Jorg Muller has a big chance of becoming the test-driver for the Sauber team. He had been the test-driver for Arrows and was promised a seat, but when this fell through he wanted to drive in the Indy Car Racing League. He suddenly got a chance of showing his potential in a Sauber last week at the Barcelona track. He did a very good job there that it is very likely he is going to replace Norberto Fontana.

Pollock is no longer Villeneuve's manager. He will have to much to do as managing director of the BAR team next season. Julian Jakobi, who also works for the BAR team, will replace him.

Juan Pablo Montoya has done a very good job last week for the Williams team. Williams decided to test for drivers of which one could become their test driver. Montaya was over a second faster than the other driver. Being asked if this would help he replied: "I hope that will help. A second in Formula 1 is a very big difference. Minassian lost control and ended in a sand trap, as well as Ayari. Wilson went through the grass while I never had even a tire on the grass and also I was the fastest. If they analyse these facts we should be optimistic."

He also said: "305 kilometres/hour. I knew I could be faster than the other pilots in the Williams test. I have beaten them sometimes and they have also beaten me. I wanted to be the fastest, but I never imagine I would be faster than the Benetton drivers in their 98 car."

Imperial Tobacco has cut the financial lifeline to a number of cultural and sporting events across Canada with its decision to pull $50 million of sponsorship money.

The decision to withdraw funding leaves the Canadian Grand Prix as well as the Toronto and Vancouver CART races, scrambling to find new sponsors.

Imperial says effective October 1998, they can no longer commit sponsorship dollars to these and other cultural events because of the federal government's anti-smoking advertising legislation.

Govenrnment ministers were quick to say they are not about to give in to Imperial's "blackmail". However, the tobacco giant says the company had no choice. It says it couldn't wait for the government to make necessary changes to the bill that would al

Human Resources Ministe Pierre Pettigrew says the Liberals plan to take steps to ensure the future of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada were pleased with Imperial Tobacco's decision to pul out of sponsorships.

"We have been trying to liberate these events from tobacco promotion for many years," Dr. Mark Taylor said in a statement. "For the industry to agree to depart willingly is the best possible outcome."

Among some of the other events affected by Imperial Tobacco's decision is the Montreal International Jazz festival, the du Maurier golf tournament and the two major tennis tournaments in Canada.