2005/2006 F1 News and Testing.

Dutch Guy said:
Not that strange though, a lot of racers 'live' in Monaco and pay no tax at all.
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That's slightly different from what MS is doing though. Monagasque law dictates that if your primary residence is in the principality and you spend the majority of your leisure time in the principality then you don't pay tax.

What MS is doing is not registering what he sees as his primary occupation because that occupation is illegal in Switzerland. What he should be doing is registering his other occupation - Advertising dummy, PR bloke, call it what you will.
 
Apex Motorsport assets up for sale

The major assets of Apex Motorsport have been put up for sale, signalling the end of era for the successful British squad.

The team, which were the operational side of Bentley's winning Le Mans team in 2003, have been dormant for a while and the sale marks the final confirmation that they will not again be involved in motorsport.

The team, run by former racer Richard Lloyd, also won the British Touring Car Championship for Audi in 1996.

No race cars are being sold, however the lease of the Apex's building in Buckingham is included along with race preparation equipment.
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Shame.

No cars for sale either... :(

Simon/~Flibster
 
Mercedes set to test revamped engine

McLaren's pre-season preparations are set to be given a boost with an upgraded Mercedes-Benz engine set to hit the track imminently, autosport.com has learned.

The Woking-based team have failed to shine in early pre-season testing, with Mercedes-Benz's V8 suffering from reliability issues as well as being down on power, but a revamped FO 108S engine is set to lift them nearer the front of the field.

Although Mercedes-Benz have declined to comment on details about the engine, sources claim that the improved power-unit could be ready as early as this week - meaning it may get a run out at Jerez.

If the engine is not ready in time then it will likely be run for the first time at Valencia in Spain next week

Sources claim that the engine could deliver up to 60bhp more than the power-unit used so far thanks to major modifications, believed to include a new piston head and revised crank shaft.

One source said: "It should be a major step forward."

The improvements come on the back of recent criticisms from Kimi Raikkonen about the performance of Mercedes-Benz's engine.

The Finn was unhappy with the progress made by the German car manufacturer over the winter, although teammate Juan Pablo Montoya said recently he was confident the company would get their act together before the start of the season.

"I think we have got a long way to go, but I think we are going in the right direction," he told autosport.com about McLaren's engine situation.
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Rosberg: Button is my hero!

Nico Rosberg has cheekily thanked Jenson Button for making his 2006 formula one debut possible.

The 20-year-old GP2 champion told England's 'Sunday Mirror' newspaper that, had it not been for Button clinging to his Honda seat, there would not have been a vacancy within the Williams team.

''Button is my hero,'' Nico laughed.

''He gave me an F1 seat and gave the team a huge amount of money to help us with our racing!''

Rosberg, the German-born son of 1982 'Flying Finn' and world champion Keke, also denied that new teammate Mark Webber would go out of his way to welcome him to the grid.

''At the end of the day we are opponents,'' Rosberg admitted, ''(so) I don't think he will give me so much advice.''
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Karthikeyan Confident That He's Made the Right Decision

Narain Karthikeyan has admitted to disappointment after sliding out of the F1 limelight for season 2006.

The 29-year-old, who became the first Indian to race at the sport's highest level with Jordan last year, failed to have his 'MF1' contract renewed and also missed out on the Friday slot at Williams.

Instead, for the latter Grove based team, Karthikeyan will merely test throughout this year.

Asked if he was disappointed to not be racing again, Narain told the Press Trust of India: ''As a driver, maybe.

''But as a professional, no."

''Sure, every driver wants to race, but to get a step up somewhere in F1 is difficult. In the short term, it might not look good, but it is going to benefit me in the long run.''

Karthikeyan says spending a year at a top team, even if not actually on the grid, will be good for his career.

''I know I made the right decision for my future. Working with a top team, I can learn a lot more,' Narain claimed.

Karthikeyan is not expected to return to the test tracks, however, until mid April, although - partly to represent his and team sponsor 'Tata' - he will attend all 19 grands prix this season.
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Latest testing times from Jerez

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Wurz Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:18.144 48
2. Button Honda (M) 1:18.250 141
3. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:18.626 112
4. Rosberg Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:18.735 84
5. Zonta Toyota (B) 1:20.162 85
6. Panis Toyota (B) 1:20.339 79
7. Albers MF1-Toyota (B) 1:21.551 74
8. Monteiro MF1-Toyota (B) 1:22.318 71
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It should be noted that Wurz was in the FW27C hybrid test Williams rather than the FW28 that Rosberg was using. Similarly Monteiro had the older Midland, Albers the new M16.

Now one wonders why Colin Kolles is worrying about V10 rules when his new car is within a second and a bit of the works Toyota boys.
 
Hockenheim boss fired

German GP venue Hockenheim's crisis is speeding from bad to worse, with reports that circuit managing director Jurgen von Glasenapp has been fired.

The local 'Mannheimer Morgen' newspaper in Germany did not give the reasons for his departure, but he was already on leave after a legal investigation was underway surrounding the seizing of documents in his possession.

The documents, now held by the public prosecutor's office, reportedly relate to possible irregularities regarding Hockenheim's upgrade in 2002, and ticket sales.
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BMW's JV expects 'great' season

Jacques Villeneuve expects to put his dire 2005 full-time return to F1 behind him this year.

The French Canadian, who won the 1997 title as a 26-year-old, hinted that the problem last season was not personal, but simply due to the Sauber racer.

"Last year, I knew almost immediately that it would be a difficult season," JV, now 34, told 'Radio Canada' this week.

With the newly BMW-owned and powered 'F1.06' car, however, Villeneuve sees the imminent season - to kick off in Bahrain in just over a month - turning out differently. He says his previous problems with the Sauber have 'disappeared' ahead of 2006.

"With this car," JV reported, "I can brake where I want and still make the apex. The difference is just enormous." He told Radio Canada that if he is up to speed in 2006, he would be available to race for the team again in 2007.

"I am having fun with my driving again and enjoying going to the limit," Villeneuve added.

Jacques is a renowned opponent of driver aids such as traction control, so the advent of V8s - and therefore less power - has made F1 less reliant on electronics.

He confirmed: "This is a positive development for me. "I think 2006 could be a great year. I would like to pay back the confidence BMW has put in me."
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Haug rejects Flav's 'no class' blast

Norbert Haug has fended off criticism of McLaren's early signing of title winner Fernando Alonso. Renault chief Flavio Briatore, whose departing Spanish charge wrapped up the title less than two months earlier, recently panned McLaren counterpart Ron Dennis for having 'no class' in announcing the 2007 deal before Christmas '05.

But Haug, competition director for McLaren's engine partner Mercedes-Benz, denied that the coup was announced maliciously, or as a sort of 'tactic' to devalue Renault's title achievement.

"I don't think you can hide contracts that have been signed," the German told Motorsport Aktuell. Haug added: "We want to be open and honest with the public and the media. "If people think we have bad intentions, then I cannot help that."

Norbert Haug also denied that the early signing could backfire and destabilise the McLaren team, because neither current driver - Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya - feels secure and wanted.
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New Toro Rosso to debut tomorrow

Scuderia Toro Rosso's new Formula One car will run for the first time at Jerez in Spain tomorrow.

Vitantonio Liuzzi has been granted the privilege of driving the new STR01 car for the first time, with the team having run a modified version of last year's Red Bull Racing RB1 for testing so far. Scott Speed will then take over duties and drive the car on Friday.

The STR01 is believed to be a completely new design rather than just a modified version of last year's Minardi. Only one chassis is currently ready, but it is hoped that a second will be ready imminently.

It was thought that the team originally planned to use an updated version of the RB1 for their first year as Red Bull's junior team, but those plans came to nothing with teams still not allowed to run customer chassis.

And although Toro Rosso remain at the centre of controversy over the performance of their V10 engine, which rival teams want pegged back further, the outfit are upbeat about their prospects.

A team spokeswoman said: "We are all very excited and hope for the best."
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Chinese insist they are keen on tobacco control

The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations Office in Geneva attended the tobacco control conference of the World Health Organization yesterday and said that his country attaches great importance to tobacco control and has taken measures to stop tobacco advertising.

"We have established a legal framework for tobacco control and public health development, by publishing Law on Tobacco Monopoly, Advertisement Law, Law on the Protection of Minors, Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency as well as State Council's Regulation on Public Places Hygiene Management," Sha Zukang said, adding that the Chinese government is also trying its utmost to make the 2008 Beijing Olympics a tobacco free Olympics.

The ambassador did not address the question of why Formula 1 cars are allowed to run in tobacco branding at the Chinese Grand Prix.

"The Chinese government supports the international community in adopting tobacco control measures," the Chinese ambassador told the conference. We have actively participated in and promoted the development of the FCTC."
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Super Aguri passes crash test

Super Aguri's plan to be on the grid for Bahrain, albeit with a 2002 car, has taken another step forward with the news that the SA05 - previously the Arrows A23 - has completed further crash tests.

The (mandatory) FIA test has become more stringent since the A23 was designed, and consequently improvements were required.

The Leafield based outfit, which only had its entry in the 2006 Formula One World Championship confirmed two weeks ago, only has to pass one further test before the SA05 gets the 'green light' for Bahrain.

A spokeswoman for the team has confirmed: "The SA05 monocoque and associated structures has passed the FIA mandatory homologation tests, both static and dynamic."

She also said that drivers for the forthcoming test at Barcelona will be named "soon".

Meanwhile, talking to the Italian media, Super Aguri's Managing Director, Daniele Audetto, has said that following the modifications made to the A23 in order that it can pass the various tests will mean that it bears little resemblance to the original car.

"To conform with the new regulations the bodywork has had to be completely revised," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.
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Hot off the presses...

Belgian GP Withdrawn - No Spa in '06

The Belgian National Sporting Authority, the RACB, has written to notify the FIA of the withdrawal of the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix from the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The withdrawal has been made in order to allow the completion of extensive improvement work to facilities at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! :( :( :( :( :(
 
Damn I'm good - only now appeared on other sites and the FIA. :D Shame the news is so crappy...

Here we go - straight from the FIA...

THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
08.02.2006


The Belgian National Sporting Authority, the RACB, has written to notify the FIA of the withdrawal of the 2006 Belgian Grand Prix from the FIA Formula One World Championship.

The withdrawal has been made in order to allow the completion of extensive improvement work to facilities at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

The FIA hopes that the event will be included once again in the Formula One World Championship calendar from 2007 onwards.
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Absolutely gutted, now the fun starts in me trying to get my £1000 in ticket purchases back...should be fun!
 
kaiowas said:
Alternatively you could go and watch some racing.

On another note: Ralph Firman to Super Aguri, you heard it here first ;)
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Ralph has always been a possibility - since doing very well with Aguri Suzuki out in Japan...plus he's well liked by Honda.

More than a Japanese driver....who knows...

He's also a really nice chap and a good driver. Would he be able to get out of his A1GP duties though? *can't see any reason why not - but...*

He'd be good for the team - certainly better than Sato - Wouldn't mind seing Firman and Davidson as the drivers - they'll need good development drivers. ;)

Simon/~Flibster
 
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