Formula One News — April 2001

RICARDO ZONTA boosted the Jordan team's morale by topping the times in the first day of testing at a rain-hit Silverstone circuit on Tuesday.

FORMULA ONE holding company SLEC has been given just eight days to conclude a television rights deal before the sport's governing body, the FIA, begins to look for other options.

TIME tends to go quickly when you're having fun, but Rubens Barrichello's misfortunes in the Brazilian Grand Prix were certainly not the first to befall a home-town hero at Interlagos.

TOYOTA completed the first official testing session of their Formula One challenger at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday.

SAUBER's technical director Willy Rampf has stressed the importance of his team's link with the Ferrari team after they learned from the reigning World Champions to earn a podium finish in Brazil.

THE Kirch Group will shortly announce the appointment of Walter Thoma to the board of SLEC, the trust fund which controls the commercial rights to Formula 1 racing.

EUROPEAN MINARDI boss Paul Stoddart has said he is looking for new power units and admitted he is talking to two current Grand Prix engine manufacturers in a bid to replace his current Ford supply.

THE Interlagos circuit came in for a great deal of criticism over the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend because of poor organization, dilapidated facilities and crime.

JAGUAR RACING advisor Niki Lauda believes Rubens Barrichello should be banned for two races for his part in a number of collisions this season.

RON DENNIS branded his McLaren driver David Coulthard's win in the Brazilian Grand Prix as "outstanding" and then took a swipe at world championship leader Michael Schumacher.

AFTER colliding for the second successive race, Rubens Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher have been warned over their future conduct.

RON DENNIS, the chairman and chief executive officer of the McLaren team, has expressed his concerns that the Interlagos Circuit is being unfairly criticized.

ARROWS driver Jos Verstappen has been given a $15,000 fine by the stewards of the Brazilian Grand Prix following his dramatic crash with Juan Pablo Montoya on lap 39 of the race.