Formula One News — December 2004

As we predicted 10 days ago, David Coulthard has been signed by Red Bull Racing for the 2005 season.

There is talk of a street race in Hyderabad in India but the project depends on the local government deciding to fund the programme.

Eddie Jordan has ended his talks with Arden International over the possible sale of Jordan Grand Prix. It appears that Jordan believes that there is a better bid from an unknown Chinese buyer.

The Ford Motor Company has confirmed that it is ending its 40-year relationship with the Jackie Stewart. The relationship began in 1964 when Stewart was given his first contract to promote Ford cars.

Peter Sauber is looking at new engine supply arrangements resulting from the FIA's decision to introduce the new 2.4-litre V8 formula.

Silvertone has a new managing director. Richard Phillips has been working at the track for the last two years, assisting Andrew Waller, the previous managing-director.

With the chances available to drivers in Formula 1 now almost entirely dependent on money, the men who cannot afford to buy a drive are having to look elsewhere and a number have been looking to the Indy Racing League.

BMW and Honda have dropped their opposition to the FIA's 2006 engine regulations after a secret meeting with FIA President Max Mosley last week in Monaco.

The British Department of Health has issued a statement saying that the United Kingdom has become the latest country to ratify the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - the first global health treaty.

The A1 Grand Prix race series is doing better than expected and has increased its order for chassis from Lola Cars International from 30 to 50. The A1 organizers say that this is the largest single racing car order in the history of motorsport.

The British government today pledged to allocate $831m to sport in the United Kingdom in the next three years. The budget for sport was announced by Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

The Federation Francaise du Sport Automobile has announced the prices for tickets for the French Grand Prix and some of the other European races are going to have to sit up and take notice.

The original three-year Vodafone sponsorship deal with Ferrari is believed to have been organised through Philip Morris, which is said to have a huge deal which allows it to control all sponsorship on the F1 cars.

Representatives of Midland F1 were spotted recently visiting Jordan Grand Prix, presumably having a look at what Eddie Jordan has to offer, and there is talk that the Russians may decide to buy the team rather than setting up their own operation from scratch.

A trial is going ahead in Italy at the moment involving Giancarlo Minardi and his accountant Stefano Sangiorgio relating to illegal activities in relation to sponsorship deals in the 1990s.

Formula 1 TV audiences were down in 2004. This is the finding of the UK-based marketing agency, Initiative Futures, which analyses TV viewing of the world's big sporting events including the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the Tour de France, soccer, rugby and cricket World Cups.

Renault chairman Louis Schweitzer has announced a major restructuring of the company prior to the arrival next year of the new chairman Carlos Ghosn.

The Formula 1 calendar now seems to be sorted out and we are waiting to see a final version of the DTM calendar to establish whether or not it is possible for a driver to take part in both the DTM and to be the third driver for a Formula 1 team.

The Red Bull company has always milked Formula 1 for all the publicity available and we believe that this is probably what is now happening in relation to the two drives which are supposed to be available with Red Bull Racing.

Christijan Albers may want to be a Formula 1 driver in 2005 but he is keeping his options open with a test in the United States with a Walker Racing Champ Car. The test will take place at Sebring in Florida and there suggestions that the Euro 3000 champion Nicky Pastorelli will also be seen testing for the team.

The regulations allow for the teams which finished fifth and below in the Constructors' Championship in 2004 to run a third car on Fridays in 2005. The rules about testing have not been changed and so McLaren which finished fifth in the World Championship is in a position to run three cars if it chooses to do so.

Those with money are advised that there is a chance for them to buy the team that finished second in the 2004 FIA Formula 1 Constructors' Championship - although they will have to outbid British American Tobacco and Honda for the right to take over the team.

The word on the street in Germany is that the British car company MG Rover is on the verge of announcing a project to take on Mercedes-Benz and Audi in the DTM. Opel will be present in 2005 but will then depart the series.

Dr Mark Gillan, the head of vehicle performance at Red Bull Racing, is leaving shortly. He will take up the Sir George Edwards Chair in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Surrey in February.

The McLaren team has denied rumours that Mika Hakkinen might be involved as a test driver with the team.