Formula One News — September 2001

The organizers of the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis are sparing no efforts to ensure that the elaborate security measures they have in place will allay concerns of the visiting F1 fraternity and spectators alike.

If you ask around the Formula 1 paddock about the successes and failures of the 2001 season, it is not long before you hear someone say that Honda has been the big disappointment.

The Shanghai city government, which is pondering a bid to host a Grand Prix in 2003, is very keen to attract international business to the city.

Alex Zanardi is still in a critical condition in the intensive care unit at the Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin (UKB) in Marzahn, a suburb of Berlin.

Tomas Enge is expected to finish the season with Prost Grand Prix following a promising debut at Monza.

Juan Pablo Montoya grinned broadly as he sat in the media conference after his maiden formula one victory in the Italian grand prix and said he was looking forward to the US grand prix at Indianapolis in two weeks time.

Jean Alesi has launched a withering attack on Flavio Briatore for the role he played in stopping the drivers from observing a no overtaking agreement in the first two chicanes at Monza on Sunday.

There were suggestions this morning that Michael Schumacher may decide that he does not want to race at Indianapolis on September 30.

Michael Schumacher's exhortation that only one driver would not agreed to no overtaking in the first two chicanes does not appear to reflect the reality of the situation.

It is now emerging that Bridgestone, Honda and Petronas have not issued instructions that they will not compete in the United States but that they have instructed or suggested to their employees that they do not fly.

Jordan Grand Prix painted US flags on the back of their cars on Sunday morning for the Italian GP. The initiative came about because Deutsche Post decided it would like to make a gesture as a mark of respect for the victims of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington earlier in the week.

The Formula 1 drivers, clearly rattled by the events in the world in recent days and Alex Zanardi's accident at the Lausitzring, are arguing that there should be no overtaking at the first two chicanes at Monza on Sunday afternoon.

Alex Zanardi has lost both his legs after a huge accident in the American Memorial 500 at the Lausitzring in Germany.

Giving up Kimi Raikkonen was a curious thing for Peter Sauber to have done - but in the world of Formula 1 people do funny things when large checks are on offer.

Rumors were circulating late on Saturday night at Monza that three major Asian companies involved in Formula 1 have decided to instruct their racing divisions not to take part in the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.

Alex Zanardi, seriously injured in the CART race at the Lausitzring, is being rushed to the hospital in Berlin suffering with serious leg injuries.

The Sauber team is to run Brazilian Felipe Massa next week.

Former F1 driver Alex Zanardi has been rushed to the hospital in Germany after a huge accident during the CART race at the Lausitzring.

Mika Hakkinen is to take a year out of Formula 1 to spend more time with his family.

There have been a number of stories circulating in Monza about F1 people who are stuck in New York.

Ferrari has decided that as a mark of respect for the American people it will run its cars this weekend without any commercial sponsorship.

The announcement on Friday morning that Mika Hakkinen is to stand down from the West McLaren Mercedes team was not the announcement of a retirement - or at least not on the surface.

Max Mosley, the FIA president, has said he believes it should be business as usual when it comes to the United States grand prix at Indianapolis on 30 September, despite this week's terrorist attacks.

Mika Hakkinen, who won the world championship at the wheel of a McLaren-Mercedes in 1998 and 99, is poised to quit formula one at the end of the season.

THE Formula 1 team managers met at Monza at midday on Thursday to discuss the matters of the moment in F1 circles and a number of important decisions were taken.