On this day in F1 02 March, is brought to you by TheJudge13 Chief Editor: Cavallino Rampante
– Ferrari Break F1 Test Agreement
– Mosley Leaves UK over EU law
– Prost GP Buyer Controversy
– Schumacher Rocks and Rolls
2005 – Ferrari broke an F1 test agreement today, by amassing more than 50km of ‘shakedown’ mileage in a GP week. Debuting the new F2005 model at Mugello, Luca Badoer completed 317km — 267 more than allowed. Ferrari indicated that Badoer would continue at the privately-owned track tomorrow. In season testing was fully banned in 2009.
2004 – FIA President Max Mosley will move away from London and relocate the FIA’s offices from the British capital in order to avoid a controversial new European Union law which could see him and other officials prosecuted if there was a serious accident at a Grand Prix. The controversial European Arrest warrant allows magistrates anywhere in the European Union to have a British citizen arrested, and extradited for a number of possible offenses. Team chiefs have already threatened to boycott Grand Prix’s in Britain, Spain and Belgium - three countries which host F1 which have signed up to the new law.
2002 – Charles Nickerson’s Phoenix Finance Ltd was named as the company behind the deal which has seen parts of the French team bought and which could see a new outfit competing as soon as the second race of the new Formula One season in Malaysia on March 17. A French court ordered the company sold to Charles J. Nickerson and Phoenix Finance Ltd in partnership with the TWR Group. The fee involved was reportedly 2.5-million euros and includes cars, technology and development patents and above all the right to sign up for this year’s world championship. The FIA would later deny Phoenix Finance the right to compete in the 2002 season as an existing team, viewing them as new team. Phoenix Finance later sold the assets to TWR and Prost GP was officially dead.
2001 – Michael Schumacher suffered a scary crash in the first practice session of this year’s Australian GP. Losing control of his car at turn six while doing 175MPH the car rolled twice before coming to rest against a safety barrier. Unhurt he would later take pole and win the race.
