APRIL 3, 2002

When Formula 1 looks like a sensible world...

THERE are time when Formula 1 looks like a mad world with all the quibbling and back-biting that goes on in the sport but the Americans have it far worse at the moment. Not only are CART and the Indy Racing League taking viewers from one another but CART bosses are now fighting amongst themselves - and it is all heading for the courts.

The former head of CART Joseph Heitzler has just filed a $20m defamation lawsuit against team owners Pat Patrick and Carl Haas alleging that they conducted a smear campaign against him when he was chairman, president and chief executive of the organization. The allegations include slander, libel and says that the two team bosses hired a legal firm to investigate Heitzler. This is the second law suit from Heitzler, filed last week, which claims $2m for breach of contract and fraud. This alleges that CART directors sold their shareholdings before a controversial new engine regulations caused the price of the shares to tumble. Heitzler claims that he was fired for taking action to try to stop such a thing happening again. CART has filed a law suit against Heitzler alleging that he was involved in fraudulent behavior.