Formula One News — September 2005

The Michelin announcement that it is to supply Renault, McLaren, BMW, BAR Honda and Red Bull Ferrari will be made in a couple of hours from now while Bridgestone will be supplying Ferrari, Jordan Toyota, Minardi, Toyota and Williams Cosworth.

Belgian GP - Saturday Press Conference

Belgian GP - Saturday Team Quotes

Belgian GP - Qualifying Results

Belgian GP - Practice Session 4 Results

Belgian GP - Practice Session 3 Results

There are whispers that there is a reshuffle of roles going on amongst the engineers at Red Bull Racing with Mark Smith taking on a bigger role in the months ahead.

Belgian GP - Friday Photos

Belgian GP - Friday Press Conference

The word on the street in Japan is that Toyota is pushing hard for a Grand Prix at Mount Fuji early next year, presumably fitting it in with the plan to hold the first three races in Bahrain, Malaysia and Australia.

Belgian GP - Friday Team Quotes

Belgian GP - Practice Session 2 Results

The second practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix was a complete washout with only three cars going out at the very beginning of the session to look at the conditions.

Kimi Raikkonen signalled his intentions at Spa by setting the fastest time in the first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix. Raikkonen lapped the track just a fraction faster than the McLaren team test driver Alexander Wurz, the pair ending up four-tenths faster than Giancarlo Fisichella 's Renault.

Belgian GP - Practice Session 1 Results

The struggling Fiat Auto has announced an alliance with the Ford Motor Company to make small cars. Lapo Elkann, one of the Agnelli Family and a man who is in charge of brand promotion at Fiat confirmed the deal in a radio interview in Italy.

The tobacco companies in Formula 1 appear to be developing new marketing theories around Formula 1 which do not involve the use of branding on Formula 1 cars.

McLaren has confirmed a sponsorship deal with Hilton International, the hotel company. The sponsorship is aimed at drawing attention to the Hilton brand amongst the new generation of young and affluent international travellers, who watch F1.

Michelin will announce tomorrow its plans for 2006 and beyond and we believe that at least two teams - probably Williams and Toyota - will be switching from Michelin to Bridgestone in 2006. The big news, however, will be Michelin's attitude towards a single tyre formula.

Belgian GP - Preview

Rafael Lotilla, the energy secretary of the Philippines, is proposing a ban on all forms of motorsport in the country in an effort to save fuel and slow the increases in fuel prices.

The new F1 rules for 2008, when they are fully agreed, will include the sale of cars and car parts from one team to another. The logical extension of this is that some teams will expand to run two operations because it makes sense with economies of scale.

The Formula One group is backing a Formula 1 sponsorship forum which will be held in Monaco on November 16-17. The plan is for the event to enable all of sport's stakeholders to network, debate and close deals.

It is worth reporting a passing comment, which appeared in today's Financial Times, which may strike fear into Ferrari hearts down in Maranello.