Latest F1 news in brief
09/11/07
- India signs F1 track deal in London
- Focus on racing, not money, Coulthard tells Hamilton
- Stewart slams witch hunt
- Schu – 'no regrets' a year after quit call New
- Rosberg silent on Wurz prospects for 2008 New
- Ferrari would accept inherited title New
India signs F1 track deal in London
(GMM) India has now signed a commitment to build a grand prix circuit in Delhi.
Reports in the country said the deal was signed by promoter Suresh Kalmadi, of the Indian Olympic Association, and F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, in London on Monday.
The agreement is conditional only on the payment of a rights fee – thought to be $30 million – by the end of September.
Indian motor sport figure Vicky Chandhok, also in London, confirmed: "Kalmadi is meeting Bernie to sign a time-bound deal to construct an F1 track."
The deal does not guarantee a race, but it is the next step in bringing formula one to India in 2009 or 2010.
Focus on racing, not money, Coulthard tells Hamilton
(GMM) David Coulthard has fired a salvo in the direction of formula one countryman Lewis Hamilton, as they prepare to also do battle in the book shops of the world.
After fourteen seasons on the grand prix grid, F1's oldest driver recently launched his biography, entitled 'It is what it is'.
Rookie championship leader Hamilton, meanwhile, last week reportedly penned a seven-figure publishing deal for his own book — after not even twelve career races.
"I told him I was quite surprised Ron Dennis was letting him do it because he never liked drivers doing books when I was there," 36-year-old Coulthard said in an interview on Monday with The Guardian.
"Lewis said: 'Yeah, but he's not paying me enough. I've got to earn my money somewhere else.'"
In the interview, Coulthard questions Hamilton's priorities as the 2007 title battle whittles down to a contest of just four final grands prix.
The Red Bull driver said: "When I started in formula one I was just happy to be racing. Money never came into the equation."
Scotland's Coulthard also revealed that he sympathizes with Fernando Alonso this season, after the Spaniard walked into McLaren some nine years into Hamilton's long association with the team.
"When I was at McLaren they blatantly favored (Mika) Hakkinen," Coulthard revealed.
"When they cheered my teammate for beating me it tore me up. Ron's mantra is 'We exist to win' but it's not the way I do business," he added.
Stewart slams witch hunt
Sir Jackie Stewart has accused motor sport's world governing body, the FIA, of conducting a witch-hunt against McLaren boss Ron Dennis.
The former three-times world champion does not think the way the FIA and Ferrari have pursued the "spy scandal" is good for the sport, with another hearing due in Paris on Thursday.
Stewart said: "Trying to implicate a team like this is negative for F1."
Schu – 'no regrets' a year after quit call
(GMM) Michael Schumacher says he does not regret his decision of a year ago to retire as a grand prix driver.
The 38-year-old German attended a string of races as a Ferrari 'advisor' in the first half of this season, and at Monza on Saturday – nearly a year to the day after announcing his decision to retire at the same Italian circuit – he again turned up trackside.
The seven time world champion did not reappear for Sunday's race, however, and denied that he is missing his sixteen year racing career, which netted 91 wins.
Schumacher told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that he is enjoying his spare time and regrets "absolutely nothing".
"I am totally happy to be with my family, and with me and my life now," he added.
Schumacher said he appreciated having more spare time. "Spending as much time as I like with my family and friends is something I could not do for a period of many years," he explained.
"I also have the freedom to indulge in some of my biggest hobbies; like football and motorcycle riding, and swimming with whales was just incredible."
Asked if he had considered making a professional return to motor sport, Schumacher said resolutely: "No."
Rosberg silent on Wurz prospects for 2008
(GMM) Nico Rosberg has refused to comment on whether he would like a new teammate at Williams in 2008.
The young German has been so impressive at the wheel of his Toyota-powered car this year that a dark cloud has descended over the prospects for 2008 of the current occupant of the other FW29; Alex Wurz.
Sir Frank Williams insisted at Monza that Rosberg is firmly under contract for next year, but refused to be moved on whether he intends to renew veteran Wurz's deal, after he has struggled this season compared with Rosberg, particularly in qualifying.
Wurz, 33, was then quoted as saying that he had agreed with Williams not to reveal anything about his chances for next year.
Rosberg toed a similar line, telling reporters that he did not "want to comment".
"All I can say," he added, "is that my cooperation with Alex has been really very good."
Ferrari would accept inherited title
(GMM) Luca di Montezemolo on Tuesday said Ferrari would accept the world championship this year even if was won in the courts.
In Frankfurt for the famous auto show, the Maranello based marque's president said if championship leader McLaren is disqualified on Thursday by the World Motor Sport Council, "it would be a deserved victory" for the Prancing Horse.
"To win the world title at the table (rather than on the track) would in any case be a deserved victory," Montezemolo is quoted as saying in Germany by Gazzetta dello Sport, where Michael Schumacher helped him launch the new 430 model.
He added: "We would deserve it because it would have been won in the other case in a way that was not correct, not legal and not sporting."
Montezemolo, meanwhile, echoed other F1 voices that say the entire espionage saga is not good for the sport.
"The less spoken about it the better," he agreed. "It interests us that this ugly chronicle is closed in a hurry but above all with the truth exposed."
DaimlerChrysler president Dieter Zetsche, linked with McLaren through its subsidiary Mercedes-Benz, was also at the Frankfurt auto show, where he was similarly asked about Thursday's Paris hearing.
"We wait for Thursday with tranquility; we will see what happens," he told the news agency dpa.