Formula One News — September 2005

Brazilian GP - Practice Session 2 Results

The Australian beer company has moved quickly to scotch reports that it is reducing its involvement in Formula 1.

Brazilian GP - Practice Session 1 Results

We hear that the deal between McLaren and Intel is back on track with the plan being for a $55m title sponsorship for the Woking team from the giant American chipmaker.

Portimao, a small town on the Algarve in southern Portugal, is planning to build a Formula 1 standard racing circuit as part of a large technology park development. Portimao is a popular tourist destination with a good climate and a number of international standard golf courses in addition to beaches and fishing ports.

Mark Webber has stood down from the board of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, having grown tired of trying to get the drivers to work together.

The discussion in Brazil is about practice and qualifying for next year with the FIA apparently suggesting to the teams that only the four bottom teams in the World Championship be allowed to run a third car on Fridays.

There is much talk at the moment of Nico Rosberg being the favourite for the second seat at Williams next now that Jenson Button has bought his way out of his contract and Nick Heidfeld has been released to join BMW.

FIA President Max Mosley was telling the Chinese press the other day that he does not see there being a rival championship in 2008 to challenge the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The news that Indianapolis is to host the United States Grand Prix on July 2 has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons amongst the Grand Prix venues in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship for 2006.

Jenson Button says that he is "ecstatic" that he has been able to negotiate his way out of his Williams contract for 2006 and 2007. But it has cost him a great deal of money and Button says that Honda has not been involved.

With BAR-Honda having announced that Jenson Button will be joining Rubens Barrichello in the team in 2006 and 2007 (at least), there is no room in the team for Honda protege Takuma Sato, who has failed to do a particularly inspiring job this year.

BMW directors have authorised a share buy-back of more than 20m shares, worth $930m at the close of trading yesterday. This amounts to three percent of the stock, which will be cancelled after the purchases have been made.

The Australian beer brand Fosters is reported to be planning to wind down its motor sport activities.

Prince Malik ado Ibrahim, a Nigerian who was briefly involved in F1 in the 1990s, when he was announced as a 20% owner of the Arrows F1 team. Alas, Malik failed to come up with the money needed and disappeared from the scene soon afterwards, leaving Arrows to struggle on until its demise.

As we suggested some time ago, Formula 1 will be going to the United States for the July 4 holiday. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has announced that the race will be on July 2 and that talks are taking place about the future.

Williams is to run 18-year-old BMW protege Sebastian Vettel at Jerez next week. The young driver from Heppenheim in Germany will drive a Williams BMW FW27.

BAR-Honda has confirmed that it will run Jenson Button alongside Rubens Barrichello for next season.

Jenson Button is free to remain at BAR-Honda next season after buying his way out of the contract he made with Williams.

Brazilian GP - Preview

Reigning Indy Racing League champion Tony Kanaan, will join BAR Honda at Jerez in southern Spain next week. Kanaan was invited to test by the team in recognition of his IRL Indy Car achievements in 2004 with Honda.

While most eyes in Formula 1 will be on the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend, there will be some keeping a watch on the opening round of the A1 Grand Prix series at Brands Hatch.

Oil prices have risen dramatically in recent weeks and on Monday hit $67.39 a barrel. This is below the record high of $70.85 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but still around 45% higher than a year ago.

Former World Champions Niki Lauda and Keke Rosberg have joined forces to run the A1 Team Austria operation, which will feature Mathias Lauda as the driver.

With five days to go before the start of the A1 Grand Prix series at Brands Hatch, the final details of the entry list are still coming together with around 25 teams expected to be seen in action.