German GP: Jaguar Friday notes

An overcast sky and low temperatures greeted Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa today as Jaguar Racing took to the revised Hockenheim circuit for the two one-hour long Free Practice sessions. Nearly 50% of the Hockenheim circuit has been changed and in addition to evaluating set-up and tyre options, today's Free Practice sessions provided the drivers with the first opportunity to acclimatise themselves with the new layout.

Many drivers fell victim to the slippery nature of the circuit and while Eddie and Pedro got through the sessions unscathed, Pedro's first session was cut short after nine laps when his Cosworth CR4-V10 engine failed. The car was repaired for session two and by the end of the afternoon, Eddie was placed 6th with a best time of 1:17.136 and Pedro posted 15th place with a time of 1:17.732.

Niki Lauda -- CEO and Team Principal

"Quite a pleasing start to our weekend. Eddie has done a very good job today and completed quite a long job list successfully. Many drivers were finding their feet a little at what is a very slippery surface. The new complex sections are proving to be a particular challenge for most drivers and some hotter temperatures would help us for tomorrow. Nonetheless, we are encouraged by our performance today although Pedro's engine failure set us back a little in session two. We haven't allowed Pedro to extract the best from his car so far and no doubt he'll be somewhat frustrated from not having got more out of the two sessions. As always, Friday Practice times are not to be treated too seriously and until tomorrow morning, it is very hard to make genuine comparisons with anyone. A good start, but a long way to go yet."

Eddie Irvine

"We had a big programme of things to get through today and we achieved everything on the list. We still have the same issues to address on the car, but not as serious as they have been in the past. The balance is definitely better and the entry into corners is also much improved. I am not complaining too much at this stage and some higher temperatures for tomorrow would not go amiss. The new circuit layout is very good. I think they have done an excellent job and there's now potential for overtaking. It has also increased the chance of driver error and from a drivers perspective, it is great fun to drive."

Pedro de la Rosa

"The first session was going pretty well until the engine decided to let go! Given how few problems we have suffered with this new Cosworth CR4 engine, it was a surprise to have the engine fail on me. Up until that point, I was working on my normal Friday checklist of balance, set-up and tyre options. The team did a good job of preparing the car for session two, but we were playing catch-up throughout. I haven't yet delivered the time that the car is capable of and we'll now work on understanding the options for tomorrow. As for the revised layout, I don't like it. The track is very slippery and to be honest, it has lost its character to the extent that you could be racing anywhere. The individualism has been compromised too much in my opinion."

Eddie Irvine
Position: 6th
Best Time: 1:17.136
Laps: 38
Chassis: R3-05
T-Car: R3-06

Pedro de la Rosa
Position: 15th
Best Time: 1:17.732
Laps: 25
Chassis: R3-04

-jaguar-