Formula One News — May 2004

McLaren technical director Adrian Newey is to take part in the Le Mans Classic historic races in July.

There is to be a meeting of the GPWC in Barcelona tomorrow to discuss the next moves in the negotiations over the future of the Formula 1 revenues.

There will be racing on the streets of the Spanish city of Bilboa next year on a 2.4-mile street circuit close to the new Guggenheim Museum. The aim of the project is to increase international awareness of the city and boost tourism.

NASCAR star Jeff Gordon is in Barcelona this weekend but he is not looking to break into Formula 1. Gordon enjoyed his test with Williams last year and says he would like to try an F1 car again.

Spanish GP - Practice Session 2 Report

Spanish GP - Friday Photos

Spanish GP - Friday Press Conference

Spanish GP - Practice Session 2 Results

Spanish GP - Practice Session 1 Results

BAR-Honda boss David Richards says that a deal is in place with Honda for the years ahead.

Jenson Button says that the BAR-Honda team has made another step forward since Imola when the British driver put his car on pole position.

Jos Verstappen will test for Jordan-Ford next month. Jordan recently did a deal with Jos's sponsor Trust, starting rumours that Jos might move in to replace Nick Heidfeld.

Spanish GP - Preview

Libyan leader Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi was rumoured to be planning to visit the recent Grand Prix in Bahrain but instead he sent his Prime Minister Shukri Mohammed Ghanem.

Given that the Formula 1 circus is due to visit Turkey next year, it is worth noting that the country's security services have just uncovered a bomb attack which was being planned for the NATO Summit, which is due to take place in the city at the end of June.

The British government has been giving details of its new approach to the European Uuion Working Time Directive. The UK was recently forced to give up its system which allowed companies to opt out of the system, stirring up opposition in a number of industries, including motor racing.

More details are emerging about the plans for a new Formula 1 circuit in Switzerland. The promoters of the project are led by Claude Haldi, the president of the Vaud automobile club and a wellknown name in racing circles.

The plans for a Formula 1 circuit in Switzerland have been revealed and the track, which the promoters hope will be built near the town of Moudon, in the hills behind Lausanne, have already been drafted by F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke.

The big issue that was not addressed at the Monaco meeting is a financial settlement for Formula 1. This was the crux of the problem that led to the establishment of the now moribund GPWC organization which claimed that it would give the teams a better financial deal than that on offer from Ecclestone.

In a surprise announcement DaimlerChrysler has revealed that Dr Wolfgang Bernhard will not be taking over from Jurgen Hubbert as head of Mercedes-Benz as had been planned.

Jean Todt has been named as director-general of the Ferrari company and will take over some of the work previously done by Luca di Montezemolo.

FIA President Max Mosley has been giving details of the Formula 1 meeting in Monaco.

The Formula 1 bosses meet today in Monte Carlo to discuss FIA President Max Mosley's proposals for Formula 1 in 2008. The teams have little or no say in how these are formulated because the Concorde Agreement, the document that has controlled the sport for the last 22 years, runs out at the end of 2007.

Work is now close to completion on the Shanghai International Circuit in China. The work began in October 2002 with a plan to complete everything in 18 months. It was an impressive undertaking but the work has kept to schedule.

There was plenty of action over the weekend with British Formula 3 at Croft, the Euroseries at Estoril in Portugal, the Eurpean Formula 3000 series in Brno in the Czech Republic and Formula Nippon at Sugo in Japan.