Formula One News — April 2003

Getting Michelin and Bridgestone to agree is not always easy and at the moment there appears to be a difference of opinion over a supposed agreement between the two companies to restrict the different compounds used during a race weekend.

Mario Andretti has decided that returning to Indianapolis at the age of 63 is not such a good idea after all.

It has been announced that Uwe Alzen is to leave the Team AMG Mercedes DTM operation with immediate effect and his place is to be taken by none other than Dutchman Christjian Albers, who moves up in the Mercedes-Benz hierarchy, having previously driven for the semi-works Rosberg team.

Testing continued at Mugello on Thursday with Ferrari on top.

When one driver moves in Formula 1 others moves usually follow. It seems that Antonio Pizzonia will be on the move after Barcelona unless he does something spectacular to show that he warrants a place within the team.

Jaguar Racing has finally admitted publicly that Antonio Pizzonia is in danger of losing his drive because of poor performances this year.

Mario Andretti's return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was certainly a dramatic one. The 63-year-old former World Champion was out practicing yesterday when he was involved in an end-over-end accident after hitting wreckage left on the track when Kenny Brack crashed.

Mario Andretti is planning to return to a racing car at the age of 63 - attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 driving one of his son Michael's cars.

A bunch of young men who may have drunk too much stumbled into Nigel Mansell's garden at his Jersey home in St Brelade's Bay on Friday.

The Imola paddock was a little less frenetic than usual and this made it rather easier to spot interesting visitors - and one who stood out a mile was a representative of Lukoil, the Russian oil giant.

The San Marino Grand Prix this year was in many respects a big disappointment - the event was processional with only three overtaking manoeuvres after the first lap rough-and-tumble.

The FIA World Motorsport Council in June will be considering a report on the driving of Fernando Alonso and Michael Schuamcher at the recent Brazilian Grand Prix.

The initial public offering of shares in the Ferrari company has been delayed again because it is still felt that market conditions are not right for the move.

Honda has named Takeo Fukui as its new president.

Norbert Haug, the boss of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport," has confirmed that the company will be offering engines at $10m, starting next year.

San Marino Grand Prix - Race Report

San Marino Grand Prix - Race Notes

San Marino Grand Prix - Race Results

The political scene in Formula 1 hotted up considerably over the weekend in Imola and while the general impression being given was that things are moving towards a settlement between the various parties involved there are clear indications as well that the problems are far from being settled.

San Marino Grand Prix - Sunday Photos

The Formula 1 paddock was buzzing on Saturday with stories that the Williams team might be looking at Giancarlo Fisichella as a possible replacement for Ralf Schumacher.

There is much movement at the moment in the second tier of Formula 1 engineers.

The Jordan team was in deep negotiation with Dutchman Christjian Albers over a testing arrangement with the team and there were suggestions that a deal would be struck in time for Imola.

Japanese MotoGP rider Daijiro Kato has died as a result of an accident at Suzuka on April 6. The 2001 World Champion of the 250cc series was in his second season in the premier motorcycle racing series.

The opening round of the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship was a lively affair with Sweden's Bjorn Wirdheim giving Arden International its first victory of the year despite race-long pressure from rival Patrick Freisacher in Enzo Coloni's Red Bull Junior Team.