Formula One News — August 2000

SAUBER were honored with a visit from Switzerland's minister of sport Adolf Ogi at their Hinwil headquarters on Friday.

AFTER securing the rights to host the Australian Grand Prix until 2010, the state of Victoria has revealed the financial impact the race has had on the region.

FERRARI sporting director Jean Todt reflected on his team's tests at Fiorano and Mugello this week in optimistic mood.

BRIDGESTONE will produce a special new tire for the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, because teams are worried that the existing products will not be able to cope with the loadings on the banked Turn 1 which will be the final corner on the Formula 1 circuit at Indianapolis.

THE news from Japan that the Yamaha Motor Company is to produce a small capacity engine for the Petronas-owned Proton car company in Malaysia could have interesting implications in Formula 1.

RALF SCHUMACHER has supported Jenson Button's decision to make a loan move from BMW-Williams to Benetton.

BERTELSMANN, the German media company, which is now being linked to a Prost takeover is getting ready to launch a variety of new Internet services this autumn and one of them could end up as Prost's new title sponsor.

BMW-WILLIAMS have disregarded claims from Jenson Button's manager David Robertson that team boss Frank Williams turned down £30 million to release the young Briton from his five-year contract.

BRIDGESTONE will be producing a special tire-compound in preparation for the USA Grand Prix.

IT does not take a genius to work out that Frank Williams's decision to release Jenson Button to sign for Benetton - as exclusively predicted by INSIDE F1 on July 3 - means that Williams has reached agreement to have Colombian Juan-Pablo Montoya as Ralf Schumacher's team mate at Williams in 2001 and 2002.

With the recent driver movements for 2001 there is not much left on the driver market.

THE intruder who interrupted the German Grand Prix has apologized for his actions.

FORD MOTOR COMPANY boss Jac Nasser has told of his disappointment with the Jaguar Racing team.

SAUBER driver Mika Salo is expected to join Toyota next week and take up a test-driving role with the Japanese team next season, before they enter Formula One in 2002.

LUCIANO BURTI'S plans to take the Jaguar seat soon to be vacated by Johnny Herbert have received a further boost with a competitive performance in recent testing.

MCLAREN test driver Olivier Panis made it three in a row as he yet again topped the times in testing at Silverstone on Thursday.

JENSON BUTTON'S manager David Robertson said on Thursday that BMW-Williams team boss Frank Williams turned down £30 million (pounds) to buy out the young Briton from his five-year contract.

BRITISH AMERICAN RACING officially confirmed on Thursday that Frenchman Olivier Panis will join the team to partner Jacques Villeneuve in next season's world championship.

BENETTON managing director Flavio Briatore is looking forward to a "beneficial" partnership with Jenson Button after confirming he had signed the young Briton for the next two seasons on Thursday.

BRAZILIAN driver Rubens Barrichello topped the times for Ferrari in testing at Mugello on Thursday.

JENSON BUTTON confirmed on Thursday that he has signed for the Benetton for the next two years. Button, 20, has made a big impression in his first season with BMW-Williams.

FERRARI test driver Luca Badoer put the F1-2000 car through its paces on Thursday at an artificially soaked Fiorano circuit.

OLIVIER PANIS has confirmed that he is joining British American Racing next season, as revealed last Friday in Budapest.

MCLAREN test driver Olivier Panis topped the times for the second consecutive day at Silverstone on Wednesday.

JAGUAR test driver Luciano Burti is desperate to make a good impression in his second day of testing at Silverstone on Thursday as he bids to earn a drive with the Milton-Keynes based team.