Formula One News — February 2001

ANYBODY doubting that FIA president Max Mosley's determination to create a legacy of enhanced European road safety - and harnessing the F1 world championship as his means to that end - will be irrevocably persuaded that this is the case by the governing body's latest official edict.

THE Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) have confirmed the introduction of various new technical changes including speed limits during accidents and the use of a traction control system during the next two years.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER's future at Ferrari has been boosted by the announcement that the team's principal sponsor Marlboro will continue with the team until the end of 2006.

FORMULA 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is in India this week to see how the Indian Grand Prix project is progressing.

CAR giant Renault could leave the sport if a threatened move onto pay-per-view television goes ahead.

LAST season's world championship runner-up Mika Hakkinen showed he is in good form for Australia by topping the times during testing at the Barcelona circuit on Thursday.

JAGUAR RACING boss Bobby Rahal is concerned that Eddie Irvine's negative attitude will not help to pull the team together in its hour of need.

THE Prost Grand Prix team announced on Thursday that their Ferrari power units will now be re-badged as an 'ACER' engine for 2001.

FIA President Max Mosley says that there will no longer be any need for a Safety Car in Formula 1 from the start of 2003 as the teams have all agreed to run intelligent speed limit systems instead.

JAGUAR F1 supremos Bobby Rahal and Niki Lauda stood shoulder-to-shoulder yesterday when it came to roundly condemning the FIA's decision to reintroduce electronic driver aids in time for the fifth race of the 2001 World Championship season.

EUROPEAN MINARDI drivers Fernando Alonso and Tarso Marques tested the team's new car for the first time at Vairano on Wednesday.

JORDAN topped the times for the second consecutive day in Silverstone testing on Wednesday, as Benetton's Jenson Button failed to match their pace.

THE first Minardi-European PS01 was finished during Tuesday night and the team is on schedule to have all its cars and equipment ready in time for the departure of the F1 freight to Australia on Friday.

MCLAREN's David Coulthard failed to post a competitive lap time during testing at Barcelona on Wednesday, whilst his team-mate Alex Wurz was fastest.

AUSTRALIAN brewery Foster's has just announced plan for a major push into Europe with its Beringer wine subsidiary.

EUROPEAN MINARDI announced on Wednesday that Brazilian Tarso Marques will partner Fernando Alonso for the 2001 season.

THE announcement that Pedro de la Rosa has switched from being the Prost Grand Prix test driver to being the number three driver at Jaguar Racing is a bit of a surprise, not least for Alain Prost who thought he had the Spanish driver under contract for two years.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER continued to test the new F2001 at the Italian circuit of Fiorano on Wednesday as the team concluded preparations for the first race of the season.

PROST GRAND PRIX threatened Jaguar with legal action on Tuesday after claiming they had already signed a deal with Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.

THE proposed deal for German media groups EM.TV and Kirch to buy a further stake in Formula One may not be approved, FIA president Max Mosley said on Tuesday.

MAX MOSLEY said on Tuesday that he will stand for a third-term as president of the FIA in October.

PEDRO DE LA ROSA says that he did not sign any deal with Prost Grand Prix and that he was negotiating the terms of an agreement when he received a better offer from Jaguar.

ARROWS sponsor Eurobet, a subsidiary of the Morgan Grenfell-owned Coral betting company, has confirmed that it will not be supporting the Arrows team this year.

FIA President Max Mosley says that the international automobile federation will be returning to Paris in January 2002 after a couple of years being headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

JAGUAR test driver Tomas Scheckter said on Tuesday that the appointment of Pedro de la Rosa alongside him as an official tester had come as a surprise.