Electronics rules change, Benetton news

Changes to electronics rules in F1 Max Mosley has announced that as of Imola, teams will only be allowed four different electronics evolutions over the season. "The changes mean that the FIA will be certain that cars are legal and we will be able ...

Changes to electronics rules in F1

Max Mosley has announced that as of Imola, teams will only be allowed four different electronics evolutions over the season. "The changes mean that the FIA will be certain that cars are legal and we will be able to prove it. This is basically a move in the right direction and is in everyone's interest" said Mosley. The teams, naturally, are against such a move, saying the FIA can only impose changes like this for safety reasons, and are likely to make a stand against the changes.

Alexander Wurz sees other issues with these changes "FIA found out that several teams use forbidden traction control systems. These systems reduce wheelspin, which makes you quicker when starting and accelerating. It was a badly kept secret that these systems are in use. But evidence proved difficult. The team's software guys were usually one step ahead of the FIA inspectors. Now it's game over: all measuring sensors that are needed for traction control are forbidden. This starts with Lambda probe and ends with wheel speed measuring... Because not only traction control is history, but also the speed limiter for the pit alley. Which means: the driver himself will have to check his speed. Not easy, I can tell you. With 800 hp in the back, with an engine that was designed for revs between 12.000 and 17.000 rpm, it's no piece of cake doing exactly 80 km/h".

Symonds: We were robbed

Pat Symonds, technical director of Benetton, believes his team was robbed of victory in Brazil. "I remember when we were disqualified at Spa in 1994 because Michael Schumacher was deemed to have been using illegal skid blocks. Now we have an identical situation but with different people involved. All I can say is in considering that Fisichella for the major part of the race had a heavy fuel load on board his car, we decided to raise the height of the car before the start to compensate for the bumpy circuit."

Jaguar sign with Michelin

The Jaguar team has said that it has inked a deal with Michelin for the 2001 season, along with Williams, with Toyota joining in 2002.

Naomi told to quit modelling - report

According to news wires, Naomi Campbell wants to try for a family with Benetton boss, Flavio Briatore. Further the reports claim that doctors have told the model that she must quit modelling if she is to stand a realistic chance of a child.