Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Formula 1 teams, including Brackley-based Mercedes and Silverstone-based Force India, are back at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

Drivers out this morning include Stevenage's Lewis Hamilton, with his team-mate Valteri Bottas going this afternoon.

Image source, Getty Images

The first pre-season test last week offered a hint of what the season has to offer, but the second is the one where a clearer picture will emerge.

If you want to follow the action there is a dedicated live page on the BBC Sport website .

BBC Sport

Northampton Saints and Wales international George North has been warned about his form before Friday's Six Nations match against Ireland.

Defence coach Shaun Edwards highlighted the right wing, where North played in the defeat by Scotland, as an area of recent defensive weakness for Wales.

After successive losses to Scotland and England, Wales name their team to face Ireland on Wednesday.

Image source, Getty Images

"If he is selected, I expect George to certainly be on his mettle," said Edwards.

"I also think that George had a very good game against Italy, in very, very difficult circumstances. He got a really bad bang on his leg and toughed it out well.

"Yes he wasn't at his best against Scotland, but I think great players who've done great things for you in the past sometimes deserve a warning."

Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live

After decades of delays the long-awaited hospital in Market Harborough finally opens today - doesn't it look nice?

The £7.5m St Luke's Treatment Centre brings together services including the minor injuries unit and medical centre. 

It's hoped patients can be treated locally without having to travel further afield .

BBC Weather

Feeling very spring-like in the sunshine although some areas will see the odd outbreak of drizzle later this morning.

Fresher today with temperatures reaching 12C that's 54F. 

BBC Weather  has more local forecasts. 

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Good morning.

We are back with live updates for Northamptonshire.

We'll be brining you the latest news, weather, sport and travel for the county.

Today we will be looking at the air quality in Northampton, and some of the more radical solutions suggested to help the problem.

But first up the region's weather.

Live updates have now finished for today.

We will be back tomorrow from 08:00 with all the news, sport, weather and travel for Northamptonshire.

We'll leave you, on Northampton Town's 120th birthday, with this photo from 1925 of the Cobblers against Southampton in the FA Cup at the County Ground.

See you tomorrow...

Image source, Getty Images

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

Showers should become very isolated into this evening and overnight, so it’ll be largely dry with some clear spells. Temperatures may fall low enough to give a patchy frost.

After a chilly start, tomorrow should be largely fine and dry with sunny spells and a few showers in the north-east of the region. A band of rain is expected to spread in from the west after dark.

Highs tomorrow of 9C (48F).

BBC Inside Out

Businesses in the East are raising concerns about government plans to expand the apprenticeship system by introducing a tax on businesses with a payroll of more than £3m.

From April the government is expanding the number of apprenticeships by taxing big businesses to fund training. They can claim the money back if they take on an apprentice.

Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, said many businesses won't take on apprentices, and those that do, may not do it for the right reasons.

He said there is a "possibility" that some businesses will simply take on apprentices to claim back the extra tax they've paid to fund the training "as a means to an end for them so they aren't out of pocket".

You can see more on Inside Out East tonight on BBC One at 19:30.

Vanessa Pearce
BBC Local Live

A driver was killed by a van minutes after getting out his car which had crashed into the central reservation of the M45 this morning.

Police said , external the collision happened on a stretch between the M1 and Dunchurch at about 07:55 and the 25-year-old driver of a Honda Civic died at the scene.

BBC Weather Watchers

Has spring sprung? There are blue skies across Northamptonshire as captured by our BBC Weather Watchers ...

Yesterday, Northampton Saints announced that Keith Picton, who has been involved in the Saints youth teams, had passed away.

Players who worked with him have been paying tribute, including former Saints and England players Matt Dawson and Martin Bayfield...

BBC Weather

It'll be a mostly dry day with some sunny spells and a few showers, with a high of 10C (50F).

There are more details on the BBC Weather website .

Tom Percival
BBC Radio Northampton

A woman from Northamptonshire who survived the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster told me she still has nightmares.

It's been 30 years since one of the worst maritime disasters in British history.

Lisa Ladybird, from Burton Latimer, was just four years old when the ship capsized on the way from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Dover. However, she was pulled out of the water and lived to tell the tale.

The bow doors had been left open, which led to water pouring in and 193 people losing their lives.

Image source, Getty Images

Recalling what happened, Ms Ladybird told me she was with her mum's friend Caroline Harley who she "grabbed on to" when she jumped into the water. 

She said she didn't remember being picked up out of the water, but remembers being "on a boat with a blanket on my face being held by someone I didn't know".  

Here is Lisa, pictured with the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher, when she returned to dry land.

Image source, Daily Mail

Ms Ladybird said: "Thinking back on it, I was really young, how did I, why did I [survive]? If I had been older, would I have survived? 

"If I had known what the situation was, I would have most probably panicked too much, and it wouldn't have been me that came out."

With the 2017 county season here, keep up to date with the latest signings, departures and rumours ahead of next season.

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

And the Cobblers celebrated their landmark birthday in style with  a 2-1 win over Charlton  at the weekend.

Michael Smith scored his first goal for the club in the first half...

Image source, Getty Images

Charlton equalised four minutes later, but in the second half John-Joe O'Toole scored his seventh goal in seven games to give the Cobblers a much-needed League One victory...

Image source, Getty Images

No, we're not sure what the celebration is about either.

Answers on a postcard ( or email ).

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

First today, a little history lesson...

Exactly 120 years ago, on 6 March 1897, Northampton Town Football Club was formed.

It all started when a group of local school teachers got together with the well-known local solicitor, AJ "Pat" Darnell, in the Princess Royal Inn on Wellingborough Road.

Their meeting led to the forming of the town's first professional football club, external .

Here is one of the earliest photos of the Cobblers that I can track down.

It's from 1912 and features one of their most famous players, Walter Tull (circled), who died in World War One  in 1918.

Image source, BBC/Phil Vasili

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

Early mist and fog will clear this morning to leave a mostly dry day with some sunny spells and a few showers with a high of 10C (50F)

Here's my full forecast...

You can find more details on the BBC Weather website .

Pete Cooper
BBC Local Live

Good morning.

We are back bringing you live updates from Northamptonshire.

Today we'll be looking at air pollution in the county and also 30 years the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, a woman from the county who survived it looks back on the tragedy .

But first up will look at the the weather.

John-Joe O'Toole scores his seventh goal in as many games as Northampton beat Charlton for the first time in over 50 years.

Northampton boost their Premiership play-off chances with a bonus-point win at Sale, who are still not clear of relegation.