Formula One News — February 2003

The Russian MTS Systems company is to join Sauber's impressive sponsorship portfolio in 2003.

Sauber Petronas unveiled its new Formula 1 challenger in Zurich on Sunday.

Peter Sauber told the media at the launch of his new F1 challenger that Felipe Massa may be made available to Sauber this year when he is not doing tests for Ferrari.

Ferrari President says that the team will be going into the new Formula 1 season as though "we were a team that has never won anything, a team hungry for wins."

Ferrari has honored the memory of Gianni Agnelli by naming its new car the F2003-GA which was revealed today in Italy.

There have been whispers since the January 15 meeting that McLaren and Williams may be considering taking their gripes about the FIA's interpretations of the regulations to the court of arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce.

DaimlerChrysler, the company which owns Mercedes-Benz, has revamped its management board leaving just one American executive on the board. The 14-man board is now dominated by the Germans, an indication that the supposed merger between Daimler-Benz and Chrysler was, as critics said at the time, a takeover.

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro will be launching its new Formula 1 challenger today at Maranello with hundreds of journalists expected to attend the event.

The Bahrain National Assembly will on Monday reconsider its opposition to the funding of a Formula 1 circuit in the country.

Manfred von Brauchitsch, the last of the Titan drivers from the 1930s, has died at the age of 97.

As we have been suggesting for the last few days, Ferrari has now confirmed that Felipe Massa has been signed up as the Italian team's second test driver

Despite the rejection of funding for a Grand Prix circuit by the Bahrain parliament earlier this week, the race will go ahead.

Luciano Burti is to leave his role as a Ferrari test driver and will be replaced by Felipe Massa.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the apparent agreement decided a month ago to help the small teams survive this year is unlikely to happen - at least in the form it was discussed.

Jordan confirmed Wednesday that Gallaher PLC cigarette brand Benson and Hedges will remain with the team as its title sponsor in 2003.

The teams returned to Barcelona for the fifth day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya this week, and it was the Ferrari men setting the pace again.

Bahraini politcians have voted against spending $200m on the construction of a racing circuit in the country - despite the fact that work has already begun.

Grandprix.com's 2000 Young Driver of the Year award winner Josh Rehm produced a noteworthy performance at the 24 Hours of Daytona this past weekend.

Testing in Barcelona continued Tuesday, and Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello continued to set the pace while testing with tire supplier Bridgestone.

Mika Salo is to have a go at winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with a team entered by Audi Sport UK.

Hermann Tilke, the man who designs most of the Formula 1 circuits these days, has been visiting the city of Bangalore in India to inspect a site which the local government is considering turning into a Formula 1 racing facility.

Former Grand Prix drivers Johnny Herbert, Mark Blundell and David Brabham are teaming up to race the second Bentley in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. They will take on another Bentley driven by Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello and Guy Smith.

The Swiss authorities are investigating the collapse of the Kirch empire.

As we anticipated, Jordan has signed 27-year old Briton Ralph Firman Jr. to drive alongside Giancarlo Fisichella in 2003.

It is anticipated that Ralph Firman will be confirmed as a Jordan driver later today. The British driver will join Giancarlo Fisichella in the Silverstone-based team.