Lotus is set to take a big step forward at the Spanish grand prix next weekend.

“We are hoping for a time saving of more than a second (per lap),” Heikki Kovalainen told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

The Finnish driver, however, acknowledged that most other teams will also field quicker cars at Barcelona, the first European race of the season and usually the annual scene of major developments.

“But we might have more room (for improvement) than our competitors,” added Kovalainen, referring to the car’s conservative cooling solution, the basic double diffuser and the steel suspension uprights fielded so far this season.

Among F1′s three new teams, the pace of the Lotus and Virgin cars has been close so far.  Virgin is also planning an upgrade for Barcelona, including its famous bigger fuel tank.

Said Lotus’ technical boss Mike Gascoyne: “The Barcelona package has been in the wind tunnel for six months.”  The rear is narrower, the sidepod entries more extreme, the wheelbase longer.

“It will be at least a second faster,” he confirmed.

Team boss Tony Fernandes said he is pushing Lotus to set high targets.

“You’ve got to benchmark yourself against the best, otherwise don’t bother being in it,” he told the Malaysian newspaper The Star.

Apr.22 (GMM)  Despite earlier fears that the race was endangered, the Spanish grand prix next month will not be affected by the European ash cloud.

As all the sport’s freight – including the cars – were stranded in Shanghai with FOM’s six 747s unable to leave Europe, it was feared earlier this week that the fifth round of the world championship might have to be called off.

But although many F1 figures have in recent days been zig-zagging back to Europe via a host of bizarre routes, European airports and routines were returning to normal throughout Wednesday as the ash cloud subsided — even though the volcano in Iceland is still erupting.

Air China said flights to Europe are now departing.

“Eurocontrol expects approximately 21,000 flights to take place today (Wednesday) in European airspace.  On a normal Wednesday, we would expect 28,000,” the air control organisation said in a statement.

Circuit de Catalunya chief Ramon Prederas said on Thursday that “everything is in place” for the May 5 Spanish grand prix.

“We are ready and working with absolute normality.  The cloud of the volcano did not affect us,” he is quoted as saying by Diario Sport, revealing that ticket sales are currently 10 per cent higher than at the same time last year.

It is also believed that F1′s freight landed successfully in Bilbao, Spain, where the team’s empty trucks were headed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, contrary to earlier reports, Bernie Ecclestone did in fact give Sebastian Vettel – as well as Michael Schumacher – a seat on his private plane for a return trip to the UK.

Lotus’ AirAsia charter has now arrived in Europe from Kuala Lumpur, and Nico Hulkenberg touched down in Zurich ahead of his return home to the UK.