News from the Paddock - US GP

Jean Alesi has said that he wants to race a Prost designed by John Barnard. The French veteran confirmed in Monza that he is staying with the Prost team next year, but after the split during the year with designer Alan Jenkins, the engineering of the team has been in the hands of a French consortium. However, Alesi has said that he wants a car designed by Barnard, but Barnard, strictly speaking, no longer designs but manufacturers parts for the Prost from his base in Surrey, England. It remains to be seen who will handle the design of the car.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jarno Trulli are using the two Jordans that were so badly damaged when they collided at Monza’s second chicane in the Italian Grand Prix. The cars were impounded immediately after the race due to the severity of the accident and the death of marshal Paolo Gislimberti, but they were released, and when they arrived back at the Jordan factory, were swiftly tidied up, rebuilt and painted before being sent America.

Silverstone has announced new plans to modify the circuit, including new pits and media centre, but only if it is allocated the Grand Prix. Circuit boss Denys Rohan has said that a new pit complex, devoted solely to Formula One, would be built on Hangar Straight, making Stowe Corner the first bend. He said that teams would be allocated pits and they could fit them out as they wished, even establishing them as permanent bases. Furthermore, the team would build a new road for the use of Formula One personnel from a nearby road to the pits, costing £1.5m. The total cost of modifications would be £8.5m. The old pits would be used for Formula 3000 and other supporting races during a Grand Prix. The rest of the circuit would be unchanged. In spite of this, Brands Hatch is still going ahead with its intended rebuild. They have been told that their public inquiry has been ‘fast-tracked’ and that it could take place in December. If the circuit then gets the green light in the new year, then building work could be completed in time for a Grand Prix in 2002.

DaimlerChrysler board member Jurgen Hubbert has said that he and fellow motor manufacturers were taken by surprise when Bernie Ecclestone sold 50 per cent of the shares in SLEC, the Formula One holding company, to German company EM.TV. He admitted that recent talks had focused on a possible takeover of shares in order to ensure the future of Formula One. Bernie Ecclestone’s age ‘ he will soon be 70 ‘ is another factor. A working group has been set up to evaluate how manufacturers can co-operate in the running of Formula One and a meeting will take place on September 29, after which an announcement will be made.

Each team was allocated two extra sets of tyres for the US Grand Prix so that they could sort out their cars during the Friday morning practice sessions. Michael Schumacher, for instance, did 53 laps in total, and some drivers used three sets of tyres during the session. The Japanese tyre company had built special tyres for Indianapolis, mindful of the loads exerted on them on the banking. They have brought hard and extra hard compounds. Bridgestone was adamant that teams should use 22 psi tyre pressure whereas they normally use 18psi. They were particularly upset when it was discovered that one or two drivers, including Jacques Villeneuve, apparently, had been using lower tyre pressures than recommended. Bridgestone are very sensitive to public reaction following delamination of thousands of Firestone road tyres in the USA, which has cost them millions of dollars, with lawsuits pending.

Some 52 workers, apparently destined for the Grand Prix, were sent back by US immigration it was claimed in local newspapers. It was said that the workers, said to be from Finland, Denmark and Austria, were caterers and from other service areas, but no team nor organisation actually reported any of their staff absent, so it was unclear who the illegal immigrants were.

No decision has been made on McLaren’s test driver(s) for next year, according to Ron Dennis. There were rumours that an announcement would be made at the United States Grand Prix, perhaps confirming that Alexander Wurz and/or Ricardo Zonta would be acting as test drivers next year. Both are expected to drive for the team.

Indianapolis president Tony George expects there to be more Grand Prix in the USA. Asked where he could see Formula One in the States in ten year’s time, he said that he saw the current arrangement as being a long term opportunity for both the Speedway and Formula One. ‘Hopefully it will generate even more interest in Formula One so that one day, maybe five, maybe ten years down the road, Indianapolis is one of multiple Formula One Grands Prix contested in the United States.’ Bernie Ecclestone, however, said that there were no other current plans for Grands Prix in the USA.

Jordan drivers Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jarno Trulli, Minardi’s Gaston Mazzacane and Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer all attended the funeral of fire marshal Paolo Gislimberti who was killed at the second chicane when debris hit him on the first lap of the Italian Grand Prix. Fellow CEA fire marshals formed a guard of honour at the funeral near Trento in Italy and there were tributes from many branches of the sport.

Milestones: The US Grand Prix marks the thirtieth Grand Prix of Pedro de la Rosa, the fiftieth of Alexander Wurz, sixtieth Grand Prix of Jarno Trulli, the eightieth of Jacques Villeneuve and the ninetieth of Mika Salo. Michael Schumacher could become the all-time holder of fastest laps if he is quickest in the race, moving ahead of Alain Prost with whom he currently ties, and if he wins, he would move ahead of Ayrton Senna in second in the all-time standings, but still nine behind Alain Prost. This was Michael Schumacher’s 30th pole position in his career, ninth was Pedro Diniz’s best ever grid position in his 96th Grand Prix. Mika Hakkinen will be 32 four days after the Grand Prix.