Herbert Tops Irvine in F1's Final Test of 1999
Jerez hosted the last multiple team F1 test of 1999, and Johnny
Herbert proved quickest, and substantially quicker than new teammate
Eddie Irvine, who had his first run with the team formerly known as
Stewart. Details and photos in this report on the Dec. 13-16 test.

BAR002-Honda
British American Racing won the race to be first on the track with a
year-2000 challenger, running the BAR002 on a damp Silverstone Dec.
7th. The event marked the third run at F1 glory for Honda, which
dominated the sport in the early '90s. We look at the new car, and
provide a photo retrospective of Honda's F1 involvement, from 1964.

Coulthard, McLaren Quickest Every Day in First Winter Test
Times, tidbits and photos from the first multi-team test of the off-
season, at Jerez. Also, Rubens Barrichello's familiarization test
for Ferrari, run in private at Fiorano.

Fresh Out of Magic
Beginning in 2001, the revenue NASCAR will receive from U.S.
television networks will dwarf the income Formula 1 generates
internationally. The IRL is on life-support. CART is losing teams,
drivers, sponsors, fans, stock value and credibility. It's a hell of
thing to have to say, but especially in the U.S., open-wheel racing
has fallen to a distant second behind stock car racing. How do we
fix it, and is there still time?

Media & Marketing No. 20: What Does NASCAR's $2.4 Billion TV Deal Mean for CART and the IRL?
In a deal with NBC, Fox and TBS, NASCAR has quadrupled the value of
its races' television rights. With his badly broken wrist finally
having healed sufficiently to allow him to type again, Emmy award-
winning TV producer Robert Duncan gets back in harness with a look at
the implications for open-wheel racing.

A Death in the Family
Greg Moore's death at Fontana has rocked CART. His passing will have
a major impact on the drivers, and on safety.

CART's '99 TV Ratings Get a Mixed Review
CART has announced its year-end total viewership for the U.S.,
claiming a modest increase after several steps were taken to reverse
a three-year ratings decline. We provide comparison charts with
viewership figures dating back to 1995, review the performance in
detail and find that a quick overview can be more than a little
deceptive.

1999 Formula 1 Results and Final Standings
Race by race, the first six qualifiers and the first six finishers.
Also, final points standings and other stats. Includes a photo of
the Class of '99, gathered on the front straight at Suzuka.

1999 CART Results and Final Standings
Race by race, the first six qualifiers and the first six finishers.
Also, final points standings and other stats.

Neglected to Death
Greg Moore left the Fontana track at nearly 200 mph, the result of
nothing more nor less than driver error, and not his first. Mistakes
carry a price, but this one should not have cost Moore his life.

Year 2000 F1-CART-IRL Calendar
Out with the old; in with the new. The complete race calendar for
2000, week by week.

Fontana Marlboro 500, lap by lap
Significant events from the tragic CART season finale.

Japanese Grand Prix, Lap by Lap
Significant events from the Japanese GP.

FIAsco
Ferrari's successful appeal of the exclusion of its cars from the
Malaysian GP results was a travesty of justice. We examine in detail
the defense mounted by Ferrari, what the appeal court judges ruled
and why, and the sad implications for the sport.

Super Prix Post-Mortem
A commentary on the collapse of the Hawaiian Super Prix, and CART's
handling of the deal and the demise.

Ferrari Wins Appeal
Through a rather curious interpretation of the FIA F1 Technical
Regulations, the International Court of Appeal has upheld the appeal
of the Malaysian GP results by Ferrari. Full driver and constructor
points were returned to Ferrari, Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher.
Irvine and Ferrari thus hold slim leads in their respective
championships heading into the final round in Malaysia. More later;
for now, the text of the FIA press release announcing the decision.

ESPN Needs Only One Finger to Salute CART and Its Fans
With its usual professionalism and concern for its audience's
interests, ESPN cut the first 12 laps from the original Surfers race
broadcast, then bumped the first (complete) re-broadcast to show
arch-rival IRL's finale from Ft. Worth. CART was not impressed, and
let its broadcast 'partner' know it in no uncertain terms. Go get
'em, CART.

Surfers Paradise Race Recap
Lap by lap, the significant events from the penultimate CART race of
1999.

Malaysian Grand Prix Race Recap
Lap by lap, from the start to Ferrari's post-race exclusion.

Ferrari Appeals, But Not to McLaren
Ferrari has appealed the exclusion of Eddie Irvine and Michael
Schumacher from the Malaysian Grand Prix. We look at what happened,
how McLaren has reacted, and the chances Irvine might get his points
back in time for a Japanese showdown with Mika Hakkinen.

Irvine Interview: "There's No One Better to Have As Your Number Two Than Michael."
On the eve of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Eddie Irvine offers his views on his championship chances, Mika Hakkinen and the impact of the return of Michael Schumacher.

Schumacher Interview: "I am driving for the team and not in the interests of Eddie"
As usual, Schumacher plays his cards close to the vest, but offers an explanation of why he reversed his decision not to race in the final two rounds, as well as defining the conditions under which he'll assist teammate Eddie Irvine.

Paradise Lost
In just over a month, the stars and cars of CART are to gather in
Hawaii for the richest motor race in history. But with $7 million
already expended, the promoters of the Hawaiian Super Prix are
running out of money and time, and desperately seeking $15 million in
high-interest loans. If the loans aren't forthcoming, and very
quickly, there will be no Hawaiian Super Prix.

Miracle at Maranello
On Monday, October 2nd, Michael Schumacher was pronounced fit by his
doctors. On Tuesday, he tested an F399, then announced that, medical
opinions notwithstanding, he was not sufficiently recovered to drive
in the final two GPs. After a lot of bad press and another test
session on Friday, he announced that he would, after all, be racing
in Malaysia and Japan. Did Michael spend Wednesday at Lourdes, or
could his change of heart have been due to a different sort of voice
from above?

A Matter of Life and Death
We examine the accident in which Gonzalo Rodriguez died at Laguna
Seca, attempt to put it in historical perspective, and then look at
what a comparison between current racing and 'the good old days'
tells us about today's preoccupation with safety at any cost.

Houston Warm-Up and Race Recap
A brief warm-up session report and a lap-by-lap recap of the
significant events in the Houston CART race.

European GP Race Recap (99)
A lap-by-lap recounting of the significant events in the European
Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Vancouver Warm-Up and Race Recap
The significant events from CART's 16th race.

Bernie's Midas Touch Goes Up in Smoke
When the Belgian government booted tobacco advertising out of Spa,
Bernie Ecclestone was clearly caught off guard. Ecclestone asked the
team owners and the tobacco companies for a show of strength, and in
an unprecedented turn of events, failed to get it. By the end of the
weekend, people were beginning to wonder if F1's long-time ringmaster
had run out of tricks.

Schumacher Tests in Pain, Says No to Monza
Michael Schumacher ran 25 laps at Monza today, and five of them were
enough to convince him he won't be ready to race in the Italian Grand
Prix. Even the European GP appears doubtful. Herewith, Schumacher's
statement, and news from the first day of testing.

Montoya, with Ease
Juan Pablo Montoya breaks Nigel Mansell's record for 'rookie' wins in a single CART season, and makes it look easy on CART's new Chicago oval.

Carpentier Quickest in Chicago Pre-Practice
Patrick Carpentier, freshly returned from his Belle Isle injuries,
led teammate Greg Moore to the top of the timing sheet for a special
pair of Thursday practice sessions on the new Chicago mile oval. As
expected, the track has long straights and tight corners Think Dover
Downs.

Dutch Masters
Marlboro's annual Formula 3 shoot-out provides an exciting showcase
for young drivers on the fast track to Formula 1. This year, it was
again held on the legendary Zandvoort circuit, heavily revised in
pursuit of the organizers' own F1 aspirations.

Pick 'n' Pay: A Viewer's Guide to Digital F1 TV
Bernie Ecclestone is gambling million that F1's tobacco-free future
lies in the revenue potential of digital television, and what amounts
to pay-per-view. Our man in Europe, Robert German, has been sampling
the coverage, and gives a viewer's perspective on the benefits and
drawbacks of this brave new world.

Maintaining an Even Strain
Despite losing Michael Schumacher in England, Ferrari has moved back
into the lead in the drivers' championship, and has retained its lead
in the constructors' race. In separate interviews, Ferrari sporting
director Jean Todt and new recruit Mika Salo give insight into how
that has been achieved.

GM Lobbies for the Status Quo
The peace talks between the IRL and CART represent the threat of real
competition for the IRL engine manufacturers. General Motors has
responded with a public appeal to Tony George to protect their
position. We offer GM's complete statement, and examine their point of view.

Once More It the Breach
Consider it a different kind of silly season. Yet another round of
talks between CART and Tony George spins off rumors of an impending
reconciliation which would return CART to the Indy 500, but again
prove wide of the mark. This time, though, there's actually some
substance to the stories. We detail what is being discussed, and
evaluate the chances this long-running soap opera might end.

Speed Bumps on the Road to Indy
In a frank discussion at the U.S. 500, representatives of the four
CART engine manufacturers provided insight into their discussions
with the Indy Racing League, the possibility of a compromise solution
and why continually advancing technology is critical to all of them.
In the process, they also gave ample evidence of why reconciliation
remains highly unlikely.

It's All in the Timing: The IRL's Unique Approach to Reducing Speed
When race track speeds are, shall we say, altered, it's usually
inadvertent, or done to incease them. Following the Charlotte
spectator deaths, the Indy Racing League went the other way,
reprogramming their timing system to produce lower speeds.

Schumacher Crash Questions His Future and the FIA Safety Tests
Michael Schumacher's 67-mph crash into a tire barrier at Silverstone
ripped the front off his Ferrari's monocoque, raising questions about
the FIA crash tests. Will the accident dull Schumacher's edge?

Media & Marketing No. 19: Slight of Hands
Slipping in his yard a couple of weeks ago, Robert Duncan tried to
break his fall, and wound up breaking his wrist. Having to type one-
handed didn't prevent him from taking CART and its broadcasters to
task for failing to capitalize on the excitement being generated by
Juan Pablo Montoya.

Mosley Meets the Media
FIA president Max Mosley met with the racing press at Silverstone on
Saturday, June 10. His prepared remarks addressed grooved F1 tires,
the actions against the FIA by the European Commission, tobacco
sponsorship and drug testing in F1. The transcript of his remarks is
followed by a question-and-answer session. Transcript presented as
provided by the FIA.

For Want of a Buck, the Race Was Lost....
CART has lost Cleveland to the IRL, not to mention considerable face
and a $1.6 million sanction fee it will find difficult to replace for
next season. We examine what happened, and more importantly, why.

Reunification Theory: Who's Fooling Who?
Rumors of a reconciliation between Indianapolis and CART have been
flying for weeks. Editor Forrest Bond looks at why such rumors are
so frequently spread, who is behind them and why they always prove to
be nothing more than smoke in the wind.

Media & Marketing No. 18: An Open Letter to Al Michaels
Robert Duncan wants Al Michaels to skip next year's Indianapolis
broadcast, making Bob Jenkins the undisputed Voice of the Indy 500.

Confessions of a Brickyard Junkie
Robert Duncan admits to a life-long addiction to the Indianapolis
500, one which even three IRL races couldn't ultimately help him
kick.

Showing a Little Restraint
We're going to have higher debris fences, and wheel tethers in
everything from the IRL to CART and Busch Grand National. But will
spectators be any safer, or was this all just a public relations
exercise?

Media & Marketing No. 17: It's Still About Time
Veteran television producer Robert Duncan makes the case for
including lap times and gaps between cars in the television
broadcasts, just in case someone watching actually wants to know
what's going on out there on the track.

In the Eye of the Beholder
Since he sold his CART stock and his race tracks, the question on
everyone's lips has been, "What in hell is Roger Penske up to?" Just
avoiding a little conflict of interest, says the Captain. We look at
that rationale, Penske's previous and opposite approach to such
conflicts, and the fact that they have always been, and continue to
be essential to the way CART is run.

Winds of Change and Renewal
In his third column this year, our media and marketing man, Robert
Duncan, looks at the new Indy 500/IRL television deal, and what it
means for the Speedway, the league and CART.

France-Penske Merger Soars CART Stock, Ignites Rumor of CART/IRL Reconciliation
They're calling it a merger, but make no mistake: Roger Penske is
selling his race tracks to Bill France. Rampant rumor, and some
supposedly informed analysis say this means CART and the IRL will
soon get back together. Don't bet on it.

Last Rites and Wrongs
The Charlotte IRL race marked the second time in less than a year
that spectators have been killed in an American open-wheel race.
Editor Forrest Bond discusses what happened and what others have had to say about the tragedy, then offers his opinions on the events, the
reactions and where we go from here.

Through a Crystal Ball, Darkly
CART and the IRL are approaching critical mass. One is losing its
audience, while the other is failing to find one. In a wide-ranging
commentary by editor Forrest Bond, we look at what each series is
doing with respect to track attendance, TV viewership, marketing and
other critical areas, as well as how their approaches are likely to
affect their individual chances of surviving into the next century.

Back Home Again...in Irwindale?
Editor Forrest Bond sat in the grandstands for the opening night at
Los Angeles's new half-mile oval, Irwindale Speedway. In the super
modifieds, sprint cars and midgets, he found a reminder of why he was
originally drawn to racing. The next day, watching the Indy Racing
League's second event of the year, he found the distance between
Irwindale and Phoenix was a lot less than the map indicates.

The IRL: Turning the Tide of Battle?
Media & Marketing, No. 14. Over the winter, our Robert Duncan almost
turned his back on a sport he has loved for more than four decades.
In this latest of his continuing commentaries, he considers what drew
him to racing, and what nearly drove him away. And then there was
Phoenix....

Michael Andretti on Tires, the Swift and the 1999 Season
An edited version of an interview with Michael Andretti set the stage
for the CART season opener at Homestead. If Andretti wins, he will
be the first CART driver to take three consecutive openers.

1999 CART Driver/Team Lineup
The complete lineup of CART drivers and teams, including car numbers,
chassis, engines, tires and major sponsors. Watch out for the
asterisks and footnotes.

Kicking the Crap Out of Formula 1
From F1's tire grooves to CART's Handford wing, racing's rules makers
are fighting a loosing war against developing technology. The
methods they've chosen have reduced the risks, but have also taken
most of the romance out of the sport, and made passing nearly
extinct. It doesn't have to be this way. For over 20 years, drivers
and engineers have advocated -- and sanctioning bodies have ignored
-- a more rational approach.

McLaren: Alone Out Front, But Not Without Problems
The first GP of the year, not to mention the time difference to
Australia, always creates a few problems for us, and they show most
in our first practice report. Herewith, an expanded and illustrated
version of the Friday practice story. This report has replaced the
first one in the F1 race section of the RFOL site, and if you save
this file, you may want to rename it 99F01FR6.pdf, to replace what
we sent last night.

Life in the Pressure Cooker
Everyone expects the 1999 F1 season to be essentially a repeat of
last year, with Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher -- and McLaren
and Ferrari -- locked in mortal combat for the championships. No
doubt they are correct, but there will be far more to the season than
that. The pressure of intra-team rivalries will be intense, and this
year they have the potential to make or break careers. Team
performances will probably determine who has factory engines, and who
has the really good ones, into the next century. We look at those
match-ups, the new boys and then offer a few fearless predictions.
Hey, we could get lucky this time. It's possible.

1999 Race and U.S. Television Schedule
A two-page listing of the race start times and U.S. television
broadcast air times for all the Formula 1, CART and IRL races. For
all races, we've provided the starting times locally, for U.S.
Eastern Standard Time and GMT. Between the international dateline
and daylight saving time, an error or two probably lurks somewhere in
here, despite our best efforts. Naturally, we'd appreciate hearing
about any slip-ups so we can correct and re-post the listing.

CART Hawaiian Invitational to Create a Five Million Dollar Man
CART announces a post-season shoot-out for 16 drivers in Hawaii, with
$5 million to the winner, and another $5 million to the rest. We
look at what has been announced, what hasn't, and whether this meets
CART's apparent desire for a Big Event to counter the Indianapolis
500.

Williams, BAR Leave Early; Alesi Tops McLaren in Spain
What unreliability didn't do to trash Williams' and BAR's testing
plans in South Africa, the drivers managed. Out of spares, Williams
backed out of the extra day they had requested, and BAR followed
them to the airport. Also, reports and times from Barcelona,
Silverstone and Mugello testing.

TV Revenue is Down; CART's Numbers Don't Add Up
Examining CART's fourth quarter and year-end numbers unearths a
curious mix of apples and oranges. A little digging shows that the
revenue from television is shrinking as fast as the at-home audience.
There there's the little matter of the (last) Goodyear track
attendance figures....

McLaren: A Second Look
New car press launches provide limited access for photographers. Now
that the McLaren MP4-14 has been on the track, we provide four new
views of the car many think will be the mount for the 1999 world
champion.

McLaren Tops Ferrari in Spain; Williams, BAR Spend More Time in Garages Than on Kyalami Circuit
The duel in the Spanish sun goes to Hakkinen and McLaren. Farther
south, a rash of transmission problems gets the Bernie Test off to a
less than thrilling start. That didn't deter the South Africans from
turning up in large numbers.

New McLaren Shines in Spain, Benetton Runs a Close Second
On the third and fourth days it has been on the track, the new MP4-14
has taken the measure of Benetton, Jordan and the other runners in
Barcelona. We update our earlier report, and provide the times for
each day, as well as overall best performances.

Hakkinen Quick in Barcelona, but In Last Year's Car; Ferrari Tests in Private Ferrari Tests in Private
The new McLaren is apparently going to require some development, and the first race is four weeks away. Overall, the times from two days of testing in Spain suggest a major reshuffling of the pecking order in Formula 1.

For the Defense: McLaren's MP4-14
McLaren takes the wraps off its second Adrian Newey car, then has to put them back after one and a half laps.

1999 F1 Race Info & Start Times
A handy chart which provides track lengths, race distance and number
of laps, plus local, EST and GMT start times. (Replaces earlier
file.)

Spring Training Timing Sheet
CART's annual media event, Spring Training, is over, and Forsythe
teammates Patrick Carpentier and Greg Moore topping the two-day
timing sheet. The eight quickest drivers were all Reynard-mounted,
despite the presence of three other chassis and only minor changes to
the Reynard from last year. The engine manufacturers were
represented in Noah's Ark pairs -- Mercedes-Honda-Ford -- and Honda
had four of the top eight and half the top 10.

Ferrari 'Nervously Confident' in F399
Designer Ross Brawn says of Ferrari's 49th GP car that the team is,
"nervously confident. The step between the end of last year and the
beginning of this year is bigger than the step between the beginning
of last year and the end." It shows.

The Third-World Championship
Formula 1 has all but pulled a muscle attempting to scale
the Great Wall, and will race in China this year or next.
In Malaysia, civil unrest is rampant and ethnic Chinese are
subjected to race riots, but a 1999 GP has been confirmed.
Half of CART's global TV audience is in China, where the
per capita annual income is $2800. The stock and money
markets across Asia have collapsed, South America is
following suit and the new middle classes are disappearing
into poverty. Has anyone really thought this through?

Williams FW21
The new Williams looks just like...the old Williams. Sir Francis shows his team's standard-bearer to the press in Spain.

Benetton Unveils B199
With only minor rules changes for 1999, designer Nick Wirth says he
was able to concentrate on a more radical design for his second
Benetton, especially with respect to the aerodynamic package.

Quick Out of the Box
British American Racing has formally shown its first F1 car, an
intentionally far-from-radical design. Despite being pretty much a
'me too' car, it has shown an impressive turn of speed in its first
two track outings. Also, designer Malcolm Oastler on the differences
and similarities in F1 and CART cars.

Going. Going. Gone. A Mini Photo Review of 1998.
The arrival of an unexpected batch of photos prompted this brief
seasonal photo review of F1, CART and two series we don't cover, but
thoroughly enjoy, GP Bikes and International Rally. A far more
comprehensive photo review is in the works.

Formula 1 '98
Season results, by race and by driver.

CART '98
Season results, by race and by driver.

1999 Race Calendar
Dates and venues for 16 Grands Prix, 20 CART races and 11 IRL events,
with indications of the networks which will broadcast them in the
U.S. Subject to some revisions, chiefly possible (though very
unlikely) GPs in Argentina and/or China. Note the number of
multiple-race weekends.