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February Test Times Analysis |
| by Michele Lupini, South Africa | |
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Arrows, one of last year's regular two tail-end-Charlies, along with Minardi, have been truly impressive at the Catalunya circuit. And by quite a staggering margin too.
Pedro de la Rosa's new Barcelona lap record cannot be scoffed at either. Even if his Arrows was under-weight as many skeptics will suggest, forty or fifty kilos extra will take off a second and a half, no? And that would slot the Spaniard ahead of the McLaren-Mercedes duo anyway.
So you tell me how they're going to be any further down Melbourne's grid than sixth? Worth a wager, I'd say. Remember that Barrichello and Stewart were the revelation of early 1999 and they emerged from Barcelona quickest after the Winter World Championship a year ago...
Another factor of Arrows' performance is that it wasn't a once-off. I expect Verstappen and de la Rosa to be in the hunt this year - if reliable, amid the Jordan/Stewart second division.
Benetton proved that it would be challenging for second-division glory too, confirming Supertec's step forward with Wurz and Fisichella fifth and sixth. Need we mention that Arrows are Supertec powered too?
No matter who was faster in testing overall, McLaren-Mercedes was generally fastest on most individual days. Sandbagging? More than likely - had Mika and David tried they would have been in the Barcelona 1:18 bracket. And their biggest problem never tested outside Italy...
Of the rest, Marc Gene proved where a light car would have got Arrows' 1999 car in an impressive ninth with the Minardi, ahead of the hard working Jordan Mugen-Hondas. Much testing was done on its 2000 challenger, like McLaren none too quickly.
Jaguar found its feet at Barcelona after a miserable time in England, but had better results in Jerez.
Remember, though, that de la Rosa was almost a second under Barcelona's previous best and no one bettered the Jerez mark.
Jordan and McLaren also did many laps of Jerez, and as we have said already, we will only discover in Australia exactly where these two teams are at. But BMW-Williams must have gained a whole lot of confidence in Jerez after a disastrous time at a flooded Kyalami. Perhaps BMW won't be too far off the pace at the outset after all.
BAR had a good time in Africa, which didn't transpire to action at Jerez, although that team will be playing it very safe in Y2K after last year's debacle. Prost, however, seems to be going nowhere fast. If its off-season antics are anything to go by, Prost will be playing at the back with Minardi.
And Ferrari, you cry?
Well, that's the last segment, and as I can read it, I have left the best for last.
Ferrari has not ventured out of Italy in February. But at Fiorano and Mugello, there has been some record smashing going on.
Looking at the Winter World Championship, I see a most interesting prospect for the 2000 FIA World F1 Championship. But not very much will change from last year.
Michael Schumacher and Ferrari have to be the favourites for 2000. His teammate and the two McLarens, as always, will be his biggest problem - especially since he allegedly has to defeat Barrichello initially in order to gain his support. But Ferrari appears to have the upper hand at this stage.
Behind, expect the battle to be joined between the next team that will be launched into the McLaren/Ferrari superleague, Jaguar, and Jordan. Jaguar will get in among the big two later in the year - it has the backing and budget to get there and stay there. Jordan will always be a dangerous rival, but how long is a shoestring?
Challenging the second division, will be Benetton - looking for a way back in, Sauber wanting to get in and Arrows looking to shock the world. Arrows has the pace, in fact, to race against the second division, but does it have the wherewithal?
And then there are the teams that have the budget, backing and ability to compete at the very top: BMW-Williams and BAR-Honda are on their way up to fight a straight battle with the likes of Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes and Jaguar in a future F1 first division.
They will, no doubt, climb up the ladder during 2000, and this progress will make for one of the most intriguing developments of the year. The only question is how long it will take for these guys to start cooking?
Prost Peugeot? Well, it has it all to do. Right now it appears it will have trouble dealing with Minardi, which is likely to be F1's last ever privateer effort...
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| Jerez F1 Testing February 2000 1999 fastest testing time: Ralf Schumacher (Williams Supertec) 1:24.276 2000 fastest testing time: Eddie Irvine (Jaguar Cosworth) 1:23.241 |
| Pos | Driver | Best | 3 | 4 | 23 | 24 | 25 Feb |
| 1. | Irvine | 1:23.241 | - | - | 1:25.47 | 1:25.17 | 1:23.24 |
| 2. | Herbert | 1:23.320 | - | - | 1:26.51 | 1:25.69 | 1:23.32 |
| 3. | Fisichella | 1:23.412 | - | - | 1:26.62 | 1:24.68 | 1:23.41 |
| 4. | Frentzen | 1:23.495 | - | - | 1:23.49 | 1:25.09 | - |
| 5. | Coulthard | 1:23.612 | 1:24.42 | 1:23.61 | - | 1:24.03 | 1:24.10 |
| 6. | Trulli | 1:23.711 | - | - | - | 1:27.24 | 1:23.71 |
| 7. | R.Schumacher | 1:23.891 | - | - | 1:25.85 | 1:25.31 | 1:23.89 |
| 8. | Diniz | 1:24.067 | - | - | 1:26.14 | 1:25.35 | 1:24.06 |
| 9. | Panis | 1:24.220 | - | - | 1:25.32 | 1:24.22 | 1:25.29 |
| 10. | Wurz | 1:24.268 | - | - | 1:27.80 | - | 1:24.26 |
| 11. | Heidfeld | 1:24.399 | - | - | - | - | 1:24.39 |
| 12. | Hakkinen | 1:24.402 | 1:25.32 | 1:24.40 | 1:24.40 | - | - |
| 13. | Junqueira | 1:24.466 | - | - | - | 1:27.04 | 1:24.46 |
| 14. | Villeneuve | 1:24.750 | - | - | - | 1:26.03 | 1:24.75 |
| 15. | Zonta | 1:26.129 | - | - | 1:26.12 | - | - |
| 16. | Alesi | 1:26.989 | - | - | 1:27:95 | 1:26.98 | - |
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Barcelona F1 Testing February 2000 Track length: 4.728 km 1999 pole: Mika Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:22.088 1999 fastest testing time: Rubens Barrichello (Stewart-Ford) 1:20.591 2000 fastest testing time: Pedro de la Rosa (Arrows) 1:19.633 |
| Pos | Driver | Best | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 Feb |
| 1. | de la Rosa | 1:19.633 | - | 1:25.02 | - | - | - | - | 1:23.13 | 1:21.83 | 1:20.23 | - | - | 1:24.09 | 1:24.04 | - | 1:19.63 |
| 2. | Salo | 1:20.333 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1:22.44 | 1:22.61 | 1:20.33 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3. | Verstappen | 1:20.360 | - | - | 1:22.12 | 1:21.90 | 1:20.65 | 1:23.45 | - | - | - | 1:23.65 | 1:25.05 | No Time | 1:21.70 | 1:20.36 | - |
| 4. | Diniz | 1:20.764 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1:22.22 | 1:22.54 | 1:20.76 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5. | Wurz | 1:21.214 | 1:23.43 | 1:23.41 | 1:22.51 | 1:22.27 | 1:23.27 | 1:21.21 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6. | Fisichella | 1:21.219 | 1:25.37 | 1:22.79 | 1:22.79 | - | - | - | 1:22.88 | 1:23.55 | 1:21.21 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 7. | Coulthard | 1:21.413 | - | - | - | - | - | 1:21.41 | 1:21.44 | 1:21.75 | 1:22.45 | 1:22.19 | 1:22.15 | 1:22.08 | - | - | - |
| 8. | Hakkinen | 1:21.511 | - | - | - | - | - | 1:21.80 | 1:22.19 | 1:22.67 | 1:21.69 | 1:21.51 | 1:22.93 | 1:21.77 | - | - | - |
| 9. | Gene | 1:21.480 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1:25.69 | 1:24.28 | 1:22.10 | 1:21.48 | 1:22.76 | 1:21.61 |
| 10. | Trulli | 1:21.633 | - | - | - | 1:22.98 | 1:22.15 | 1:21.63 | 1:22.77 | - | - | 1:22.87 | 1:22.57 | 1:22.83 | - | - | - |
| 11. | Frentzen | 1:21.865 | - | 1:22.44 | 1:21.90 | No time | 1:21.96 | 1:22.13 | 1:21.86 | - | - | 1:23.55 | 1:22.07 | 1:22.06 | - | - | - |
| 12. | Herbert | 1:22.217 | - | - | - | - | - | 1:23.60 | 1:23.82 | 1:22.90 | - | 1:22.21 | 1:23.12 | 1:22.79 | - | - | - |
| 13. | Irvine | 1:22.512 | - | - | - | - | - | 1:22.80 | 1:23.02 | 1:23.81 | - | 1:23.66 | 1:22.51 | 1:22.82 | - | - | - |
| 14. | Heidfeld | 1:22.993 | - | - | - | - | 1:24.66 | 1:25.03 | 1:22.99 | - | - | - | - | 1:24.72 | 1:23.27 | - | - |
| 15. | Mazzacane | 1:23.645 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1:25.65 | 1:23.65 | 1:23.86 | 1:23.78 | - |
| 16. | Alesi | 1:24.882 | 1:26.99 | - | - | - | - | - | 1:25.86 | - | - | 1:24.88 | 1:25.18 | 1:24.97 | - | - | - |
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Kyalami F1 Testing February 2000 1999 fastest testing time: Ralf Schumacher (Williams) 1:20.993 2000 fastest testing time: Jacques Villeneuve (BAR) 1:23.276 |
| Pos | Driver | Best | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 Feb |
| 1. | Villeneuve | 1:23.276 | 1:34.04 | 1:30.90 | - | - | - | - | 1:23.84 | 1:23.28 |
| 2. | Zonta | 1:23.366 | - | - | 1:25.77 | 1:25.01 | 1:23.98 | 1:23.37 | - | - |
| 3. | R.Schumacher | 1:23.700 | - | 1:28.89 | 1:26.44 | 1:24.99 | 1:24.16 | 1:23.70 | - | - |
| 4. | Button | 1:23.936 | 1:38.55 | 1:37.04 | 1:26.67 | 1:24.78 | 1:24.66 | 1:23.94 | - | - |
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Fiorano F1 Testing February 2000 1999 fastest testing time: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) 1:00.712 2000 fastest testing time: Luca Badoer (Ferrari) 1:00.226 |
| Pos | Driver | Best | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 26 Feb |
| 1. | Badoer | 1:00.310 | - | - | - | - | - | 1:00.31 | - | - |
| 2. | Barrichello | 1:00.880 | 1:01.49 | 1:05.98 | 1:01.31 | 1:01.34 | 1:00.88 | - | - | - |
| 3. | M.Schumacher | 1:01.188 | - | No time | 1:01.26 | - | - | - | 1:01.99 | 1:01.19 |
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Mugello F1 Testing February 2000 1999 fastest testing time: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:26.704 2000 fastest testing time: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:24.705 |
| Pos | Driver | Best | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 Feb |
| 1. | M.Schumacher | 1:24.705 | 1:32.44 | 1:26.51 | 1:24.85 | - | - | - | - | 1:25.55 | 1:24.71 | 1:24.97 | 1:25.39 |
| 2. | Barrichello | 1:24.990 | 1:35.68 | 1:27.27 | 1:26.52 | 1:26.01 | 1:24.99 | 1:25.74 | 1:25.00 | 1:25.68 | - | - | - |
| 3. | Mazzacane | 1:28.666 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1:28.67 | - |
| 4. | Gene | 1:28.309 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1:28.31 |
Previous test times can be found at the Atlas F1 newsroom testing section
| Michele Lupini | © 2000 Kaizar.Com, Incorporated. |
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