The 2007 Honda Grand Prix challenger rolled out at the Barcelona testing session after a low-key “launch” in which the still all black car (below) was presented to the press. Driver Rubens Barrichello was the first to sample the car on Wednesday. Team-mate Jenson Button was scheduled to run with the car today but it stopped before he had managed to complete a lap.

In other F1 news, rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton escaped unhurt from a massive crash during testing at Valencia. While the young British driver was OK his new McLaren MP4-22 was wrecked beyond the point where it could be repaired locally, bringing his testing program to an early close.

Happy Birthday to NASCAR legend Buddy Baker (born 1/25/41),

drag racer Gary Bolger (born 1/25/44),

sports car racer Doc Bundy (born 1/25/46),

and ex-Grand Prix driver and long time Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer (born 1/25/71).

During this weekend’s A1GP event in New Zealand plans were announced for a movie on the life of New Zealand born Grand Prix racer, team founder and car constructer, Bruce McLaren. (seen below at the wheel of one of his monsterous CanAm machines)

According to the announcment hhe film will be produced by the same man who produced the Lord of the Rings films. The script is currently being completed and casting has yet to be decided. The film premiere is being pencilled in for early 2009. New Zealand studios are set to be used for production and special effects and filming is expected to commence by the end of the year.

German sensation Niko Hulkenberg was once more the class of the field at this weekend’s round of the A1GP “World Cup Of Motorpsorts” event, held in Taupo, New Zealand.

With two pole positions, two fastest laps, and two race wins, Hulkenberg scored maximum pints for the German team who now lead the nations cup by 19 points ahead of France and New Zealand

World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb returned to action following his mountain biking accident last year and promptly secured victory at the first WRC event of the season – the Monte Carlo Rally. It is Loeb’s fourth victory at the classic event and he seemed little troubled as he headed a Citroen 1-2.

The Top Ten results were as follows: