Motorsport Monday report

With second place in the weekend's Indonesian round, Crocker has clinched the Asia-Pacific title with a round to spare. He is campaigning a Subaru Impreza WRX STI prepared by Tasmanian-based Les Walkden Rallying with Ben Atkinson, brother of Australia's world championship star Chris, as his co-driver. They won the rallies in Canberra, Rotorua, Hokkaido and Malaysia, but Japan's Toshi Arai, a non-championship entrant, took the honors in Indonesia.

Crocker will be presented with his crown at Rally China in November. He is only the second Australian to take the Asia-Pacific title -- the other was Ross Dunkerton who won back-to-back titles in 1991 and '92.

Price was runner-up at a round for the third time this season and hoping to go one better at the round to be run in three weeks at Bathurst. Macrow gained six points on Price, who is his closest championship rival, to extend his lead to 140 points.

The top five drivers in the series will be on double duty at Bathurst, competing in the Fujitsu series races as well as co-driving in the 1000km classic. Price and Jack Perkins, son of Larry, are teamed in the Great Race and will become its youngest pairing.

Fujitsu series points -- Adam Macrow (Ford) 1504, Shane Price (Holden) 1364, Mark Porter (Holden) 1288, Nathan Pretty (Holden) 1200, Jack Perkins (Holden) 1077.

On the surface its '05 pre-tax profit did not look a big increase on the previous year, but the US$413 million in '04 included US$93 million from the Interpublic group buying its way out of its contract to run the British Grand Prix. Bernie Ecclestone remains very much in the driver's seat at FOA despite most of the ownership now being in the hands of CVC Capital Partners, who spent about US$1 billion buying into FOA 10 months ago. Ecclestone's pay packet from FOA in 2005 was reported at US$4 million, compared with US$4.6 million the year before.

Meanwhile, Ecclestone and his family are being sued by Switzerland's Kamos-Finanz over a US$235m loan taken out five years ago. Kamos-Finanz is demanding repayment of the loan in full plus interest. The Ecclestone interests have until October 2 to lodge defences.

Ferrari boss Jean Todt is said to be concerned about an Adrian Newey-designed Red Bull car with a Renault engine. If Todt gets his way, Webber will find himself with a Ferrari powerplant behind him.

"It's the worst we've been since (co-owner) Patrick Head and I started in 1977," says Sir Frank, vowing to bounce back in 2007 but knowing that is going to be tough.

"Clearly our product is the problem. Some of the reasons why we have failed in races is lack of adherence to correct internal process. We know what we need to do to make a faster car.

"We want to beat the other guys and we can. But there is some very good opposition, including six manufacturers -- and they know what they're doing. That's the mountain for us to climb."

While Webber will be happy to be out of Williams and off to the Red Bull team next season, his '06 teammate Nico Rosberg has let it be known that Head is "taking a more hands-on approach" at Williams againt. Head oversaw all nine cars that took Williams to world titles but has been part-time for several years now, with Australian Sam Michael as technical director. A greater presence by Head around the Williams factory can either assist Michael or put pressure on him. Expect the latter.

As Williams switches from Cosworth to Toyota engines, one hurdle facing it will be the limited number of tyres that Bridgestone -- which will have an F1 monopoly next season -- will make available for testing.

Fiat will then own 83 per cent of Ferrari, with the family of the late Enzo Ferrari holding 10 per cent and 5 per cent in the hands of Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development company, which is also a key shareholder in the Dutch company Spyker that has just bought the Midland F1 team (formerly Jordan).

The remaining 2 per cent of Ferrari is believed to be held by an Italian bank.