Formula One News — July 2006

The new Super Aguri SA06 made its first appearance on Wednesday at Silverstone with Takuma Sato doing the first shakedown tests of the new car.

For some days a press release has been expected from the Belgian authorities regarding the future of the Belgian Grand Prix. The authorities originally tried to get Bernie Ecclestone to agree to promote the race but no deal could be found and so a new promotional company has been established.

CVC Capital Partners, the venture capital company that owns the Formula One group but, disappointingly, seems to have had little influence beyond that, has now sold its stake in MotoGP promotion company Dorna.

As we suggested would happen a couple of days ago, the FIA has invoked Article 7.5 of the Concorde Agreement and has instructed the Technical Working Group to examine ways in which the increased cornering speeds can be reduced next year.

After all the political action at Magny-Cours either the two sides involved are having a few days off or they have decided to go on talking quietly in an effort to find the right solution.

Michael Schumacher won the French Grand Prix - his 88th victory and his eighth win in France (a new record). There were 84,000 people in the grandstands, a good effort for a race in the middle of nowhere. But after that there was not much to say. The race was ultimately dull.

French GP - Race Notes

French GP - Sunday Photos

French GP - Sunday Press Conference

French GP - Sunday Team Quotes

French GP - Race Incidents

French GP - Race Results

As the Formula 1 cars were on their final parade lap for the French Grand Prix, the FIA issued a reaction to the earlier GPMA statement.

The Grand Prix Manufacturers Association has issued a statement concerning the future engine rules of Formula 1, saying that all six car manufacturers involved in Formula 1 have unanimously agreed on the rules they want but that getting the agreement of all the teams has been impossible.

What is the Indianapolis Proposal?

Tonio Liuzzi has been sent to the back of the grid of the French Grand Prix because the team needed to change an engine for the second consecutive race.

Most people in Formula 1 go to motor races to watch the action on the race track but at Magny-Cours it seemed that more action was going on in the paddock as the team principals, Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA tried to find a compromise over engines in 2007 and 2008.

Michael Schumacher led Felipe Massa to a Ferrari 1-2 in qualifying for the French Grand Prix, outpacing Fernando Alonso's Renault.

French GP - Saturday Photos

French GP - Saturday Press Conference

French GP - Saturday Team Quotes

French GP - Qualifying Results

Pedro de la Rosa is driving for McLaren at the moment and the team looks set to keep him for the next few races and see how things go, but that does not mean that the Spanish driver will remain in the car for the rest of the year.

The Belgian Grand Prix is edging closer to a deal that will guarantee the race next season.