An agreement is believed to have been made between Formula One stakeholders for Grand Prix cars to utilize a new type of ‘green’ engine from 2013.

The current 2.4-litre V8s will be replaced by 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo engines which have energy recovery systems and fuel restrictions. The move has the aim of increasing public demand for such engines following the trend towards fuel-efficiency in road cars. The new regulations may be confirmed by governing body the FIA on 10th December.

Both Mercedes and Ferrari were thought to have been reluctant to agree to the switch as they felt that it was an unnecessary expense at a time when F1 was trying to reduce costs. However, A Ferrari spokesman stated that the rules had been agreed and he would be ‘surprised’ if it was not announced by the FIA World Council.

The new rules have been established in the hope that the efficiency of F1 engines can be improved by as much as 50%. Relevant caution has been taken to ensure the performance of cars will not be affected and total power outputs will remain at current levels – approximately 750bhp in tests and negotiations that have spanned over months. The switch looked as though it may have been delayed until 2014 and was even rumoured to have been put back as late as 2017.

It is believed that the regulations will go before the F1 Commission – a group of stakeholders that agrees all rule changes – on Thursday 9th December before being rubber-stamped by the World Council the following day. Increasing the future sustainability of F1 was made a keen aim by F1 teams’ organisation FOTA and FIA president Jean Todt with recent developments seen as a triumph by both.

Mini will compete in selected rounds of the 2011 World Rally Championship, marking the return of one of the sports most famous competitors.

Owner BMW confirmed Mini will compete in selected rounds next year, and take part in the full series the following year.

The driver line-up is yet to be confirmed but the car will be available to to customer teams this Autumn.

Developer of the Mini Countryman WRC, Prodrive’s Dave Richards, said: “This is a very exciting new motor sport programme. During the 1960s, Mini captured the imagination of the world when the tiny car took on the might of V8-powered Fords and won what was then one of the toughest motor sport events , the 4,000km Monte Carlo Rally.

“I believe our new Mini will become a firm favourite of the latest generation of rally fans, just as it is adored by its millions of owners across the world.”

The Jockey Club, the largest commercial group in British horseracing, today appointed UK journalist Jeff Randall, as a non-executive director of its Sandown Park Racecourse in Surrey.

The former presenter of Jeff Randall Live on Sky News, Editor-at-Large of The Daily Telegraph, Business Editor of the BBC and Sports Editor of The Sunday Times, Randall is a lifelong horseracing fan and regular visitor to several of The Jockey Club’s racecourses.

Randall retired from journalism in March this year, but as part of a move from the newsroom to the boardroom, Randall has joined the board of Babcock International plc, the UK’s leading engineering support services company, as a non-executive director and chairman of its remuneration committee.

He takes up his new role at Sandown Park at this weekend’s climax to the Jump season – the bet365 Jumps Finale fixture, featuring Grade 1 racing and where AP McCoy will be crowned Champion Jump jockey for the 19^th consecutive year – joining the racecourse committee under the chairmanship of Mike Street OBE.

Randall commented on his new role: “I am delighted to be joining the board at Sandown Park, one of my favourite racecourses. Thanks to my late father, I was introduced to the sport in the early 1970s and it has been a source of huge enjoyment ever since. Now, through my involvement with The Jockey Club, I have a chance to give something back. I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Mike Street OBE, Chairman of Sandown Park Racecourse, added: “It is clear that racing has a special place in Jeff’s heart and I speak for all at Sandown Park in saying we are thrilled he is joining our team.

“Sandown Park is one of London’s premier racecourses, just 25 minutes from Waterloo to Esher in Surrey. Jeff’s superb professional experience and network, particularly within the City and wider business community will be a tremendous asset to Jockey Club Racecourses and British racing as a whole.”

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) have expanded their partnership with Infostrada Sports (IS).

During the four year deal, USOC will not only have continued access to Podium, IS premier sport performance analytic tool, but USOC will also have unlimited access to Infrostrada’s world leading sports database of Olympic and Paralympic sports. This will enable USOC to create the most comprehensive and unparalleled sports analytic program in the world.

The partnership with USOC provides IS with the opportunity to take the sports database to an unmatched level for Olympic sports. By growing in both breadth and depth of the data, IS can continue offering analyses and consultancy to prepare organisations around the world to face the challenges of the next decade.

“It has been clear to our analysts from day one that Podium is the optimal analytic tool to fully suit the needs of our Competitive Analysis team,” said Alan Ashley, Chief of Sport Performance USOC. “Work that previously took a week can now be accomplished in two hours by our analysts. This leaves more time over to go further in terms of data analysis. Our decision to partner with Infostrada Sports is a testament to their knowledge and experience in sports database management.”

Danny Menken, CEO Infostrada Sports said the company believed data analytics services was an important part of the future of our industry. “We are delighted that we have signed an agreement with such an important National Olympic Committee as USOC. We are proud to be able to provide USOC our innovative turn-key solutions that work and which are both analytical and accessible to the professional user. USOC’s decision to partner with us is recognition of the 15 years of experience we have gained in sports data collection and provision.”

Infrostrada Sports manages the world’s largest sports database, covering more than 300+ sports worldwide.

International sports marketing agency, check RedTorch have announced a partnership with Triathlon New Zealand to market the remodelled Tri NZ High Performance Property to prospective commercial partners.

RedTorch will focus on securing a sole partner to support Tri NZ’s elite athletes as they compete in the global ITU World Series each year and prepare for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Triathlon NZ is looking for a partner to share in their values of “Inspiring-Success-Together” with CEO Craig Waugh excited about the opportunities in the international market.

“The appointment of RedTorch reinforces our commitment to excellence and we are happy to have found a competent and enthusiastic partner who will help us in achieving this goal.”

RedTorch Managing Director Jonny Murch added: “We are very excited to be working on behalf of Triathlon New Zealand, acting as their European based agent. Triathlon is a growing and very current sport with fantastic values. Their appointment of Graeme Maw as their new High Performance Director is a clear signal of intention. We are looking forward to helping Tri NZ find a new partner to join them on their exciting journey towards the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

Following on from the independent review into the High Performance Programme, Triathlon New Zealand appointed highly regarded Maw to the newly developed position of High Performance Director.

The appointment of the former High Performance Director at British Triathlon is the first significant step in the implementation of the recommendations of that review and is seen as something of a coup in the international triathlon community.

Waugh is excited about the future of the sport and the High Performance Programme under the guidance of Maw.

“In appointing Graeme we have no doubt that he has the vision, experience and the leadership to bring a group of talented people together working to implement the recommendations of the 2020 HP review. The sport is such a fast growing one; it is vital that we are world class in our pursuit of excellence on the world stage.

“Our partnership with RedTorch is the natural next step to secure an appropriately like minded and positioned international brand to further enable the Tri NZ High Performance Programme and our athletes to achieve their goals and objectives.”

London based RedTorch will commence their search immediately for a suitable partner to the HP Programme with a view to signing a deal prior to the 2013 international programme getting underway in Auckland next April, the first event in a new 4-year hosting partnership between Auckland and the ITU ensuring world class Triathlon continues to take place in New Zealand for the foreseeable future.

President of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), arthritis Dr Kang Young Joong, has hailed Sir Craig Reedie’s election as Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Sir Craig, 71, who played a key part in bringing the Olympics to London, was a former president of the International Badminton Federation, the precursor to the BWF. He played a pivotal role in getting badminton into the Olympics in Barcelona 1992.

Dr Kang was quick to recognise the important role Sir Craig has played in sports and said: “We at Badminton World Federation are particularly proud to witness the election of one of our own to this prestigious position within the Olympic movement. It is an honour of which he is indeed worthy.

“We extend sincerest congratulations to Sir Craig and we are certain his vast reservoir of knowledge and experience will continue to stand him and the IOC in admirable stead.”

The Executive Board of the IOC is responsible for ensuring the observance of the Olympic Charter, overseeing the administration of the IOC, organising the Olympic Games and other duties.

Sir Craig was knighted for his efforts in bringing the Olympics and Paralympics to London.

 Sir Craig Reedie and Dr Kang Young Joong both feature in iSportconnect’s Olympic Special E-Magazine, available to read here.

The unfancied blue clay surface used for the first time at the Madrid Open last month has been abolished by the ATP, the governing body of men’s tennis.

World numbers one and two, Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, led the complaints against the new surface, saying it was too slippery.

“After careful consideration I have decided blue clay courts will not be allowed next year,” ATP executive chairman and president Brad Drewett said in a statement.

“I very much believe in innovation and exploring ways to enhance our sport.

“While the blue clay may have offered better visibility on television, there were clearly issues with the quality of the courts in Madrid this year which were not acceptable at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament,” Drewett added.

“Regardless of colour we must first ensure that courts are safe and fair for players.”

Drewett was keen to stress, however, that he did not want to put a break on new ideas.

“(Madrid tournament owner) Ion Tiriac has been a great supporter of the game for many years and I continue to encourage his ideas including the testing of blue clay at non-ATP World Tour events,” he added.

“At this time however it’s clear that further development is required before it can be considered for use at ATP World Tour level.”

Grand Prix Sports, a subsidiary of Grand Prix Entertainment, LLC, a Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment company, has announced the acquisition of The American National Rugby League(“AMNRL”), the governing body for the development of Rugby League in the USA.

The AMNRL is exclusively sanctioned by the Rugby League International Federation (“RLIF”).

“We’re very pleased to add the sport of Rugby League, led by our new partners at Star Group Communications, to Grand Prix’s sport investment portfolio,” said Alan Rothenberg, Chairman of Grand Prix Sports. “The AMNRL has been making great strides in the development of Rugby League across America. Acquiring the exclusive rights to Rugby League is a major Grand Prix score on and off the field.”

Seen by many as a move to consolidate its growing influence on the “Father of American Football,” Grand Prix Founder William Tatham said: “Clearly International Rugby Board (“IRB”) Union Rugby is the NFL of world rugby, but RLIF Rugby League is a formidable foe both on and off the field and growing stronger every day. Thus, we felt this expansion was a very important move for Grand Prix in our efforts to package the “Contact Sport of the World” and compete in the United States “Sports Market of the World.”

Grand Prix is most known in rugby world for its pioneering efforts to organize professional Rugby Union Sevens through its strategic and exclusive joint venture partnership with USA Rugby. USA Rugby, an official member of the Unites States Olympic Committee as well as the Rugby World Cup’s International Rugby Board, recently extended through 2018 Grand Prix’s exclusive U.S. sanction, license and global broadcast rights to own, operate and globally broadcast the professional sport of Rugby Sevens. Rugby Sevens will debut as a new Olympic sport at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games.

Former President of CBS Sports Neal Pilson, endorsed the move, stating, “While maintaining the independent integrity of the Rugby Union and Rugby League operations, yet folding them under one production umbrella, we at Grand Prix felt from a broadcast perspective this transaction was a smart move to avoid unnecessary confusion in a U.S. media market at a very critical time in rugby’s growth.”

Major League Soccer have partnered with D&E Entertainment in providing marketing support for the theatrical premiere of the inspirational sports documentary “RISE & SHINE: THE JAY DEMERIT STORY, adiposity ” set for nationwide release by D&E Entertainment beginning Nov. 3.

Produced by Truth2Life Productions, “RISE & SHINE” follows DeMerit’s riveting career arc from undrafted high school and collegiate athlete to internationally respected soccer star.

“RISE & SHINE is an inspiring story that reflects the passion people have for the sport of soccer, and it was a natural fit for Major League Soccer and D&E to provide marketing support for each other in promoting the national release and MLS Cup 2011,” MLS marketing manager Charlie Shin says.

Major League Soccer, which concludes its 16^th season with the MLS Cup game in Los Angeles on Nov. 20, is featuring a “RISE & SHINE” trailer in its Jumbotron programming at several stadiums. The league also is helping with social-media outreach, while D&E will feature a special introduction from MLS before every screening of “RISE & SHINE.”

D&E principals Evan Saxon and Doug Kluthe touted benefits of MLS’ support.

“MLS’ promotional support during its much-watched playoffs is the perfect setting to reach families and fans,” Saxon says. Kluthe adds, “The promotional partnership with MLS complements the extensive grassroots marketing provided by AYSO, Truth2LIfe and D&E.”

“RISE & SHINE: THE JAY DEMERIT STORY” is set to open in more than 130 theaters nationwide. That includes distribution in top-25 markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis and all cities boasting an MLS franchise. 

Co-directed by filmmakers and Truth2Life partners Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija, the 92-minute film traces the Green Bay, Wisc.-native’s journey from failed pro tryouts through early frustrations in English football’s lowest divisions. DeMerit ultimately triumphs in soccer glory, becoming a captain for England’s Watford FC and joining Team USA as a hard-charging center halfback at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Today, he captains MLS’ Vancouver Whitecaps.

Financed through crowd-sourcing site Kickstarter, “RISE AND SHINE” features game footage from worldwide competitions including cameos by soccer greats Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and Landon Donovan.