DECEMBER 7, 2000

Ferrari poised to torpedo traction control deal

FERRARI - and its two customer teams Sauber and Prost - are poised to torpedo the proposal to reintroduce traction control to Grand Prix racing at Thursday's F1 Commission meeting in Monaco.

That was the strong rumor circulating the paddock during the Jerez test, although the motivation behind such a highly political strategy is certainly far from clear.

At last month's F1 technical working group meeting, the F1 teams were unanimous in their agreement that traction control - banned since the end of 1993 - should be readmitted to the F1 rule book. This concept was enthusiastically endorsed by Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn who added he believed that this should be the first step in a package of measures to shape F1 car development over the next few years.

It is believed that a trade-off between Ferrari and McLaren, who were prepared to ditch some of their gearbox/differential development plans in exchange for Maranello's agreement to reintroduce traction control, will be scuppered if the Italian team changes its mind.

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