Formula One News — November 1999

OVER the weekend Malaysian newspapers ran stories suggesting that there is a convoluted deal going on which will see Lotus Engineering becoming involved in Grand Prix racing once again.

THE future of Juan-Pablo Montoya in the United States of America remains clouded following his title victory at Fontana.

MCLAREN boss Ron Dennis has finally denied suggestions that he is trying to buy out Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE is reportedly threatening to quit British American Racing if Adrian Reynard replaces Craig Pollock as the team's chairman and chief executive.

GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, the world's biggest car manufacturer, last week revealed plans for a new motorsport strategy which will focus the company's worldwide expertise to help the individual brands increase their sales in different markets.

ALTHOUGH at the moment everyone involved is saying there are no problems, we hear that the relationship between Alex Zanardi and Williams F1 may not continue next year.

AS we were closing for press a power struggle was taking place within British American Racing with Adrian Reynard trying to convince the shareholders of the team that Craig Pollock should be removed as chairman and that Reynard should replace him.

THE Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced that it is withdrawing from CART and IRL at the end of the year because it is impossible to justify the costs in the light of the poor viewing figures which have resulted from the split in American open-wheeler racing between CART and IRL.

FORMULA 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone took his children off for a short holiday in the Middle East last week but spent a little time chatting with governments about the possibility of holding Grands Prix in the region in the future.

MORGAN GRENFELL PRIVATE EQUITY, a subsidiary of Germany's vast Deutsche Bank, has agreed to pay Bernie Ecclestone $325m for a 12.5% share in SLEC Holding, the parent company of Formula One Holdings, the company which controls the commercial exploitation of Formula 1 racing.

THE FIA has issued the definitive World Championship calendar for 2000 with the dramatic news that the British Grand Prix will take place at Silverstone on Easter Day - April 23.

THINGS are finally happening at Benetton.