January 2001

31 January 2001 Alain Prost ran the fastest lap in the Barcelona tests again today, like ha had already done yesterday.

The Barcelona test times:

1 ALESI, Prost-Ferrari 1m19.423 2 TRULLI Jordan-Honda 1m20.094s 3 R. SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1m20.568s 4 VERSTAPPEN Arrows AMT 1m20.622s 5 BUTTON Benetton Renault 1m20.647s 6 MONTOYAWilliams BMW 1m20.931s 7 FISICHELLA Benetton Renault 1m20.975s 8 BURTI Jaguar 1m22.321s 9 SCHECKTER Jaguar 1m24.239s

31 January 2001 Former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Ken Clarke has joined BAR’s board in the role of non-executive chairman, replacing Don Brown who is the team's new Deputy Chairman. Ken Clarke is a member of the British Racing Drivers Club.

31 January 2001 With barely one month to go before the start of the 2001 season Arrows were dealt a blow by Chello broadband, who cancelled their sponsorship contract. The loss of sponsorship is likely to have been behind the team's decision to take on Enrique Bernoldi, who comes with a sizable personal sponsorship package, in place of Pedro Martinez De La Rosa.

31 January 2001 Kimi Räikkönen has been granted a trial superlicense valid only for the first four races of the 2001 season (Australia, Malaysia, Brazil and San Marino). If he fails to perform to F1 standards in those GPs, he will not be allowed to finish the season.

31 January 2001 The Arrows team announced today that 22 year-old Brazilian, Enrique Bernoldi, will be Jos Verstappen's team mate in the 2001 F1 season.

30 January 2001 Alain Prost shocked everybody by setting the fastest lap time in the Barcelona tests, improving last year's test performance considerably.

The Barcelona test times:

1 ALESI Prost Ferrari 1m18.991s 2 FISICHELLA Benetton Renault 1m19.862s 3 MONTOYA Williams 1m20.421s 4 BUTTON Benetton Renault 1m20.903s 5 VERSTAPPEN Arrows AMT 1m21.149s 6 IRVINE Jaguar 1m21.463s 7 R. SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1m21.523s 8 BURTI Jaguar 1m22.721s 9 SCHECKTER Jaguar 1m24.855s

30 January 2001 The European Commission and FIA have reached an agreement over Bernie Ecclestone's control over motorsport. Ecclestone agreed to loosen his grip on the sport and in return the European Commission called off its investigation into the way motor racing is run. The European Commission has been investigating Formula 1 for the last three years after complaints were made that it was breaching the rules of competition. According to Max Mosley, over the past six months FIA has changed its rules and commercial arrangements and will also take further measures to carry out its role as regulator for international motor sport without any commercial involvement. AS part of the agreement Ecclestone will sell off his interests in other forms of motor racing. Last year the rights to international rallying were bought by David Richards (owner of Prodrive) for 24 million pounds.

30 January 2001 Fabrizio Giovanardi, currently competing in the FIA European Turismo series on Alfa Romeo 156, will take Badoer's place at Ferrari in the Vairano tests, scheduled on 1-2 February. Badoer is currently recovering from the accident he suffered in Barcelona.

30 January 2001 Paul Stoddart of Euoropean Aviation Group has bought Minardi. The Faenza facilities will not be shut down, but they will be "dovetailed" with Stoddart's UK based operations (in Ledbury). Minardi still have to agree a sponsorship deal, an engine deal and sign the drivers, with barely one month to go before the beginning of the 2001 season.

29 January 2001 Ferrari have launched their 2001 contender, the F2001, today at Fiorano. President Luca di Montezemolo said at the launch that they intend to retain the title in 2001. M. Schumacher, often criticised for not having learn any Italian in his time at Ferrari, managed to say a few words in Italian and told the fans that he is motivated and wants to keep the number 1.

28 January 2001 It will be possible to follow Ferrari's presentation of their new car online through the www.newF1live.ferrari.com website tomorrow the 29th of January. After the presentation news, audio press interviews and photographs will be available. The site will stay online for one month.

27 January 2001 Stephen Taylor has joined Sauber from McLaren as chief designer, replacing Sergio Rinland who left the team two days ago. Taylor has 14 years of design and project management and has worked for Lotus and Larrousse as well as McLaren.

27 January 2001 BMW-Williams raced against time to complete their 2001 contender, the FV23, on time for the official launch today at Silverstona. The finishing touches to the car were only given during the night.

26 January 2001 British American Racing launched their new contender, the BAR003, in London today. The car actually presented was a model, after Villeneuve severely damaged the only existing BAR003 during testing last week. The Canadian said that he believes he still has what it takes to become a World Champion and that he expects BAR to finish high up in the 2001 season. He threatened to leave the team if they don't finish third next season.

25 January 2001 Chief designer Sergio Rinland has left Sauber for private reasons by mutual agreement.

24 January 2001 M. Schumacher was fastest in the second day of testing at Montmeló (1'21"163), ahead of Coulthard (1'21"700) who had been teh fastest yesterday.

24 January 2001 Gian Carlo Minardi confirmed that talks are currently being held about the future of the team, but refused to give any more information. He also said that no official announcement will be made this week.

24 January 2001 Sauber unveiled its 2001 contender, the C20, in Hinwil (Switzerland). Following the presentation, Peter sauber defended the decision to give young Finn driver Kimi Räikkönen a drive.

22 January 2001 McLaren will unveil their 2001 contender, the MP4-16, on 7 February at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. Benetton-Renault will present their new car on the following day in Venice.

22 January 2001 Luca Badoer is back in Italy, where he will rest for two weeks on doctor's order following the accident in Montmeló yesterday. Badoer was released from the Barcelona hospital with bruises. Ferrari released a statement saying that the test driver lost control of the car after a mechanical failure, but some eye witnesses have reported seeing a tyre come loose before Badoer lost control of the car.

21 January 2001 Luca Badoer suffered a spectacular 300 km/h accident during the tests at Montmeló after running only 11 laps. The Ferrari test driver crashed against the tyre barrier and was flown by helycopter to the Hospital General de Catalunya in Sant Cugat. Badoer's accident was caused by a mechanical failure to the rear of the car that sent him spinning at the end of the straight, the fastest point of the track. The car lept into the air as it hit the barrier and landed on the service road on the other side of the five-tyre-thick barrier. Ferrari's tests have been suspended following the accident and will restart on Tuesday with M. Schumacher.

20 January 2001 Australian businessman Paul Stoddart, of Formula 3000 European Racing, is rumoured to want to buy part of Minardi. The Italian team still has no sponsor, engine deal or drivers with only six weeks to go to the start of the new season.

20 January 2001 BAR will use a model of their 2001 contender, the BAR003, in their official launch next Friday in London after Villeneuve severely damaged the only BAR003 in existence last Wednesday during the Jerez tests.

19 January 2001 With only six weeks to go before the beginning of the 2001 season Minardi still have not got a sponsor or an engine deal. Earlier in the week a spokeperson said that there are no official announcements to make yet.

18 January 2001 Mika Häkkinen was fastest in the valencia tests, ahead of montoya, Fisichella, R. Schuamcher, Verstappen and Wurz.

The Valencia test times:

1. Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes 1:13.83 2. Montoya Williams-BMW 1:14.43 3. Fisichella Benetton-Renault 1:14.91 4. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:15.31 5. Verstappen Arrows-AMT 1:15.39 6. Wurz McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.40 7. Irvine Jaguar-Cosworth 1:15.66 8. Button Benetton-Renault 1:16.00 9. Gené Williams-BMW 1:16.39

17 January 2001 Williams will unveil their 2001 contender, the FW23, on the 27th of January at Silverstone.

17 January 2001 Sauber has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Swiss Bank Credite Suisse. The exact amount of the sponsorship is not known, but a bank spokesperson hinted that it is several million of Swiss francs.

16 January 2001 The new Jordan contender, the EJ11, has been launched today. Designer Eghbal Hamidy's arrival into the team from Arrows was also annouced. He will stat working at Jordan on 26 February and take over from Tim Holloway.

16 January 2001 Ferrari have confirmed Luca Badoer as their test driver.

15 January 2001 Northamptonshire spcialist electronics company Vodac has threatened legal action against the Jaguar F1 team over the non-payment of 600,000 pounds. Vodac had supplied Stewart Grand Prix, that became Jaguar last year, with steering wheels and electronics systems. Steve Taylor, chief executive of Vodac, told the Independent on Sunday paper that Pi Developments, who took over responsibility for Jaguar’s electronics programme last year, have not paid the outstanding bill. Vodac had also carried out work for Ford and Cosworth for 14 years, before Pi Developments took over that contract.

13 January 2001 Ron Dennis thinks that 2001 could be David Coulthard's year. In an interview to the British tabloid "The Sun" Dennis said that he considers Coulthard one of the favourites for the coming season and that the car they are preparing will be their best so far.

12 January 2001 Jean Todt has not yet confirmed that he intends to stay at Ferrari after his contract expires at the end of the 2001 season. In an interview in the skiing resort of Madonna di Campiglio, Todt said that the pressure of having to win at all costs has now been lifted. He confirmed that he has received other offers, but that he believes that Ferrari will be his last team. If he decides to stay on at Ferrari, he continued, it will be because he enjoys being there and Ferrari are happy with him. He also said that the important thing for the 2001 season is for the team to maintain the stability of the past year.

12 January 2001 Adrian Raynard, one of BAR founders, said that the target for 2001 is to win the team's first GP.

11 January 2001 Johnny Herbert has admitted that his hopes of finding a Kart seat for the next season are fading fast.

11 January 2001 Arrows presented in Birmingham a Formula 1 three-seater, the Arrows AX3, able to carry a driver and two passengers.

11 January 2001 It has emerged that Prost received a 70 million pounds sponsorship from Mazzacane's personal sponsor PSN.

11 January 2001 Jean Todt announced that the new Ferrari car for the 2001 season will be presented on 29 January at Maranello.

11 January 2001 German paper Bild claims that M. Schumacher's contract with Ferrari says that the current World champion can leave the team before the end of the contract if he wins the Championship twice in a row.

11 January 2001 German sportswear company Puma has signed a sponsorship deal with Jordan Racing.

10 January 2001 Prost have confirmed that they have signed Gaston Mazzacane as their second driver for 2001. Mazzacane’s sponsor, cable TV network PSN, linked up with Prost last month.

9 January 2001 Jaguar have presented their new car, the R2, at their base in Coventry. Jaguar also revealed a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with American communications giant AT&T.

9 January 2001 BAR have announced a four-drivers test team. Darren Manning and Patrick Lemarie are joined by Briton Anthony Davidson and Japanese Takuma Sato.

8 January 2001 Fisichella took part in the Jerez tests today, only three weeks after undergoing the operation to his knee.

8 January 2001 R. Schumacher was fastest in the Jerez tests.

The Jerez test times:

1) Ralf Schumacher (BMW-Williams) 1'23"630 2) Juan Pablo Montoya (BMW-Williams) 1:23.909 3) Giancarlo Fisichella (Benetton) 1:23.914 4) Marc Gené (BMW-Williams) 1:25.156 5) Jenson Button (Benetton) 1:25.789

8 January 2001 Michael Ainsley-Cowlishaw is Arrows' new team manager. Ainsley-Cowlishaw joins Arrows from Benetton, where he started his career as car mechanic in 1980, working as chief mechanic since 1992.

7 January 2001 Barrichello and Coulthard reported teething problems with the new Head and Neck Support (HANS) system. They both believe it to be uncomfortable and say that it prevents them from turning their head. The HANS device was developed by Mercedes-Benz engineers and already been used in CART and the DTM. It could become compulsory in F1 in two years' time.

6 January 2001 Minardi engineers Gabriele Pagliarini and Jean-Francois Sinteff have left the team to join Prost. Minardi have not yet announced sponsor, engine supplier and drivers for 2001.

4 January 2001 Jordan chief designer Mark Smith has left the team to be join Benetton like technical director Mike Gascoyne had done before him. The departure is a big blow for Jordan, according to a team spokesperson.

3 January 2001 Founder member of BAR, Rick Gorne, has quit the team to concentrate on other business interests.

Last updated on by Federica Massagrande