Updated: 30 January 1998, 21:30 GMT
Updated: 30 January 1998, 21:30 GMT |
All the information is (c) 1998 M-WEB and/or Reuters |
The launch of the 1998 Formula One cars, only on Auto Race Net
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Strengthening Minardi team
©MWEB
21:30 GMT
The Minardi Formula One team announced on Friday that an agreement has been reached with Michel Adreani of Monaco to act as sporting director for the team on the race track.
Adreani, formerly a Federation steward, will provide the drivers and the Minardi team with his thirty years' experience in the world of motor racing competitions. He will among other things handle relations with the racing authorities during the Grand Prix events.
Adreani was Chairman of the Monaco Automobile Club Technical Committee and member of the FIA working group for Formula 3, Formula 3000, Rally, Super Touring and GT.
The Minardi team also announced the return of engineer, Gustav Brunner. Everyone in the team greeted the news of the engineer's return with great satisfaction. Brunner has worked with Ats, Zakspeed, March and Ferrari in the past and his ability and experience galvanised the whole team when it became known that they will soon be working with him.
Minardi team manager, Gabriele Rumi said that the drive to boost Minardi's resources proceeds apace, nor could it be otherwise in the Formula One of today. He said that all the big teams, despite their established structures and wealth of human resources, have shown clearly that constant enhancement is a necessary and vital strategy.
Rumi said that one need only think of the outstanding engineers who, in the last two-three seasons alone have moved from one team to another to realise the determination with which teams seek to secure the very best in the business.
He added that it is logical that Minardi, in its new order, should follow the strategies implemented by the top teams, since it is their stated objective to ensure rapid and ongoing enhancement.
Mansell gears up for Chamonix
© Reuters 1998
21:30 GMT
By Jonathan Noble
Location : CHAMONIX, France
Former Formula One champion Nigel Mansell said on Friday he can win Sunday's Chamonix 24 Hours final - if he can take the knocks.
The 44-year-old Briton teams up with former rally world champion Ari Vatanen in a Ford Escort, with qualifying starting on Saturday.
And although he entered for fun, Mansell said he was serious about winning. "There is going to be a lot of contact, but if it is small you can continue," he said. "There are a lot of heats, a long final but if we can finish and stay out of trouble, hopefully we can be somewhere. "We are serious when we get out there."
On Friday Mansell, now retired from Grand Prix, got in gear by completing several demonstration laps of the Chamonix circuit. Also warming up was Sauber Formula One driver Jean Alesi.
The Briton added: "The biggest thing I have done so far this weekend is to make sure the car is in one piece, because it is very easy to crash and damage it. "I must pay tribute because the technical skill needed out there to drive these cars is incredible. Down the straights in Formula One you relax a little bit. Here you don't relax until you get out of the car."
Vatanen added: "If we have a good run and go well in all of the heats we will be quite well placed and have good fun at the same time."
Chamonix is a welcome chance for Mansell to put his foot down. On January 22 he was banned from driving on British roads for six months by a court after being caught speeding in his turbo-charged Bentley - his third offence.
Nigel Mansell quickly learns difference on ice
© Reuters 1998
21:00 GMT
Location : GENEVA, Switzerland
Nigel Mansell found out the hard way on Thursday just how different ice racing is to Formula One when his opening practice session for the Chamonix 24 Hours race ended in a collision with a rival.
The 1992 F1 world champion was enjoying his first taste of the ice circuit in the shadow of Mont Blanc when he was forced back into the pits with a damaged tyre after being hit by a Nissan.
But far from being angry over the incident, Mansell could not hide his delight at his first experience of the tight and twisty 1.3-km long circuit. "That was brilliant," he said after the session. "I haven't driven in the dark before and I couldn't see where I was going but that was incredible. "I overtook a Nissan and he didn't like it. So he came and smashed me in the back and damaged my tyre. It wasn't a big problem but I just wish I could have done some more laps. "That is the biggest blast I have had in motor racing for a long time, because you are never in control. It is so exhilarating."
Mansell's best time of the unofficial practice sessions was just three seconds off the times set by the fastest men.
Mansell will drive some demonstration laps for television on Friday before qualifying on Saturday morning.
Williams test after launch
©MWEB
21:00 GMT
Location : Silverstone
The new Williams FW20 had a shakedown directly after its launch on Wednesday at Silverstone.
1997 world champion, Jacques Villeneuve drove the car and expressed himself as happy with the new car, although he drove in very cold conditions. All systems on the new FW20 were working properly, according to reports.
The Williams Formula One team will be testing the FW20 at Barcelona next week.
Minardi's line-up finalised
©MWEB
21:00 GMT
The Minardi Formula One team has engaged Japanese driver, Shinji Nakano for the 1998 Formula One season.
The 26 year-old Nakano will pair up with Argentine Esteban Teuro. Nakano, who last year competed in 17 grand prix's for the Prost team, will start preparing for the 1998 season next week at the wheel of the M198 at Barcelona.
Nakano knows most of the circuits, thanks to the grand prix's he took part in last year and according to reports are the Japanese driver keen to find out how the cars have changed under the new riles introduced by the FIA.
Nakano will have to get use to the new grooved tyres but is said to prove usefull to the Japanese engineers at Bridgestone in this respect, because he will be able to communicate more effectively with them than any other driver in Formula One.
Giancarlo Minardi said that he believes after the difficulties which are inevitable in any debut season in Formula One, Shinji might do exceedingly well this year. He said that Nakano is not a newcomer and has gained the experience needed to operate confidently within the Circus, and that they will do all that they can to help Nakano realise his potential.
Minardi added that they know through experience that Japanese drivers give of their very best in terms of commitment and professionalism, and that this is an excellent starting-point from which to achieve success. He said that he won't deny that they expect a great deal from Nakano.
Ferrari to test at Mugello
©MWEB
21:00 GMT
The Ferrari Fomula One team will resume their testing at Mugello on Saturday after the interruption of their previous testing programme at Jerez due to overheated rear suspension arms.
The team's Michael Schumacher will be testing with the new F300 and there will be an F310B test car on hand as well.
Next week, Eddie Irvine will take over testing duties from Schumacher, according to reports. This will be his first drive with the new F300.
New Arrows A19 at Silverstone
©MWEB
21:00 GMT
The new Arrows A19's was scheduled to have its first shakedown at Siverstone on Friday.
The first of the new A19's would have run in a plain black livery without any sponorship identification, according to reports.
The official launch of the new A19 will only take place after the test session scheduled for next week at Barcelona.
Stewart SF2's shakedown postponed
©MWEB
21:00 GMT
The stewart Formula One team postponed the shakedown of their new SF2 model until Friday, or next week Monday. The final decision depended on the solving of the problem they experienced with the new carbon-fibre cased gearbox.
Stewart team manager, David Stubbs said that it is nothing particularly serious, it is only natural when you start dealing with new materials.
According to reports, the team already started moving to its new headquarters at Tilbrook which has been purchased from SKF and is part of a 5 million pound investment. The new site has 80,000 sq ft available, which is three times bigger than the current Stewart premises and will house the team's autoclave, six Formula One bays and a gym.
The official opening of their new headquarters is scheduled for May and is said to produce up to 50 per cent of its cars in-house by the end of the year, a proportion which Jackie Stewart hopes will rise to 90 per cent by the end of 1999.
McLaren back at Barcelona for tyre testing
©MWEB
21:00 GMT
McLaren's two drivers, Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard will be back at Barcelona on Sunday for a four day Bridgestone tyre test programme with the team's 1997 cars, the MP4/12's.
The drive is said to continue until Wednesday after which both drivers will fly back to Britain for the technical preview of the new MP4/13 which will be held at McLaren's Woking headquarters on Thursday morning.
Ferrari to resume testing.
©MWEB
12:10 GMT
Location: Mugello
The Ferrari Formula One team will resume its testing at Mugello on Saturday. The team's test session was delayed last week after a problem with the exhaust caused damaged to the chassis.
This was the second major problem for the team. The first problem occurred when the electronics between the engine and the gearbox caused problems.
Double world champion Michael Schumacher said he hopes that they have sorted out all the major problems. He also said they are running out of time.
The 1998 Formula One season starts on 8 March 1998.
Schumacher's voice rouses fan from coma - Bild
©RUETERS
11:30 GMT
Location: FRANKFURT
A recording of the voice of German Formula One driver Michael Schumacher helped a devoted Italian fan emerge from a coma, Germany's Bild newspaper reported on Friday.
Bild said Schumacher sent a taped message to the parents of the 24-year-old man, identified only as Sandro, who lapsed into a coma after a car crash in March last year.
"Hello, Sandro, it's me -- Michael Schumacher from Ferrari. Please wake up. Please, dear Sandro, get better so I can visit you," it quoted the former world champion as imploring on the tape.
After several weeks of repeated playings, Sandro opened his eyes and emerged from the coma, Bild reported.
It added that the two had since had an emotional meeting and that Schumacher planned to invite the fan to a Ferrari test drive.
Schumacher was stripped of his second place in the 1997 drivers' world championship after ramming into the car of title rival Jacques Villeneuve in the deciding, final Grand Prix.
Sauber test report.
Location: Fiorano, Italy.
06:00 GMT
Track report - Fiorano TEST - 25. - 27.01.98
Sauber's Johnny Herbert set a faster time in his 1998 Sauber than any of the Ferrari drivers, according to sources. Nicola Larini set the previous fastest time on 30 December. Larini's time was 1:04.068 seconds compared to Herbert's time of 1:02.762 seconds.
Here is all the times as supplied by Sauber.
SUNDAY, January 25, 1998 - 10.30 - 18.00 hrs / FIRST DAY
MONDAY, January 26, 1998 9.00 - 11.00 hrs / SECOND DAY
TUESDAY, January 27, 1998 9.00 - 17.30 hrs / THIRD DAY
(Fastest lap Ferrari 98 1.04,068 Nicola Larini Dec. 30, 1997)
Prost completes test
©MWEB
06:00 GMT
Location: Magny-Cours, France.
The Prost Formula One team complete their first test session at Magny-Cours in France on Thursday with the AP01. Both drivers were in action during the two day test session.
Frenchman Olivier Panis completed 11 laps, while his teammate Jarno Trulli completed 19 laps. The team's session ended prematurely on Thursday when Trulli damaged the AP01's suspension, according to reports Friday.
Team boss Alain Prost said Thursday that they would start a test session at Baracelona in Spain on Monday.
Mansell in for an icy surprise
©RUETERS
05:30 GMT
By Jonathan Noble
Location: GENEVA
Nigel Mansell could be forgiven for thinking he has seen it all in motor racing after winning world championships on both sides of the Atlantic.
But according to Ari Vatanen, his team mate in this weekend's Chamonix 24 Hours race, nothing will have prepared Mansell for his battles with the ice circuit in the shadow of Mont Blanc.
Vatanen, former rallying world champion, has raced at Chamonix three times before and admits the technique of driving sideways on ice at speeds of up to 140 kph is alien to what Mansell will have learned in Formula One.
"Ice racing is a funny combination," explained Vatanen.
"You actually have to be very aggressive as it is so slippery, but you also have to be very delicate because if you come into a corner too fast you run wide and won't get round it.
"Ice racing is very professional and I would compare it to how Formula One was 15 years ago. We are under no illusions and it is going to be very tough here."
The biggest difference between ice racing and any other form of competition, according to Vatanen, is the amount of contact there is between competitors during the events.
"The racing is relatively low speed and that means you can force your car between a snow bank and the car in front if he leaves a space," said Vatanen.
"You literally put your nose in and then plough your way through. "It is quite violent, fibre glass will be flying, and Nigel is not going to have time to get used to that because he will be straight out there in the heats."
When asked what he thought of the physical nature of ice racing, Mansell said it was exactly as he had expected. "I think it is going to be kamikaze, it really is," he said.
"It is going to be quite exciting to see how the experts do it and from what my sons tell me, because they have watched ice racing a lot on television, you just punt other people out the way to get past."
Mansell, former world champion in Formula One and IndyCar, had his first taste of tangling with a rival when his opening practice session ended with a collision.
He was forced back into the pits with a damaged tyre after being hit by a Nissan.
"I overtook this guy and he didn't like it," said Mansell. So he came and smashed me in the back and damaged my tyre. It wasn't a big problem."
He described the session as "the biggest blast" he had had in motor racing for a long time.
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