Formula One News — March 2005

Malaysian GP - Saturday Team Quotes

Malaysian GP - Qualifying Session 1 Results

Malaysian GP - Practice Session 4 Results

There is speculation in the German media that Fiat Auto may have found a saviour in the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, the Chinese car company which is in the process of completing a joint venture agreement with the ailing British car firm MG Rover.

Malaysian GP - Practice Session 3 Results

The latest whisper in the Formula 1 paddock on Saturday morning is that Sauber will do a deal with McLaren to get Alexander Wurz into the second car to replace Jacques Villeneuve.

Takuma Sato is out of the Malaysian Grand Prix. He will be replaced by Anthony Davidson. The Japanese driver is suffering from a fever and was judged not to be fit enough to continue.

Felipe Massa set the fastest time of the second testing session in Malaysia and while the locals were able to enjoy the success of the Sauber Petronas team, there were few who considered that the result would be the same by the end of qualifying on Sunday morning.

Red Bull Racing is to test Americans Scott Speed and Colin Fleming next week in Barcelona. The two youngsters will drive 2004 Jaguar-Cosworths in Red Bull colours.

Ferrari has responded to the statement of the other nine Formula 1 teams about testing by saying that the team is the only one developing Bridgestone tyres and that this is not fair.

The nine teams who have not signed up to the new Concorde Agreement have issued a press release attacking Ferrari's decision to increase its testing programme.

Malaysian GP - Friday Photos

Malaysian GP - Friday Press Conference

Malaysian GP - Friday Team Quotes

Malaysian GP - Practice Session 2 Results

Toyota's Ricardo Zonta set a best time in testing on Friday morning at Sepang with a lap of 1m34.092s well clear of the rest of the field, an indication that his rivals were probably not pushing too hard.

Malaysian GP - Practice Session 1 Results

The announcement back in January that British American Tobacco and the Honda Motor Co had completed the establishment of their 55-45 joint venture called BARH Limited, the parent company of the BAR team, was a very short statement with no real details of the new company.

The Formula 1 circus gathered again in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday and the press conferences gave the assembled the chance to chew over the fall-out from the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Tiago Monteiro will be staying at Jordan for the time being, following the arrival of a payment from his backers. The Portuguese driver had been facing rumours that he would be replaced by Dutchman Robert Doornbos if the money did not arrive before the Malaysian GP.

Malaysian GP - Preview

Bernard Dudot, Deputy Managing Director of Renault F1 Team, has decided to retire at the end of this month. The team has announced that Rob White and Andre Laine will become joint Deputy Managing Directors of Renault F1 Team France in Viry-Chtillon.

The rules concerning two-race engines have been re-interpreted by the FIA.

Bernie Ecclestone will be in Malaysia this weekend and we hear that he intends to offer the Formula 1 teams another deal to join his Concorde Agreement from 2008 onwards.

Mexico is to have a team in the A1 Grand Prix series, the franchise having been acquired by businessmen Juan Cortina and Julio Jauregui. Among those at the launch was Champ Car driver Mario Dominguez, although the plan at the moment appears to be to have five Mexican drivers as part of the team.