Formula One News — February 2003

There have been some rather silly stories in the last 24 hours suggesting that Formula 1 can go on with its relationship with tobacco companies until beyond the planned global ban on tobacco advertising in motor racing in 2006.

The Ford Motor Company has announced plans to slow its expansion of its luxury brands and switch the emphasis to cutting costs. The plan, announced by Mark Fields, the chief executive of the Premier Automotive Group, includes a revamp of the management

Tom Walkinshaw's TWR Group has been placed in receivership. The failure of the firm is being blamed on the loss of $30m which TWR had invested in Arrows and on the difficult economic climate at the moment with car manufacturers cutting back on specialist engineering projects.

The Formula 1 teams have been given further details about how the FIA intends to police its regulations with regard to parc ferme - and the result is that teams will have to rethink many of their race strategies.

Testing continued in Valencia Thursday, where Juan Pablo Montoya set another track record in the new Williams. Montoya's best lap of 1:10.55 was nearly a second faster than the second fastest driver on the day, Mark Webber in the new Jaguar R4.

The FIA has released a provisional schedule for race weekends, incorporating in the additional testing time for Renault, Jordan and Minardi, and the two qualifying sessions, which will replace the old format of one open qualifying session.

We reported in January that Bernie Ecclestone proposed to the manufacturers that they set up a fund to ensure the smaller teams would not go the way of Prost and Arrows, and there would be ten teams on the grid in 2003, but Paul Stoddart said recently that nothing has come of the talks as of yet.

We are into the final run-up to the opening round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship and teams are testing all over Europe in preparation for the new season. Each passing day brings a new record somewhere or other with all the teams taking turns at wowing the observers.

Testing resumed in Valencia Wednesday, and at the end of the day it was Fernando Alonso in the Renault sitting atop the time sheet, where there is usually a Ferrari, Williams or McLaren driver.

Renault Sport boss Flavio Briatore has been put in charge of the Renault Sport operations in France as well as in England.

In the last few days some rather strange stories have emerged from former F1 driver John Watson.

Jacques Villeneuve knows very well that this year he has to beat Jenson Button if he wants to have a career in Formula 1 in the future.

Jos Verstappen has blamed his former boss Tom Walkinshaw for the collapse of the Arrows F1 team.

Ferrari joined Williams, Renault and Jordan Tuesday for the second day of testing in Valencia this week. Juan Pablo Montoya set a blistering pace in the new FW25, setting a new unofficial track record, while teammate Ralf Schumacher also worked on the new Williams challenger.

Michael Schumacher showed the potential of the new F2003-GA during its on-track debut Tuesday at the team's Fiorano test circuit. Ferrari reported that the German broke his old track record, set last summer in the FW2002, by nearly half a second while completing 78 laps of the circuit.

Peter Sauber says that he wants the FIA to give assurances that the new head and neck support system is completely safe. Sauber says that he is not entirely convinced.

Double World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi cannot stay away from racing. After a long career as a driver which ended in 1996, the 1972 and 1974 World Champion retired but at the age of 50 he is now coming back as a CART Champ Car team owner

There are rumours in British racing circles that Sir Jackie Stewart could soon be named as the head of London's bid for the Olympic Games in 2012.

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled details of its assault on the new Formula 3 Euro Series with the new M271 engine.

There have been more lay-offs at Silverstone, the latest group of 20 including circuit director Brian Pallett. This will bring the staff at Silverstone down to under 40 people.

Williams, Renault and Jordan began a new test session in Valencia Monday, with less than four weeks until the opening round of the 2003 season in Melbourne, Australia.

The FIA has written to each of the Formula 1 teams pointing out that the changes resulting from the January 15 meeting are of a long-term nature and that they should be considered as a package.

Sauber technical director Willy Rampf has been talking about his new C22.

Peter Sauber announced on Sunday that his team has signed a long-term agreement for sponsorship from the Russian mobile telephone operator Mobile Tele Systems.

Less than a month out from the start of the Formula One season in Melbourne, Australia remains in the grip of a severe drought and Albert Park is parched.