San Marino Minardi Qualifying Notes

SAN MARINO GRAND PRIX - 25th April 1998 QUALIFYING The engines prepared today to run at a higher speed, were not exempt of problems. In the qualifying session, Nakano's car engine blew up after 3 laps only. The T - car, prepared initially for Tuero, has been quickly rearranged for the japanese driver who had, nonetheless, electrical problems, thus running just 6 laps. Esteban Tuero, in the qualifying session, went fine with any particular problem, even though, previously, he ran only 13 laps due to troubles occurred to the transmission. SHINJI NAKANO Chassis 04 21th laps 6 time: 1:31,255 "During this morning sessions I tested the new solutions adopted for the wings and the brake ducts, which revealed not so bad. The qualifying session was disapponting. Everything went bad on the car as well as on the T-car. I couldn't run a real fast lap. I hope things will go better tomorrow." ESTEBAN TUERO Chassis 03 19st laps 12 time: 1:30,649 "After the free practice I was quite discouraged, for I succeeded in doing only 13 laps, necessary for the set up of the car. For this reason I asked for a rapid exit from the box in order to try the qualificatin. I had no problems with the brakes, like it happened yesterday. Today a new type of brake has been fitted, which functions well." MARK PARISH - Ford Cosworth Motorsport Programme Director: " Today we used a new type of engine which we have fitted in the car for the very first time. But tomorrow we are going to use again the same specifications used on Friday." Imola, April 25th