If you've never seen Simon Patterson's The Great Bear, you're missing out. Patterson took the 1990 version of the London Tube Map - which, we're reliably informed, should more accurately be called a "diagram" - assigned categories to each of the lines (saints, actors, journalists, planets and so on) and then renamed each of the stations according to these new categories. The result is something that playfully subverts our belief that maps (and, of couse, diagrams) provide a reliable, authoritative source of information, it says 'ere.

A print of this work hangs proudly on the wall of the smallest room in one of dotdotdotcomma's regional headquarters and it was during the 2008 AGM in March 2009 that both editors, in a state of significant, um, refreshment, thought that it would be a really good idea to create a motorsport-themed version of their own. Or, in fact, several. Refreshed as newts, they were.

This is, of course, not an original idea. Many variations on The Great Bear exist and some of them are even quite clever and entertaining, although for our tastes the anagram one verges on being ever so slightly smart-arse.

The map below is the first of what may possibly be several motorsport-related variations on Patterson's theme. The intention is to create more in a similar vein, although finishing the first one demonstrated very clearly that each map takes chuffing ages (no pun intended) to produce, so don't hold your breath.

To use the magnifier on the map below:

• click and drag up to zoom in
• click and drag down to zoom out
• click and drag right to increase the zoom window size
• click and drag left to decrease the zoom window size

Click here to see the full-size map.

No need to ask a p'liceman!