• BMW's Wings Outlawed: There has been a lot of talk about wings this year; flexing wings, movable wings and, most recently, the outrageous-looking front stabilizer wings that sprouted from the noses of the BMW-Saubers at the French Grand Prix. The FIA allowed them initially, but this past week they were outlawed on the basis that they could obstruct the drivers' vision. Neither Jacques Villeneuve nor Nick Heidfeld reported any vision problems, but the FIA saw things differently, so to speak.
• Williams Confirms Toyota Deal: It's official, if not exactly the best-kept secret in the paddock: Williams Grand Prix has signed a three-year deal to use Toyota engines starting next season. Williams has struggled this year with its Cosworth customer engines since losing the BMW deal after last season. Toyota has supplied MF1 Racing for the past two years, and that deal appears to be ending. What will be interesting to see is how the Williams cars will stack up against Toyota's factory effort, especially since the series will use spec Bridgestone tires next year, and what will happen if Williams is better.
• Speaking of Engines: Since the F1 manufacturers have failed to come up with a plan to subsidize engines for smaller teams, FIA president Max Mosley reiterated this weekend that a full engine-spec freeze, with specs set as they were at the end of June 2006, will go into effect in 2008. Mosley would like the freeze to go into effect for 2007, which is a year before the current Concorde Agreement takes effect, and reminded the teams that this would be a sensible move. The teams aren't willing to do this, and the F1 Technical Working Group suggested that car speeds be regulated with tires rather than engines. It was reported that a possible compromise had been suggested that would move the engine-spec freeze date up to October 2006, but the teams seem unable to agree on anything, so it probably won't happen and millions of dollars will be spent on engine development through 2007 only to have the engines go back to June 2006 specs in 2008.
• Toyota Retains Trulli: Toyota has signed a three-year contract renewal with Jarno Trulli. His current teammate, Ralf Schumacher, will remain with the team next year in the third year of his own three-year deal. Trulli will be 35 when the three years is up, when he should be about ready to retire from F1.
• Todt Staying: Ferrari team boss Jean Todt has reportedly signed a one-year contract extension to stay with the team, leading to speculation that Michael Schumacher will do the same.
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