Formula One News — May 2001

MINARDI could be set to hand Italian Gianni Morbidelli a return to Formula One in time for the French Grand Prix.

TEST driver Marc Gene put Williams on top of the timesheets in Magny-Cours on Thursday as he beat the lap record at the French circuit.

THOMAS HAFFA bought The Jim Henson Company, owner of The Muppet Show, last year for $680m.

THERE are stories in Germany, emanating from Willi Weber, Ralf Schumacher's manager, that the youngster is close to signing a new deal with BMW Williams.

RON DENNIS has revealed his pain after watching another desperate race weekend for McLaren at the Monaco Grand Prix.

YOUNG Finn Kimi Raikkonen had his day cut short by transmission problems in testing at Monza on Thursday as Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya topped the times.

THIS week there are a lot of stories about McLaren technical director Adrian Newey moving to Jaguar Racing. It is a move which has been rumored for over a year.

MICHELIN motorsport director Pierre Dupasquier was pleased to see Michelin-shod teams other than Williams taking the company's tire war challenge to Bridgestone at the Monaco Grand Prix.

TEST driver Marc Gene put Williams on top of the timesheets in Magny-Cours on Thursday as he beat the lap record at the French circuit.

GRAND PRIX newcomers Toyota have postponed the official opening of their massive headquarters in Cologne after delays were introduced in the building work.

THE European Commission hopes to bounce back from its embarrassing flop last autumn when the European Court declared the EU's tobacco advertising bill to be illegal.

FERRARI driver Rubens Barrichello has spoken in favor of the new electronic aids dominating Formula One headlines.

REPRESENTATIVES of the government of Bahrain were amongst the visitors to the bustling Formula 1 paddock in Monaco.

ILLNESS hit the Formula One circuit on Wednesday as two drivers were forced to leave testing due to feeling unwell.

THE Monza circuit proved no problem for Formula One rookie Kimi Raikkonen as he powered his Sauber to the fastest time in Wednesday testing despite having never driven the track before.

SEVERAL Formula 1 teams have been fighting to win backing from the huge British Petroleum company in recent weeks.

THE Jaguar F1 team is set to rock the Grand Prix business by signing McLaren-Mercedes technical director Adrian Newey as from August 2002 when his current contract with the Woking-based team retires.

TOM WALKINSHAW could not believe his Arrows team's innovative wing design was banned by the FIA at the Monaco Grand Prix on the day of its introduction.

AS he peruses the financial press this week, Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt will have a quiet smile of satisfaction on his face.

RALF SCHUMACHER produced the best response to his Monaco Grand Prix retirement as he set a new lap record on the opening day of testing at Magny-Cours on Tuesday.

INDIAN driver Narain Karthikeyan has promised to take his chance when he tests a Formula One car for the first time at Silverstone next month.

DESPITE suggestions to the contrary from McLaren technical director Adrian Newey in Austria, Ron Dennis has admitted the McLaren team continue to be troubled by their launch control system.

NIGEL MANSELL eclipsed Keke Rosberg's 16-year-old record to set the fastest lap of a British race circuit at the official opening of the Rockingham Speedway near Corby, England.

INDY 500 winner Helio Castroneves, has shown his hand in wanting to make the jump from success in the States to a life in Formula 1.