After both Fernando Alonso and Romain Grosjean retired from the Belgian grand prix, Renault are keen to display the full potential of the R29 in the Italian grand prix at Monza.

Rookie Grosjean retired on lap one of the Belgian grand prix at Spa, when he collided with championship leader Jenson Button at the Les Combes chicane.

Alonso was then forced out of the race after his first pit-stop, when he suffered a problem with the spinner on his right-front wheel.

Despite their problems both drivers remains positive and are looking forward to putting their run of bad luck behind them.

And looking ahead to this weekend’s Italian grand prix at the legendary Monza race track, Alonso said that Renault have a car that is quick enough to reach the podium.

"It was very frustrating as we missed another good opportunity to fight for a podium and score important points," said the double world champion.

"It’s true that we were missing pace in qualifying, but the car was more competitive in the race and things were looking good until my first pit-stop when it became clear that the car was damaged.

"I hope we can put our bad luck behind us in Italy."

Grosjean was also frustrated with his poor result in Belgium, but he feels that – if he can find a good balance with the car in Friday practice – he will be a strong contender during the race on a circuit he knows well.

"My race was very disappointing. I had some problems in qualifying so I started at the back of the grid, but at the start of the race things were looking good as I made up five or six places on the first lap," said Grosjean.

"Then I got caught up in the incident at turn five.

"It was frustrating to retire so early as I need as much time in the car as possible and I really wanted to finish my first race at Spa, which is a circuit that I love."

The Renault new boy went on to say that he KERS should give the team a massive advantage.

"Monza is another classic track and I’m really looking forward to driving there," he continued.

"I’ve had good results there in the past and I know the track well so I can concentrate on finding a good balance with the car with low downforce.

"We will be using KERS this weekend so I will need to get used to that during free practice on Friday as I’ve not used it before, but it should give us an advantage, especially at the start of the race.

"My aim is to do better than I did in Spa so I need to make it through to at least Q2, get a good grid position and finish the race.

"At the moment I am still learning about Formula One and I will continue to use every opportunity and every lap to improve as a driver and help the team.

"I’m continuing to build a good relationship with my engineers, which of course plays an important role in getting the most from the car."

Frank Lampard has dismissed claims by Slaven Bilic that England are ‘missing Englishness’ ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier.

The Croatian manager believes Fabio Capello’s side lack the threat of previous England sides, but Lampard claims Bilic’s comments are just mind games and vowed to ignore them.

Lampard said: "I don’t want to get drawn into what Slaven said, but I think he has only said things because we are building up to an important match.

"Slaven is a clever man and I think it is more a case of trying to get into the players heads and distracting us from what we hope to achieve."

The Chelsea midfielder played in the 3-2 defeat to Croatia in 2007 that ended England’s European Championship hopes, and he believes the players can use that experience to change their fortunes this time around.

"The 2007 defeat to Croatia was the lowest point of my international career," he admitted.

"It was a horrible night, and it scars you as a player.

"We have come a long way since 2007 and we have not got the depleted squad we had on that night.

"We all remember the feeling in the dressing room after that match. We have reacted positively since then, and we hope to continue that tomorrow night."

England enjoyed a good build-up to the clash with the Croatians at Wembley with a 2-1 victory over their eastern European neighbours Slovenia last Saturday, with Lampard scoring the first from the penalty spot.

A senior adviser to Barack Obama has resigned after it emerged he joined a campaign claiming the Bush administration was to blame for September 11th.

Two public apologies by Van Jones were not enough to keep his job as an environmental adviser following a campaign by right wing media personalities to force him from the post and lukewarm support from the White House.

In 2004 Mr Jones, a Yale-educated lawyer and civil rights activist, joined the 9/11 Truth movement, which alleged Bush administration complicity in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

As pointed out by Fox News commentator Glenn Beck, Mr Jones had also made controversial remarks before he joined President Obama’s team where he said high school massacres were carried out by "white suburban kids".

"If I have offended anyone with statements I made in the past, I apologise," the adviser on Mr Obama’s green jobs agenda added.

"It certainly does not reflect my views, now or ever."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Mr Jones had decided the "agenda of this president was bigger than any one individual".

"The president thanks Van Jones for his service in the first eight months helping to coordinate renewable energy jobs and lay the foundation for our future economic problem," he added.

After formula one visited two circuits where overtaking is relatively impossible, Spa Francorchamps will be welcome relief for frustrated drivers.

Spa was, and still is, regarded as the best circuit in the world by teams, drivers and fans alike.

At 4.3 miles in length, Spa is the longest circuit on the calendar.

It offers a raft of overtaking opportunities and combines some of the most spectacular corners in the world, such as the infamous Eau Rouge, and the incredible Pouhon and Blanchimont corners, which are taken at full-throttle at over 190mph.

The weather also generates a bit of excitement and unpredictability, as Spa has its own micro-climate, which means it can be heaving with rain at the far end of the circuit, while the teams in the pit-lane and paddock are being bathed in sunshine.

This can make for exciting racing, but it can also caused chaos for teams and a two-stop strategy is usually the order of the day, as this adds some flexibility to a driver’s strategy should a cloudburst suddenly form overhead.

As you can imagine, the changeable weather conditions mean that the average temperatures are usually relatively low.
During Friday practice, the ambient temperature was 18 degrees Celsius – a stark contrast to what the teams experienced in Valencia last weekend.

Brawn expected to be quick in the heat of the European grand prix. They hoped the warmer conditions would solve their problems with generating tyre temperature in cooler conditions; an issue they have suffered with at the last four grands prix.

Rubens Barrichello took the race win in Valencia, but the Brackley-based team didn’t seem to be able to take full advantage of the scorching temperatures, with championship leader Jenson Button continuing his poor run of form and scoring just two points for a disappointing seventh place.

Luckily for Button, the Red Bull pairing fared no better, with Sebastien Vettel retiring from the race with an engine blowout and Mark Webber finishing in eighth.

Despite some poor finishes, Button’s lead in the standings has not diminished and he still has an 18 point advantage over his closest challenger Barrichello, who leapt into second place ahead of the two Red Bulls when he took his victory last time out.

After the European grand prix, Button said that Brawn were confident they knew how to solve their tyre heating issues and that it would be sorted out this weekend in Belgium.

Because the morning practice session on Friday at Spa was disrupted by persistent rain, it was unclear who had the pace and who was struggling.

In the afternoon, the rain had eased off but, at the end of the 90 minute session, neither Barrichello nor Button were in the top ten and they seemed to be losing all of their time in the crucial middle sector of the lap.

Brawn have made no secret of the fact that they aren’t feeling confident about their chances at Spa and I don’t think either of the white cars will be in contention for the outright win on Sunday.

Their championship contenders on the other hand appear to bestrong.

The buzz word around the Red Bull camp this weekend is ‘quality’ rather than quantity, with the Milton Keynes-based squad concentrating on finding the right setup on Sebastien Vettel’s, car with as little running as possible.

This is because the young German, having blown two engines in Valencia, is running with an old power-plant this weekend in order to minimise the risk of exceeding his yearly allocation, for which he would receive a ten-place grip drop for each additional engine he uses.

Despite getting no timed laps in on Friday morning and then rationing his laps in the afternoon, Vettel performed well.

Webber was also quick and regularly appeared at the top of the timesheets throughout second practice.

The Aussie completed a lot of laps on Friday as he had the responsibility of comparing both tyre compounds and running low-downforce setups for both drivers because of Vettel’s engine situation.

It is absolutely essential for Webber to perform well in Belgium and, after he finished outside of the points in Valencia, he really needs to win at Spa in order to keep his championship fight alive.

The Red Bulls have a good track record in wet conditions, so the unpredictability of Spa shouldn’t hamper the Aussie, as long as the team get their strategy right.

The problem for Webber is that there is likely to be other obstacles in the form of McLaren and the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen, in his way.

Raikkonen has a great track record at Spa, winning three of the last four races in the Ardennes forest and Lewis Hamilton’s strong showing on Friday indicates that he is going to be quick in the race.

Barack Obama’s most senior diplomat in Afghanistan has shared "sharp exchanges" with the country’s president over alleged fraud in last week’s elections.

Diplomatic sources have indicated that when Richard Holbrooke complained about widespread election fraud to Hamid Karzai the Afghan president reacted angrily, deteriorating into a shouting match that the US envoy stormed out from.

A senior US official told CNN there had been a "back and forth".

"It was a difficult meeting and there were some sharp exchanges in it," a White House official elaborated.

"The thrust of the meeting was to respect the electoral process, let it take its course and be patient and to respect the results, whatever they are."

Mr Holbrooke is believed to have complained over the use of fraud by My Karzai and his campaign team, as well as by is rival candidates.

But it has been denied that he demanded a second-run off, which would be triggered if no candidate obtained 50 per cent of the vote.

President Karzai has been given a narrow win over his nearest challenger Abdullah Abdullah, his former foreign minister, in unofficial counts.

Mr Abdullah has laid the blame of alleged fraud squarely on Mr Karzai’s door.

Final results in the elections are expected mid-September, with any run-off taking place the following month.

Barack Obama’s most senior diplomat in Afghanistan has shared "sharp exchanges" with the country’s president over alleged fraud in last week’s elections.

Diplomatic sources have indicated that when Richard Holbrooke complained about widespread election fraud to Hamid Karzai the Afghan president reacted angrily, deteriorating into a shouting match that the US envoy stormed out of.

A senior US official told CNN there had been a "back and forth".

"It was a difficult meeting and there were some sharp exchanges in it," a White House official elaborated.

"The thrust of the meeting was to respect the electoral process, let it take its course and be patient and to respect the results, whatever they are."

Mr Holbrooke is believed to have complained over the use of fraud by My Karzai and his campaign team, as well as by his rival candidates.

But it has been denied that he demanded a second run-off, which would be triggered if no candidate obtained 50 per cent of the vote.

President Karzai has been given a narrow win over his nearest challenger Abdullah Abdullah, his former foreign minister, in unofficial counts.

Mr Abdullah has laid the blame of alleged fraud squarely on Mr Karzai’s door.

Final results in the elections are expected mid-September, with any run-off taking place the following month.

The venerable senator passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 77 after a long battle with a brain tumour.

The brother of assassinated president John F Kennedy was the third-longest serving senator in history, being re-elected to Capitol Hill seven times by Massachusetts voters.

Senator Kennedy was among the first senior Democrats to endorse President Obama during his campaign for the White House; the backing of the senior representative of the influential Kennedy clan seen as a key reason for his eventual election.

In a statement President Obama said: "Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time."

Tributes in the UK were led by prime minister Gordon Brown, who said the US had lots the "senator of senators".

"Senator Edward Kennedy will be mourned not just in America but in every continent," he said.

"He led the world in championing children’s education and health care, and believed that every single child should have the chance to realise their potential to the full. Even facing illness and death he never stopped fighting for the causes which were his life’s work.

"I am proud to have counted him as a friend and proud that the United Kingdom recognised his service earlier this year with the award of an honorary knighthood. My thoughts and those of Sarah are with his remarkable and loving wife Vicki and his great family."

Senator Kennedy’s famous family lost his two older brothers, John and Robert, who were both assassinated, as well as brother Joseph who was killed in the second world war.

More recently the family grieved for his sister Eunice Shriver, who died earlier this month.

Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is married to Kennedy’s niece Maria Shriver, told CNN: "Maria and I are immensely saddened by the passing of Uncle Teddy. He was known to the world as the lion of the Senate, a champion of social justice, and a political icon.

"Most importantly, he was the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle. He was a man of great faith and character."

In May 2008 Mr Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, which kept him from attending the funeral of his sister.

A dominant force in liberal politics in the US, he was a great supporter on issues such as healthcare and education.

His death was announced by his family this morning in a statement: "Edward M Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts).

"We’ve lost the irreplaceable centre of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever."

The US president’s sister Maya, flew with the Obama’s from Washington, as did Bo, who was reported to have "wandered through the press cabin during the flight".

The first pooch has received a warm welcome in nearby Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, where t-shirts have been printed saying "Bobama Martha’s Vineyard", with a cartoon of the dog.

The first family are staying at a 28-acre private estate on the island, with the holiday aimed at being a relaxing time for them, limiting the exposure from journalists. Former president Bill Clinton also holidayed on the island with his family.

On the first full day of his holiday Mr Obama went to the golf course. His book list for the holiday has been the subject of considerable exposure, reportedly including David McCullough’s John Adams and Tom Friedman’s Hot, Flat and Crowded.

Deputy press secretary Bill Burton said: "The President has enjoyed the hospitality of the folks here in Martha’s Vineyard and has, so far, hung out last night at the house, had dinner with Valerie Jarrett and her daughter, and the Whitakers came over. This morning the President worked out. He played some tennis with the First Lady, is going to hit the links today with Congressman Clyburn, Mr Wolf of UBS, and Marvin Nicholson of the White House."

The United States has lost a great leader in the shape of Edward Kennedy, Barack Obama has said.

The venerable senator passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 77 after a long battle with a brain tumour.

Obituary: Edward Kennedy

The brother of assassinated president John F Kennedy was the third-longest serving senator in history, being re-elected to Capitol Hill seven times by Massachusetts voters.

Senator Kennedy was among the first senior Democrats to endorse President Obama during his campaign for the White House; the backing of the senior representative of the influential Kennedy clan seen as a key reason for his eventual election.

In a statement President Obama said: "Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States senator of our time."

Ted Kennedy death in quotes

Tributes in the UK were led by prime minister Gordon Brown, who said the US had lots the "senator of senators".

"Senator Edward Kennedy will be mourned not just in America but in every continent," he said.

"He led the world in championing children’s education and health care, and believed that every single child should have the chance to realise their potential to the full. Even facing illness and death he never stopped fighting for the causes which were his life’s work.

"I am proud to have counted him as a friend and proud that the United Kingdom recognised his service earlier this year with the award of an honorary knighthood. My thoughts and those of Sarah are with his remarkable and loving wife Vicki and his great family."

Senator Kennedy’s famous family lost his two older brothers, John and Robert, who were both assassinated, as well as brother Joseph who was killed in the second world war.

More recently the family grieved for his sister Eunice Shriver, who died earlier this month.

Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is married to Kennedy’s niece Maria Shriver, told CNN: "Maria and I are immensely saddened by the passing of Uncle Teddy. He was known to the world as the lion of the Senate, a champion of social justice, and a political icon.

"Most importantly, he was the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle. He was a man of great faith and character."

In May 2008 Mr Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, which kept him from attending the funeral of his sister.

A dominant force in liberal politics in the US, he was a great supporter on issues such as healthcare and education.

His death was announced by his family this morning in a statement: "Edward M Kennedy, the husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle we loved so deeply, died late Tuesday night at home in Hyannis Port (Massachusetts).

"We’ve lost the irreplaceable centre of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever."

The US president’s sister Maya, flew with the Obama’s from Washington, as did Bo, who was reported to have "wandered through the press cabin during the flight".

The first pooch has received a warm welcome in nearby Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, where t-shirts have been printed saying "Bobama Martha’s Vineyard", with a cartoon of the dog.

The first family are staying at a 28-acre private estate on the island, with the holiday aimed at being a relaxing time for them, limiting the exposure from journalists. Former president Bill Clinton also holidayed on the island with his family.

On the first full day of his holiday Mr Obama went to the golf course. His book list for the holiday has been the subject of considerable exposure, reportedly including David McCullough’s John Adams and Tom Friedman’s Hot, Flat and Crowded.

Deputy press secretary Bill Burton said: "The President has enjoyed the hospitality of the folks here in Martha’s Vineyard and has, so far, hung out last night at the house, had dinner with Valerie Jarrett and her daughter, and the Whitakers came over. This morning the President worked out. He played some tennis with the First Lady, is going to hit the links today with Congressman Clyburn, Mr Wolf of UBS, and Marvin Nicholson of the White House."