Formula One News — June 2001

MCLAREN team-boss Ron Dennis and Mercedes-Benz motorsport director Norbert Haug have backed Mika Hakkinen and claim that the he has not lost his competitive edge.

CANADIAN Jacques Villeneuve has criticized rival Michael Schumacher for his start tactics, which he claims are not in the spirit of the law.

FERNANDO ALONSO has talked of his pairing with fellow Minardi driver Tarso Marques and praised the Brazilian for his pace.

WORLD CHAMPION Michael Schumacher could become the first driver to wear a radical new crash helmet developed by motor racing's governing body, the FIA.

BRITON Jenson Button said that he did not expect a major improvement in the performance of his Benetton in qualifying for the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours.

FORMULA ONE designer Stephen Taylor has turned his back on the McLaren team by joining Jordan on Friday as their Head of Composites.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has indicated that beating Alain Prost's all-time race wins record this season is not at the top of his agenda as he focuses on trying to win his fourth world title.

MICHELIN motorsport manager Pierre Dupasquier has disputed some reports that his company's tires do not perform as well in cold conditions.

FORMULA ONE testers Toyota finished yet another of their test days at the French circuit of Paul Ricard on Thursday as they prepare for their Grand Prix racing debut in 2002.

ALAIN PROST, currently Grand Prix racings biggest winner, has said that German Michael Schumacher deserves to beat the record of 51 victories as the Ferrari driver aims to rack up a half-century of victories at Magny-Cours.

JEAN TODT has said he will step down from his post of sporting director at Ferrari when his current contract ends in 2004.

BRITISH AMERICAN RACING driver Olivier Panis has said he is not surprised by the recent resurgence in form from the BMW-Williams team this season.

THE legendary motor racing photographer Louis Klemantaski has died at the age of 89.

JENSON BUTTON could be switched to the Prost F1 team, which is set to use Peugeot-based Asiatech engines next season, as Benetton team boss Flavio Briatore tries to move teenager Fernando Alonso - whom he manages - into the former Benetton squad which becomes the official Renault works team next season.

FORMULA ONE's governing body, the FIA, on Wednesday announced that a new ruling over the changing of cars before a Grand Prix will be introduced with immediate effect.

FERRARI's sporting director Jean Todt indicated on Thursday that the future supply of engines to the Prost team is uncertain.

JOS VERSTAPPEN has demanded more improvements from the Arrows team after putting pen to paper on a new deal with the Leafield-based outfit.

THE future of Asiatech engines remained uncertain on Thursday as the company remained tight-lipped as to who they will supply next season.

THE downcast Jordan team has been given a knockdown by team boss Eddie Jordan as the ever exuberant Irishman battles to stem the continuation of a disappointing 2001 season.

BMW MOTORSPORT director Gerhard Berger has warned there is more to come from the already impressive Williams team this season.

THE former general manager and team principal of the Minardi team Gian Carlo Minardi is the subject of an investigation by the Italian fiscal authorities.

SIR FRANK WILLIAMS last week signed Ralf Schumacher on a two-year, $15m a year, contract with BMW Williams.

MCLAREN driver David Coulthard has quashed reports that his team will once again struggle to match Ferrari at this weekend's French Grand Prix.

DESPITE languishing dangerously close to the bottom of the championship table, Benetton's Jenson Button has taken time out to pay tribute to the efforts of Minardi, and in particular their young Spanish driver Fernando Alonso.

IRVINE has condemned the test drivers situation at Jaguar, declaring it less than ideal after the firing of Tomas Scheckter.