Updated: 20 February 1998, 20:00 GMT
Ferrari return to Mugello
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
Location : Mugello
The Ferrari Formula One team returned to Mugello on Friday to complete another test session here. Weather conditions at Mugello were foggy in the morning, but sunny and dry for the rest of the day.
Testing began at 11h00 on Friday morning with only Michael Schumacher driving F300 chassis number 183.
Scumacher first completed a few shakedown and warm-up laps before he began a race distance simulation at 16h30. The simulation was split into three legs of different lengths with two pit-stops. Schumacher completed a total of 71 laps (372km) with a best lap time of 1:29:025s.
Schumacher's testing ended at 18h15.
On Saturday, 21st February, testing will continue at Mugello with both Ferrari's drivers and two F 300.
Tyrrell resigns from own F1 team
(c) Reuters
20:00 GMT
By Jonathan Noble
Location : LONDON, Britain
Ken Tyrrell resigned from his own Formula One team on Friday after a dispute with the outfit's new owners, British American Racing (BAR), over management priorities.
Tyrrell, 73, was understood to be far from happy with BAR's choice of driver Brazilian Ricardo Rosset as team mate to Japanese youngster Toro Takaji for the 1998 season.
He had made it clear he wanted to retain the experienced Dutchman Jos Verstappen for what would be the team's final year in the sport.
"The issue we've been grappling with for the last month is the significant difference in agendas for Tyrrell and British American Racing during 1998," explained Tyrrell, whose team will be taken over at the end of the season by BAR. "We at Tyrrell are about to enter what is our final season in the sport and our priorities are necessarily rather more short-term in their focus than those of British American Racing, which must plan for its long-term future in Formula One."
Tyrrell was joined in his resignation by the team's business development director Bob Tyrrell.
BAR's managing director Craig Pollock expressed his regret at Tyrrell's decision to resign but was keen to emphasise that the parting was on amicable terms.
"After a great deal of thought, Ken and Bob decided that our objectives were such that they would prefer to step back and let us follow our blueprint for the new team," said Pollock. "We respect their decision and came to an agreement on amicable terms."
Former Ferrari designer Harvey Postlethwaite will now take overall responsibility for running the team this season and he is also likely to have a role with the new BAR outfit.
Tyrrell founded his team in 1960 but did not move up to Formula One until 1968. He won the world championship with Jackie Stewart in 1969 and 1971.
The team's last win was in 1983 when Italian Michele Alboreto took victory in the United States Grand Prix in Detroit.
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was among the first to pay tribute to Tyrrell's contribution to the sport. "It is never easy to give up what is your life's work, but he has made the determination that his time in Formula One is now over," Ecclestone said.
"In deciding to retire from active involvement with his team, Ken Tyrrell leaves an enormous void. I respect his choice, however, and pay tribute to his contribution to the sport of Formula One motor racing over the last 30 years."
Barcelona testing report
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
Location: Barcelona, Spain
The McLaren, Sauber, and Jordan Formula One teams tested at Barcelona on Friday. Weather conditions were sunny with an air temperature of 19° C and a track temperature of 30° C.
The McLaren team's Mika Hakkinen set the fastest time on Friday in the team's new MP4/13 car. Hakkinen completed a total of 84 laps and recorded a best lap time of 1:21:30s.
Teammate, David Coulthard completed a total of 64 laps and managed a best lap time of 1:21:84s.
1996 World champion, Damon Hill also completed 64 laps and recorded a best lap time of 1:22:57s in the new Jordan 198. Teammate Ralf Schumacher almost caught up to Hill after he completed 68 laps with a best lap time of 1:22:60s. It seems that Ralf is coming to grips with the new 198.
Sauber's Johnny Herbert recorded a best lap time of 1:22:98s for the day with the new Sauber-Petronas C17 after completing a total of 25 laps. Teammate Jean Alési completed 70 laps and recorded a best lap time of 1:23:06s. This concluded the Sauber-Petronas Formula One team's test session for this week at Barcelona.
Williams heading for Barcelona
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
This week, the Williams Formula One team completed an intensive test session at Paul Ricard. The team then returned to their base to prepare for their final pre-season test at Barcelona.
The team is expected to be testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Bacelona from 23-25 February.
The team declined to release any official comment on the times they recorded during their private test at Paul Ricard. Unofficial sources suggested however that Frentzen recorded times that were in the low 1 minute 9sec.
Benetton's test at Silverstone
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
Location : Silverstone
The Benetton Formula One team tested at Silvertsone this week with Alexander Wurz and Giancarlo Fisichella at the wheel of the new B198.
On Wednesday, Wurz completed 23 laps after a slightly delayed start due to foggy conditions. He recorded a best time of 1m 27.9s while running in new gearboxes in preparation for the Australian Grand Prix.
On Thursday, Giancarlo Fisichella joined Wurz and the two did pit stop practicing during the morning and then ran in more gearboxes in the afternoon. During all this, Fisichella managed a best of 1: 28:31s and Wurz a 1: 29:63s.
The team will return to Silverstone next week for further shakedown work and a race distance run prior to leaving for the opening race at Melbourne, Australia on the 8th of March.
Stewart's test at Barcelona
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
Location : Barcelona
The Stewart-Ford team completed a three day test program at Barcelona on Wednesday during which they made steady progress with the development of the new SF2 chassis in preparation for the Australian Grand Prix.
Jan Magnussen drove the SF2 on Monday and Tuesday Before Rubens Barrichello took over on Wednesday and posted a best time of 1: 25:49s.
Barrichello said that they have made a lot of improvements to the set-up of the car which helped with the handling and balance of the SF2. He said that they have not yet completed 1000km of testing, but that he is more confident going into Melbourne this time than he was last year. The Brazilian added that they are not reading too much into the times because they have been running with a heavy fuel load, but that he is looking forward to a low fuel run at Silverstone next week.
Further testing is planned for the Stewart-Ford team at Silverstone next Tuesday.
Esteban Tuero on promotional tour in Argentina
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
Location : Argentina
Giancarlo Minardi has gone to Argentina for a promotional tour with his new driver Esteban Tuero, but he will retrun for the official launch of the new M198 in Bologna on the 23rd of February.
Minardi is expected to use the launch to announce a collaboration between the Minardi team and the University of Bologna.
Prost's gearbox problem solved
(c)M-Web
20:00 GMT
On Wednesday, the Prost team was out again running at Magny-Cours with Olivier Panis completing 50 laps with a best lap time of 1:18:8s.
Alain Prost said that they had diagnosed a gearbox problem, and they tried some new components which gave some good results. Prost added that they seem to be on the right path and he feels more optimistic.
On Thursday afternoon, Panis completed 44 laps with a best lap time of 1:17:8s. Bernard Dudot said that the good track conditions and better reliability have greatly helped them in improving their setup.
Testing continued on Friday when Jarno Trulli was expected to give his car a shake down.
The team's third chassis is expected to be ready on the 25th of February, two days before the team's equipment is due to be flown out of Milan to Australia for the 1998 season opening Grand Prix on the 8th of March.
Brabham say change could make F1 more interesting.
(c)M-Web
Three times world champion Jack Brabham said Thursday that Formula One is boring these days, but the new rule changes could change this. He said drivers have it easy these days.
Brabham is the only driver who won the title in a car he built. He said the new rules are not only implemented to slow the cars down, but to make it more interesting. "They're unspectacular, that's the big problem," he said.
"That is worse than going too fast because the crowd want to come and see some driving and the development has all been heading towards the cars just going around like Scalectrix cars."
"They don't slide, they don't move, they just stay on the one spot on the circuit and go quick - that's not really a spectacle."
"The driving I did in my day was a lot better from a spectator point of view with the cars sliding and the drivers working hard to control them," he said.
"I'm hoping the grooved tyres are going to move that way a little bit then maybe the Grand Prix drivers might have to work for a living for a change.
"The modern drivers have just got too used to getting it easy - I think the drivers should be made to work harder."
The 1998 season starts 8 March at Melbourne in Australia.
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