Formula One News — July 2001

BENETTON's Mark Webber claimed the fastest time in the final day's testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain on Friday as he and Mark Gene, with Williams, undertook some wet weather work.

COLOMBIAN Juan Pablo Montoya has put a question mark over the Michelin tires on his Williams FW23 as he prepares for the British Grand Prix.

IN the final day of testing at the Italian circuit of Monza on Friday, Sauber's Kimi Raikkonen set fastest time as he developed his experience on the fast circuit.

MALAYSIAN Alex Yoong was delighted to finally experience the feeling of Formula One when he made his testing debut for Minardi at the Italian circuit of Mugello on Thursday.

A large proportion of the spectators attending the British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be shuttled into the circuit by a fleet of over 800 coaches as a "park and ride" scheme has been instigated in a bid to ensure there is no repeat of the congestion which marred last year's race.

MCLAREN have struggled throughout the season in qualifying, but at the last Grand Prix, in France, they claimed the second row and team boss Ron Dennis hopes that was the turning point.

LUCA BADOER was in action for Ferrari in their second day of running at the Fiorano circuit on Thursday.

MARK GENE claimed a hat-trick of top times as he continued the Williams team's impressive form to top the times at the Spanish Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday.

BRAZILIAN Ricardo Zonta escaped unhurt after his Jordan crashed out of Thursday's test at Monza at 285 kph.

AUSTRALIAN Mark Webber has said that he wants a race drive in 2002 despite signing a "multi-year deal" with Renault.

BRITISH race circuit Donington Park is planning a major facelift to improve facilities and possibly take the British Grand Prix to the Midlands track in the future.

ALEX YOONG will become the first Malaysian to drive in Formula One later today (Thursday) when he tests at Mugello with European Minardi.

BENETTON have confirmed that Australian Mark Webber will remain as their test driver for 2002, but added that suggestions of a race seat elsewhere are wide of the mark.

SPANIARD Marc Gene branded his day "positive" after topping the times again in Wednesday's testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

MCLAREN topped the times in the second day of testing at Monza on Wednesday, but it was test driver Alexander Wurz who outpaced title challenger David Coulthard.

BENETTON driver Giancarlo Fisichella expects team-mate Jenson Button to produce an impressive performance in the British Grand Prix to silence his critics.

JAGUAR have calmed fears that Eddie Irvine will miss the British Grand Prix after withdrawing him from their three-day test at Monza on Wednesday.

FRANK WILLIAMS, boss of Formula One's resurgent Williams team has given up hope of a challenge for this year's championship, but believes the squad is well set for success in 2002.

MCLAREN will not make a decision on their tire suppliers until later in the season after team boss Ron Dennis admitted keeping an eye on Michelin's performance.

FERRARI test driver Luca Badoer was in action for the first day of testing at Fiorano on Wednesday as he tested the team's British Grand Prix challenger.

JORDAN's Heinz-Harald Frentzen set fastest time at a rather empty Monza circuit as the keenest of the Formula One teams began post-French Grand Prix testing at the Italian circuit.

AS speculation linked British American Racing star Jacques Villeneuve with McLaren, the Canadian racer has suggested his intentions to remain at his current team for next season.

BENETTON's on-loan star Jenson Button has backed his team's Australian test driver Mark Webber to go all the way into Formula One.

COLOMBIAN star Juan Pablo Montoya has admitted he is having difficulty getting to grips with Formula One qualifying sessions in his debut season for Williams.