Formula One News — October 2000

FIA safety delegate Charlie Whiting has warned the drivers that they face serious sanctions or bans from Formula One next season if they intentionally interfere with the outcome of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve has shown his backing to Michael Schumacher's world title bid - by dying his hair 'Ferrari scarlet' for this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Prost Grand Prix have revealed that they will sell the AP03 chassis used in the 2000 Formula One World Championship on-line on October 19.

Honda managing director Takefumi Hosaka has reiterated that there will be no favoritism in the 2001 world championship despite the Japanese engine supplier providing British American Racing and Jordan with power-units.

Following the meeting of the FIA in Seville yesterday (Wednesday) Formula 1's oldest source of commercial sponsorship, the tobacco industry, will be banished from Grand Prix racing - as with all forms of motor sport over which the FIA has jurisdiction - from the end of 2006.

table of 2001 races

The World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday night announced that the British Grand Prix will be included in the 2001 calendar, but the event has been moved from its provisional date of May 13 to July 15.

The announcement that Bobby Rahal is to take over the running of Jaguar Racing in December is the first major step in the restructuring of the team, which has had a miserable F1 season in 2000.

FIA president Max Mosley has retaliated against claims that Formula One's ruling body are biased towards Ferrari.

Silverstone will today learn whether the British Grand Prix will be included on next year's calendar after it was put on the provisional list for 2001.

Arrows sponsor Orange reports that it has gained another 1.1 million users in the last three months.

Donington Park owner Tom Wheatcroft has rejected American entertainment group SFX's bid to double their 25-year lease after calling their offer an insult.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad flew to England yesterday for a 10-day visit which is expected to include a visit to Lotus in Norfolk and, almost certainly, talk with the bosses of MG Rover, the struggling car company.

Dutchmen Jos Verstappen will learn his fate on October 30th after a court heard how the Arrows Formula One driver fractured a man's skull in an incident at a Belgian karting race track.

Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone has vowed to do everything possible to prevent Australian television broadcaster Channel 9 from not showing the Japanese and Malaysian Grands Prix live.

When Renault announced plans to withdraw from Formula 1 in January 1997, the company chairman Louis Schweitzer said that the firm would be back "in three or four years".

Bridgestone have revealed that they will be supplying the 11 Formula One teams with a new medium compound tire as they prepare for the potential title decider in Japan this weekend.

Michael Schumacher has attempted to end his feud with David Coulthard ahead of this weekend's crucial race in Japan.

The South African government last week adopted new anti-tobacco legislation, approved in 1999 under the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act.

One question which is being asked in Formula 1 circles is whether or not Bridgestone will be able to survive the public relations disaster currently going on in the United States of America without having to economize.