Formula One News — March 2001

AFTER a long development period during the off-season, Formula One's competition levels for 2001 were finally revealed - and Ferrari came out well on top.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE emerged unscathed after a high-speed crash in the opening laps of the Australian Grand Prix.

NIKI LAUDA confirmed on Friday that Jaguar Racing's test-driver Pedro de la Rosa is being lined up for a full drive with the team in 2002.

EUROPEAN MINARDI driver Tarso Marques has been given permission to race in the Australian Grand Prix despite failing to post the necessary qualifying time, race officials have said.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has confirmed that he will revert to wearing his original Bell crash helmet after the German driver lost a court case in Brussels, Belgium on Thursday.

THE new Toyota Motorsport team will carry backing next year from the Esso oil brand. Toyota announced recently that it had agreed a deal with the giant Exxon Mobil for a partnership in Formula 1, a move which led to confusion as Mobil is a sponsor of McLaren.

WORLD CHAMPION Michael Schumacher was ordered on Thursday to wear a specific crash helmet or face paying thousands in damages.

JAGUAR's Bobby Rahal and McLaren's Ron Dennis joined an ever-growing list of Formula One's bosses to speak out against pay-per-view television on Thursday.

ARROWS unveiled their new livery for the 2001 season at Albert Park on Thursday, and now look to build on their performance last year.

FORMER Champ Car star Juan Pablo Montoya believes the technology levels in Formula One give drivers an easier time than they get in the American series.

THE announcement in Melbourne that Arrows will have sponsorship from Red Bull this year was something of surprise in Formula 1 circles as it will mean that this year there will be two cars running with the branding of the Austrian high energy drink.

MCLAREN team-boss Ron Dennis fired an early warning to title rivals Ferrari on Thursday when he rubbished suggestions that the team's MP4/16 is unreliable.

RISING Australian racing star James Courtney, who will drive this year for the Jaguar Junior Team in the British Formula 3 series has been named Australia's Motor Sportsman of the Year in the annual Motorsport News Awards. Courtney beat Benetton test driver Mark Webber to the prize.

KIRCH-EM.TV purchase of a 75 per cent stake in Formula One will not signal a complete transfer of Formula One racing to pay-per-view television, the German media company revealed on Wednesday.

PROST GRAND PRIX has continued its building up of its technical staff with the recruitment of Andy Le Fleming, who was previously chief engineer at Jaguar Racing.

FERRARI's Michael Schumacher slammed the safety of the Albert Park circuit after his double barrel-roll accident in Friday's free practice for the Australian Grand Prix.

THOMAS HAFFA's decision to take up the option he owns to buy 25% of SLEC from the Bambino Trust, an Ecclestone Family company, did not convince the financial community.