By CHRIS LINES
AP Auto Racing Writer
SHANGHAI −The traveling show that is Formula One has been impacted by the European ash cloud, but the timing of it could have been far worse for the teams and organizers ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
All the team members and equipment had already arrived in Shanghai by the time of Wednesday's eruption of the Icelandic volcano. And by the time the teams are due to departure Monday, some air traffic will likely be allowed back into Europe, where all F1 teams are based.
There were some problems in the delivery of late-arriving auto parts to Shanghai and some that only left Europe just in time. Most major parts upgrades are being put off until the next race in Barcelona.
There is a three-week break until the Barcelona race, so the drivers can afford to wait a couple of days before returning to team headquarters.
However, even the slightest delay will be a headache for the engineering staff, who will want as much time as possible to start overhauling their cars. The mini-break before the European section of the season is when the bulk of new parts are designed and fitted for the remainder of the campaign.
The Shanghai media center had been a hive of activity in the days leading up to the Chinese race, as the hundreds of the mostly European-based television and print reporters scramble to book alternative planes, trains and automobiles to make their way home.
JAPANESE IN HISPANIA: Hispania announced Saturday that it had signed Japan's Sakon Yamamoto as its reserve driver for the remainder of the season.
The 27-year-old Yamamoto has F1 experience, having driven seven races for Super Aguri in 2006 and seven with Spyker in 2007, without scoring a competition point.
Most importantly for a small team such as Hispania, he was expected to bring a significant but unspecified amount of money with him to get the position.
"It is fantastic to be part of a new team and I hope I will be able to gather useful data whenever possible on Friday for the race drivers,'' Yamamoto said in a team statement.
"I'm proud to work with this Spanish team, because Spain is like my second home as I also live in Barcelona.''
WEAVING BAN: F1 drivers have called for tougher penalties for those who weave down the straight to block an opponent or break an aerodynamic 'tow'.
In the previous race in Malaysia, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton weaved across the pit straight several times to try to stop Renault rookie Vitaly Petrov getting a draft and attempting a passing move at the first corner. That breached the general agreement among drivers that they can only move once to defend their position, not dodge from side to side.
Hamilton immediately received an official caution from race stewards, but the drivers' meeting here on Friday told FIA race director Charlie Whiting that cautions were not enough and there should be stricter penalties in future.
"Most of the drivers think that, no matter whether it is Lewis or anyone else, you shouldn't do it,'' Lotus driver Jarno Trulli told Autosport.
"And if you do, Charlie should not give a reprimand but a penalty so that we all know not to do it. We don't want a yellow card, we would prefer to have a red card.
"Charlie got the message and he's happy with it. It's just a clarification of the rule.''
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