JANUARY 12, 2001

Worldcom to join Williams

THERE has been some questions about the future of Worldcom in Formula 1 following the expected announcement that AT&T is joining Jaguar Racing.

THERE has been some questions about the future of Worldcom in Formula 1 following the expected announcement that AT&T is joining Jaguar Racing. There were stories that Worldcom would join Benetton but it now seems that the US telephone company will be seen on the side of the Williams-BMWs this year. This would open the way for a deal between Benetton and Vodafone which has been rumored.

It is also worth noting that D2, the Vodafone brand in Germany, has withdrawn its sponsorship from Formula 3000. The implication is that the company has decided to put all its investment in the same place next year. The smart money says that this will be at Benetton. We hear, incidentally, that Belgian rising star David Saelens (who was backed by D2 last year) is to move from Super Nova to the European Racing Formula 3000 team. European has withdrawn its involvement with the Arrows team in 2001 and it remains to be seen whether the airline will have any active role in F1 in the year ahead or whether it will decide to concentrate on its F3000 efforts.