Formula One News — October 2001

David Coulthard has reaffirmed his belief that he is the man to take the fight to Ferrari and Michael Schumacher in 2002... if he gets the car to do the job.

Ron Dennis has stated his belief that David Coulthard can successfully restore McLaren to the top of the world championship table next year - provided that his team can build a competitive car.

Michael Schumacher's domination of the 2001 world championship may be unreservedly admired by Ferrari devotees and students of motor racing history, but Sunday's Japanese grand prix finally rang down the curtain on a season all too often punctuated by dreary processions rather than compelling on-track battles.

Kirchgruppe, the German media company that has effective control of 75% of Formula 1's commercial holdings group SLEC, has been busy trying to finalize deals for one of its other interests - the soccer World Cup, taking place in summer 2002.

Four-Time world champion Michael Schumacher claims that he cannot see the man most likely to stand between him and Juan Manuel Fangio's record of five world titles when the new season gets underway.

Jacques Villeneuve will be spending much of the enforced winter break at his new fiancee's side in Copenhagen, Denmark, he has revealed.

British American Racing is attempting to secure the services of Takuma Sato's 'classmate' from the Honda academy run by popular ex-F1 driver Aguri Suzuki, the French Formula 3 Championship winner Ryu Fukuda.

In an unprecedented move, the Monaco Grand Prix of 2002 has been moved away from its traditional Ascension Day date.

The announcement that Honda is to withdraw from CART at the end of 2002 could lead to an earthquake in United States motor racing.

Bridgestone's annual press review in Tokyo was somewhat overshadowed by Jean Alesi's abrupt announcement that this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, the Frenchman's 201st, will be his last.

Mika Hakkinen says he doesn't know if he will make an F1 comeback in 2003.

The Kirch Group is set to increase its share of the Formula One group of companies by swapping its shares in a childrens' TV channel for EM.TV's shares in F1.

Honda has announced that it is pulling out of the CART series at the end of next year following the decision by the team owners to change the engine formula to 3.5-liter normally-aspirated engines.

James Allen has been confirmed as Murray Walker's replacement as the lead commentator for the ITV coverage of Formula 1 next year. Walker has retired. Allen will work with former F1 driver Martin Brundle.

World Champion Michael Schumacher has put his dominant 2001 campaign with Ferrari down as his favorite of the four titles accumulated to date.

The European Commission came down hard on Mercedes-Benz parent company DaimlerChrysler after it found the German giant guilty of price fixing or discriminatory retail practices and levied a $66.05m fine for abusing competition rules.

The Formula 1 team bosses met on Saturday afternoon in Suzuka in an attempt to figure out what to do about testing.

Jordan team manager Jim Vale is to leave the team at the end of the year.

The Sauber team is expected to confirm this weekend that Brazil's Felipe Massa will be Nick Heidfeld's team mate next year. Massa will replace Kimi Raikkonen who is leaving Sauber to take up the offer of a drive with McLaren. Massa's deal with Sauber is believed to be for several years.

Following Dietrich Mateschitz's recent announcement that he is taking up an option to buy the Arrows F1 team in order to establish a red Bull-sponsored All-American Formula 1 team we have received word from the United States that Mateschitz is indeed working towards that goal in league with an American marketing company called MSM.

It has emerged that amongst those present at the recent United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis was none other than the president of General Motors Richard Wagoner Jr. who took over the running of the vast American car company a little over a year ago.

The Melbourne coroner will decide soon on the outcome of the accident in Melbourne in March which claimed the life of a trackside marshal, who was hit by wreckage from a collision between Jacques Villeneuve and Ralf Schumacher.

Benetton-Renault sponsor Marconi and Williams-BMW sponsor Nortel Networks are expected to pull the plug on their Formula One sponsorship programs after the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Sauber team has confirmed that Felipe Massa will be Nick Heidfeld's teammate in 2002.

With a party in his honor being planned in to the weekend's activities, we can expect many tributes to Jean Alesi in the coming days as he contests his 201st and final Grand Prix.