Well, I’m not so sure myself. As the Formula 1 correspondent for www.motorsport.com and an F1 contributor to www.crash.net, there will be focus on grand prix racing but rest assured, I will not be restricting myself solely to the exploits of Hamilton, Button, Alonso, and Schumacher et al.

As usual, 2011 started with the Autosport International Show at the NEC Birmingham. Going to the exhibition is a fantastic way to emerge from the Christmas slumber and to immerse oneself in nostalgia, seeing the cars from yesteryear and remembering which machines were each responsible for us all falling in love with this sport in the first place.

The journey to the show was uneventful – despite sitting opposite a gentleman who was the exact double of an ex-employer of mine. It took me by surprise to say the least and I must admit to feeling some disappointment when I realised this man was not who I thought he was – I am by no means a violent person but I still owe my old boss one on the nose! Did this man not realise how lucky he was?

Anyway, once registered at the assigned Media Centre in the NEC, I read the press release detailing the day’s itinerary and began noting those of interest. Launches for various championships, teams and companies etc abounded and obvious highlights for myself were to be the new Lotus Renault GP livery launch and the chance to interview various personalities from the F1 scene.

Still feeling tired – courtesy of my 5am alarm call, I entered the main entrance to the arena and immediately my attention was drawn towards a comical sight. Surrounded by a group of four or five twenty something males – each stood gawping with their tongues on the floor and their eyes on stalks, three scantily clad ladies were busy cavorting over some kind of racing car (like I was trying to notice which car it was) smiling and posing for photos. I, naturally, was focused on the job I had to do (honest) and proceeded to head elsewhere. I had no wish to waste valuable seconds looking at such creatures…

No, I commenced my ‘walkabout’ and soon discovered the fantastic ‘McLaren Racing Display’. Simple in layout, the array of grand prix cars oozed history and success. Of the eleven machines for the viewing public to consume and wonder at, one in particular caught my eye. The 1988 MP4/4 – in which Ayrton Senna won his first world championship, is still, to my mind, the most beautiful GP car ever and the sight of it still causes the hair on my neck to stand up. Other title winning cars included Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 MP4/23, Mika Hakkinen’s 1998 MP4/13 and Niki Lauda’s MP4/2 from 1984.

Road cars were in attendance too with the infamous McLaren F1 GTR – winner of the 1995 24 Hours de Mans and the all-new MP4-12C.

A breathtaking display sadly not matched at the Lotus stand – or should that be stands. Much like their apparent inclusion in all motor racing championships, it seemed you couldn’t move for Lotuses at the NEC this year. Green and yellow cars abounded from Indycar, GP2 , GP3 series’ to the gorgeous Evora GT-4 car for this year’s GT3 and GT2 classes. Mario Andretti’s championship winning car from 1978 sat quietly in the corner of the Classic Lotus stand but it was Ayrton Senna’s 97T from 1985 which drew the crowds. The impressive machines were from another age, when racing cars looked like racing cars – fat wheels, bulky chassis that cut through the air like a brick, and over 1500bhp under the right foot. The black and gold paint jobs made famous by the team’s association with JPS weren’t too bad either.

Which brings me onto the much publicised and anticipated launch of the new Lotus Renault GP livery…

I was present at the show primarily to cover this for www.motorsport.com and as I mentioned in my subsequent report, the whole event was slightly comical and the end product was mediocre to say the least. Many observers agreed that in trying to re-invent a livery first made famous in the 1970s by John Player Special, Group Lotus – new owners of the Renault team, have made a mockery of Colin Chapman’s team and memory.

With so many launches taking place over the 4 days of the show, drivers from various championships were to attend and Thursday was no exception.

Helping to unveil the repulsive Renault livery, current driver for the F1 team Vitaly Petrov, was joined on stage by ex-Ferrari pilot Jean Alesi – appearing as official Lotus Group Ambassador.

Other grand prix luminaries I chatted to included Derek Warwick, Virgin racing’s chief designer Nick Wirth, and former Minardi boss Paul Stoddart.

As ever, Henry Hope-Frost performed admirably on the Autosport stand as compare and it was interesting listening to the recent McLaren Young Driver contenders outlining their plans for the coming season. Warren Hughes – perhaps one of the greatest F3 drivers of all time, was present, as were BTCC stars Matt Neal and Anthony Reid.

For me though, the highlight of the day was yet to come. Having been an avid reader of Autosport magazine for many years, Nigel Roebuck – the revered F1 journalist, was one of my idols as a youngster. I lived for his Fifth Column and race reporting and still remember the surprise etched on the face of my class teacher when, as an 8 year old, I brought in my chosen literary on ‘Read a Book Day’.

Though my friends and I all had various likes and dislikes, Roebuck was my CS Lewis/Roald Dhal (delete according to taste) so to meet him for the first time at the show was a pleasant surprise.

Over the years, I have longed to ask Nigel his thoughts on many aspects of grand prix racing and now was my chance. Concerned he would decline my request – having spent the last 15 minutes being interviewed by another journalist – I was delighted when he accepted my invitation to by him a coffee. We sat for nearly an hour and discussed many things including his true opinion on Nigel Mansell, his relationship with Gilles Villeneuve, Keke Rosberg and Alain Prost. We chewed the fat over contemporary F1 and it was a delight to hear his story of how Mario Andretti aged him by twenty years courtesy of 4 laps around the old Interlagos track in 1979 in a Volkswagen Passat.

Unfortunately, my attendance at the show was limited to but one day and though I would have enjoyed nothing better than for the caretaker to leave myself and Nigel the keys to the entire facility, we soon had to end our conversation.

Boarding my train home to London, I began sifting through the notes I had made throughout the day; read a few of the press releases handed to me and listened back to the interviews I had obtained. Hearing the comments of Derek Warwick reminded me of why he is remembered as one of the nicest men to have raced cars. His openness in discussing his career and the heart-rending story of how he and the family coped with the death of younger brother Paul (un-prompted I might add) all those years ago was truly something to behold. He was candid, humorous and tragic during the twenty minutes I spoke with him. I have to admit though; I smiled at the last thing he said to me:

“This sport has given me so much stress, pain, frustration and on occasion, success. It can be such a cruel sport sometimes but Jesus Max, how lucky we are to work in this wonderful industry!”

Amen to that.

Max