Minardi to test Arrows chassis

Minardi will finally hold comparison tests between its current PS03 chassis and the A23 chassis that it bought from the now defunct Arrows team. The test was scheduled to take place earlier this summer but was delayed by Justin Wilson's departure to ...

Minardi will finally hold comparison tests between its current PS03 chassis and the A23 chassis that it bought from the now defunct Arrows team. The test was scheduled to take place earlier this summer but was delayed by Justin Wilson's departure to Jaguar, and the subsequent need to have replacement Nicolas Kiesa obtain his superlicence.

Jos Verstappen.

Photo by Minardi Formula 1.

The test, at Mugello in Itlay, will be carried out by Jos Verstappen in order to see if the A23 can be used in the development of next year's Minardi: "We will let Jos drive both cars," said team boss Pual Stoddart. "I need some accurate driver reports on certain parts of the Arrows to see whether we are going to incorporate it in next year's car."

"The test should have happened already, but when we did the driver swap with Nicolas, I had to use the one and only test I could get away with for his super-licence."

Minardi bought the Arrows chassis' when Tom Walkinshaw's team sold off its assets at auction. However, it's unlikely the Arrows, designed by Mike Coughlan who is now with McLaren, will replace the PS03 as Stoddart doesn't believe it would be a huge improvement. "'There are certain parts I don't like at all," he remarked. "Like the gearbox. It would have to be massively better."

The A23 scored two points in 2002, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen, but spent much of the season sidelined due to the team's ongoing financial problems. Arrows eventually went into liquidation after a bid to rescue the team by German-based investors fell through.