FIA delays discussing grand prix economy measures

Confirming that the British and French grands prix will go ahead, the FIA world motorsport council met in Monaco yesterday and, as expected, presented a 19-race 2005 Formula One calendar.

Confirming that the British and French grands prix will go ahead, the FIA world motorsport council met in Monaco yesterday and, as expected, presented a 19-race 2005 Formula One calendar.

That was the only business discussed, however, after the late cancellation last week of the scheduled Formula One commission meeting, at which the majority of team principals had expected to discuss matters such as a limit on testing and the possibility of a single-tyre formula.

These matters cannot now be heard until the next world motorsport council meeting in March, delaying the possible introduction of such measures until 2007 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, British American Racing Holdings Ltd, the holding company of the BAR Honda F1 team, has gone into administration following the failure of a legal challenge to prevent them shedding the minority partners Craig Pollock and Jerry Forsythe prior to the scheduled restructuring of the business with Honda acquiring a 45 per cent stake.

The team's sponsor and main creditor, British American Tobacco, is also the main shareholder with a stake of around 90 per cent, but wants to start a new company in conjunction with Honda. They can bid what they like for the assets of BAR Holdings, which threatened the move when Pollock and Forsythe refused to agree to a settlement with BAT. They now hold valueless shares.

¿ The Wales Rally GB will take place from September 16-18 next year, the FIA confirmed yesterday.

Formula One 2005 calendar

6 Mar: Australia

20 Mar: Malaysia

3 Apr: Bahrain

24 Apr: San Marino

8 May: Spain

22 May: Monaco

29 May: Europe

12 Jun: Canada

19 Jun: United States

3 Jul: France

10 Jul: Britain

24 Jul: Germany

31 Jul: Hungary

21 Aug: Turkey

4 Sept: Italy

11 Sept: Belgium

25 Sept: Brazil

9 Oct: Japan

16 Oct: China