Formula 3000 round-up

Gabriele Rafanelli's WRT outfit is struggling with drivers after Hidetoshi Mitsusada failed to work out and Marc Hynes could not raise the budget to complete more than three races. The team ran former regular Dino Morelli at the A1-Ring, but the Ulsterman was not able to qualify on his first appearance for them. KJR won a race last year with Nicolas Minassian, but drivers Andrea Piccini and Bas Leinders have so far struggled to break out of the midfield.

The two teams remain on zero points after Astromega was able to break its duck with Fernando Alonso's sixth place at the A1-Ring. The team that finishes lowest in the series faces relegation, as the number of squads is fixed and the winning outfit in F3000 Italia is reserved a place in the next season's FIA series.

The Coca-Cola name made a rare appearance in motorsport last weekend, courtesy of the Nordic Racing F3000 team. Justin Wilson rewarded his new sponsor with second place at the Austrian round of the championship last weekend, bearing the logos of the soft drink giant on his rear wing and sidepods.

Fabrice Walfisch was dropped from the Astromega outfit before the A1-Ring round after a string of disappointing performances in which team and driver lost faith in each other. However, the Frenchman turned up in Austria and tried to sign on as Astromega's driver despite the fact that Marc Goossens had been brought in to replace him. F3000 veteran Goossens finished 10th for Astromega after qualifying 14th for his first race since last season.