Formula One News — March 2002

Bernie Ecclestone and the Russian authorities have failed to agree on a deal to stage a Russian Grand Prix next year.

After seeing Michelin tires at the end of the Malaysian GP with virtually no grooves left at all, Bridgestone has been asking for clarification about what is acceptable and what is not acceptable from the FIA.

One of the issues that became clear at the Formula 1 Commission meeting was that the race promoters are not willing to accept two-day Grands Prix.

The announcement that Formula 1 will have to deal with one engine per weekend from the start of 2004 has been dressed up to look like a cost-saving measure.

Friday marked the last day of testing before the Brazilian GP for many of the teams, and for the third day in a row Ferrari was on the top of the time sheets.

Jaguar has been hard at work in Barcelona the past three days comparison testing the R2 and R3 chassis to determine which they should race when the F1 championship returns to Europe in three weeks.

The West McLaren Mercedes partnership is one in which the partners try never to criticize one another and accept the blame equally when things go wrong.

David Richards handled the cleaning out of the technical team at British American Racing with his usual deft touch, saying what a talented of bunch of people he was firing and thanking them for their work.

There has been a lot of talk (and not much action) regarding a Grand Prix in Russia.

It is no secret that Asiatech wants to run its own Formula 1 team as soon as possible depending on the opportunities available and the money that will be needed.

There are stories in the French media suggesting that Peugeot Sport may want to make a comeback in Formula 1 within the next few years.

BAR has as expected had a clear out of its technical and marketing staff with around 50 staff leaving.

As Hollywood gets ready for Oscar night, the Formula 1 world is looking at its list of nominations for the Laureus Awards of the Year for 2001.

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is reported to be on his way to Moscow at the end of the week to sign a deal to run a Grand Prix in the city.

Michael Schumacher joined testing in Barcelona Thursday in order to help the team test and develop the new F2002.

The Head and Neck Protection System (HANS) will become compulsory in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and in Formula 3000 from the start of next season.

The FIA World Council has tidied up a few of the less clear rules relating to Formula 1 in an effort to avoid potentially embarrassing and difficult situations in the future.

Just days after the controversial decision to give Juan Pablo Montoya a "drive-through" penalty for his involvement in the first corner clash with Michael Schumacher.

Two races into the 2002 season and Rubens Barrichello of Ferrari had not tried the new car.

The World Motor Sport Council met in Paris on Wednesday and voted through a proposal from the Formula 1 Commission to restrict drivers to just one engine per Grand Prix weekend from the start of 2004.

Ferrari may not have won this past weekend in Malaysia but the tobacco company is rarely out of the news in motor racing and a few hours after the defeat at Sepang, Marlboro Team Penske took a dominant 1-2 victory in the Indy Racing League event at Phoenix International Raceway.

If you thought that Formula 1 was getting out of hand having two competitive Schumacher brothers in the same series, you had better watch out because in Formula 3000 this year there are going to be three members of the Sperafico family.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council is meeting today at the Automobile Club de France's headquarters in the Place de la Concorde in Paris.

As Kirch faces a liquidity crisis in the next few weeks, reports from Germany saying that an additional $500m needs to be found in the days ahead.

One has to feel a little sorry for the Ford Motor Company at the moment.