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Formula 1 news, results and statistics when you need it |
Is the current points system fair? Dec 23 - 31 News |
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Formula 1 news, results and statistics when you need it |
Is the current points system fair? Dec 23 - 31 News |
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Download the NewsOnF1.com |
31-Dec: Michael Schumacher has indicated that Jenson Button earned the right to drive in Formula 1 despite his age and lack of experience. Schumacher also expects Button to become a star in the future and said "People were very critical when they heard Jenson Button was arriving in F1 without experience of F3000, but I was always under the impression that if someone is able to go in the car and be fast immediately and doesn't crash, then he has the talent and the right to be in F1.” “He proved to be fast immediately, he didn't crash very often. He had a few ‘offs’ naturally, but he did very few mistakes and he is simply one of the future stars, but then we have had many of them and it is another step to really finally do it. I think he has the talent and the ability to do it. Give him time and then we will see." 30-Dec: Michelin don't want to set false expectations upon their re-entry into Formula in 2001. Michelin's Competition Director, Pierre Dupasquier has inidcated that while they have done some real testing, they face some very serious and experienced competition from Bridgstone and said "We've got some important mileage under our belts with 'real' F1 cars. The now completed series of tests in Jerez, Barcelona and Estoril, should give us the right base to start our 2001 test programme. However, I can only keep stressing that we can only assimilate a certain amount of knowledge before the first race and we face some very serious and experienced competition. We know we are at the bottom of the learning curve, there is a lot of work to do to prepare for 2001 and I don't expect to see us winning or taking pole before 2003!"
29-Dec:
Rubens Barrichello has made his ambitions clear for 2001 and that is to win races
and the World Championship. Mercedes Racing boss Norbert Haug has indicated that David Coulthard can beat Michael Schumacher provided that he continues the strong performances of 2000 and said "I cannot imagine much more difficult tasks than having a better year than Michael Schumacher. But David managed to beat him more times last year than he has managed before. If he continues that development, there is no reason to believe that he cannot beat him over a whole year." 28-Dec: Following recent reports indicating that Ferrari's Sporting Director, Jean Todt has yet to decide whether he will stay at Ferrari beyond the 2001 season, Ferrari's President, Luca Montezemolo has indicated that he is confident that JeanTodt will remain at Ferrari beyond 2001 and said "Todt will remain at Ferrari even after the expiry of his current contract. He will remain, he will remain. The great strengths of this team are its stability and its compatibility. I have done a lot to achieve this and will do even more to maintain it. Todt is correct to say that we have not yet spoken about his future but we will do so in the next few weeks." 27-Dec: Ferrari's Sporting Director, Jean Todt has yet again indicated that he has not decided on whether to renew his contract with Ferrari. During the 2000 season, Todt extended his contract until the end of 2001 and since Ferrari won both championships, Todt has hinted several times that he would like to do something different. He has yet to make up his mind and said "I am still uncertain as to whether to continue with Ferrari or move on to something else. The fact remains that my contract with Ferrari expires at the end of 2001 and so I will decide what to do in the coming months." Following the sponsorship deal between Prost and PSN, it is widely expected that Argentine driver Gaston Mazzacane will secure the second seat a the team. Gaston Mazzacane has hinted that a deal is almost done when he said "To drive in this team will be a great motivation. I will learn a lot from Jean Alesi because he has a lot of experience and he is one of the drivers with whom I had the best relationship in my first year in Formula 1"
25-Dec:
Williams Technical Director, Patrick Head who was heavily criticised last year
when he gave Jenson Button a drive has expressed his surprise at how quick the new
generation of drivers learn. Next year, there will be an even less experienced driver on the grid. Kimi Raikkonen has only competed in 23 car races in his career and has never driven in F3 or F3000. A number of high profile people in Formula 1 have expressed their concern over the granting of a superlicense to Kimi including Max Mosley and a number of drivers. On the test track though, Kimi has been clocking times that are very close to those of the more experienced Nick Heidfeld at the Sauber team.
24-Dec:
The Minardi team have yet to announce their engine supplier and their
driver lineup for 2001. Minardi are trying to finalise a sponsorship deal which will
enable them to fund the engine and drivers. However Minardi have lost both its major
sponsors from the 2000 season with Telefonica pulling out and PSN going with Prost and
most probably taking Gaston Mazzacane with them. 23-Dec: The Ferrari team have issued a statement strongly denying reaching any deal to switch to Michelin in 2002, however the statement did not rule out the possibility of switching tyres. The statement said "Following the story published in today's "La Gazzetta dello Sport", Ferrari firmly denies that it has reached any kind of agreement with a well known French tyre manufacturer concerning a supply contract for the 2002 Formula 1 World Championship season and beyond. The story is not based on any fact and it will not in any way influence our excellent technical and sporting partnership with Bridgestone, with whom we have won three world championships in the past two years. |
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