Formula One News — March 2001

FERRARI is developing their Fiorano test track as they concentrate on all areas of their operation and continue their onslaught on the Formula One world championship.

WILLIAMS technical director Patrick Head has said he is against the long-term introduction of traction control in Formula One and sees it only as a short-term solution to making the sport fair.

THE performance of worn tires in the first two Grands Prix of the season has reduced Williams technical director Patrick Head's concerns over tire cheats.

MIKA HAKKINEN and David Coulthard were distraught men on Sunday night after suffering the indignity of another defeat at the hands of rivals Ferrari in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

GERHARD BERGER, the BMW Motorsport director, has urged Formula One's governing body the FIA not to reduce the power of engines in the sport after the first two races of the season.

MCLAREN team boss Ron Dennis defended his decision to send Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard out on wet tires after their first pit-stop as the Woking team continued their disappointing start to the season in Malaysia.

THE European Minardi team have announced a new sponsorship and technical partnership with Austrian-based company Gericom AG.

THE European Minardi team is expected to announce tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur that it has signed a sponsorship deal with the Austrian computer company Gericom.

MCLAREN boss Ron Dennis has said that only lunatics would write off his Mercedes-powered team in the championship this year despite their slow start to the new season.

THERE was some nimble footwork from Heinz-Harald Frentzen at Friday's FIA media conference here at Sepang as the Jordan driver executed a tactical U-turn in the wake of his comments over traction control made on his website following the Australian Grand Prix.

SINCE Paul Stoddart took over the Minardi team at the end of January the team has been flat out trying to get everything organized to get to the first few races of the year.

HAVING voiced his opinions on the arrival of traction control into Formula One, Heinz-Harald Frentzen believes the arrival of the driver aid will be negative for the sport.

THE Williams and British American Racing teams have deemed the accident involving their respective drivers Ralf Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve in the Australia Grand Prix as simply a racing accident.

PATRICK HEAD, the Williams technical director, has called for a thorough investigation into the tethers that are supposed to keep wheels connected to the cars in the event of a crash.

THE Formula 1 teams are currently flat-out keeping up with the World Championship schedule while also trying to develop the cars while the race teams are on the road in Asia.

THE new McLaren windtunnel at the Paragon technology center in Woking has been undergoing commissioning work for the last nine months and is now almost ready for the team to use.

THERE are rumors in France that Renault may decide to supply two teams with its V10 engines next year in order to speed up the development of the exciting new units.

THE announcement just before Melbourne that Speedvision has been awarded the TV rights for Formula 1 in the United States of America was not really a surprise but it was an indication of just how much more work is needed before Grand Prix racing achieves recognition in America.

DAVID COULTHARD has voiced concerns that a "knee-jerk" reaction to the death of marshal Graham Beveridge at the Australian Grand Prix would not be good for the sport.

WORLD CHAMPION Michael Schumacher said on Thursday that Jordan's Heinz-Harald Frentzen should keep his comments to himself after he suggested Ferrari engines were fitted with traction control devices.

MAX MOSLEY, the FIA president, has calmed fears that illegal traction control systems are already running in Formula One.

NICK HEIDFELD has branded Heinz-Harald Frentzen's comments that Sauber used an illegal driver aid in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix as out-of-order.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE has criticized BMW-Williams driver Ralf Schumacher for the accident which caused the death of a marshal at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

JAGUAR team boss Bobby Rahal has revealed that one of Jaguar's two drivers will not be racing for the team next year.

MICHELIN and Bridgestone will resume their tire war at this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix and both companies believes they are well prepared for the challenges the Sepang circuit will provide.