Latest F1 news in brief
- A busy August for Spyker
- Red Bull may help Liuzzi rescue career
- Father 'sure' Ralf will keep F1 seat
- Herbert calls off powerboat debut
A busy August for Spyker
(GMM) Struggling team Spyker had arguably a busier 'summer break' than any of its formula one rivals this month.
The Dutch squad, beset by speculation of financial difficulties and a possible team sale, was also busily preparing the long-awaited 'B' 2007 car, which will debut in Turkey.
With Fairuz Fauzy at the wheel of its predecessor, Spyker also did a short aerodynamic test at Santa Pod (UK) earlier this month, as well as heading to Rotterdam for demonstration runs at the Bavaria City Racing event.
Finally, Adrian Sutil completed a 50km shakedown – permitted even during the August testing ban – with the 'B' car on the short Silverstone layout.
The German rookie said: "It was difficult to get a feel for the car as it was raining very hard.
"I also knew that we had to take care of the car, stay on the track and not take any risks."
Red Bull may help Liuzzi rescue career
(GMM) Red Bull could also come to the rescue of Tonio Liuzzi's flagging motor sport career.
Following Scott Speed's earlier falling out with junior team Toro Rosso's bosses, long time backer Red Bull vowed to help the 24-year-old Californian kick start a new career in NASCAR.
And Helmut Marko, who is Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz's right-hand racing man, said he would now look into also trying to help Speed's former STR teammate Liuzzi recover from his looming team exit.
Italian Liuzzi, 26, revealed recently that he is already talks with several formula one teams regarding 2008 and would not rule out stepping back into a testing-only role.
"I'm also looking to the USA, more at Champ Car than Indy," he added.
The website of American broadcaster Speed TV, meanwhile, quotes Marko as saying: "Tonio, we don't know what his perspectives are, and if we can help somewhere, or in another category, we will have a look at it."
Liuzzi has been financially supported by Red Bull since 2001 but, unlike Speed, he is not otherwise contractually linked with the energy drink brand.
"Mine was a hybrid situation," he explained. "Peter Collins, my manager, found in them a financial support, but we are independent in making choices."
Father 'sure' Ralf will keep F1 seat
(GMM) Rolf Schumacher on Thursday said he is confident that Toyota will retain his son for the 2008 season.
The 61-year-old father of the famous Schumacher siblings told Bild newspaper that "neither I nor my son are nervous" that Ralf's options to keep racing in formula one appear to be diminishing by the day.
"I am sure that Ralf will be in F1 also next year," Schumacher Snr said.
But with even close paddock ally Gerhard Berger's Toro Rosso team closing its doors to the six-time grand prix winner, Ralf's hopes now appear to rest exclusively with Toyota electing to keep him.
Schumacher's father, who recently visited his son at the Spa-Francorchamps test, added: "I believe Ralf will stay with Toyota. Who else would they have?
"A young driver is at best just as fast as Ralf but has less experience."
The German magazine Sport Bild, however, claims that the Japanese giant is indeed investigating other options.
On offer for Ralf may be a 2008 contract that pays only points bonuses, as Cologne based Toyota flirts with the possibility of wooing another German, Nico Rosberg, from its customer team Williams.
Herbert calls off powerboat debut
(GMM) Former grand prix winner Johnny Herbert is on the verge of commencing a new high-speed career.
The 43-year-old Englishman, who won races in the 90s for Benetton and Stewart, recently was granted a 'wild card' entry to race in the 'Powerboat P1 World Championship' this weekend near the British port town of Cowes.
Earlier this month Herbert successfully tested one of the 11.3-litre machines, on Italy's Lake Como.
"I've always liked doing things that are challenging," he said.
The Daily Mail, however, reports that Herbert has called off his British grand prix debut to support his daughter at a clashing Olympic equestrian trial.
Another British newspaper, The Times, added that he "hopes to get his chance later in the season".