Formula One News — May 2001

BRITISH AMERICAN RACING's appeal against the rejection of their protest against Sauber's Kimi Raikkonen in the Austrian Grand Prix will not be heard until June 1, it was announced by the FIA on Friday.

A single podium place this year and a distant sixth place in the Constructors' Championship for the team they sponsor and part-own - trailing fellow Honda users Jordan - may be the least of the current PR problems for British American Tobacco this year. Having sluiced an estimated $100 million away supporting Craig Pollock's team over the past two and a half years, they now face an understandably bad press in the UK thanks to a relatively modest $5.7 million gift to a British university.

LUCA DI MONTEZEMOLO, president of Ferrari, has defended the team's decision to impose team orders in Sunday's Austrian Grand.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE has targeted a top-three placing for British American Racing after pledging his allegiance to the Brackley-based team.

CRAIG POLLOCK, managing director of British American Racing, has said that his team and Jordan must work together to get the best from engine supplier Honda.

BENETTON ended a four-day aerodynamic test at the Danielson circuit in France with technical director Mike Gascoyne in positive mood.

FERRARI test-driver Luca Badoer boosted the team's morale by setting a new lap record at their Fiorano test-track on Wednesday.

THE Prost team is lining up a major aerodynamic development for introduction at the Monaco Grand Prix and driver Jean Alesi is hoping that the first proper input from a new team will boost their flagging hopes.

MCLAREN's David Coulthard was dominant in testing at Valencia on Thursday as he set a new lap record, almost half a second quicker than Mika Hakkinen's former best.

THE British Grand Prix will be held on the best circuit in the world within the next five years thanks to a planned $65 million upgrade to Silverstone which will be announced next month.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE believes Colombian new-boy Juan Pablo Montoya has the perfect personality to achieve success with the Williams team.

JAGUAR Formula Three driver Andre Lotterer will join the British marque's Formula One squad when he takes part in Valencia testing on Thursday, but it is not a permanent move for the German hopeful.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER set a new lap record at the Fiorano circuit for Ferrari on Thursday, just one day after Luca Badoer had set the top time.

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA's dramatic battle with three-time world champion Michael Schumacher was met with some disapproval by the Ferrari star, but former racer Gerhard Berger backed Montoya all the way.

WORLD CHAMPIONS Ferrari returned to their Fiorano testing circuit on Tuesday to work on their electronic systems following last Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.

AFTER drawing heavy censure from Michael Schumacher for, in his view, causing their becoming entangled after battling for the lead in Austria, Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya has told the reigning world champion to put up or shut up.

THE future composition of the shareholdings in Ilmor Engineering have become a matter for considerable speculation in F1 circles following the death of the company's Managing Director, Paul Morgan, in an aeroplane accident on 12 May.

JORDAN team chief Eddie Jordan has revealed that his engine suppliers Honda have been forced to change their priorities after the introduction of traction control.

MCLAREN chairman Ron Dennis has criticized Williams' plans, revealed in Austria, to circumvent the winter testing ban.

AT a hot Valencia circuit on Wednesday, David Coulthard topped the timesheets in testing after recovering from early technical problems with his McLaren-Mercedes.

FERRARI president Luca di Montezemolo has declined an offer of a position in the Italian government to remain at the helm of the Italian car giants.

DAVID COULTHARD is most definitely not in talks about a drive with Jordan Grand Prix next year, according to the Silverstone-based team.

ITALIAN media magnate Silvio Berlusconi has taken absolute majorities in both houses of the Italian parliament and is now expected to form the country's 59th government since 1945.

FERRARI sporting director Jean Todt has indicated he has no regrets about the stance he took in Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix, making the point that he is employed to deliver victories for his team.