Formula One News — April 1999

CART team owner Jerry Forsythe says that he would like to increase his shareholding in British American Racing if the opportunity arises. Forsythe has confirmed that he controls 15% of the team, having bought the majority shareholding in Mount Eagle Inc. from Craig Pollock in November last year.

BRANDS HATCH boss Nicola Foulston has proposed to Bernie Ecclestone that Brands Hatch host the British Grand Prix from 2002.

McLAREN was given a royal seal of approval last week when the heir to the British throne Charles, Prince of Wales, paid a 45-minute visit to the team's headquarters in Woking.

LUCA BADOER crashed heavily last week at Ferrari's Fiorano test track in Italy, while testing his Minardi-Ford M01. The Italian driver - who knows the circuit well because of his testing duties with Ferrari - had completed 49 laps of the circuit when his fly-by-wire throttle system appears to have malfunctioned, sending the car off the road at high speed. It crashed heavily into the barriers and Badoer suffered a fractured right hand.

AS the automotive industry consolidates frantically, there are rumors of a link being planned between Fiat - the parent company of Ferrari - and Mitsubishi Motors in Japan.

ARROWS boss Prince Malik ado Ibrahim - who is now officially the commercial director as well - last week announced a small sponsorship deal with Virgin Records.