Formula One News — April 2003

Kimi Raikkonen has been allowed to change engines overnight because the McLaren team was able to prove to the FIA that the Finn's Mercedes-Benz engine was physically damaged.

Formula One team bosses have cancelled a scheduled meeting planned to review the new rules introduced into the 2003 F1 championship season.

Brazilian Grand Prix - Saturday Qualifying Report

Brazilian Grand Prix - Saturday Photos

Brazilian Grand Prix - Saturday Qualifying Results

Brazilian Grand Prix - Saturday Warmup Results

Brazilian Grand Prix - Saturday Practice Results

The question of tobacco advertising in Brazil has been bubbling away all weekend in Brazil with the Brazilian government enacting a provisional law on Thursday to alter the tobacco ban which recently came into force.

The West McLaren Mercedes team has recently made a bid to land sponsorship from Jaguar Racing's major sponsor HSBC.

The Minardi team will be running test driver Matteo Bobbi in a third car during the testing sessions on Friday at Imola.

Anti-tobacco legislation has been going through Brazil's Congress for the last three years but the laws are now finally official although there was considerable confusion at Interlagos over the details of what branding teams are allowed to run.

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart says that he is confident that the team is now close to having enough money to make it through the Formula 1 season.

Brazilian Grand Prix - Friday Qualifying Report

Brazilian Grand Prix - Friday Photos

Brazilian Grand Prix - Qualifying Results

Rain in Brazil on Friday morning resulted in grumblings amongst the Formula 1 drivers who complained that standing water on the circuit would make the qualifying dangerous.

Brazilian Grand Prix - Friday Practice Results

Brazilian Grand Prix - Friday Testing Results

Sally Blower, the ITV employee who is suspected of having Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has not been released from hospital as previously reported. Blower, who organises the coverage of the F1 events for ITV, is suffering from pneumonia but it is not yet certain whether or not it is SARS

There is still no deal for 2005 and beyond between Williams and BMW and according to our sources there was another meeting last week in Germany without the deal being inked.

There are whispers in Formula 1 circles that the GPWC organization, which is planning to start its own World Championship in 2008, has gone to the FIA and asked that the federation act as the legislator in the new series.

Ousted Williams aerodynamicist Nick Allcock is rumored to be on his way to a new job at Toyota Motorsport in Cologne.

Honda is to bring a new specification engine for British American Racing at the forthcoming San Marino Grand Prix.

There were worried faces in the Bridgestone camp on Thursday afternoon in Brazil when it became clear that the Japanese firm did not have enough tires to supply everything that was needed for the race.

Brazilian Grand Prix - Preview