The 19-race schedule for the 2010 Formula One championship which gets under way in Bahrain on March 14:
March 14, Bahrain Grand Prix
March 28, Australian Grand Prix
April 4, Malaysian Grand Prix
April 18, Chinese Grand Prix
May 9, Spanish Grand Prix
May 23, Monaco Grand Prix
May 30, Turkish Grand Prix
June 13, Canadian Grand Prix *
June 27, European Grand Prix at Valencia, Spain
July 11, British Grand Prix
July 25, German Grand Prix
August 1, Hungarian Grand Prix
August 29, Belgian Grand Prix
September 12, Italian Grand Prix
September 26, Singapore Grand Prix
October 3, Japanese Grand Prix
October 17, South Korean Grand Prix
October 31, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
November 14, Brazilian Grand Prix
* Subject to the completion of contract negotiations with Formula One Management. If these are not completed then the Turkish Grand Prix will be moved to June 6
Eels have more strike power: Benji
The Parramatta juggernaut has been given the seal of approval from the king of NRL finals momentum -- Benji Marshall.
Marshall famously side-stepped and flick-passed the Wests Tigers to a fairytale premiership in 2005 as the club rode a wave of 12 wins from their last 14 games that season.
The Tigers won eight straight before losing their last two regular season matches and then put on four straight finals victories, culminating in a 30-16 grand final win over North Queensland.
In an eerily similar scenario, the 2009 Eels won seven of their last eight, slipping up against St George Illawarra in round 26, and have won their first two finals matches, over the Dragons and Gold Coast.
That run, after they started the season losing five of their first seven, leaves Parramatta just two wins away from a first premiership since 1986.
"Momentum is important and maybe the week off (for the Bulldogs) might hurt some teams, but it just seems like it's meant to be for Parra, just how it felt in `05 for us," Marshall told reporters on Wednesday.
"It feels like one of those fairytales and that it's meant to be for blokes like (Nathan) Hindmarsh and (Nathan) Cayless."
The Eels' next task will be Friday night's preliminary final against western Sydney rivals the Bulldogs at a near capacity ANZ Stadium.
A win would mean them playing either Melbourne or Brisbane in the decider on October 4.
"Parra have been the form team of the last 10 weeks and with the form Jarryd Hayne is in and to have (Krisnan) Inu back maybe and (Daniel) Mortimer, I can't see them being beaten," Marshall said.
"It's hard to say when it comes to finals footy, the Bulldogs might step up another gear, but my opinion is Parra have more strike power and play a more exciting game."
Injured Eels five-eighth Mortimer (hip) was expected to have a light run on Wednesday but was not to train with the team.
Inu is expected to return on Friday from a hamstring injury.
Parramatta's training session was given the go-ahead after Sydney's massive morning dust storm cleared on Wednesday afternoon.
Renault scandal hangs over Singapore GP
Formula One will be desperate to put the damaging Renault race-fixing scandal behind it this weekend, but it will not be easy with the sport returning to the scene of the crime in Singapore.
By a quirk of fate, the 14th race of the season takes place in the city-state just days after Renault was slapped with a suspended two-year ban by the International Automobile Federation.
It was here at Formula One's inaugural night race last year that team principal Flavio Briatore and chief engineer Pat Symonds ordered Nelson Piquet junior to deliberately crash to help teammate Fernando Alonso win.
Briatore and Symonds have been thrown out of the sport and Piquet's reputation is in ruins, but Alonso was cleared of any wrongdoing and will be back on the grid at the Marina Bay street circuit.
Last year, Alonso began in 15th position, but after the Spaniard made an early pit stop to refuel, Piquet crashed into a wall, prompting the deployment of the safety car.
As Alonso's rivals then gradually disappeared into the pits to refuel, he catapulted himself into the lead and went on to win his first race in a year.
Another Renault victory on Sunday is not likely with the team struggling to match frontrunners Brawn GP and Red Bull.
With just four Grand Prix left, Brawn's Jenson Button knows he needs a podium finish with teammate Rubens Barrichello closing the gap at the top of the world championship standings to 14 points after his win in Monza.
The Briton, winner of six of the seven opening races of the season, remains on top with 80 points, but the Brazilian now has 66 points.
Whatever happens, the pair look certain to deliver the constructors championship to their eponymous team-chief Ross Brawn in the outfit's first season.
"The Marina Bay street circuit is pretty challenging and although it has a stop-start layout which isn't usually my favourite type of circuit, I still enjoyed driving it last year," said Button.
"I spent some time at the factory last week driving the circuit on our simulator which helps with the track layout, gears and downforce levels so we are well prepared and looking forward to getting the weekend underway."
Barrichello's victory at the Italian Grand Prix this month was his 11th in a 284-race career and he is fired-up for more of the same here.
"I've had a great time over the last month with two victories so we've got some good momentum behind us going into the final four races of the season," said the 37-year-old.
"I can't wait to get back in the car and get on with the challenge."
After finishing Monza in eighth, Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel saw his world title ambitions take a huge hit.
The German is now 26 points adrift of Button and knows nothing short of victory here will be enough.
"We are looking forward to Singapore as the target will clearly be to win, as it is the target at all remaining races," he said.
"It's true the gap is quite big and it will be very difficult to catch up, but be sure we will try."
Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton is out of the title race after crashing on the final lap in Italy and failing to finish.
But the crowd favourite, who finished third in Singapore last year, is promising an aggressive drive.
"I remember my race in Singapore last year was all about damage limitation -- I was driving with one eye on the world championship and wasn't going to take too many risks," he said.
"I was happy to finish on the podium. This year, it's very different. I know I'm out of the title hunt and I want to attack these last four races, pushing for as many victories as I can."
After becoming the first ever night race, Singapore will nudge the boundaries a little further this time round when the drivers race from day-to-night during practice.
Friday's first practice session is scheduled from 6:00-7:30 pm (1000-1130 GMT) meaning they will start in daylight and end after dark, although the lighting system will be on throughout.
By a quirk of fate, the 14th race of the season takes place in the city-state just days after Renault was slapped with a suspended two-year ban by the International Automobile Federation.
It was here at Formula One's inaugural night race last year that team principal Flavio Briatore and chief engineer Pat Symonds ordered Nelson Piquet junior to deliberately crash to help teammate Fernando Alonso win.
Briatore and Symonds have been thrown out of the sport and Piquet's reputation is in ruins, but Alonso was cleared of any wrongdoing and will be back on the grid at the Marina Bay street circuit.
Last year, Alonso began in 15th position, but after the Spaniard made an early pit stop to refuel, Piquet crashed into a wall, prompting the deployment of the safety car.
As Alonso's rivals then gradually disappeared into the pits to refuel, he catapulted himself into the lead and went on to win his first race in a year.
Another Renault victory on Sunday is not likely with the team struggling to match frontrunners Brawn GP and Red Bull.
With just four Grand Prix left, Brawn's Jenson Button knows he needs a podium finish with teammate Rubens Barrichello closing the gap at the top of the world championship standings to 14 points after his win in Monza.
The Briton, winner of six of the seven opening races of the season, remains on top with 80 points, but the Brazilian now has 66 points.
Whatever happens, the pair look certain to deliver the constructors championship to their eponymous team-chief Ross Brawn in the outfit's first season.
"The Marina Bay street circuit is pretty challenging and although it has a stop-start layout which isn't usually my favourite type of circuit, I still enjoyed driving it last year," said Button.
"I spent some time at the factory last week driving the circuit on our simulator which helps with the track layout, gears and downforce levels so we are well prepared and looking forward to getting the weekend underway."
Barrichello's victory at the Italian Grand Prix this month was his 11th in a 284-race career and he is fired-up for more of the same here.
"I've had a great time over the last month with two victories so we've got some good momentum behind us going into the final four races of the season," said the 37-year-old.
"I can't wait to get back in the car and get on with the challenge."
After finishing Monza in eighth, Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel saw his world title ambitions take a huge hit.
The German is now 26 points adrift of Button and knows nothing short of victory here will be enough.
"We are looking forward to Singapore as the target will clearly be to win, as it is the target at all remaining races," he said.
"It's true the gap is quite big and it will be very difficult to catch up, but be sure we will try."
Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton is out of the title race after crashing on the final lap in Italy and failing to finish.
But the crowd favourite, who finished third in Singapore last year, is promising an aggressive drive.
"I remember my race in Singapore last year was all about damage limitation -- I was driving with one eye on the world championship and wasn't going to take too many risks," he said.
"I was happy to finish on the podium. This year, it's very different. I know I'm out of the title hunt and I want to attack these last four races, pushing for as many victories as I can."
After becoming the first ever night race, Singapore will nudge the boundaries a little further this time round when the drivers race from day-to-night during practice.
Friday's first practice session is scheduled from 6:00-7:30 pm (1000-1130 GMT) meaning they will start in daylight and end after dark, although the lighting system will be on throughout.
Bombers star Lloyd retires from AFL
If Matthew Lloyd is to be remembered at least in part for the controversial 270th and last game of his stellar AFL career, then Essendon would like the record to be set straight.
Departing Bombers chief executive Peter Jackson insisted that Lloyd deserved credit, rather than criticism, for his heavy hit in round 22 on Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell.
It earned the Bombers skipper a four-match suspension - and inspired them to victory and a berth in the finals for the first time in five years.
"That incident that led to his suspension was never intended to be what it was, but it was a statement of impact by the captain of this club and singlehandedly I think it turned that game," Jackson said on Wednesday at a packed media conference to announce Lloyd's retirement.
"Neither Matthew or I would be condoning the outcome of the incident (where Sewell was knocked out).
"But the decision to make a statement and say to this football club, which was trailing by four goals at the time, this wasn't good enough and turn the game around so we could play a game of finals and earn the respect back of the football world was huge."
It was a far cry from the furious reaction at the time of Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson and utility Campbell Brown.
But Lloyd revealed on Wednesday he spoke shortly after the match with Luke Hodge, one of Hawthorn's toughest players.
"He said `I've been brought up that whatever happens on the field, you shake hands and you get on with it, you look forward to the next time you play your footy' and I've always been the same," said the 31-year-old Lloyd.
"I've copped plenty of hits in my time and I've given a few out and that's the way footy should be."
There had been speculation that coach Matthew Knights had been less than keen for Lloyd to push on for one more year - and that if he did so it would be up the ground, rather than in his preferred position of full-forward.
But Lloyd was at pains to say the decision to retire was one he was happy with.
"I got offered a fantastic contract, I got told what my role would be next year but I decided I don't have the hunger to play any more and it's as simple as that," he said.
"You don't go into a pre-season and you don't spend the next 12 months of your life if you're not 100 per cent committed or you're fatigued from the mental or physical side, as I am.
"So it was quite an easy decision for me in the end.
"It's a happy time for me, it's not a sad time."
Even so, Lloyd teared up at the media conference as the father of two paid tribute to the support of his family throughout a 15-year AFL career.
Father John Lloyd played 29 games for Carlton in the mid 1960s, while brothers Brad and Simon both work in the football industry.
Lloyd's many playing honours include three Coleman medals and five All Australian jumpers, while his tally of 926 goals places him seventh on the all-time VFL/AFL list.
But his proudest moments were playing in the 2000 premiership team and succeeding three other all-time club greats, Mark Thompson, Gary O'Donnell and James Hird, as Essendon captain three years ago.
Despite being linked with a possible move to Collingwood in recent weeks, Lloyd said he always intended to retire as a one-club player, adding neither he nor his management had ever spoken to another club.
And he did not duck the tough questions during a long media conference, admitting that accusations he had dived for free kicks earlier in his career was valid.
"There was a stage where I got caught playing for free kicks," he said.
"And I feel like in the last five or six years I identified that, when Matthew (Knights) came to the club the losing of the feet was something we identified.
"I think it's a stigma that's stuck with me from a period where I probably did stage for a few free kicks and I accept that.
"But understand that I was also hard at the footy."
Most of Lloyd teammates attended Wednesday's announcement, including recently-retired fellow key forward Scott Lucas, whose career at Windy Hill paralleled that of the skipper.
A good friendship and a really good understanding, was Lucas's summation of their successful double act.
"In my time on football, he was as good as anyone I played with or against."
Lloyd plans to do more media work in retirement and step up his role with the AFL Academy.
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