Formula One News — August 1997

THE amazing performance of the Arrows-Yamaha team at the Hungarian Grand Prix has confused still further the situation regarding the team's motors for next season - but it may help Tom Walkinshaw convince Damon Hill stay at Arrows next season.

THE Honda Motor Company is sneaking back into Formula 1 sooner than most people think - with an engine built by Honda's Research & Development department likely to begin testing in the autumn.

BEFORE Eddie Jordan can decide on his drivers for next season the Irish team boss must work out the contractual situation between Giancarlo Fisichella and Benetton.

FORD's head of automotive operations Jac Nasser indicated that the company would have to "go in a different direction" if there was what he called "outside disruption" at Cosworth Engineering.

OLIVIER PANIS is on schedule to make his return to the Prost Formula 1 team at the Italian Grand Prix in September.

THE new BA Team to be funded by British American Tobacco is expected to be announced in September but there continue to be question marks about the form the new team will actually take.

FORD'S head of automotive operations Jac Nasser revealed in Budapest that he believes it is essential that Formula 1 establishes itself in the United States of America if it wishes to portray itself as a global sport.

THE Formula 1 test teams have been in action in the last week at Silverstone, Mugello, Fiorano, Barcelona and at the drag racing strip at Santa Pod in Bedfordshire in England.

FRUSTRATED Grand Prix racer Martin Brundle - who has been out of work since he was dropped by Jordan at the end of last season - was given an unexpected chance to test for Benetton last week at Silverstone.

THE German Grand Prix marked a new departure for Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Communications operations with the first trials of "virtual advertising", a system which means that viewers in different countries see different trackside adverts.

THE business of sport is booming at the moment and as a result there is interest in Grand Prix racing from the most unusual places.

IT is no secret that Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is trying hard to get the Grand Prix teams to agree to restrict the amount of testing which happens between the races.

THE boom in Grand Prix racing in Germany continues with the announcement last week that Hockenheim will continue to host the German Grand Prix until the year 2001.

GIANNI MORBIDELLI was back in action last week for the first time since he suffered a broken arm after a testing crash six weeks ago at Magny-Cours.

EDDIE IRVINE's option to continue for a third season with Ferrari has been taken up by the Italian team, following a series of good results in recent weeks.

JORG MULLER announced on Friday that he has a deal to race for Tom Walkinshaw's Arrows team next season.