Formula One News — March 2005

Suggestions which were being bandied around in Malaysia that the teams opposed to Ferrari were not united in their condemnation of Ferrari's testing philosophy at the moment were shown to be nothing but propaganda on Sunday afternoon in Sepang when eight teams distributed their post-race press releases

It is interesting to reflect on the current F1 situation with regard to Ferrari and the problems that arose in America at the weekend over Maserati's involvement in the Sebring 12 Hours. Maserati was until recently Ferrari's sister company and its sporting programmes were run by Ferrari people.

The FIA may not have to worry about sanctioning one of the World Championship events in Australia. The State Government of Western Australia) is seeking to end its contract in 2006 because they are concerned that Rally Australia is not economically viable.

The organizers of the Malaysian Grand Prix announced that the race attracted a crowd of 100,000 people. This seemed to be a rather larger number than appeared to be present although the track can hide spectators because of its unique back-to-back grandstands.

The Formula 1 refugees in America are running out of time as the final Champ Car drivers are handed out (or perhaps one should say, sold to the highest bidder).

Renault's Fernando Alonso was beaten by his team mate Giancarlo Fisichella in the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. It was obvious then that the Renault F1 team had a huge advantage over the other teams. As a result F1 arrived in Malaysia convinced that the team would win again and win they did.

Grandprix.com Young Driver award winner Patrick Long has added class victory at the Sebring 12 hour race to his 2004 Le Mans 24 Hour class success.

Malaysian GP - Race Notes

Malaysian GP - Sunday Photos

Malaysian GP - Sunday Press Conference

Malaysian GP - Race incidents

Malaysian GP - Sunday Team Quotes

Malaysian GP - Race Results

Fernando Alonso confirmed his pole position in final qualifying on Sunday morning in Sepang, setting the best lap of the morning session, two-tenths faster than Jarno Trulli's Toyota.

The Formula 1 team principals got together twice on Sunday morning in Sepang and at the end drafted and agreed a letter which is to be sent to Fiat chairman Luca di Montezemolo, indicating their discontent with the way in which Ferrari is making decisions about its involvement in Formula 1 at the moment.

Malaysian GP - Starting Grid

Malaysian GP - Qualifying Session 2 Results

The Formula 1 team bosses gather in Kuala Lumpur this morning for a meeting called by Sir Frank Williams. It is not clear why the meeting has been called

Michael Schumacher and the other drivers in F1 met on Friday afternoon in Kuala Lumpur to discuss Grand Prix Drivers Association matters.

Jos Verstappen is to test for Keith Wiggins's HVM Champ Car team in Sebring next week.

Fernando Alonso set the fastest time of the first qualifying session in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday with a lap of 1m32.582s, half a second a lap faster than last year's pole position at the Sepang circuit.

Team Sauber Petronas put out a short statement on Saturday afternoon in which it distanced itself from the press release of the F1 teams with regard to Ferrari's testing. Coincidentally, Sauber's cars will not run without engines, which are supplied to the Swiss team by Ferrari.

Malaysian GP - Saturday Photos

Malaysian GP - Saturday Press Conference

Red Bull Racing has decided to run Scott Speed and Neel Jani in the test next week in Barcelona, leaving its second American driver Scott Fleming to wait for his first of F1 power. Speed and Jani are both going to be racing in GP2 this year in Red Bull colours.