Formula One News — November 2003

Toyota has reported a 23% increase in its first-half profits which have risen to $4.81bn in the six month period leading up to September 30. The company's sales are also up more than seven percent.

Reports in Italy have named Angelo Santini as the Toyota engineer who was questioned by German police last week in the investigation into alleged industrial espionage. Santini worked at Ferrari from 1995 until the end of February 2002 and then moved to Toyota.

Jos Verstappen hopes to continue his Formula 1 career in 2004 but the Dutchman may find himself out of a job unless he can talk his way into a drive at Jordan or Jaguar.

The investigation into industrial espionage between Toyota and Ferrari has widened with the police in Modena questioning further people in Italy after the recent raid on Toyota's racing headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

Eddie Jordan wants more money for next year and hopes that a 19-year-old Russian may be able to help him. Vitaly Petrov may have what it takes to make it in Formula 1 one day in the future.

Unable to hire a race track in Holland or Belgium before the end of the year, Minardi has decided to hold another of its two-seater events at Donington Park and has plans to run a total of five cars for guests and competition winners on November 25.

SportsBusiness Journal in the United States is reporting that New York City officials have once again been exploring the possibility of building an open-wheel racing venue in the city to bring motor sport to the Big Apple.

Formula 1 is increasing its viewing figures again, according to the French Mediametrie agency. The company has just published its Eurodata TV Worldwide report on the F1 season shows which reveals that the overall TV audience is increasing once again, even if the sport is slipping in some markets.

Attempts to raise the money needed to save the Canadian Grand Prix appear to have failed with the end of October deadline failing to produce the finance needed to save the race.

The brother of BMW-Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya will drive in the German Formula BMW series for the 2004 season.

German police raided the Toyota racing factory in Germany as part of an ongoing investigation into industrial espionage.

Getting to Formula 1 these days is tough for any nationality, not least the British, and several of the most talented young British drivers have been forced to go to the United States in the hope of making their names there in CART and IRL.