Formula One News — July 2003

The organizers of the European Grand Prix have confirmed that they will shortly submit an official complaint to the European Court of Justice against the European Union because of the decision by the European Commission to introduce a tobacco ban on August 1, 2005

The Formula 1 team bosses met at Hockenheim on Thursday afternoon to discuss the Formula 1 calendar for next year and ways in which the sport can be improved to create more interest.

There have been a rush of stories in recent hours indicating that there is no deal being discussed between McLaren and Juan Pablo Montoya. These are not true because even if no deal is possible for 2004, it is very clear that McLaren is looking at Montoya as a possible driver in 2005.

Belgium has officially postponed the ban on tobacco advertising in an attempt to bring back the Grand Prix to Spa-Francorchamps. Late Wednesday a bill was passed which pushed back the tobacco ad ban from next month to July 31, 2005. The vote came in at 103 in favor to 32 against.

David Coulthard will stay with McLaren for one more year, but that does not mean that Juan Pablo Montoya will not be joining McLaren for 2005.

As the Formula 1 driver market gets up to speed there are clear indications that Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen are going to struggle to find work next year.

BMW was the engine company which recently blocked the idea of dropping Formula 1 power levels by reducing engines to 2.4-litre V8 units rather than the current 3-litre V10s.

Justin Wilson has his first test with Jaguar on Tuesday, giving the cars for the German Grand Prix their shakedown runs at Silverstone. Wilson fitted into the R4 without any drama and Wilson reported that the car felt good despite the fact that he did not do much running.

It is 30 years since British Formula 1 driver Roger Williamson was killed in a fiery accident at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort and to mark the occasion Wheatcroft, who was funding Williamson's career at the time, has unveiled a memorial to the 25-year-old Leicester driver

It seems that the Northamptonshire police have now changed their mind and will not be sending officers to the German Grand Prix to interview Formula 1 drivers about the recent incident at the British Grand Prix when a spectator ran onto the circuit.

Although McLaren and Williams are busy denying or refusing to comment on stories that Juan Pablo Montoya is in heavy negotiation with McLaren about moving to the team in 2004 or 2005, there is not doubt that action is taking place.

There are suggestions within the Ford Motor Company that the company will name a new chief to oversee both Ford of Europe and the Premier Automotive Group.

The French government on Monday sold another 8.5% of Renault, raising around $1.3bn for the public coffers.

Officers from the Northamptonshire police are expected to be in Hockenheim this weekend to interview Formula 1 drivers about the incident at the British Grand Prix when the radical Irish priest Neil Horan ran onto the racing circuit.

Clare Ward, the Labour Member of Parliament for Watford, has warned motor racing bosses that a solution needs to be found for the British Grand Prix crisis. Writing in The Guardian, Ward said that "it is about time that they worked out a solution that protects the race".

Sam Hornish Jr may have been beaten to victory at the Michigan International Speedway on Sunday but the event showed that the new Cosworth-built Chevrolet engine is a match for both the Toyota and Honda engines which have dominated the series to date.

The recent British Grand Prix provided the venue for a Department of Trade and Industry-sponsored mission, organised by the Motorsport Industry Association for senior representatives of the Chinese media.

The latest rumor in Formula 1 circles is that McLaren is making a bid for BMW Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya. It is has been clear for some time that the Colombian was not happy with Williams - and that the team is not particularly happy with him.

Sam Hornish Jr. went out in practice on Friday at the Michigan International Speedway and blew the socks of his opposition with the new Cosworth-built Chevy Gen IV engine, lapping the speedway at 223.618mph,

While the British Racing Drivers' Club has taken the brunt of criticism about the problems surrounding the British Grand Prix, it should be remembered that the blame for what is happening should be shared.

Nicolas Kiesa has completed his first run for European Minardi completing 106 laps, a distance of 310 km, at Ferrari's Fiorano test track.

A Formula 1 team has been started in China but enthusiasm and money is not going to be enough to challenge the best and brightest in the sport.

The Renault F1 team yesterday issued a statement saying that Mike Gascoyne was definitely staying put with the team. The interesting thing about this is that there was no comment from Gascoyne attached.

This weekend at the Michigan International Speedway Sam Hornish Jr will get his first chance to take on the other big guns in the Indy Racing League, using the Ford-funded, Cosworth-designed Chevrolet-badged engine.

The British Racing Drivers' Club rents out the Silverstone circuit to Brands Hatch Circuits Ltd. (formerly known as Octagon). This deal was agreed to ensure the future of the British Grand Prix after Octagon bought the rights to the race but did not have a circuit on which to hold the event.