Silverstone test session report 2002-02-18

Formula One Test Session, Monday18 February 2002
Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, England

Drivers: Jarno Trulli (Renault), Giancarlo Fisichella (Jordan), Takuma Sato (Jordan), Heinz-Harold Frentzen (Arrows)

A lot of activity was expected as five teams had trucks in the paddock. In reality only four drivers from three teams made it onto the track, two of these drivers suffered problems during the day and Sato only left the pits near the end of the session. The result was that Jarno Trulli was left virtually to himself and consequently set the fastest time of the day, and completed a race distance too.

A damp track greeted the teams early in the morning, although bright sunshine and clear skies promised a drying track. The Arrows, Jordan and Renault trucks were already in the paddock, with the Jaguar lorry arriving early directly from abroad, and a BAR lorry arriving shortly afterwards.

After a slight wait the first car on the circuit was the Renault of Trulli, who completed an installation lap followed by six flying laps. None of these lap was under 1m 40sec and, although the track was dry in some places, it was treacherously damp in others. The Becketts complex was noticeably difficult and Trulli took particular care through there.

He was followed not long afterwards by the newly-appointed Arrows driver Heinz-Harold Frentzen. He too completed an installation lap and then a short run. The car was running orange and black livery with no sponsorship. Frentzen was also careful, although dry lines were starting to emerge all round the circuit. He commenced on a second run a little later, but his engine sounded rough as he crossed the start-line and it got as far as Beckets before smoking mildly and cutting out, causing the German to coast to a halt directly under the bridge along the Hanger Straight.

After a slight pause Trulli came back out and completed the first stint of his race distance, running some 20 laps and gradually creeping down to under 1m 30s. As the session ended for lunch Giancarlo completed a single slow installation lap in the Jordan EJ12.

Trulli was back out an hour later and successfully completed his second race stint, trying a variety of lines through the corners but not pushing too hard. He returned to the pits for a few minutes and then started his final race stint, but this was brought to a premature halt by a minor engine problem.

Fisichella then did his first run of the day and then shortly afterwards attempted a second run. However he went off the circuit at Becketts on his first flying-lap and damaged the front wing, which became stuck under his car and blocked the right-hand inlet. He coasted round as far as Priory before the team advised him to stop before the engine overheated. The Jordan was taken back to the garage and not seen for the rest of the day.

After the short subsequent delay both Trulli and Frentzen were back out in their repaired cars for a few laps at the end of the day. They were joined by Takuma Sato, who completed installation laps but not a timed lap.

BAR and Jaguar are expected to join the teams in the second day of testing at Silverstone on Tuesday.