Formula One News — June 1996

THE arrival in Formula 1 in 1977 of French-Canadian Gilles Villeneuve precipitated a hurried search in Quebec for a circuit to host the Canadian Grand Prix. The race had previously been held at Mosport Park, in English-speaking Ontario.

TO no-one's great surprise it has been confirmed that David Coulthard is to stay with McLaren next year and is not going to join the new Stewart Grand Prix as rumors had suggested.

THE plans to hold a Grand Prix on the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada, received a new boost this week with the announcement that Mirage Resorts - the casino group which is keenest to run a race - has gone into partnership in Atlantic City with rival Las Vegas group Boyd Gaming.

THE World Health Authority had launched an attack on motor racing which it claims is a "non-stop commercial" for cigarettes with races being "venues for the recruitment of new smokers".

OLIVIER PANIS's victory at Monaco seems to have had a curious knock-on effect for Ligier.

WITH his hopes of landing a Honda factory engine deal in 1998 looking less than certain, Tom Walkinshaw is believed to be considering accelerating the development of his own V10 engine, which has already been designed by former Cosworth engine wizard Geoff Goddard at TWR's Leafield base.

THERE were suggestions in Barcelona that Benetton is already beginning to make moves towards Honda for the 1998 season, because there is a strong possibility that Renault will announce in the beginning of July that it is going to pull out of F1 and go Indycar racing instead.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY top management will meet in Detroit next Monday - the day after the Detroit Indycar race - to discuss whether or not the company wants to supply Sauber with its V10 engines next season.

FERRARI is not staying at Barcelona this week to test but is going instead to Imola where Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine will continue their development work on the F310 chassis and the Ferrari V10 engine.

ON Tuesday at Suzuka, Bridgestone will begin its Formula 1 track testing using up-to-date machinery.

IN an effort to avoid qualifying tires and keep increasing speeds under control in a tire war, the F1 Commission has agreed to propose a series of changes to the FIA World Council which meets in Paris on June 11.

TWR has announced a sponsorship deal with oil company Castrol.

THE mysterious Shannon Racing Team - which was expected to enter F1 in 1998 - took everyone by surprise by turning up at the Spanish Grand Prix as sponsors for the Forti team.

GERHARD BERGER and Barry Sheene have resolved their legal problems in Australia.