Formula One News — October 2000

THE MUGEN COMPANY is expected to announce in Malaysia that it will be continuing its involvement in Formula 1 as an independent engine builder.

THE Formula 1 drives for 2001 are running out but for the moment at least there are still decisions to be made with Prost, Sauber, Arrows and Minardi.

AS we suggested in April 1999 the Toyota Motor Corporation has confirmed that it is negotiating to buy the Fuji International Speedway, which is located close to its Higashi Fuji technical center, where the company is developing its racing engines.

THE Republic of Singapore is again looking at the possibility of hosting a Grand Prix somewhere on the island of Singapore.

THOUSANDS of fans took to the streets throughout Italy on Sunday in an outburst of national celebrations for Michael Schumacher's championship-deciding win in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Prost Grand Prix is expected to announce shortly that it has signed Frenchman Henri Durand to be its new technical director.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER won the 2000 World Championship at Suzuka on Sunday.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER said he had never stopped believing that he could end Ferrari's world drivers' championship drought and expressed his relief at lifting his third title with victory in the Japanese Grand Prix.

AUSTRIAN Alexander Wurz has agreed to join McLaren for the 2001 Formula One World Championship as their official test driver.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER's race engineer Luca Baldisserri shaved his head within minutes of his driver's world title success -- after honoring a bet made 12 months ago.

FRESHLY-CROWNED Formula One champion Michael Schumacher is set to stay with Ferrari for the rest of his career, his manager Willy Weber said in Japan on Sunday.

JORDAN confirmed on Sunday that Brazilian Ricardo Zonta would be joining the team as official test driver for the 2001 world championship.

MCLAREN team chief Ron Dennis has launched an attack on the 'new' rules introduced by FIA safety delegate Charlie Whiting on Friday for Sunday's championship-deciding Japanese Grand Prix and said the inclusion of Italian steward Roberto Causo at the event was "unsatisfactory."

THOSE of a cynical mind in the Suzuka paddock - and there are many such individuals - interpreted the edict on driving standards issued by Race Director Charlie Whiting at the Japanese GP drivers' briefing as another example of the FIA's determination to effectively interpret the rules as the mood takes it.

MCLAREN's Ron Dennis complained on Saturday at Suzuka that he did not think it was right that there should be an FIA steward from Italy for the final race in the World Championship between Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher of Ferrari.

BRAZILIAN Ricardo Zonta has ended speculation about his future after agreeing to join Jordan as test driver for the 2001 world championship.

BRITON Johnny Herbert was hit with a $3000 fine after a pit-lane misdemeanor during Friday's free practice ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

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.

The Sepang circuit, home of the Malaysian Grand Prix, has started development work to improve the safety of the track ahead of the last race of this year's championship on October 22.

Australian television broadcaster Channel 9 have reversed their decision and will now screen the Japanese Grand Prix live after bowing to popular demand - albeit in certain states of the country only.

David Coulthard vowed to help his McLaren team-mate Mika Hakkinen beat Ferrari rival Michael Schumacher in the Japanese Grand Prix after Friday's first practice sessions.

The strongest seismic tremors to hit Japan since the calamitous Kobe earthquake five years ago shook western Japan on Friday at lunchtime, injuring at least 39 people, destroying some 200 homes and putting the area on alert for aftershocks, although no tidal waves are predicted.

The word on the street in the Suzuka paddock is that Alain Prost may have a sponsorship deal with the Japanese camera company Canon as part of his package of deals next year.

THE FIA has pulled off a clever move in its battles with the European Commission over tobacco advertising.