Red Bull alter driver tactic
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) Red Bull's three-grand prix switch between Tonio Liuzzi and Christian Klien is obsolete.

Racing 'advisor' to team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, Helmut Marko, is thought to have accepted the wisdom of installing more lineup stability.

Liuzzi, the Italian rookie, will thus drive a fourth successive race at the Nurburgring, while Klien resumes the role for Montreal.

22-year-old Klien reported 'disappointment, but not anger,' at Red Bull chiefs' call.

Marko, meanwhile, is thought to have scheduled the next driver decision for after July's Silverstone race, even though - publicly - the seat beyond Canada appears still open.

Liuzzi, who won his first (Formula Renault) car race at the Nurburgring, called the circuit 'one of my favorites.'

''After three grands prix,'' said the F3000 champion, ''I feel I have gained a lot of experience.''








BAR saga 'bad for F1'
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) McLaren has offered a cheery 'welcome back' to recently banned rival BAR.

'F1 CEO' Martin Whitmarsh, though, said the matter - with the Honda-powered squad sitting out Spain and Monaco after found cheating at Imola - has been 'bad' for the sport.

''I think it (was) unfortunate for Formula One,'' the McLaren man said, ''but they are back, they're a serious team, we should put it in the past.''

Whitmarsh also put a metaphorical arm around driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who - since a dubious 'tennis' incident - missed two races with a broken shoulder and has since failed to meet Kimi Raikkonen's pace.

He said: ''They will both win races this year.

''People talk about ... the Latin and the Iceman, but in my opinion they are much more similar than people project.''









V8 howl 'still sounds great'
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) Formula One will still roar next year.

Some suspect that the new 2.4 liter V8 formula, to in 2006 replace the current V10 power plants, may be a gentler music to the ear.

But an observer near McLaren's recent Mercedes-Benz V8 track debut - at the Elvington airfield (UK) - said the engine howl 'still sounds great.'

He added: ''It sounded the same to me.''

Cosworth, on the other hand, predict that their 2006 engine will rev at and beyond 20,000rpm, putting the current 18-19,000 V10 in the shade.







Alberto Ascari
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) 26 May is the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic death of Formula One's third ever champion.

Italy's Alberto Ascari, who won back to back for Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, was killed - despite surviving an horror crash into the Monaco harbor - in a 1955 test shunt at Monza.

Today, the 'Ascari' chicane is a permanent reminder of the 28-year-old's great skills, including a record stretch of nine grand prix wins.








Webber expected 'better' year
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) Although he climbed the F1 podium for the first time at Monaco, Williams' Mark Webber - four days later - is still unhappy.

After the Monte Carlo event, he reportedly complained to Grove management about the decision to pit Nick Heidfeld before him, thus ensuring his German teammate's better result.

Webber, 28, also called continuing start system problems 'a joke.'

''We had a clutch problem and we acknowledge that,'' countryman and technical director Sam Michael admitted.

Australia's Webber, meanwhile, vowed to put the 'disappointing' podium result behind him and head to Germany.

''After Monaco, I want to back it up with a better result,'' he told the Herald Sun newspaper.

''I just want the Nurburgring to be here.''

He continued: ''To be honest I thought I would be having a better time (in 2005). But you're dreaming if you think it's handed to you on a plate.''








F1 brothel busted
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) Police have busted a brothel with a view of the Monaco grand prix.

The yacht, in the Monte Carlo harbor last weekend, featured twenty five prostitutes who lured F1 spectators on board for $500 an hour, Britain's 'Mirror' said.

Some windows had 'good views of the street racetrack,' the media report continued to explain.

The 120ft yacht was impounded after the raid.








F1 hopeful sets up HQ
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) It is reported that Preston Racing, with plans to make it to F1, has moved into the new 'Innovation Centre' at Silverstone.

We said earlier this month that Mark Preston, the former Arrows and McLaren engineer, is putting together a team to ultimately race on the grand prix grid.

Preston Racing may, prior to F1, attempt Le Mans or the world touring car championship.

In other news, the new A1 Grand Prix open wheeler series has submitted a provisional 12-race 2005/2006 calendar to the FIA for approval.

Starting in the UK, the Dubai based category will move through Europe, Australia, Malaysia, the Middle East, South Africa and North America.








Ralf snubs Schu reunion
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) Ralf Schumacher reportedly turned down an invitation to attend an event at elder brother Michael's kart track in Germany.

The pair verbally came to blows after the Monaco event, following 36-year-old Michael's allegedly 'crazy' and dangerous finish line maneuver.

To calm the squabble, father Rolf apparently urged Ralf, 29, to come to Kerpen on Wednesday.

''I don't need to go there to talk about it,'' 'Schu Jr' reportedly answered. ''I don't have a problem with my brother.

''What I said in Monte Carlo was about what happened on the track only and will have no impact on our relationship.''

Rolf, meanwhile, reportedly told a German newspaper that Ralf is the 'sensitive' brother, while world F1 champion Michael is 'more calm.'

''Maybe Ralf could have been a little less impulsive with his statements after Monaco,'' 'Dad' added. ''But what Michael did was a bit needless.''







FIA attack denied
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) The discontented carmakers' group has denied it attacked the autonomy of the FIA Court of Appeal.

In a statement issued shortly after BAR was banned for cheating, the supposed 'breakaway' clan seemingly questioned the Court's integrity.

In retaliation, the FIA hit out at BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, Renault and Toyota's apparent 'lack of understanding' of F1 governance.

A new carmakers' document, though, said the adverse FIA interpretation 'was not (the) purpose' of their May 9 statement.

It read: ''The manufacturers simply wanted to state their intentions as to governance, which is one of their subjects for discussion with the FIA.''








BAR must race Imola engine
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) The FIA has answered 'no' to BAR's request to run fresh Honda V10 engines without penalty at the Nurburgring this weekend.

Although Imola had been the first of a new two-race phase, the Brackley team argued that - since it was disqualified for cheating - San Marino should, for BAR-Honda, be deemed null and void.

Jenson Button and Takuma Sato will, then, use five week old engines - ostensibly for the first time in modern F1 history - at the German event.

So, while any Honda developments can not be aired at the Nurburgring, sporting director Gil de Ferran revealed that 'several aerodynamic enhancements' have struck the '007' challenger.

''All efforts,'' said the former Brazilian racer, ''went into turning this hiatus into an opportunity for (BAR) to improve its performance.''








Red Bull applaud Q repair
(GMMf1NET -- May.26) Like Ferrari, Red Bull hope F1's new single session qualifying will turn out to be an advantage.

From the Nurburgring, gone will be the disliked 'aggregate' or Sunday morning format, replaced by a race-fuel only run.

Previously, the first (Saturday) one-lap session had been staged with low fuel.

''Our car has tended to work better when running with the race fuel load,'' sporting director Christian Horner noted.

He also heralded the teams' unanimous vote to scrap the old system as 'an improvement' for F1 as a whole.

Horner added: ''We will (now) have a defined grid by Saturday evening.''

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