Bringing back the Friday qualifying session is off. The FIA have decided this during a meeting in Paris today.

The France Grand Prix has been removed from the provisional Grand Prix calendar because of Television rights again. Similar problems arose last year but this time it seems wore. A FIA statement said: "The inclusion of the French Grand Prix in the 1998 calendar may only be reconsidered by the World Motor Sport Council if a clear law allowing the respect of TV contracts is adopted by the French government."

A French court rules earlier this year that the national broadcasting stations are entitled to broadcast their home Grand Prix. The FIA contracts state however that the FIA has the exclusive rights.

The Stewart team will keep their 1997 line-up in the 1998 season. Jan Magnussen was still unsure because of his bad results but he has proven his worth to the team over the last couple of races.