Formula One News — October 2000

THE European Commission, stung by the rejection of its anti-tobacco directive by the Europe Court recently, is hitting back with a new draft directive expected to go before the European Parliament on December 11 that will make it illegal for tobacco companies to use terms which suggest that the cigarettes are less harmful than normal.

NEW BMW-Williams pairing of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher has already sparked off some real controversy by hitting out at each other before they have teamed up.

THE battle over the British Grand Prix and the need for Silverstone to invest large sums of money in infrastructure has led to questions being asked about why motor racing has not received any money from the British National Lottery.

TOYOTA will unveil their plans to buy into a Formula circuit next Wednesday after officials said they are keen to increase their chances in Formula One by having their own track.

BEFORE he became a team owner Alain Prost spent the 1996 season as a special advisor to the McLaren with which he enjoyed such success in his career, winning three World Championships with the team in 1985, 1986 and 1989.

OUR revelation that Jaguar Racing is to be sponsored next year by AT&T came just a few days before the announcement that the giant American telecommunications company, established by Alexander Graham Bell over 100 years ago, is to be split into four different business units as part of a major restructuring.

THE success of Jenson Button has led to an interesting development within Grand Prix racing.

JUST days after it looked like a deal was done being for Prodrive to buy the entire Reynard Motorsport company, the talks have been called off.

MCLAREN driver David Coulthard has told his team to sort out a heat transference problem, which he claimed hampered him in his World Championship bid this season.

A dejected Eddie Jordan has said that he will be doing everything within his grasp to help his team re-establish themselves as the third team in Formula One next year when they will be powered by Honda works engines.

FORMULA 1 might be switching over from tobacco to high technology sponsorships but the sport still needs to watch out for intense activity in that sector of the market.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has vowed to continue his practice of conducting Fratelli D'Italia (the Italian national anthem) -- despite criticism from former Italian President Francesco Cossiga.

BENETTON team chairman Flavio Briatore is already excited by the prospective driving partnership for his team next season, when Jenson Button will join Giancarlo Fisichella.

FERRARI technical director Ross Brawn is taking a well-deserved break after helping Michael Schumacher and the team to double glory.

AUSTRIAN Alexander Wurz has rubbished suggestions that McLaren planned to have a testing dream team next year and said that they only ever intended to appoint one test-driver.

FINNISH rookie Kimi Raikkonen is close to finalizing a deal to enter Formula One with Sauber - and make a dramatic leap from British Formula Renault.

BMW-WILLIAMS are set to turn to Marc Gene as a test driver for next season with the Spaniard unsure of his future in Formula One.

JENSON BUTTON has been tipped by BMW motorsport director Gerhard Berger to continue his impressive form at Benetton next season and not be fazed by the team's flamboyant boss Flavio Briatore.

SPANISH driver Pedro de la Rosa will be announced as a driver for Arrows next season - but only after the British team finalise their sponsorship line-up.

DAVID COULTHARD hinted that there will be behind-the-scenes changes at McLaren in the closed season as he called for the team to take more risks to ensure success next year.

LUCA MONTEZEMOLO has been trying since November 1991 to put together a team which would enable Ferrari to win the World Championship.

NIKI LAUDA is due to take over a new position as honorary editor of Bernie Ecclestone's planned new F1 racing magazine - due to start publication next February in advance of the 2001 F1 season - at a salary reputed to be around $100,000.

THE Arrows team have appointed two new staff members to their design and development department as they bid to improve on their performance for the 2001 world championship.

THE relationship between new BMW-Williams partners Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya has soured before the pair have even worked together.

GERMAN Michael Schumacher has been installed as favorite for the 2001 world championship after claiming his third title success this year in dominant style.