I write this from my hotel at San Francisco´s Fisherman´s Wharf. Last season Formula 1´s own “village newspaper”, the Red Bulletin, ran a season-long competition titled “Holiday of a lifetime” and I won it. The prize was a great holiday to any destination and after much discussion in the family we decided to go to Hawaii, California and New York. We - my wife and three kids joined me - left cold Copenhagen in early November and after Los Angeles and Hawaii we now have a few days in San Francisco before heading for New York.

We have a great time and I enjoy spending some time away from F1. For some of you that may sound strange, but even though being an F1 reporter is a dream job, I am a little exhausted when the season finishes. To go away from F1 for a few weeks is refreshing and travelling halfway around the globe with the family is nice. AND - after the trip to Hawaii, my wife and kids have learned about jet-lag. When Daddy gets home from Australia and Malaysia next March, they know why I look a little tired...

But in these modern times you are never too far away from your job. My latest book - about the 12 leading Danish racing drivers and titled “The Fast Dozen” - is published this week in Denmark, and that means I have to do a few interviews over the telephone. Fortunately these can be done late at night Californian time, so it is not too much of a distraction.

And I am also following the first of this winter´s F1 tests, which takes place at the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona this week. Every morning I go on the internet to see the lap times of the day, and so far a certain Michael Schumacher has been fastest in a Ferrari. It is extremely impressive that Michael can return to the cockpit after more than a year away and immediately produce competitive times. But testing is testing - you never know the amount of fuel in the cars, the tyre compounds and the programmes the teams are running, so it is far too early to draw any conclusions about 2008 just yet (and Michael will go back to his quiet “retirement home” after this test, i am sure.)

In 2008 traction control is banned and this week´s test is the first time the cars run to the new rules. Panasonic Toyota Racing driver Jarno Trulli - whom I consider one of the greatest “natural talents” in F1” - says he enjoy driving without traction control, and I have been told the cars looks more spectacular. All very interesting - now I can´t wait to go “back to business”.

A great holiday will soon be over - but a great job is waiting for me!

It is like the 2008 F1 season has already started. I have just returned from my holiday in the United States, and while I was away, the first off-season test took place at the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona. “The Circus” now gearing up for another test in Jerez and this will be the last of 2007. But in January the “launch season” kicks in and Panasonic Toyota Racing has just announced that the new TF108 will be unveiled at the team H.Q. in Cologne on January 10. A few days later BMW will present their 2008 car and even though the first 2008 Grand Prix is still more than three months away, it fell like the new season is about to start.

2008 will be the first season in three years with a new Panasonic Toyota Racing driver. Ralf Schumacher left the team after the final 2007 Grand Prix in Brazil, and a few days ago it was announced that fellow-German Timo Glock will replace him.

I think Timo is a very good choice. While still young and hungry (he will celebrate his 26th. birthday two days after his Panasonic Toyota Racing debut in the Australian Grand Prix on March 16) he is also very experienced.

I first met Timo back in 2004, when he was the third driver for the Jordan F1 team. One of Jordan´s race drivers back then, Giorgio Pantano, was managed by a friend of mine so I followed the team closely. When Pantano ran into problems contractual problems (something to do with money!) immediately before the Canadian Grand Prix, Timo stepped up to an unexpected F1 debut and he did as great job: In the end, he was classified seventh; scoring two points in his very first Grand Prix.

Despite the great debut, Timo could not find the backing for a full-time F1 seat for 2005. Instead, he went to the U.S. Champ Car World series, where he won the rookie title and finished eighth overall. Towards the end of the season I met him again; this time in Francorchamps in Belgium. The Champ Car organisers invited Timo and a handful of journalists to dinner during the Belgian Grand Prix-weekend, and again I was impressed by Timo: He was young and more than a little frustrated that F1 seemed to pass him by, but he was still great company and seemed very mature and focussed.

Despite winning the 2005 rookie title, Timo had few opportunities in Champ Car for 2006 and he returned to Europe and the GP2 Series. It was a dangerous step: Having scores points in his F1 debut and then winning the Champ Car rookie title, he HAD to win in the extremely competitive GP2 series.

But he did just that: Fourth place in the 2006 series (and two wins) was followed by five wins and the title this year.

With Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher, Panasonic Toyota Racing had two very experienced drivers - with Jarno and Timo, they still have a lot of experience AND a hungry youngster. I think it is great combination and I can´t wait to see Timo in the car.

Welcome, Timo - and roll on, Melbourne!

It is that time of the year again: The racing season is over, testing is “off” for a few short weeks and everything in F1 has gone quiet (well - almost: It seems there is always another chapter in the “spy affairs” to keep us entertained!). In the Panasonic Toyota Racing H.Q. in Cologne there is still a lot of activity as the new TF108 is prepared to the launch on January 10, but there is no “hard news” to report.

We are getting close to Christmas and the New Year, and if there is not so much to write about, there is plenty to keep me busy: Christmas presents must be bought and we have to arrange the holidays - who to see when and where is always a huge puzzle at this time of the year.

And then there is my latest book. It is about the 12 best racing drivers from Denmark and it was published a few weeks ago. I am happy to report that reviews have been very good and I have been busy promoting the book with interviews in newspapers and magazines. AND - the world and his dog has lined up to get a free copy. With Christmas coming up, this is a clever time to publish a book, but the timing does create a bit of a problem for the author: A LOT of people expect to get a copy - some people even asking for two or three. Well, it is an easy way to take care of the Christmas presents, I suppose. For them, at least...

It is also the time for award dinners and Christmas parties. Last week I was in Munich for BMW´s annual party, which is always a great day. During the day, only Robert Kubica was there as Nick Heidfeld was ill. Nick was well enough to show up in the evening, and happily told us that he had had the fly. “And to all of you I said “hello” to - good luck: You will probably have the flu next week,” he said. It is not often F1 journalists get Christmas presents from drivers, and Quick-Nick´s little gift kept me in bed for a couple of days...

This is also the time when I organise my travelling for the coming season. As soon as the calendar is published I try to book as many flights as possible and I am happy to tell you that just yesterday I got my last flight - the one from Copenhagen-Frankfurt-Tokyo-Shanghai-Munich-Copenhagen for the Japanese and Chinese Grands Prix next October. I book most of my flights myself via the internet but I leave the complicated ones - like the double-header to Fuji and Shanghai - to my travel agent. When she told me yesterday that I was now “confirmed” for the Sunday night flight from Shanghai to Munich, I could take a deep breath and relax: I am now ready for the new season. Or make that seasonS: The holiday season and the F1 season 2008 - here I come!

For a short time, everything is quiet in the world of F1. It is Christmas time in Europe (where all the teams are based) and even though there is some activity in the factories, this is the most peaceful time F1 folks will experience during a busy year. The first team launches are still a couple of weeks away (Panasonic Toyota Racing will be one of the first teams to present their 2008 car on January 10 in Cologne) and the first test day of 2008 is scheduled for January 14 in Jerez.

The 2007 F1 season ended with the Brazilian Grand Prix in mid-October - and the first test session in preparation of 2008 kicked off a few weeks later at the Circuit de Catalonia outside Barcelona. Still, the official end of 2007 is still a few days away, and with New Year´s Eve coming up, this seems like a good time to look back at the 2007 season.

If you ask me, Panasonic Toyota Racing had a solid 2007 season. Sixth place in the Constructors Championship was not what they had hoped for, but the current “midfield” is extremely competitive. And just consider Panasonic Toyota Racing´s immediate rivals - the team made its debut in 2002 but they are fighting against Williams (debut: 1969), Red Bull (1997), Toro Rosso (1985) and Honda (which made its debut in 1964 but owes most of its current structure to the BAR team from 1999). That Panasonic Toyota Racing is able to compete with teams with so much more F1 experience is in my opinion a very good sign: Panasonic Toyota Racing IS on the right way - but in F1 things take time. It is no coincidence that the two leading teams in 2007 - Ferrari and McLaren - are also the oldest in the field.

Now - I am sure that some of you will argue that Red Bull and Toro Rosso are both “younger” than Panasonic Toyota Racing. It is true that Red Bull officially made their debut in 2005 followed a year later by Toro Rosso. BUT - Red Bull took over Jaguar and Jaguar took over Stewart Grand Prix, which made their debut in 1997. And Toro Rosso took over the little Minardi team, which made its debut back in 1985 and had grown into one of the oldest teams on the grid.

In fact, you can argue that Panasonic Toyota Racing is still the youngest team in F1. As explained above, several teams have changed names and owners but are still basically “old teams”. Just think of the “new” Force India: From 1991 to 2004 they were called Jordan, in 2005 they were Midland and in 2006 they became Spyker - and now they are Force India. In my mind, Panasonic Toyota Racing is still the newest team which was started from scratch. I know Super Aguri was also founded as a brand new team a couple of years ago, but as they have so far been running cars from other teams, I consider them a little bit special in this respect.

So my “verdict” on Panasonic Toyota racing´s 2007 season is this: Considering “the opposition” (and their vast experience), Panasonic Toyota Racing had a solid year. With more experience and a new and probably hungrier driver line-up, I am confident Panasonic Toyota Racing will enjoy an even better 2008 season.

With this, it is time for a “Happy New Year” from the diary editor. I will be back in January with new from the launch in Cologne.