I was thrilled to be at the 2010 Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix yesterday, particularly to see Felipe Massa, whose return to F1 after a serious accident last year I previously wrote about. The highlight of the first session was being close to where Sauber’s Pedro de la Rosa (below) retired with mechanical problems at turn 4.

As I did last year, I’ve made a short video to report on the day’s events, where Australian driver Mark Webber was the third fastest. His new car looks amazing, though the new Ferrari is also very sleek. I so want to see Webber win! I don’t think I have seen him finish a race at Albert Park (I was not yet in Melbourne for his impressive Minardi debut, where he finished 5th).

If you can’t view the video above it is because the morons at the AGPC, the FIA, FOA or FOM have contacted Youtube and demanded that my video be removed as they claim its content is a violation of their copyrights. As I proved last year, when I won the legal argument and had my removed videos reinstated by Youtube, their argument has no legal foundation.

Their belligerent posturing is merely the incoherent dribble of a bully. Fuck you Bernie and your legal goons. F1 belongs to the fans (particularly in Australia where we taxpayers pay millions of dollars for the right to host and run it). Federal copyright law gives me fair dealings rights to report on news and current affairs and that is what I am doing. What I am doing has no commercial implications for you or other greedy old men.

Just in case here are some static images (the AGPC and FOM don’t seem so interested in trying to ban photos). From the top: Massa, Mark Webber and new world champion Jenson Button.

Watching the drivers get out of the car is trivial but fascinating. The motorcycle marshall who takes them back to the pits has the best job.