Hamilton Happy with MP4-27

Lewis Hamilton was full of smiles as McLaren revealed their MP4-27 - saying last year's nemesis Felipe Massa will probably appreciate the new design the most.

Hamilton stepped onto the staging at Woking looking relaxed and happy as himself and Jenson Button took the covers off their 2012 car.

And first impressions were that both were happy with the look of the MP4-27.

"Massively motivated for next year," said Hamilton. "We have a good-looking car and generally when you have a good-looking car it is a good car too.

"The nose dips down a little bit to last year and they've changed the mirrors so hopefully I'll see a bit better than I did last year.

He added with a smile and a laugh: "Felipe will be very happy with that."

The nose and mirrors, though, are not the only changes; for this year's Championship, the blown diffusers have been banned meaning teams have had to find other ways to make up for the lost downforce.

"It's snug at the back to improve aerodynamics," said Hamilton.

"Without the blown diffuser we lose an incredible amount of downforce. So that's the biggest loss for us and we'll try to regain it in other ways.

"I think as we get into the season we'll improve and find out where that downforce can come. But I think the guys have done a fantastic job."

The former World Champion, who had a trying last season when his on-track performances suffered as a result of his off-track problems, is relishing his sixth season with McLaren, hoping that it will be yet another year of fighting at the front.

"It feels strange to say this is my sixth season. It feels like it was only yesterday that I went to Ron (Dennis) and said I wanted to race for his team.

"We've been competing at the front for all those years, we have a great team, incredible strength and depth."

Hamilton also told Sky Sports News that there was "no rush" as regards his contract with McLaren, which expires this year.

"I'm quite comfortable where I am and I think the team are keen to re-sign us. We're just putting all the focus into making sure we're ready for the season," he added.

"I think that definitely after we get the first few races out the way it's important to try and tie that up, to give the team confidence and clarify my intentions and my desires - and where I want to be standing in the future."

McClaren Joins Forest as Davies Departs

Billy Davies

Steve McClaren has been confirmed as the new Nottingham Forest manager and has signed a three-year contract at the City Ground.

The news came after a brief statement on Sunday afternoon for the club the termination of Billy Davies contract with immediate effect.

McClaren's appointment caps an eventful few days for McClaren, as he was due to be interviewed for the managerial vacancy at Aston Villa before the weekend, only for the club's owner, Randy Lerner, to cancel the talks after supporters made it clear they did not want the former England manager to be the replacement for Gérard Houllier.

The Nottingham Forest chief executive, Mark Arthur, said: "The club moved quickly to secure his services as it is rare for a manager and coach of his undoubted calibre to be available.

"Steve has a proven track record of coaching and managing at club level, having played a key role in helping Manchester United secure the Champions League trophy, three Premier League titles and an FA Cup; guided Middlesbrough to the League Cup and also to the final of the Uefa Cup and led FC Twente to their first ever Dutch title."

McClaren was sacked by Wolfsburg in February after less than nine months in charge of the Bundesliga club.

Only last Friday the League Managers Association (LMA) revealed an increase in managers being dismissed during a season stating that decisions to sack managers within 18 months of their appointment continue to undermine the professional game.

Of the 92 clubs in question, there were 58 changes in manager last season with 40 of them resulting in dismissal. A trend LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan finds worryingly high.

‘The dismissal of two thirds of football managers with less than one and a half years in post, and half of the dismissed football managers within less than a year of appointment continues to undermine the professional game.

‘The turnover of football managers remains high and, worryingly, tenure also remains low.’

Although overall changes of manager were down by seven, dismissals had risen from 36 with the average tenure standing at 1.58 years.

League One was the most ruthless division with 12 dismissals while the Premier League was lowest with seven - despite the controversial departures of Sam Allardyce from Blackburn, Chris Hughton from Newcastle and Carlo Ancelotti from Chelsea.

The top flight also boasted the highest average tenure with just over two years, while the Championship alarmingly gave its managers just 10 and-a-half-months in the job on average.

This trend also comes in the wake of the Annual Review of Football Finance 2011 by Deloitte where for a second successive year the Premier League clubs’ total wages increase has outstripped revenue growth, rising by £64m (5%) to over £1.4 billion in 2009/10. 

As a result, the league’s wages/revenue ratio reached an all time high of 68% - another worrying trend.