Formula One News — August 2006

Bahrain's Health Ministry is planning to sign up to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control before the end of the year. This means that a complete ban on cigarette and tobacco advertising will follow - it is just a matter of how long that takes to implement.

Hungarian GP - Thursday Press Conference

Prodrive has won the support of the Warwick District Council planning committee for its planned development at the former Honiley Airfield at Wroxall in Warwickshire.

The Toro Rosso team has been found to be running mass dampers and have been told to remove the devices from the cars in scrutineering for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Roger Lane-Nott, who has been the Club Secretary of the British Racing Drivers' Club for the last seven years, is to stand down from his role.

Flavio Briatore's future with Renault is yet to be finalised and, as with Jean Todt at Ferrari, this lack of a decision raises major questions. Briatore is widely seen as the man who is responsible for Renault's success in recent years, if only because he knows how to delegate to the right people and let them get on with it.

The rumours of a Ross Brawn sabbatical are, without question, linked to the question of what Michael Schumacher is going to do next year, just as the future of Jean Todt remains in limbo at the moment, saying that the team's structure will be known at the end of the season.

Alexander Wurz will drive for the Williams team in 2007. This means that Mark Webber will have to find work elsewhere, as Williams has a contract with Nico Rosberg.

A further indication that the MF1-Dutch deal is not going to go ahead comes from rumours in Holland that Christijan Albers, the man at the centre of the Dutch bid, is now talking about trying to get a drive with Super Aguri F1 next year.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is estimated to have made an economic impact on Bahrain of $394m last year, according to figures issued by the organizers and based on "an independent study".

The BMW Sauber F1 Team has announced that Robert Kubica will replace Jacques Villeneuve at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The team issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon saying that after his accident at the German Grand Prix, Villeneuve "has informed us that he is not ready to race" in Hungary.

Jacques Villeneuve will not be racing in Hungary. His place is to be taken by test driver Robert Kubica.

The 2007 Formula 1 calendar is beginning to come together with Bahrain announcing that its date will be April 15.

The Formula 1 Technical Working Group met in Hockenheim and agreed, apparently unanimously, that the cuts in lap times next year should be achieved with tyre performance rather than any reductions in the size of wings or engine restrictions.

Ferrari team boss Jean Todt told journalists after the German Grand Prix that he will announce his future after the end of the Formula 1 season but he said that the driver line-up would be confirmed before that.