Formula One News — August 2002

Bernie Ecclestone said last week that there are two slots on the Formula 1 calendar in 2004 and that he has seven different groups bidding to hold a race.

Motor racing people are famously blinkered when it comes to what is happening in the real world and on Saturday in Budapest all eyes were on the Hungaroring rather than on the Danube river which was rising with each passing hour.

CART has announced its plans for engine supply for next year with a $4m deal for Cosworth Racing to sell the organization 100 engines for use in the United States series for the next couple of years.

<b>Hungarian Grand Prix Saturday Qualifying Report</b>

<b>Hungarian Grand Prix Saturday Photos</b>

Dietrich Mateschitz, the boss of Red Bull was present at the Hungarian Grand Prix and spent a considerable amount of time with Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and with Jaguar Racing boss Niki Lauda.

There are rumors gathering strength in Holland that a compulsory winding-up order will be sought by creditors of the Arrows team in the course of the next few weeks.

<b>Hungarian Grand Prix Saturday Morning Free Practice Report</b>

Nelson Piquet, the World Champion of 1981, 1983 and 1987, is 50 today.

Eddie Jordan has a bit of a problem with engines.

Jaguar Racing boss Niki Lauda has warned that Arrows will have to face a new problem on Monday because Cosworth Racing (which Lauda also oversees) has not been paid.

Michael Schumacher is to donate $1m to a German relief fund for flood victims. The eastern part of Germany has been badly hit in recent days by serious flooding which has killed almost 100 people across central Europe after torrential rains.

<b>Hungarian Grand Prix Friday Afternoon Free Practice Report</b>

<b>Hungarian Grand Prix Friday Photos</b>

Thomas Enge took another step towards capturing the F3000 championship Friday by taking the pole in Hungary, while his rival and current points leader, Sebastien Bourdais, could only manage sixth.

Anthony Davidson's career as an F1 racer lasted exactly 11 seconds before he ran into trouble. As he accelerated out of the pits after the green light came on on Friday morning he exceeded the 60kph speed limit and was fined $1000.

There has been much confusion in recent days over the testing regulations for the months ahead in Formula 1. The team bosses have however agreed between themselves that there will be a ban on all testing between the Japanese Grand Prix on October 13 and November 15.

Steven Wright, the acting chief executive of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, was present at the Hungarian GP. It is anticipated that he will soon be named as the man to replace John Harnden.

The Minardi team is to test Russian driver Sergey Zlubin as part of the deal between the team and the Russian gas company Gazprom. The company hopes to assist Zlubin to become the first Russian driver in the World Championship

A visit to the Minardi motorhome in Budapest revealed a large number of Russian guests and the car featured a discreet badge from the giant Russian energy company Gazprom. Gazprom is the world's biggest gas company.

McLaren has announced a new technical structure with Mike Coughlan becoming chief designer and Neil Oatley being promoted to a new role as Executive Director of Engineering

Sometime CART racer Townsend Bell was a visitor in the Budapest paddock, the San Francisco driver saying that he would like to have a career in Formula 1 in the future.

<b>Hungarian Grand Prix Friday Morning Free Practice Report</b>

Fears that the city of Budapest will be disrupted this weekend by floods are now beginning to fade.

Word is leaking from the United States of America that Shell is going to have a much bigger presence in CART next year.