Formula One News — July 2003

Having won the British Grand Prix Rubens Barrichello wwanted to rush home to his family but things did not go according to plan and the flight was called off until Monday morning, leaving Rubens to spend the night in a hotel at Heathrow Airport.

Bernie Ecclestone has met with Belgian politician Serge Kubla regarding the possible return of a race to Spa-Francorchamps.

This week marks the beginning of the six week summer testing ban for Formula One teams. The voluntary agreement effectively bans all on-circuit development until after the August 24th Hungarian Grand Prix.

Antonio Pizzonia has turned down Jaguar Racing's offer for him to remain as the team's test and reserve driver, having been ousted by Justin Wilson.

The FIA has written to all Formula 1 race organizers asking them to ensure that it is impossible for there to be a repeat of what happened at Silverstone when a deranged priest ran on to the racing circuit while the Grand Prix was taking place. Fortunately he was not hit by any of the cars.

The news that the British racing Drivers' Club has rejected a deal put to it by all parties involved in the Silverstone negotiations is disastrous news for the short-term future of the British Grand Prix.

The BRDC, Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management, and members of the Government's Department of Trade and Industry, and the East Midlands Development Agency met yesterday to discuss the future of the Silverstone circuit.

European Minardi Cosworth has named 22 year-old Italian Gianmaria Bruni as their official test and reserve driver for the remainder of the 2003 season.

Hirotoshi Honda, the former boss the Mugen engine company has been charged with evading $8.4m in corporate taxation. The 61-year-old is alleged to have hidden a large amount of Mugen income in another company and to have faked deals to cover it.

There are reports in the United States that Michelin is beginning to test NASCAR-type stock car tires in preparation for an assault on the US series to back up the company's sales in North America.

Sir Jackie Stewart, the president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, the owners of Silverstone, says that the BRDC cannot afford to run the Grand Prix without government help and says that Bernie Ecclestone's 30-day deadline for the funding to be in place is "unrealistic".

British GP - Race Report

Bernie Ecclestone has given Silverstone 30 days in which to come up with a financial solution to the funding of the work to improve the track. If this is not in place in the time available Ecclestone says that he will put a race on in Turkey next year in July.

Minardi will test Nicholas Kiesa at Mugello this week, despite the fact that there is a testing ban in place at the moment.

The man who ran onto the circuit at Silverstone yesterday is a Catholic priest. father Neil Horan climbed the debris fencing on Hangar Straight and then ran towards the oncoming cars before being tackled by a track marshal and dragged off the circuit.

The current Formula 3000 championship leader Bjorn Wirdheim is to test for a number of different Formula 1 teams in the months ahead with stories circulating of potential tests with BAR, Jordan and Williams.

As predicted by Grandprix.com yesterday, European Minardi have announced that effective immediately, Justin Wilson will be moving to Jaguar Racing and F3000 driver Nicolas Kiesa will take over the vacated seat at Minardi.

David Heynes, a 56 year-old British driver passed away after crashing his 1958 Lotus 15 during a support race for the British Grand Prix yesterday.

British GP - Race Notes

British GP - Sunday Photos

There has been a lot of action all weekend at Jaguar Racing about the future of Antonio Pizzonia. The Brazilian has disappointed the team this year and there have been rumours for some time that the Brazilian was to be replaced.

British GP - Race Results

The rumor sweeping through the Formula 1 paddock at Silverstone was that Minardi driver Justin Wilson could be moving to Jaguar racing within a matter of days, to replace Antonio Pizzonia.

British GP - Saturday Qualifying Report

There was some speculation in the Formula 1 paddock on Saturday that an announcement is coming about a second Grand Prix in the United States of America and the expected arrival of Chris Pook, the boss of CART, at Silverstone on Sunday added to the rumors.