Estoril testing notes 96-02-23

Estoril Test - Friday, Feb 23rd, 1996. Driver Team A.M. Time P.M. Time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault 1:19.85 ...

Estoril Test - Friday, Feb 23rd, 1996. Driver Team A.M. Time P.M. Time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault 1:19.85 1:22.22. 2. Gerhard Berger Benetton-Renault 1:19.90 1:23.64. 3. Jean Alesi Benetton-Renault 1:21.86. 4. David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.86 5. Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:23.22. 6. Jos Verstappen Arrows-Hart 1:23.27. 7. Riccardo Rosset Arrows-Hart 1:24.49. The Jordan-Peugeot team wrapped up an eight-day test session at Estoril a day early on Thursday after drivers Rubens Barri- chello and Martin Brundle had completed over 950 laps of the 4.360-kilometre Lisbon area circuit. ``Not only did we improve the drivability and handling of the car, we also proved its reliability,'' Barrichello said. ``I completed almost 500 laps while I was there; it was hard work and we're all pretty exhausted, but I was very impressed at the effort which the team put in. ``This is the first time we have done such a long test; we went through everything, both on the cars and on the engine. In addition to working with setups we did a lot of endurance runs. Martin and I did over 4000 kilometres between us, and by the time we left it was working pretty good. ``It was a tough test for the drivers as well as the machin- ery, but it was very nice to spend such a long time working together; there was a really good atmosphere in the garage. Having completed their work a day ahead of schedule, the team returned to England to make final preparation for the sea- son-opening race at Melbourne. The cars will have a `shakedown' run at Silverstone on Thursday, Feb 29th before leaving for Australia the following day. ``I don't want to be too over-enthusiastic at this stage,'' Brundle said referring to the team's chances at the Australian Grand Prix. ``I will admit I'm feeling pretty pumped up. I didn't get a chance to go for a time before we left Estoril, but otherwise I'm happy that we have done all we can, we are as ready as anyone for the first race.'' Barrichello 458 laps 1997 kilometres. Brundle 494 laps 2154 kilometres.