A1 Ring - - -Current permanent home of the AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX since 1997, the 4.319-km track is located near Spielberg in southern Austria. Jacques Villeneuve (Williams) and Mika Hakkinen (McLaren) have won the two races held there.
Active suspension - - -The use of hydraulic actuators in the suspension to control ride height during a race. Introduced by Lotus in 1987, it used computer software aligned to each track to control the actuators. It was banned by the FIA after the 1993 season.
Aerodynamics - - -The science that relates to air in motion or how it passes over, under and around an object. In aviation, special design contours use aerodynamics to promote lift. In motor racing, bodywork design is now used to promote DOWNFORCE - that is, the action of air in motion over the bodywork and other external components of a race car produces a force that presses the car down against the track at higher speeds. Originally, in the 30’s bodywork was designed to give lift to reduce tyre wear!
Adelaide - - -Home to the AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX from 1985-95; this track wound its way through city streets, and included a purpose-built section in the middle of a horse-racing oval.
Agip - - -Italian petrochemical giant that supplied FERRARI for more than three decades, up to 1995.
Aintree - - -Track five miles north of Liverpool, staged the BRITISH GRAND PRIX in 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961-62. An attempt was made to convert the famous horse racing steeplechase track to motor racing, in a 4.828 km configuration. The legendary Stirling Moss was the only repeat winner at Aintree, in a Mercedes W196 in 1955 and a Vanwall in 1957.
Alesi, Jean - - -Driving for Prost this year, Jean Alesi has driven for Tyrell, Ferrari Sauber and Benetton in the past. A fiery temperament, blindingly quick on his day, he unfortunately suffers other days when his heart is not in it. Usually his team ends up rebuilding a car after one of those days.
Albert Park - - -Current permanent home of the AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, since 1996, the 5.303-km track is located within the city boundaries of Melbourne, capital of the state of Victoria.
Alcatel - - -French telecommunications company and a major sponsor of the Prost Grand Prix team.
Alfa Romeo - - -Famous, Milan-based car manufacturer, now part of the giant Fiat Group. The first two Formula One World Championships were won by Alfa Romeo drivers, Giuseppe Farina (1950) and Juan Manuel Fangio (1951). The last Grand Prix season for Alfa Romeo as a constructor was 1985, although an Alfa Romeo-powered Osella competed in the 1987 Formula One World Championship.
Anderstorp - - -Town in southern Sweden, home of SCANDINAVIAN RACEWAY and site of the SWEDISH GRAND PRIX 1973-78. The first race in 1973 was almost won by Swedish star, Ronnie Peterson, in a Lotus. He led from the start, but was slowed by a punctured tyre, allowing New Zealander, Denny Hulme, in a McLaren to take the lead on the last lap. Niki Lauda was the only double winner of the Swedish Grand Prix (Ferrari, 1975; Brabham-Alfa Romeo, 1978).
Argentine Grand Prix - - -A Grand Prix in Buenos Aires run in three distinct eras: 1953-58 and 1960; 1972-75 and 1977-81; and from 1995 to 1998. The 1999 race was cancelled after the organisers and FIA/FOA officials were unable to agree on certain administrative issues. The first era was the exclusive preserve of Argentine F1 legend, Juan Manuel Fangio, who won four consecutive Argentine Grand Prix, from 1954-57. Brazilian driver Emerson Fittipaldi led the next assault on the Buenos Aires track, with a pair of wins in the 1970s (1973 and 1975), and Damon Hill won twice there in the 1990s, in 1995 and 1996.
Arrows Grand Prix International - - -One of the more experienced F1 teams, Arrows is headquartered at Witney, Oxfordshire, England, northwest of London. Arrows joined the F1 circuit in 1978, and had taken part in 321 Formula One races entering the 1999 season. The team was created by former drivers, Jackie Oliver and Alan Rees, and debuted at the Brazilian GP in 1978. Tom Walkinshaw's TWR GROUP purchased the team from Oliver and Rees in 1996. The team has been financially re-structured for 1999 with the involvement of Nigerian businessman, Prince Malik Ado Ibrahim. This year sponsored by Orange mobile phones and at last beginning to show the promise expected of a Walkinshaw project.
ASN - - - See ASNA
ASNA- - -National motorsport body approved by the FIA.
Atmospheric Engine - - -A combustion engine runs on a mixture of vaporised fuel and air. In a normally aspirated engine (atmospheric engine), the mixture is not forced into the combustion chambers; it enters the chambers at the normal atmospheric pressure. In the interests of providing extra space for sponsorship logos everyone turns a blind eye to the ram effect caused by having enveloping bodywork with a forward facing air intake mounted directly over the engine .
Australian Grand Prix - - -Staged between 1985 and 1995 at Adelaide, and since then, at ALBERT PARK, near Melbourne. Ayrton Senna (1991, 1993) Alain Prost (1986, 1988) and Gerhard Berger (1987, 1992) are repeat winners of the event. Run as the final Grand Prix of the F1 calendar (November) until 1995, the race now is staged in March as the opening event of the Formula One World Championship. At the 1999 race all six points scorers were current or former Jordan drivers.
Austrian Grand Prix - - -Grand Prix racing returned to Austria in 1997, after a 10-year hiatus. The first Austrian Grand Prix took place at ZELTWEG in 1964, and the race ran from 1970-87 inclusive at the OSTERREICHRING, near Salzburg. The last two races have been staged at the new A-1 RING.