Sauber Valencia test notes 2002-04-02

Circuit de Valencia, 02/04/2002

Team SAUBER PETRONAS began a three-day test here today prior to the 73rd FI San Marino Grand Prix at Imola (Italy), Sunday, April 14. Despite heavy rain all day, Nick Heidfeld set the fastest time of 1m.33.03s while covering 42 laps. Nick Heidfeld will continue testing tomorrow (Wednesday, April 3), with Felipe Massa taking over Thursday (April 4).

Giampaolo Dall'Ara (Head of Test Team):

"We had to adapt our planned program to the wet conditions that we were not expecting in Valencia, after a Grand Prix in Brazil where the weather was extremely hot. Nick Heidfeld is doing more development work here, with the C21 set up in a number of different aerodynamic configurations. Despite the bad weather and lots of red flags that interrupted the sessions throughout the test, Nick completed most of the aerodynamic and Bridgestone wet tyre testing program and was able to make some interesting developments."

Nick Heidfeld:

"I mainly concentrated on set-up work today. I had a trouble-free day. The car was quite difficult to handle on this wet track. It is very slippery because of all the rubber left over from the motorcycle race this weekend. At one point I spun off, but the car just stopped on the gravel. I'm very satisfied with the way the car went. I am feeling very optimistic for tomorrow's program but hope that the weather clears up a little bit."

Weather: Very wet
Temperature: Track 120; Air 100
Distance: 42 laps, 168.21 kms
Track Length: 4.005 kilometres

-sauber-