News briefs from Magny Cours: Saturday

(GMM) A slightly warmer day will greet visitors to Magny Cours for French grand prix qualifying. The chance of rain stands at just 20 per cent, but the forecast for Sunday is abysmal — local forecasters say it will almost certainly be a wet race.

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Nico Rosberg, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barrichello, Robert Kubica, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Anthony Davidson were randomly selected to undergo anti-doping urine tests at Magny Cours on Friday.

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Team boss Jean Todt confirmed reports that Ferrari's wind tunnel at Maranello was out of action for a full two weeks about two months ago after the metallic rolling-road broke. "We did not do any other alternative (wind tunnel development work) because it was not working," he said at Magny Cours. Ferrari has failed to win a race since May.

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BMW-Sauber principal Mario Theissen on Friday warned that world champion Fernando Alonso is unlikely to give up despite his ten point championship deficit to his rookie McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton. "He is an excellent driver and we have great respect for him," the German told the Spanish newspaper Diario As at Magny Cours. "If we cannot beat him here then I would be glad if he wins. The championship is still long with 100 points left in the game."