AUGUST 26, 1996

Forti disappears

THE Forti F1 team did not appear at Spa and the Italian team has not been seen since it packed up its cars on Friday at Hockenheim - a month ago. This means that the team is now liable for $2m in fines if the team wants to get back into F1. Guido Forti is still trying to regain control of the shares in his team from former sponsor Shannon but recently failed to convince an Italian judge that the shares should be seized.

Forti hopes to have the problem solved before the Italian GP at Monza and hopes that the governing body of the sport will be lenient when it come to the fines.

The reality of the situation is that it is most unlikely that Forti will reappear, becoming the 18th F1 team to disappear in the last seven years.