Latest F1 news in brief
09/24/07 Updates shown in Red below.
09/24/07
- No way to prevent new spy sagas – Theissen
- Rodriguez race deal not done yet – Kolles
- 'I didn't call Alonso a dog' – Lauda
- Former F1 tester survives Russian car-bomb
- Briatore urges Alonso back to Renault
- Coulthard to race McRae's helmet colors New
- Fisi waits for Alonso future – manager New
No way to prevent new spy sagas – Theissen
(GMM) There is little a formula one team can do to prevent a repeat of this year's espionage scandal in the future, according to Mario Theissen.
The boss of BMW-Sauber says his Hinwil based outfit already has in place systems that are designed to make it harder for potentially rogue employees to cheat.
McLaren, fined $100m and kicked out of the constructors' championship, said in a statement last week: "We will now review and further strengthen our internal compliance structures and processes."
But Theissen insists that it is impossible to reign-in those with criminal intentions.
"No matter what they do, banks are still robbed," he pointed out in the German press.
"You can do what you want (but) criminal energy can always overcome the obstacles."
Red Bull team chief Christian Horner agreed, saying he feels "slightly sorry" for McLaren.
"The actions of a few reckless individuals have obviously hit them with a pretty Draconian penalty," he added.
The Mercedes-powered team found no sympathy in the Italian press, however. 'Tuttosport' compared McLaren's decision not to appeal the World Motor Sport Council's verdict to "raising the white flag".
And La Gazzetta dello Sport observed: "All that remains are a set of mysteries that the law is now left to solve."
Rodriguez race deal not done yet – Kolles
(GMM) Colin Kolles has denied persistent speculation that Spyker has already determined its driver lineup for the 2008 season.
Spanish GP2 driver Roldan Rodriguez is now officially signed up to test for the Dutch team over the winter pre-season, but Spyker chief Kolles insists that reports also of a completed race deal are premature.
"We have not decided anything," the Romanian-born German told the newspaper Diario As, "and we will not decide until we assess all the candidates in the tests."
It is widely believed that Spyker, presently employing Sakon Yamamoto, is almost certain to continue its policy next year of using a pay-driver alongside talented rookie Adrian Sutil.
But a spokesman told 'As': "The (financial) contribution that a driver can make to a small team is important, but it is not the highest priority.
"What we look for first of all is quality, and if he comes with some backing, all the better."
It is certain, however, that Rodriguez will travel with Silverstone based Spyker to the last three races of 2007.
Kolles said: "We want him to become familiar with our working methods, the engineers and everything else to do with the team."
'I didn't call Alonso a dog' – Lauda
(GMM) Niki Lauda has refuted media claims that he was excessively critical of reigning world champion Fernando Alonso last week.
Triple drivers' title winner Lauda, now a traveling commentator for German television, had in the newspaper Bild compared the 26-year-old Spaniard's political team tactics to those of Alain Prost.
"Instead of trying so hard to achieve number one status, he should just drive quicker," he said.
Sections of the Spanish press, however, either mistranslated or embellished Lauda's quotes, and the 58-year-old was widely attributed as having said that "Prost was a dog, but Alonso is worse".
But he subsequently told the Spanish sports newspaper Marca: "I never said Alonso was a dog!
"I think Alonso is a perfect driver, but like Prost used politics against me, Alonso does that as well.
"I said he doesn't need to do that in order to be champion again."
Former F1 tester survives Russian car-bomb
(GMM) Former Minardi test driver Sergey Zlobin has reportedly survived a car-bombing in Russia.
Media sources in Moscow said Zlobin, who drove for Paul Stoddart's Faenza based team between 2002 and 2005, survived the explosion on Monday morning even though his Mercedes blew up when he turned the ignition.
The news agency RBC added that police found that explosives had been planted underneath the car.
No further information is available.
Briatore urges Alonso back to Renault
(GMM) Flavio Briatore has urged Fernando Alonso and McLaren to part company ahead of the 2008 season.
Amid intense speculation that Renault and Ferrari may now be in a bidding war to secure the services of the disgruntled Spaniard in 2008, Briatore recalled his team's successful collaboration with Alonso between 2002 and last year that netted back to back drivers' titles.
Asked about the 26-year-old's seemingly untenable relationship with McLaren boss Ron Dennis at present, Italian Briatore told Sport Auto: "That is healthy neither for the team nor the driver.
"We have our own way of dealing with drivers. With us, Fernando simply got along well. Perhaps that is what is missing with him at McLaren."
Renault's 2008 driver lineup is now long overdue, and Briatore said he is still not ready to give anything away.
"We are a little bit late," he admitted, "but I am not in a hurry either.
"At the moment we are still considering what the best driver formation for us will look like."
Briatore is keen, however, to put the disappointment of this year behind Renault and return to the competitiveness of the Alonso era.
"The team is exactly the same," he said, "and they have not forgotten how to build a winning car. We know now what is wrong with the (2007) car. We know the tires better. I have a good feeling."
He said Renault's full concentration has been on the 2008 single seater for some time now.
"For the last two months we have changed practically nothing on the current car because I want a guarantee that in 2008 we are back at the front.
"There will not be any excuses then," Briatore said.
Coulthard to race McRae's helmet colors
(GMM) David Coulthard will wear special helmet colors in Japan this weekend in honor of fellow Scot and friend Colin McRae.
Former rally world champion McRae, who was 39, died earlier this month along with his five year old Johnny and two family friends when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in Scotland.
F1 veteran Coulthard announced on Monday that he will wear McRae's colors instead of his usual blue and white helmet design at Fuji.
"I'm also hoping to get the other drivers to sign it and give it to the McRae family as a show of respect from formula one," he wrote in his column for ITV.
Fisi waits for Alonso future – manager
(GMM) Giancarlo Fisichella's manager says Renault is waiting on Fernando Alonso before settling its driver lineup for 2008.
Team principal Flavio Briatore told Sport Auto on Monday that he has an option on veteran Fisichella for next year, while Heikki Kovalainen and Nelson Piquet Jr have contracts.
The interviewer pointed out that Finn Kovalainen has had the edge on Fisichella for much of the second half of this season.
"You see that, I see that," Briatore answered. "Fisichella's advantage is his experience."
Fisichella's manager Enrico Zanarini said the situation is static as long as the whereabouts of Alonso for next year is unclear.
"Until then we have to wait," the Italian told the website of sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.
He added: "Should Alonso leave McLaren it would set off a complex mechanism of changes. After that you can then see what free seats come up."
Interestingly, La Gazzetta said Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button would be the favorites to replace Alonso at McLaren.
Sport Auto, meanwhile, asked Briatore if he sees a genuine chance that reigning world champion Alonso might find his way out of McLaren at the end of the year.
"You will have to ask McLaren," he answered, "but it is difficult to hold a driver if he is not happy."