News from the Paddock - Japanese GP

All current Grand Prix drivers have been asked to donate a driving suit to be auctioned in aid of the family of Paolo Gislimberti, the marshal killed by flying debris on the first lap of the Italian Grand Prix. The date and location of the auction has yet to be announced. However, collections for Gislimberti’s family have already raised more than £10,000 and some drivers’ suits could reach well over that price alone.

In an unrelated auction for the Grand Prix Mechanics’ Trust at the weekend in Indianapolis, signed and unsigned Benetton, Jordan and Prost driving suits went for between $1000 and $2000 in what was generally regarded to be a slow auction.

Jackie Stewart, chairman of the Trust, took off his Rolex watch which was presented to him for winning his first pole in the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix and offered that up for auction. However, it was withdrawn after bidding reached $13,000.

The Minardi team has been sold, as expected, to PanAmerican Sport Network, the Miami-based media company which is backed by Dallas, Texas venture capitalists Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst. PSN has bought Gabriele Rumi's shareholding of 68 per cent of the team, while founder Giancarlo Minardi retains his 12.4 per cent and will resume the role of team principal. It is thought that Minardi can now confirm its anticipated deal to run Supertec engines in 2001. Rumi had been looking to sell his shareholding for some time. He believes the input of a major company is necessary to secure the future of Minardi, particularly in order to buy competitive engines which is so vital. However, PSN's backers, the venture capitalists, could well play a part in contributing sponsorship from Telefonica, in whom they have a three per cent interest following the negotation of lucrative deals earlier this year.

Telefonica has backed Minardi this year, but several other teams have been eyeing the Spanish company, including Benetton and Prost, in the hope of netting a new sponsor. It seems that Marc Gene has been offered a drive as part of the deal. That all now seems unlikely and it is possible that Gene could be joined by another Spanish driver, the Formula 3000 teenage sensation Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile Rumi, who owns the Fondmetal wind tunnel with Jean-Claude Migeot, now intends to have nothing more to do with Formula One. Although he has not lost money on the deal, he says it will be too painful for him to watch Formula One, even on TV.

Gauloises has pulled out of its sponsorship programme with the Prost team. The greatest rumour is that Gauloises will be replaced by the Belgian company Interbrew, who make such beers as Stella Artois and Labatts. However, it seems that finance from the Canadian company Vector is unlikely to be forthcoming, while German media company Bertelsmann, who already have an interest in the team, is favourite to take a greater shareholding.

McLaren were meant to be nominating their test drivers for 2001 at the United States Grand Prix, but refrained from doing so. The reason for that, it seems, is that one of the potential drivers wants a multi-year deal, and the other is still hoping for a drive next year. Alexander Wurz is happy to join the team as a test driver, and is expecting to sign for more than just one year, but Ricardo Zonta, who won the GT championship with Mercedes and the F3000 three years ago, is still trying to get a drive in Formula One next year. Arrows is the latest team mentioned in conjunction with the Brazilian.

Honda has confirmed its support for Craig Pollock as head of British American Racing, saying that it will move seventy per cent of its effort to Jordan if he is removed. Pollock was said to be under threat and that American team owner Barry Green, who has contact with BAR via CART’s Team Kool Green could come in and take over from Pollock. Now it seems that they could work together. ‘It’s not up to me,’ said Pollock, ‘it’s up to the shareholders to decide who they want to run the company.’ Pollock has been under fire from parent company BAT for going over budget on a number of occasions, but Honda are very loyal to those it works with and are supporting Pollock.