London, Mar 28 : British Formula One driver Jenson Button fears world champion and fellow countrymen Lewis Hamilton is an accident waiting to happen, with both his No. 1 status and welfare on the race circuit under threat.

A troubled Hamilton insists his McLaren is so uncompetitive that he may fail to win a point.

Button warns his British rival to expect an unfamiliar shunt or two if he is left fighting it out for the minor places instead of roaring away at the front of the grid.

Melbourne - Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has refuted claims by the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA) that he owes it money from the previous three championship years.

"Formula One Administration Limited (FOA), the commercial rights holder of Formula One, wishes to clarify and correct inaccurate and misleading statements made to the media by FOTA," said Ecclestone in a statement.

Abu Dhabi  - The Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix, set to close the season that starts Sunday, could become a night-time race in 2010.

"The fact that we can run the track 24 hours a day leaves us in a very good position to run the circuit at night-time. There are a lot of possibilities," the race's general manager Richard Cregan said in an interview with German Press Agency dpa.

Melbourne  - A row was looming ahead of the start of the Formula One season with leading teams questioning the legality of the bodywork of three of their rivals including newcomers Brawn GP.

A rift appeared to open Wednesday ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, with Red Bull saying it would lodge a protest if the Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota cars were allowed to race as they now stand.

Governing body FIA is set to check whether the cars conform to the regulations on Thursday.

Hockenheim, Germany  - A German state premier is to seek talks with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone in an effort to safeguard the future of the Hockenheim Grand Prix, it was agreed Tuesday.

The Baden-Wuerttemberg economics ministry said it was agreed at a cabinet meeting that state premier Guenther Oettinger meet Ecclestone over the loss-making circuit.

The state urged Hockenheim's regional council to shelve making any decision at a meeting Wednesday on the circuit's future.

Melbourne - Ferrari will be calling on the experience of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher for the start of the Formula One season.

For the first time since his retirement at the end of the 2006 season, Schumacher will be with his former team for the season's start in Melbourne on Sunday.

The 40-year-old German will also be acting as an adviser for the following week's Malaysian Grand Prix.