Formula One News — September 1996

THE Estoril motor racing circuit is located a few miles to the west of Portugal's capital city Lisbon, up in the barren, rocky scrub land behind the seaside resorts of Estoril.

AS we predicted last week, Heinz-Harald Frentzen has been signed as Jacques Villeneuve's partner in the Rothmans Williams Renault team for 1997 and 1998.

THE Formula 1 team bosses met at Maranello on the Thursday before Monza to discuss changes to the Concorde Agreement.

AS Formula 1 revenues increase annually into the hundreds of millions of dollars it becomes more and more likely that companies involved will sell shares and "go public".

THE Dome Formula 1 team has abandoned its plans to enter Grand Prix racing in 1997 and is now looking for money for 1998.

THE current campaigns to restrict tobacco advertising around the world seem to be having a contradictory effect in Formula 1 with tobacco companies rushing to become involved in Grand Prix racing before the restrictions become too tight to make it worthwhile.

THE Tyrrell team seems to be in serious trouble for the future - particularly if Yamaha has done an engine deal with Tom Walkinshaw's Arrows team.

EACH passing week sees Tom Walkinshaw in deep negotiation with another F1 engine manufacturer.

REPORTS in Germany last week suggested that Adrian Newey has agreed to join the McLaren Mercedes team in 1997.

ONE other theory doing the rounds at Monza suggested that Damon Hill could end up at McLaren alongside David Coulthard.

THERE was intense speculation at Monza that Damon Hill will join Benetton next season as team mate to Gerhard Berger.

DAMON HILL's contract with Williams is not going to be extended into 1997 - and that means that Heinz-Harald Frentzen has probably already signed up on a long-term contract with Williams.

JOS VERSTAPPEN was released from the hospital in Liege on Monday after spending a night under observation after his huge accident during the Belgian GP.

THE court case between Forti and its sponsor Shannon has now ended with the Italian judge deciding that Shannon does own 51% of the racing team.

DAVID BRABHAM is due to test the Bridgestone-owned, Arrows-run Ligier-Mugen Honda in Japan this week as part of the Japanese tire company's program in preparation for entering F1 next year.

BOXING promoter Frank Warren says that he will help rebel Formula 1 teams McLaren, Williams and Tyrrell to start up their own series if they cannot agree terms with Bernie Ecclestone.

MARLBORO may have pulled the plug on the McLaren team for 1997 - but the cigarette company says it plans to remain committed to Formula 1.

IN the days following the Belgian GP there has been much talk about who has gained from the political upheavals surrounding the new Concorde Agreement - and who is going to lose out.

DAMON HILL goes to Monza this weekend with the chance to win his first FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

ITALY's Autodromo Nazionale is situated at Monza, a small town to the north of the Italian city of Milan.