Formula One News — June 2001

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.

MIKA HAKKINEN has reiterated his desire to win Grands Prix as he bids to quash rumors that he could retire at the end of this season.

FORMULA ONE ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone will visit the Dutch circuit of Zandvoort before this year's Belgian Grand Prix to discuss the possibility of a race there following discussions with circuit boss Hans Ernst at last weekend's European Grand Prix.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has refused to dismiss the threat of the McLaren team despite strengthening his stranglehold on the championship at last weekend's European Grand Prix.

BRITON Jenson Button said he was surprised to be at the center of paddock gossip that suggested he could be on his way out of the Benetton team.

ALAIN PROST has remained elusive on the future engine suppliers of his team as they were linked with the Asiatech power-unit for next season at last weekend's European Grand Prix.

EDDIE IRVINE has backed Williams to be challenging Ferrari for the world championship next year, increasing the battle between the Schumacher brothers.

HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN will remain with Jordan next season, team-boss Eddie Jordan has confirmed.

JENSON BUTTON has been offered to two rival teams by Benetton boss Flavio Briatore, it was claimed on Sunday.

WILLIAMS technical director Patrick Head said that Ralf Schumacher's race was destroyed after he received a 10-second stop-go penalty.

ARROWS team chief Tom Walkinshaw confirmed on Sunday that his team will not use Asiatech engines next season.

DAVID COULTHARD is ready to play a patient game in his bid to catch and overtake championship leader Michael Schumacher to win his first title.

ARROWS announced on Saturday that Dutchman Jos Verstappen will remain with the team for the 2002 season after they exercised an option to keep him.

THE Arrows team will run Cosworth V10 engines next year. The deal, which is believed to be costing the team around $25m, is expected to be announced within the next few weeks.

JORDAN driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen on Saturday refused to comment on stories linking him to a move to the Toyota team for next season.

BRIDGESTONE director of motorsport Hiroshi Yasukawa has predicted that Goodyear will make it a three-way tire fight in Formula One in the future.

RALF SCHUMACHER confirmed on Friday that he has extended his contract with Williams to the end of the 2004 season.

THE technical director of Honda's racing division has said the Japanese engine suppliers will continue to build power units for both Jordan and BAR next season.

A handful of deutchmarks buys you a drive in your road car round what has for generations was hailed as the most challenging grand prix circuit in the world, yet the old Nurburgring Nordschleife has not been used by formula one cars for 25 years since Niki Lauda was almost burnt to death after crashing his Ferrari in the 1976 German grand prix.

MERCEDES-BENZ motorsport director Norbert Haug hinted on Friday that the McLaren team are working on new contracts for their drivers Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard.

DAVID COULTHARD has said that he expects team orders to come into play with his McLaren team-mate Mika Hakkinen, but only when the time is right.

JORDAN driver Heinz Harald Frentzen and Sauber's Nick Heidfeld have both been declared fit to race at the European Grand Prix this weekend.

FERRARI driver Michael Schumacher has given his approval of the brake lights system that was tested at Silverstone recently.

BENETTON's director of engineering Pat Symonds has said the team's run of bad form cannot be blamed on one single component.

THE Nurburgring circuit is to undergo a new facelift that will see the infamous Castrol Esses replaced by a purpose-built stadium section.