Formula One News — May 2004

There are reports coming out of Japan that the government is planning to sell 16% of its 66% shareholding in Japan Tobacco, the owner of the Mild Seven brand, which sponsors the Renault F1 team.

Ferrari boss Jean Todt says that Marlboro will be in Formula 1 for "many more years" yet.

There is a lot of talk this week about BMW Williams running Jacques Villeneuve in a test.

Michael Schumacher battled to his 75th Grand Prix victory on Sunday in Barcelona. This was his fifth consecutive win of the year to maintain a 100% record. These are statistics which Michael says he does not care about and the view in the Media Centre seemed to suggest that the press are not very interested either.

"We really needed that result," said a Renault F1 team member on Monday after the Spanish Grand Prix. "The last few days have been really tough."

Rubens Barrichello's second pit stop in Barcelona was a bit of a mess and there were some who wondered whether given the strategies of the two Ferrari drivers whether or not Michael Schumacher might have received a little help from the team.

The members of the GPWC met in Barcelona on Sunday morning and although there is little indication about what was said in the meeting it was decided that a message would be whispered in the right ears that the organization was still alive.

Spanish GP - Race Notes

Spanish GP - Sunday Photos

Spanish GP - Sunday Press Conference

Spanish GP - Race Results

The Korean mobile phone maker Samsung is rumoured to be taking a serious look at Formula 1 with representatives of the firm visiting the F1 paddock in Barcelona. Samsung is a major player in the high technology world.

Vitantonio Liuzzi won his second consecutive Formula 3000 race this year, taking an impressive victory in Barcelona and seeing off pole man Enrico Toccacelo in the run down to the first corner.

The fight for pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix was a straight fight between Michael Schumacher's Ferrari and Jenson Button's BAR-Honda. Or at least it should have been.

Spanish GP - Saturday Photos

Spanish GP - Saturday Press Conference

Spanish GP - Qualifying Results

Bernie Ecclestone says that he wants to see a new qualifying structure for Formula 1 within a few weeks. He said that if agreement can be made the qualifying could be changed in the midseason.

The Spanish Grand Prix contract has been extended to the 2011 race but the race could be cancelled after 2005 because of tobacco advertising legislation.

Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that there is no British Grand Prix contract after the 2004 race and says that he is not going to promote the event himself.

Spanish GP - Practice Session 4 Results

The GPWC is now considered by most people in the Formula 1 paddock to be a moribund organization and the plan appears to be each of the Formula 1 teams to negotiate their own commercial deal with Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management.

The McLaren Technology Centre will be officially opened on Wednesday next week with HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

Spanish GP - Practice Session 3 Results

Tom Walkinshaw, the former owner of the Arrows F1 team, may have to pay a $23.3m bill following a ruling in the High Court in London yesterday.