Formula One News — March 2004

The Minardi team is to have a pair of test drivers this season with Belgian Bas Leinders and Portugal's Tiago Monteiro both expected to drive for the team in the course of the year.

Hamleys, one of the world's best-known toy shops, has agreed a ground-breaking new deal with Williams F1 in an effort to internationalise the company's brand name.

Ferrari may be suffering at the moment because of the weak dollar but the Italian car firm has no plans to change its marketing focus. Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said that nearly 40% of Ferrari sales come from the US and that the company must grin and bear the current situation.

Max Mosley's decision to move to Monaco has gained the support of Roberto Castelli, Italy's Minister of Justice, who has long been against the European Arrest Warrant.

Paul Stoddart has been making noises in Australia about the car manufacturers not having honoured their deal last year to provide teams with "affordable engines" and he says he is going top reverse his decision about traction-control.

Formula One group chief executive Bernie Ecclestone says that teams need to agree to stop doing as much testing or the sport is going to run into trouble. Most of the teams are in agreement that it makes sense to cut testing but any move to do that is being blocked by Ferrari.

Max Mosley is moving to Monaco to avoid the threat of arrest in the event of a serious motorsport accident in the European Union. The FIA President said that he has decided to relocate from Britain on legal advice following the introduction of a new European arrest warrant.

Fiat has announced that it is to shelve plans for the flotation of Ferrari because of deteriorating conditions on the Italian stock market.