(US coverage has been on the cable / satellite network Speed Channel
for several years; they’ll continue to cover the rest of the races,
including rebroadcasts of the CBS four.)

Historically, US broadcast network coverage of F1 has been long on
glitz and short on content likely to be of interest to most readers of
rasf1m.  The press release
(http://www.mysan.de/international/article24272.html) contains little
to reassure.

–
Mark Jackson – http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/~mjackson
        Fear not those who argue but those who dodge.
                        – Marie Ebner von Eschenbach

After 26 years in the role, Professor Sid Watkins is standing down as
the FIA Formula One Medical Delegate. Gary Hartstein MD, associate
Professor of Anaesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, has been appointed
as the new Medical Delegate. Dr Hartstein has assisted Professor Watkins
at Formula One events since 1997.

FIA President Max Mosley said, "Professor Watkins has made a unique
contribution to improving the standards of safety and medical
intervention in Formula One and indeed internationally throughout motor
sport.

"We very much look forward to the continuation of this contribution in
his new role as the first President of the FIA Institute for Motor Sport
Safety. The newly established Institute is based in Paris and brings
together all the expertise in motor sport safety that exists within the
FIA, its membership, and the wider automotive world.

"Under Professor Watkins’ guidance I am convinced that the FIA Institute
will become a centre of excellence and world leader in the fields of
motor sport safety research and training."

–
Emma – The Chocolate Monster – http://www.chocmonster.rules.it

The newsgroup has been under a sustained large mailing to the moderation
address. I suspect it is someone who has posted to the newsgroup in the
past that is now infected with a virus that is making their PC a zombie
PC. Can all posters check their PC with antivirus software that is
up-to-date with definitions to be on the safe side,

Thanks!
– —
Stephen M Baines                        http://www.motorsport.org.uk
http://www.motorsport.org.uk/me.php

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE—–
Version: PGP SDK 3.2.2

iQA/AwUBQfCmyXRfhhHdARkWEQKZMACg4xowX8MSdjWcqErY41rFrKFo+OAAniVt
wZXBK4DueVuCbqFpSJ7W79h4
=nVxG
—–END PGP SIGNATURE—–

Anyway, I’d like to know if I’m reading the engine exchange rule correctly.
Somewhere in there it states to the effect that if a driver is on the 1st
week for an engine, but fails to finish the race, he can start the next race
with a new engine without penalty. Wouldn’t it then be an advantage, if the
driver finds himself running well out of the points in the closing stages of
a race, to simply pull the car into the pits and straight into the garage so
that they can start with a fresh engine the next time? After all, they can
claim whatever type of failure they would like as an excuse. Or maybe I
missed something.

  Doug Gordon

That sum to be paid over the five years of the Concorde Agreement (2008-12).

At next Tuesday’s meeting he will offer each team a minimum of $40m per
season. In addition there will be a "signing-on fee" of $35m plus a payment
of between $7m & $9m to cover perceived shortfalls in 2004 payments.

Currently the teams with the least points over a season are estimated to
receive about $15m. That rises to about $50m for the winners of the
championship. The new structure would see the WCC team "earning" about
$100m.

It is speculated that Ferrari negotiated a $100m "signing-on fee".

–

Brian Lawrence
Brian_W_Lawre…@msn.com
Wantage, Oxfordshire, UK

Ferrari were not invited to the meeting.

Team bosses were due to meet with Max Mosley on Friday to discuss
changes in regs to reduce costs from 2008, but they have cancelled
the meeting since they maintain that the discussions are indivisible
from future commercial agreements (Concorde). The meeting has been
rescheduled for April.

Paul Stoddart continues to act as spokesman for the GoN, and is
acknowledged by all as the "expert" on existing Concorde Agreement.
I read a quote from him in F1 Racing where he stated that the
existing Agreement is written around F1 continuing to use 3L engines.

–

Brian Lawrence
Brian_W_Lawre…@msn.com
Wantage, Oxfordshire, UK

Red Bull Chief Says Coulthard a Done Deal

Monday December 13th, 2004

 Red Bull Racing owner Dietrich Mateschitz says Scot David Coulthard
will drive for the team during the 2005 Formula One season.

 The 33-year-old Briton, out of a job after being replaced at McLaren
by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, tested for Red Bull at the Jerez
circuit last week. Coulthard had a promising two-day test and outpaced
both Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi, favourites for a racing
seat.

 Although there have been no official announcements, Mateschitz told
the Austrian press that the Scot is certain to drive for the team next
year.

 "Coulthard is a done deal," Mateschitz was quoted as saying by Kronen
Zeitung. "If someone has won 13 Grands Prix and in addition has his
personality, then there’s not much more to discuss.

 "If we were considering him for a test driver role, we wouldn’t have
even tested him."

 Austrian billionaire Mateschitz bought the Jaguar team from Ford last
month.

 Published at 15:40:54 GMT

Now please join me in praying that Williams does the right thing and
signs Nick Heidfeld to drive alongside Mark Webber, and we’ll all be
happy at Christmas!

Mudge

P.S. Apologies to the Pizzonia fans out there, but let’s face it, NH
deserves the drive.  I would love to see AP in a Jordan next season,
but I have no idea how Eddie might feel about that.  (I have a hunch
he’d welcome the chance…)  And yes, I’m still the president of the
Greater ChicagoLand chapter of The Michael Schumacher Fan Club!

Everything should be explained on the quiz page at:-

http://www.excalvehs.demon.co.uk/rasf1quiz.htm

Good Luck!

–
Emma – The Chocolate Monster – http://www.chocmonster.rules.it
Don’t forget to enter the 2004 RASF1 Christmas Quiz!
http://www.excalvehs.demon.co.uk/rasf1quiz.htm

The moderation server has been upgraded and the automoderation features
are now enabled again.

If you hit any problems, or your article doesn’t appear, please let me
know via moderat…@members.rasf1m.net
– —
Stephen M Baines

http://www.motorsport.org.uk/bah-humbug.php

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE—–
Version: PGP SDK 3.2.2

iQA/AwUBQcKA7HL8igwQZ9zrEQJXCgCggCp8kYH3mspaobqTwk5H2sFUwQMAoOhk
jfBL62/8EwGlVY3K1z91Rloa
=2MMx
—–END PGP SIGNATURE—–