F1 news briefs on Thursday

The Swiss senate has voted against an attempt to lift the country's more than 50-year ban on motor racing, including Formula One. The sport was banned in Switzerland after the Le Mans disaster of 1955.

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Fernando Alonso and Luca di Montezemolo are apparently planning to meet at the Le Mans circuit this week, where practice for the famous 24 hour sports car race began on Wednesday. According to the wildest speculation, Ferrari president Montezemolo, to officially start the fabled endurance event on Saturday afternoon, would field a three-car team featuring the Spanish double world champion, as well as contracted 2010 drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, in a breakaway world championship.

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Sir Jackie Stewart turns 70 on Thursday, but the former triple world champion insists he is not about to retire. The Scot's ongoing connection to Formula One is as the Royal Bank of Scotland's sponsor ambassador, and he will be back in that role at the British Grand Prix next weekend. "I've noticed what happens to a lot of other people when they do (retire) that the light goes out of their life and they suddenly feel old," he told Scotland's Herald newspaper.