Derick Allsop talks to world championship leader Mika Hakkinen about the mind games he must face before Sunday's deciding race

He's brilliant, bungling, rich, and wields extraordinary power. Derry Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, may not like talking about himself, but to friends and enemies he is fascinating

THEY BEGAN the jousting yesterday, a day before the first practice session, three days before the race, and they came out of it with little if anything between them. Much like the championship table.

WILLIAMS, THE team with a penchant for making controversial driver appointments, confirmed their latest intriguing pairing yesterday: Alex Zanardi and Ralf Schumacher.

THEY ALL talk of their relish for this circuit's unique thrill and challenge, and now Jacques Villeneuve has the compelling evidence. The world champion was fortunate to walk away unscathed after losing control of his Williams at almost 180mph and plunging into a barrier yesterday.

IT MAY be feasible to mention Scrabble. I play because I have to sit down and think about it. I'm not particularly good or anything, and I haven't got a great use of the English language, but I do my best with certain things.

David Tremayne finds that a new inner confidence is helping Hakkinen to the top

No matter that this has not been Jacques Villeneuve's most glittering season. With his radical hairdo, irresistible Gallic charm and adoring female following, he's still Formula One's brightest star

"I GET fed up with hearing all the complaints about Michael Schumacher's driving. It's a pity we have not got more like him. He's good for the sport and he's prepared to take a few risks. We don't want drivers pussyfooting, we want them racing and competing.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER seemed to have got it wrong when he arrived in the rain here wearing shorts. It became still more uncomfortable for the German as he faced further interrogation about his behaviour on the track and was urged by his countryman Heinz-Harald Frentzen to resign as an official spokesman for the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.

David Tremayne considers why Sunday's events on the track in Montreal typified exactly what is wrong with Formula One

IT WAS, Jackie Stewart admitted, one of the few times he felt fear in the cockpit of a racing car.

DAVID COULTHARD faces the biggest test of his title credentials in the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday and yesterday insisted that he is not out of championship contention.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE is ready to keep Frank Williams and the rest of Formula One guessing over whether he will drive for his team next season.