Formula One News — July 2006

Former F1 driver Max Papis is to become a NASCAR driver when he joins McGill Motorsports to race a Chevrolet in the forthcoming Busch Series race at Watkins Glen.

General Motors has reported a net loss of $3.2bn for the second quarter of 2006. This was described by GM officials as "significantly improved" because the company's automotive operations are doing rather better than has been the case of late.

The idea that Hockenheim and Nurburgring are going to share the German Grand Prix in the future makes little economic sense. The news, if confirmed, will mean that each track will have to pay the Formula One group once every two years rather than once a year.

Indy Racing League boss Tony George has had a lot of things to worry about of late with no deal yet with Bernie Ecclestone over the United States Grand Prix, no compromise with Champ Car over the future of open-wheeler racing in the United States and the fear that Danica Patrick was about to take off to NASCAR.

Fernando Alonso has laughed off rumours that he is not really going to move to McLaren next year but the Spanish driver is on the move nonetheless. The word on the street in Switzerland is that Fernando Alonso will shortly become a resident of the country.

The failure of the Japanese firm Direxiv to meet its commitments in GP2 has resulted in DPR having to change drivers with Russia's Vitaly Petrov coming in to replace Olivier Pla.

Jarno Trulli and Toyota have been in discussion about the future in recent weeks but the word on the street is that the 32-year-old Italian will stay with Panasonic Toyota Racing again next season.

On Friday a commemorative plaque was unveiled at the Norisring on the site of Pedro Rodriguez's fatal accident in an Interseries race in July 1971.

Justin Wilson has always enjoyed a low profile and in this year's Champ Car Series he is still in then hunt while Sebastien Bourdais and AJ Allmendinger have been the ones getting all the publicity.

The Automobile Club of Bologna is offering its controlling interest in the Societa Allestimento Gestione Impiante e Servizi (SAGIS) for sale.

The Honda Racing team completed its Bonneville 400 challenge on Friday but narrowly failed to hit the 400kph mark it was hoping to reach on the salt flats of Bonneville in Utah.

The impending retirement of Burkhard Goeschel as head of BMW's research and development means that Dr Mario Theissen will now have to answer to a new boss about the company's Formula 1 programme.

For some time, Formula 1 people have been wandering around talking about having races in Las Vegas - although there has never been much evidence that there was any serious bid for F1.

The Formula 1 rules about chassis are complicated - and secret.

Ferrari and Renault have been informed in recent days that they have to change their front damping systems because they have moving parts inside the dampers and these are banned under Article 3.15 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations for 2006.

There has been a big shake-up at BMW with the announcement that the company's current boss Helmut Panke will retire on September 1.

The departure of Burkhard Goeschel from BMW at the end of August creates an interesting situation for the Grand Prix Manufacturers' Association as Goeschel is leading the talks in F1.

Former Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart has confirmed that he is looking at running a Champ Car team in 2007 but he says that "no decisions are made". There is no doubt that Dutchman Harry Muermans, a Minardi sponsor, is keen on the idea.

There are reports in Australia that the Grand Prix in Melbourne is going to run into more trouble next year when it is announced that the event will clash with the World Swimming Championships.

While much attention has been given to who will drive where and whether or not Renault will re-sign Flavio Briatore as its team principal, it is worth mentioning that Ferrari team boss Jean Todt is also still to agree a contract to stay on with the Italian team in 2007.

There has been much speculation in Formula 1 in recent weeks about who will be driving for Ferrari next year - with our sources saying that both Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher have contracts to race for the team next year.

There is much talk at the moment about a deal between Red Bull Racing and Renault in 2007.

The new Super Aguri SA06 made its first appearance on Wednesday at Silverstone with Takuma Sato doing the first shakedown tests of the new car.

For some days a press release has been expected from the Belgian authorities regarding the future of the Belgian Grand Prix. The authorities originally tried to get Bernie Ecclestone to agree to promote the race but no deal could be found and so a new promotional company has been established.

CVC Capital Partners, the venture capital company that owns the Formula One group but, disappointingly, seems to have had little influence beyond that, has now sold its stake in MotoGP promotion company Dorna.