When I was a kid, Scalextric was the only way to race, and the friend with the biggest track was always popular. As I got older, computer games got better and better and Scalextric sets were collecting dust in the attic while I played on computer racing games that got better as the years passed.

But there is something kitsch and old school about scalextric and it has always remained somewhat popular enough to keep from being discontinued.

Since the success of Lewis Hamilton, Hornby Plc the British toymaker has had an upsurge in demand for the toy helping it almost double first half pre tax profit.
Hornby has a licensing deal with Mclaren and makes up to date replicas of the cars, one which is a replica of the car Hamilton drove to second place in his fantastic debut on the F1 scene.

“Everyone likes to have one of their own countrymen doing well and that’s given it (F1) a much sharper profile,” Finance Director John Stansfield said in an interview on Friday.

You can buy Hamilton’s Scalextric car here.

It has just been announced that Lewis Hamilton will be one of the presenters on the MTV Europe Music Awards tonight which start in just a few hours.

This years awards are to be hosted in Munich and anticipation is already building as crowds gather around the red carpet awaiting the multitude of stars attending.

In a last minute addition Lewis will be at the one of the biggest nights of this years music calendar presenting the award for “Most addictive track” on the German Stage.

Lewis is already becoming quite the celebrity, with his polite and charming manner, his youthfull exuberance and his somewhat dodgy DJ’ing skills.

You can catch Lewis alongside the host Snoop Doggy Dog tonight on the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007 at 9 o’clock on MTV One.

I wonder if Snoop will make a joke about hiring Lewis as his getaway driver?

After a month of rumours and hearsay, the Mclaren team has recently confirmed that Spanish driver Fernando Alonso has agreed to leave Mclaren.

A statement has been released by the team has made it clear that Alonso has quit his contract with two years left to run:
“Following a meeting between Fernando Alonso and McLaren, it was agreed that it would be in the best interests of both parties to bring the relationship to an end,” the statement said.

It was noted that although Alonso eluded to the ups and downs that came in this F1 season, Alonso himself bears no grudges or ill will towards Lewis hamilton of the Mclaren Team.

Of course from all the maelstrom of controversy this year, I think there were a lot of wounds that could not be healed so simply, such as Alonso’s near betrayal of Mclaren at the Paris spygate hearing, and of course the believe that Hamilton was now the favoured one in the team.

While Alonso now is a free agent, there is a big possibility he will move back to Renault for next season, where he was always treat as their champion. This leaves Mclaren open for new possibilities nest year too, and it will be interesting to see who replaces Alonso in the coming months.

However the best bit will be watching Alonso battle Hamilton next year in different cars, and it may shed light to how much difference the cars really make as opposed to the driving.