Updated: 6 March 1998, 21:30 GMT
Honda to return to F1 within 3 years
(c) M-WEB
21:30 GMT
According to sources within the Japanese motor giant Honda, they will return to Formula One within the next three years.
Honda President, Nobuhiko Kawamoto previously suggested that the firm, which had massive success as an engine supplier in the 1980s and early 1990s, will build the entire car itself.
Reports suggest that a prototype has been built and tested by the company, and there is growing evidence that Honda is gradually gearing up for a full Formula One program in the near future, but these reports could not be confirmed.
Sources suggests that such a team would be based in England, as Honda bosses feel that this would be the best way to run such a team.
Former Honda-sponsored driver Satoru Nakajima and current director of Tyrrell, has been linked to the team, following speculations in Japan that he and Tyrrell's new managing director Harvey Postlethwaite were trying to set up their own team.
Up to now there is no official conformation from Honda, but seeing that 1998 is the manufacturer's 50th anniversary, there could be an announcement at a celebratory party.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
(c) M-WEB
21:30 GMT
Location : Melbourne
According to sources, both Shinji Nakano and Heinz-Harald Frentzen had the questionable honour to receive the first fines of the 1998 season.
Nakano received a fine of US $500 because he drove just 2.4 km to fast in the pitlane during Friday's practice session.
Later in Friday's session, Williams' Heinz-Harald Frentzen also speeded in the pitlane and received a fine of US $750.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
ESPN loses contract to broadcast F1
(c) M-WEB
21:30 GMT
According to reports on Friday, ESPN lost their contract to broadcast Formula One in the United States.
Sources indicated that Speedvision will be showing the Australian Grand Prix live and Fox Sports will show it tape delayed on Sunday morning.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Tuero bids to make history in Melbourne
(c)REUTERS
16:30 GMT
By Jonathan Noble
Location : MELBOURNE
Not many racing drivers include their country's president among their fans. Even fewer are in a Formula One team before their 20th birthday.
Now a third landmark is in sight for Argentine Esteban Tuero, who will be the third youngest driver in the history of the sport if he qualifies for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.
When the lights go out on the Melbourne grid to signal the start of the new season, the Minardi driver will be just 19 years and 320 days old.
New Zealand's Mike Thackwell was 138 days younger when he started the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix for Tyrrell and Mexican Ricardo Rodriguez was 112 days his junior when he started the 1961 Italian Grand Prix for Ferrari.
It has been no easy ride for Tuero, who only convinced the sport's ruling authorities that he was good enough to race by completing 2000 kms of winter testing.
In fact, Tuero's far from impressive record in the junior divisions has left him on the receiving end of harsh criticisms from both rival drivers and the media. "It is natural," Tuero said. "How can anyone expect somebody so young to go well in Formula One? "Of course I have a lot less experience than other drivers - - but I will get there and I will be the same as them in a couple of years. They do not trust me only because I am so young and new to Formula One.
"But I don't care about this and I don't feel any different to the others. I actually think it will be a big advantage to me because I have a lot of time to gain experience. "I have a life in front of me where I know I will be going, so what I have to do now is go slowly and try and learn as much as possible."
Tuero will have to learn fast. While he may smile at the prospect of joining Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher on the track, he will not be tolerated long if he causes accidents.
Yet he seems unworried at the kind of progress he must make during the forthcoming season. "Of course Formula One is different, it is bigger than any other category of racing, but it is all about work. "When I work in the pits with the mechanics and everybody, it feels just like it felt before in other categories. I don't feel any more pressure now I am in Formula One."
The pressure will come, however. Back home, the portfolio of sponsors that have landed him his Formula One drive have already led to interest from president Carlos Menem and results will be expected.
"There is a lot of expectation back home because it is the first time for a long time that there has been an Argentine driver in Formula One," continued Tuero. "I know the president and he is a big fan of mine. "I have worked hard to get where I am today and I intend to make the most of it."
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Goodyear chief dismisses fears over tyres
(c)REUTERS
16:30 GMT
By Jonathan Noble
Location : MELBOURNE
Goodyear racing manager Perry Bell has dismissed fears that this weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix will turn into a farce over the legality of tyres.
Some drivers feared that a number of cars would be disqualified from Sunday's event after the chequered flag if their grooved tyres had worn away too much and turned into more effective slicks.
But Bell, speaking at Melbourne's circuit Albert Park circuit on Friday, said the sport's governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), were unlikely to take action because tyres got slower the more the grooves wore away. "There is all this talk about performance and I think what you will find is that as the fuel load burns off, the cars go faster," he explained. "The tyres are going to wear but I think their performance remains pretty constant which means, as the fuel load drops, the times decrease. "But you reach a point where you wear the tyre to a point where there is very little rubber remaining. It then becomes difficult to hold the heat in it -- and therefore you lose grip."
He added: "We feel that to be able to take a tyre, wear it to a slick in a few laps and then maintain that level of the performance -- with it not wearing any more -- is not really possible."
Perry's beliefs were echoed by Benetton principal David Richards, whose team run with rival Bridgestone tyres. "I think everyone had great fears at the end of last season that we might have a policeman at the finish line who was measuring the tyres and taking people off the podium. Thankfully that is not going to be the case," Richards said.
FIA president Max Mosley told a news conference on Thursday that if it was discovered that the worn-out grooved tyres were quicker than new ones the federation would change the rules.
"We are told by both tyre companies, and all the evidence from testing backs this up, that if grooves are worn away, the grip of the tyre will be still less than with the grooves," Mosley explained. "Therefore we would not need to inflict disqualification. But if we find that is not the case, then we will simply bring in a rule which says that if there are no grooves at the end of a race, then you're out."
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Minardi Australian GP practice press release
Location : Melbourne
Beginning the new season in Australia is a good omen for Shinji Nakano ( No.22 ) who, last year on this track obtained one of his best results, an excellent 7th place.
In Friday's morning practice session Shinji could only complete 7 laps before stopping due to a malfunction in a sensor of his camshaft. Nakano did however obtained the 9th best time of the session with 1'39"044s. Nakano had no better luck in the second practice session in which he did not go beyond the first three kilometres.
Esteban Tuero (No. 23) experienced the same problem and completed his fist practice session on the fourth curve. The nineteen year old Argentinean, who made his F1 debut here at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit, had carefully studied the track over the last few days, according to the team. In the afternoon session he only managed to complete 1 lap.
Gabriele Rumi said : "We are at the start of a year of transition: the results of team rebuilding and technical improvements will only become clear with the introduction of the 1999 car. We well know how much work is ahead of us and that the path is still long, it is normal that the first steps are even the hardest."
Gian Carlo Minardi said : "Melbourne is the first race of the season and therefore it has always been a very interesting competition, because it is the first real test for drivers, cars, tyres. This year is going to be even more interesting, as we are at the beginning of a new age in F1 due to the totally different regulations. As far as today's today's trials are concerned, it was expected that we would have teething problems, however we would have liked Tuero to have completed more laps."
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Tyrrell Australian GP practice press release
Location : Melbourne
According to the team, their drivers, Ricardo Rosset and Toranosuke Takagi, coped well with changing weather conditions and a slippery track surface during the first day of practise for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
The chassis balance and adjustability which the Tyrrell-Ford 026 displayed from its very first test session in England continued to please the team and inspire confidence in the drivers as they tuned up for the first Formula One race of the 1998 season.
Tyrrell Managing Director, Dr Harvey Postlethwaite said that both sessions today were generally quite productive for the team. He said : "The drivers put in a useful amount of running on Goodyear’s new grooved tyres despite the highly changeable weather conditions. Tora (Takagi) had a small off this afternoon when he locked up the front wheels and slid through a gravel trap, but happily, there was no damage done. Ricardo acquitted himself well, his lap times coming done consistently throughout the two sessions. As in testing, Ford’s Zetec-R V10 engine is proving to be very reliable and that, in turn, is allowing the drivers to put in the laps and get a feel for the new car. That said, we barely scratched the surface of the 026’s performance today – there’s a huge amount more to come as the drivers become more familiar with the car and the circuit."
Ricardo Rosset who managed a best time of 1:37.144s in 25 laps said : "I was very pleased with the chassis balance and general behaviour of the car," The track was very slippery when I first went out and it was also quite dirty, with a lot of leaves lying around. The situation wasn’t helped either by the rain showers which occurred during both sessions. At least it gave the team an opportunity to evaluate Goodyear’s new intermediate tyres, though, which seem to offer good grip. I would have liked to have been a little higher up the time sheets, but it is only the first day of practise. If the weather is better tomorrow, I’m confident we can improve on the time. I am optimistic about being able to put in a good performance in qualifying and in the race."
Toranosuke Takagi recorded a best time of 1:38.817s in 26 laps said : "I am quite pleased with my performance today. "I have never driven on this circuit before and the track was very slippery when I went out this morning. It was difficult just to keep the car on the road. I must continue to work hard, though, and I am sure the lap times will improve."
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Location : Melbourne
On Friday 6 March, following the official practice session on the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, Australia, the FIA had a press conference scheduled at 15:30 with Michael Schumacher - driver for the Ferrari team, Damon Hill - former world champion and driver for the Jordan team, David Richards - Benetton' team chief, Alain Prost - Prost team owner and Perry Hill from Goodyear.
MICHAEL, HOW ARE YOU FEELING TODAY WITH YOUR COLD?
Michael Schumacher: I feel okay. It is going to go away soon. It is just not very pleasant to have it.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE RUN AGAINST OTHERS, SO WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS AFTER TODAY?
Michael Schumacher: I don't have a big feeling about today, it was a big disaster with the weather -- the wind and the rain -- so we cannot paint a picture of what happened today.
WILLIAMS WERE TWO SECONDS AHEAD LAST YEAR, COULD THAT STILL HAPPEN?
Michael Schumacher: No, because we have a better car. We have a good atmosphere, we know we have done a good job on the car, whether it is good enough or not at the moment I am not too sure right now. But it is close and with development and time I am pretty sure we are going to be there.
DO YOU LIKE THE NEW REGULATIONS?
Michael Schumacher: I have no problem with them. It is certainly more safe from the cockpit situation with better crash tests -- that is a good thing. On tyres it slows down, but it is the same for everyone so I have no particular feeling for that yet. We will have to get some more experience and see how it goes throughout the race and what are the up and down sides.
ARE THE CARS STABLE OR SKITTISH?
Michael Schumacher: A bit skittish, obviously less grip and you slide around a bit more. There can be certain moments where you have to work harder, you want to be on the limit but you have a situation where it slides more.
ALAIN, I UNDERSTAND YOU PASSED CRASH TEST. WAS IT WORRYING?
Alain Prost: Yes it was. We had one problem with the lateral crash test about two weeks ago, we damaged one monocoque which meant we were quite late, so we had to do it at the last minute. There was a lot of pressure but we had enough problems, but now it is done and we can work easier.
NEW ERA FOR THE TEAM, BUT A YEAR FOR BUILDING. HOW MUCH WILL THAT UPSET THE TEAM?
Alain Prost: I think we are in a very difficult moment, but there is no surprise. We knew that from the beginning. It is always harder than you thought before, we have a completely new car, gearbox and engine, we brought in 68 more people last year. We have built the new factory, we moved some people in there for the first time a few days ago, and then we had problems with the crash test. We had a huge amount of work and problems, but sometimes it is better to go down to get better in the future. It was better to do everything together and, in three week's time when everyone is at the factory, we will do it in the right way and I am quite optimistic for the future. Our target this year is not to win our first races, it is build a competitive team for the future.
MAX MOSLEY THREW DOWN A CHALLENGE TO THE EC ON TOBACCO SPONSORSHIP. AS A TEAM OWNER OF A TEAM THAT HAS TOBACCO SPONSORSHIP, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
Alain Prost: I read many times what Max's comments were. It is difficult to answer because personally I don't understand what could be possible and what is not possible. If Max wants to take this kind of decision then he will have to talk to the teams. It is a difficult topic and a difficult situation for everybody. Having tobacco is a big part of my sponsorship at my team and even bigger in some teams, so it is a problem and I don't know what is going to happen in the future.
Of more importance is where we are going to race in the future and that is a big part of if we have got tobacco or not. If we go to China, Malaysia or Russia maybe tobacco could still represent big sponsorship for these countries and if Max wants to ban tobacco in Europe, I don't know if it is possible myself. But if you know this kind of situation at least two or three years before, you can think what can be the possibility.
DAVID, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?
David Richards: I think Max has been fairly consistent on his views on the subject. He always said if anyone could prove the suggestions that he made yesterday then the FIA could take a view on it, but quite clearly with the investment that has been made, both by the teams and the sport itself, one has to be cautious about removing something as substantial as that overnight. He is well aware of the problems it would cause and the timeframe we are working for.
WOULD YOU BACK HIM IF THAT HAPPENED?
David Richards: Obviously we have commercial considerations, and we could sit here all afternoon debating the moral issue of tobacco if we are not careful, but his views have been fairly consistent.
DO YOU BACK HIM ON GOING HEAD ON INTO THE EC?
David Richards: It is a very logical argument, it is very emotive and people often base a lot of judgements on emotive issues without basing a lot of facts on the issue.
AT BENETTON, DO YOU FEEL THE BUILD-UP HAS BEEN POSITIVE?
David Richards: I think we have had a very good winter test session, we got the car out very early and have done an exceptionally good job from that point of view. With two young new drivers for the team we had to get a lot of miles in, but the time we have put in with Bridgestone is very good and very consistent.
DO YOU STILL LOOK ON THE DRIVERS AS YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED?
David Richards: If you look at the number of races they have done between the two compared with anyone else out there it is very limited experience. But they have a wonderful approach to things and a vitality and enthusiasm, so they are great drivers to work with.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MCLAREN'S BRAKING SYSTEM?
David Richards: We get to these technical issues that go over my head. It is obviously an innovative idea on the braking side, but when you get to the technicalities or legitimacy of it, I am not so sure of that. Our technical people will make their opinions felt, but if you introduce new innovations that require everybody to follow suit afterwards, it just increases our costs and we all end up back in square one again so you have to question the validity of that.
DAMON, NEW SEASON, NEW TEAM. HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR?
Damon Hill: It is good, I think that we started off a little cautious after our first test and we were perhaps looking to improve on where we were in testing and we are very keen to see where we stand in the competition. But today was a bit of a lottery and doesn't perhaps really show what the true picture is going to be tomorrow. And tomorrow we will know where we stand.
BIT SLIPPERY OUT THERE TODAY?
Damon Hill: It was slippery. It kept drizzling and was raining on certain parts of the track and not on others. So it was a bit like Spa at times.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END -- HAS THAT BEEN ELIMINATED NOW?
Damon Hill: I don't know where we heard that. We often get problems with the front end and problems with the back end -- we get problems all over the place. Drivers are never happy.
BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN A REDESIGN OR ANYTHING ELSE?
Damon Hill: Well, we had a slightly different lay-out on the suspension, that has been changed. But the performance of the car has been maintained where it was.
PERRY, FEWER TEAMS THIS YEAR. IS IT A LOSS TO SEE BENETTON AND MCLAREN GO OFF TO BRIDGESTONE.?
Perry Bell: Obviously we were disappointed when it happened, but obviously they were looking for a long term relationship, and business plans and things like that. So we can understand why they chose what they did. Obviously we are working very hard with the teams we have to produce the most competitive product possible.
YOU ARE SUPPOSEDLY LEAVING F1 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHAT IS THE SITUATION BETWEEN NOW AND THEN?
Perry Bell: We worked hard in the off-season. I think we logged about 8000 miles and tested 2000 tyres. So we are working hard with all our teams to work on that.
IS THE MAJOR PUSH BEHIND FERRARI AND WILLIAMS?
Perry Bell: I think we try to work with all of our teams together. We try to find the best thing for all of them and the compromise that works best.
LAST YEAR CRITICISED FOR BEING OVERLY CAUTIOUS ON OCCASION?
Perry Bell: The grooved tyres presented a new challenge for us, but I think it is going to take a few races to find out where we are at. We did an awful lot of testing wholly in Barcelona, some in Mugello and Jerez, but basically we are going to have to feel our way. So in most cases we will have a conservative tyre at one end and a competitive one at the other.
MAX MOSLEY SAID WHEN TYRES GET SMOOTH THEY ARE NOT QUICKER. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GROOVE DISAPPEARS?
Perry Bell: There is all this talk about performance and I think what you will find is that as the fuel load burns off, the cars go faster. The tyres are going to wear and I think the tyres remain fairly constant and, as the fuel load drops, the times decrease. You reach a point where you wear the tyre to where there is very little rubber remaining and at that point it becomes difficult to hold the heat in the tyre and therefore the grip. I would have to say that we have not reached that point in pre-season testing so it will be a new area for us.
SO THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED FOR POST-EVENT SCRUTINEERING?
Perry Bell: Within the spirit of the rule, and the way it is stated, you have to have a homogenous compound. We feel that to be able to take a tyre and wear it to a slick tyre in a few laps and then maintain that level of the performance -- with it nor wearing anymore -- is not really possible.
David Richards: Yes it seems that what Perry is saying is correct. I think everyone had great fears at the end of last season that it was going to be like having a policeman at the finish line who was measuring the tyres and taking people off the podium. Thankfully that is not going to be the case.
WILL THERE BE DIFFERENCES IN PIT-STOP STRATEGIES?
Perry Bell: I think it is very early in the season, I think we are still finding our way, I would say no. I would expect it to be the same as last year.
WHAT IS THE SITUATION WITH THE PLAYLIFE ENGINE?
David Richards: Playlife is a new generic brand for Benetton. You have probably heard of Benetton Sports System and they are looking for a new branding to encompass some new products. It is really in its formative days and it was a last minute decision to use that branding within the Formula One context. I think you will see what it involves over the next few years and probably in three years time see it take quite a strong position in our Formula One communication strategy. There is no illusion that it is an identical engine to that which Williams are using.
THOUGHTS ON CHAMPIONSHIP MICHAEL?
Michael Schumacher: I am feeling pretty confident in the car that we shouldn't be too far off. We should have a chance to fight for the championship and, after coming so close last year, that has to be our target. In particular knowing what we did for the car.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Sauber Australian GP practice press release
Location : Melbourne
Jean Alesi, driving chassis C17-03 managed an 8th position during Friday's practice session for the Australian Grand Prix with a best time of 1:36:095s.
Alesi afterwards said : "Initially I had an electronic problem with my engine which prevented me running when practice began this morning. I was only able to get out at the end of the session. Straight away the car felt good, however, and I was able to set a competitive time even though there was no time to start experimenting with the set-up. Unfortunately my running was interrupted again this afternoon, but I take the positive view that under the circumstances eighth place is very encouraging and we have good potential for tomorrow."
Johnny Herbert, driving chassis C17-01 recorded a best time of 1:35:876s which gave him 7th position overall.
Herbert afterwards said : "I'm very encouraged to finish as high as seventh place, because we didn't have a good balance on the car today. In the two runs that I did on a reasonably dry track the handling was difficult under braking, and I had too much mid-corner understeer. This is nevertheless a promising start in less than idesl circumstances and I'm sure we can go even quicker tomorrow when we have an optimum balance."
Sauber team chief, Peter Sauber said that they all awaited the first lap times with great interest because the start of the season brought so many unknown factors. He added that unfortunately, weather conditions militated against a consistent track condition for Friday's practice sessions, so their anticipation remains undimmed for Saturday's qualifying round.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Jordan Ausralian GP practice press release
Location : Melbourne
Ralf Schumacher, driving chassis 04 managed a best time of 1:35:708s during Friday's practice session with a best position of 6th.
Ralf Schumacher said: "The changing weather conditions made it very difficult for everyone today. I only got one really proper run in. But overall I am happy with how things went - it was better than I had expected and there were no major problems with the car. I was not really going for a lap time so it was a pleasant surprise to end up sixth. Hopefully we can find some more time in the car by working on it overnight. I think that there could be a further couple of seconds, possibly three taken off the drivers' times tomorrow."
Former world champion Damon Hill, driving chassis 03 recorded a best time of 1:37:102s in the practice session. Hill's best position on Friday was 13th.
Damon Hill said: "I am reasonably encouraged by what I saw today, although it is always difficult to draw any real conclusions from the first day, especially when it is raining. I had several spins which was good practice because I have been used to using a foot clutch, but now I have a hand clutch and I was happy to be able to keep the car going. It also meant I was able to see some of the fans! I think today gives us reason to be confident for tomorrow." The spare car, chassis 01, is set up for Damon Hill.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Ferrari Australian GP practice press release
Location : Melbourne
Driving their F 300s, Michael Schumacher, chassis 184, and Eddie Irvine, chassis 183, finished first and 17th respectively, with times of 1m 33.862s and 1m 37.981s at the end of the first day of practice for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.
During the first and second practice sessions, weather conditions were changeable and prevented the team from getting through its planned work schedule.
During the first practice session, the maximum air temperature were 15 C and the track temperature were 17 C. The second practice session saww temperatures rising with an ait temperature of 16 C and a track temperature of 20 C.
Jean Todt
"Today's weather conditions made it very difficult to work on the cars properly. Eddie did not manage one single lap in the dry and then he was hampered by an engine problem."
Michael Schumacher
"I am quite happy with my position today, but the weather conditions made it difficult to do any proper set-up work, so today's practice was more or less a gamble. We have not yet seen the true potential of the cars. If the weather stays the same tomorrow, anything could happen in qualifying. Today I never managed a single clear lap. Either I was held up in traffic or parts of the circuit were wet. But it was the same from everyone. The changing wind direction also added to the difficult of judging our performance but I think that tomorrow we can be competitive."
Eddie Irvine
"Generally we are not looking too bad and I am satisfied with the balance of the car. In the morning I never really got going as I came in to the pits when I should have stayed out, so I got out of sequence with the rain. So this afternoon I decided to stay out and put some laps in. Looking at the section times my first run was a good one, but then from my second run onwards I had a misfire problem which we never fixed completely. I think it is a good thing to have an unlimited number of laps available on Friday as you can get into the swing of the track. My car tended to wander on the straights and under braking because of the wind but I am happy with the overall performance of the car."
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Australian rookie rekindles hopes of F1 glory
(c)REUTERS
By Mark Bendeich
Location : MELBOURNE
The Australian Grand Prix seems to have it all: a challenging circuit around a picture-postcard lake, huge local interest and the blessing of Formula One drivers who rate it their favourite event of the year.
But the season-opener lacks one crucial ingredient in the eyes of its loyal Australian fans -- a local driver.
Many now feel that may be about to change and have pinned their hopes on 21-year-old Mark Webber, who in eight years has gone from racing karts in a small rural town outside Canberra to the very doorstep of Formula One.
Named rookie of the year in 1997 in the British Formula Three championship, Webber is the most promising Australian talent to wrestle a car around a track for decades and has rekindled hopes of a break in Australia's long drought of Formula One heroes.
"I'm knocking on the door," Webber told Reuters at the trackside as his own hero, dual world champion Michael Schumacher, went round the Albert Park circuit in the day's fastest practice time. "I'm competing in a car which is very, very quick."
Webber would not be the first promising Australian driver aspiring to join Formula One's exclusive ranks but finding himself overtaken by a nation's impossibly high expectations.
But the man from Queanbeyan, centre of a sheep-farming district, appears to offer more than just another false dawn for Australian motor racing fans.
In his first season last year in British F3 racing -- the last stepping stone to Formula One -- he scored seven podium finishes, including a win at Brands Hatch which was the first British F3 victory by an Australian since David Brabham in 1989.
He showed his mettle again at Zandvoort, south of Amsterdam, where he finished third in the world masters and was the highest placed rookie in the field.
Just as importantly, Webber earned a place in the stable of Mercedes-Benz where, sheltered from the financial worries that have shadowed his career, he wants to emulate the German carmaker's most famous young colt, Schumacher.
Webber believes he will one day race a Formula One car in front of a home crowd. "In the shortest time, I'll race here next year. At the longest, two years," Webber said.
Australia has not boasted a Formula One world champion since Alan Jones with Williams in 1980. Before that, Jack Brabham was the last Australian champion in 1966 in his third and final championship in a car he designed and built himself.
In 48 years of Formula One racing, Brabham and Jones are the only Australians to have won the sport's greatest honour.
Brabham is impressed by Webber. "I think he is a fantastic opportunity," Brabham told Reuters at Albert Park where he is still mobbed by autograph hunters. "It would be great to see another world champion but I don't think we should expect too much too early. I think he has the makings of a very good driver."
Brabham said Australia had always boasted many fine young drivers but very few of them could match their ambitions with the kind of financial resources needed to realise them. "You have to get some money behind you to do what you have got to do. We've had a few drivers knocking on the door but they don't get the opportunity. That's the problem."
Thanks to Mercedes, money is no longer the nagging concern it was for Webber when he struggled to find the roughly A$500,000 ($390,000) needed to finance his Formula Three campaign.
The head of Mercedes motor sport, Norbert Haug, said the step from F3 to Formula One was a big one and cautioned Australians against becoming too impatient for success. "Nothing is guaranteed. This is sport," he said.
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Schumacher confident of winning world title
(c)REUTERS
By Julian Linden
Location : MELBOURNE
Germany's Michael Schumacher emerged from his winter of discontent on Friday to begin a campaign he hopes will help repair his battered image.
Schumacher's reputation as the outstanding driver of his generation was sullied last year when he was found guilty of deliberately veering into the path of Jacques Villeneuve in the final race of the season.
Schumacher, 29, was stripped of his second place in the championship by the sport's ruling body, FIA, and has kept a low profile since with his Ferrari team conducting most of their pre-season practice in private.
Schumacher said he was thrilled to be back in the cockpit after setting the fastest time in practice for this weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix. "It's still something I love," Schumacher said. "I feel this satisfaction from driving again which I like very much. I can't wait to start racing again."
Schumacher's optimism at rejoining the Formula One circuit was buoyed in no small part by the improved performance of his Ferrari.
Although the German was still not completely satisfied with his new F-300 around the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, he said he now believes he can deliver Ferrari's first championship since Jody Scheckter in 1979.
Schumacher won the 1994 and 1995 world championships for Benetton before joining Ferrari in 1996 and would become only the fifth man in history to win three crowns if he succeeds this year.
Although the car was down on speed compared to the Williams, Ferrari have made significant inroads in the past two seasons and Schumacher now believes the teams are almost on level terms.
"I'm feeling pretty confident in the car. We shouldn't be too far off," Schumacher said. "I believe we should have a chance to fight for the championship, it's our target. "We know we have done a good job on the car, whether it's good enough or not I'm not sure right now but it's close. "It shouldn't be too far away. With development and time I'm pretty sure we are going to be there."
1998 Australian channel.[ Click here ]-Weather forecast available now | ||
Schumacher fastest in opening practice
(c)REUTERS
Location : MELBOURNE
Twice world champion Michael Schumacher shrugged aside the after-affects of his fall from grace last autumn by clocking the fastest time on Friday when practice began for Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.
The 29-year-old German, in his Ferrari, outstripped nearest rival Mika Hakkinen of Finland by six-tenths of a second on a day of intermittent wet, dry and windy weather, as live action finally brought an end to several days of hype in the annual build-up.
Schumacher clocked a best time of one minute and 33.826 seconds, at an average speed of 203.470 kph, to finish on top ahead of Hakkinen's McLaren and defending world champion Jacques Villeneuve of Canada in a Williams.
Austrian Alexander Wurz, one of the two new young drivers in the Benetton team, was fourth-fastest ahead of Briton David Coulthard in the second McLaren and Ralf Schumacher, the 22- year-old younger brother of Michael.
Villeneuve's Williams team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen of Germany struggled to wind up 10th and Briton Eddie Irvine was down in 17th place in the second Ferrari.
Villeneuve, who found his car twitchy and nervous on the dirty street circuit set in one of Melbourne's most famous parks, was not the only driver to complain about the poor conditions. "The conditions were useless -- it would rain and then you'd get a dry lap before it started to rain again," said Villeneuve.
"The tyres slide much more so once you start to slide, it is difficult to stop doing so. The other thing is that these cars are very hard to drive when it is humid and today it has been just!"
Schumacher, still suffering from the after-affects of influenza, agreed with Villeneuve after the session. He said: "It was very difficult to do any proper set-up work because of the weather. So, today it was all more or less a gamble. We have not yet seen the true potential of the cars.
"If the weather stays the same tomorrow (Saturday) in qualifying then anything could happen. I did not manage a single clear lap today -- either I was held up in traffic or parts of the circuit were wet. But it was the same for everyone."
Schumacher resisted invitations to discuss the regularity of McLaren's novel steering wheel-positioned electronic braking system which allows drivers to adjust the balance of the car's braking from the cockpit while driving.
According to paddock rumour, Ferrari were upset that the system was not declared irregular by the sport's ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA), and hoped that other teams would support them in a protest.
But McLaren chief Ron Dennis said the system had been examined regularly and passed as 'legal' by the FIA. He said also that the system was being used by at least four other teams.
The session was notable on Friday also because it was the first for new Argentine driver Esteban Tuero, 19, of Minardi. He is the third-youngest driver in the history of the sport and it was little surprise that he wound up slowest of the 22 runners with a time of two minutes and 16.609 seconds -- more than half a minute slower than the rest of the field.
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Australian Grand Prix practice session times
(c)REUTERS
Location: MELBOURNE
Results from Friday's practice session for the Australian Formula OneGrand Prix.
1 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:33.826
2 Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 1:34.432
3 Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) Williams 1:35.023
4 Alexander Wurz (Austria) Benetton 1:35.270
5 David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:35.409
6 Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Jordan 1:35.708
7 Johnny Herbert (Britain) Sauber 1:35.876
8 Jean Alesi (France) Sauber 1:36.095
9 Jarno Trulli (Italy) Prost 1:36.231
10 Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Williams 1:36.741
11 Mika Salo (Finland) Arrows 1:36.897
12 Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Stewart 1:37.023
13 Damon Hill (Britain) Jordan 1:37.102
14 Olivier Panis (France) Prost 1:37.102
15 Ricardo Rosset (Brazil) Tyrell 1:37.144
16 Jan Magnussen (Denmark) Stewart 1:37.605
17 Eddie Irvine (Britain) Ferrari 1:37.891
18 Pedro Diniz (Brazil) Arrows 1:37.928
19 Toranosuke Takagi (Japan) Tyrell 1:38.817
20 Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 1:38.860
21 Shinji Nakano (Japan) Minardi 1:39.044
22 Esteban Tuero (Argentina) Minardi 2:16.609
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Schumacher fastest in second practice session
(c)REUTERS
Location: MELBOURNE
Michael Schumacher bounced back from two spins in the first practice to set the fastest time overall at the end of Friday's opening practice for this weekend's season opening Australian Grand Prix.
The German driver, in a Ferrari, outpaced the McLaren of Finn Mika Hakkinen by more than six-tenths of a second but was paying little attention to the overall times.
"It is impossible to draw any conclusions from what we saw today," said Schumacher, who was suffering from a heavy cold.
Hakkinen's performance proved that McLaren will be a major threat this year.
Defending champion Jacques Villeneuve of Canada set the third best time for Williams.
Austrian Alexander Wurz, driving for Benetton, was the major surprise of the session when he set the fourth best time, just ahead of Briton David Coulthard in a McLaren and German Ralf Schumacher in a Jordan.
Former world champion Damon Hill could only manage the 13th best time in the second Jordan.
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McLarens fastest in first practice session
(c)REUTERS
Location: MELBOURNE
Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard set the fastest times on Friday in the first official practice session of the 1998 Formula One season at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit.
The two McLaren drivers, among the early favourites for this year's title, finished ahead of defending world champion Jacques Villeneuve and two-time champion Michael Schumacher in the first warm-up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.
Schumacher twice lost control of his Ferrari during the hour-long session, spinning off course after a brief rain shower dampened the circuit.
Hakkinen lapped the circuit in 1:34.726, more than six-tenths of a second in front of Coulthard, last year's winner in Australia.
Villeneuve, who crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix 12 months ago, was third fastest in the new-look red Williams with Schumacher fourth and France's Jean Alesi fifth.
Former world champion Damon Hill was sixth quickest in his Jordan while Villeneuve's team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen was seventh.
Friday's opening session was the first of four practice sessions for the weekend's race but does not count towards qualifying.
The official qualifying session to determine the drivers' starting positions on the grid will be held on Saturday.
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
Jean Todt
"The first race of the Championship is always expected with impatience. This year there will be new technical regulation and different tyres, therefore there will be much that is uncertain. The Ferrari F 300 is a totally new car, new chassis, new gearbox and new engine, the 047. As we come to the start of the 1998 season the F 300 has covered more than 7000 kms. We have worked a lot but only the race will show the true potential of other teams. The Albert Park circuit is very special as it is located in the middle of the city and the surroundings are really beautiful. Therefore, the start of this race is awaited with great interest because it is the first time in many years that we have seen so many technical changes."
Michael Schumacher
"I always enjoy coming to Australia. Therefore, also this year I arrived a couple of days earlier than necessary to have a little vacation near Cairns. The fans are always great here and it is a pleasure to see so many Ferrari enthusiasts among them. The circuit is located nicely around the lake in Albert Park. For the drivers the track is not very demanding but it is quite safe. The Australian Grand Prix is the first opportunity to see which team has done the best job in winter."
Eddie Irvine
"Melbourne is a great circuit considering it is in the middle of a city. It does not feel like a street circuit and it seems more like a real race track, which is fantastic as it brings motor racing to the people. It is a track I have gone well at in the past and I enjoy driving it. Technically, you always have a problem finding enough grip here and the car always seems to understeer because it has a slippery surface and it is usually very hot. It is certainly one of the best races of the year in terms of the atmosphere. I am really looking forward to the Australian race as we have not measured ourselves against any other team this winter, so we do not know what to expect. I think we have a good strong car and I feel positive about it, but until we start running we will not know."
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Villeneuve not afraid of Schumacher
(c) M-WEB
08:30 GMT
1997 World champion Jacques Villeneuve recently told a German newspaper that he was confident of again winning the battle with '97 title rival Schumacher.
Villeneuve said that Michael is not the best, and that he believes he can beat the German. Villeneuve said that if the Ferrari goes well, Michael will definitely be one of his strongest rivals, but added that he is not afraid of him. Villeneuve said that in his opinion, he is the favourite because with the title behind him, he's got new motivation.
Despite growing concerns about the competitiveness of the Williams' Goodyear tyres last week, Villeneuve said that he was "pretty confident" about the Mecachrome-powered Williams FW20.
When appearing on a chat show last Friday, Villeneuve also accused Ferrari of using Eddie Irvine to do its dirty work in '97, and said that this meant Michael kept his hands clean.
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(c) M-WEB
08:30 GMT
According to sources, McLaren is set to retain its driver-operated "brake-steer" system this year.
Devices which feature electronic braking control were outlawed by the FIA at the end of 1997. Following a meeting of the Formula One Technical Working Group last week, sources indicated that the McLaren system will be legal because it is directly controlled by the driver, just like a hand-operated clutch.
The Formula One Technical Working Group panel discussed several potential points of contention raised by Formula One's new rules.
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McLaren may be Coulthard's biggest obstacle
(c) M-WEB
08:30 GMT
Former world champion Damon Hill warned last week that McLaren itself could be the biggest obstacle to David Coulthard's title challenge.
Hill said that the Scot had a "golden opportunity" provided he did not end up second in the pecking order. He said that the problem Coulthard may face is that Ron Dennis has a barely-disguised soft spot for Hakkinen. He said that up to now, Coulthard seems to have coped with that pretty well, even when he had to pull over and give Hakkinen victory in Spain, but added that it might be an indication of how things operate at this team.
McLaren's managing director, Ron Dennis has however underlined his intention to give his two drivers equal number one status this year. He said that they don't have instructions until mathematically one or the other of them can't win.
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(c) M-WEB
08:30 GMT
Prost team owner, Alain Prost admitted recently that gearbox problems during winter testing have set his team back. He said that they know that they are going to have a tough time which will probably last about two months.
The four-times world champion's team has experimented with Tyrrell-style X-wings to increase the grip of their new AP01-Peugeot and boost its performance.
After testing, Olivier Panis and Jarno Trulli approved the new X-wing aerodynamic aids, which were designed by ex-Tyrrell technician Ben Wood.
Prost technical director, Loïc Bigois said that they wanted to make the car easier to drive because the drivers need to concentrate on looking after their tyres.
Other teams said however that the X-wings are of no benefit, as the extra drag is more of a straight line handicap than cornering downforce is a benefit.
The Prost team is expected to discard its wings on faster circuits but, according to sources, might use them this weekend in Melbourne.
Alain Prost has confirmed that he will test drive one of his own cars this season. The four-time world champion will take the wheel of an AP01-Peugeot in an attempt to learn how the latest Formula One machines function.
Prost said that the cars are very different from those he drove. He said that his objective will be to see exactly how they perform and to have a better understanding with his drivers. Sources indicated that the 43-year-old intends to test after the Argentine GP.
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