Formula 1

Spanish GP: Jaguar race notes

Jaguar Racing drivers Mark Webber (27) and Christian Klien (21) started today's race from 9th and 16th positions but after a difficult race which saw Christian suffer from a throttle control problem and Mark struggling with low grip, Christian was ...

Published: May 11, 2004, 6:22 AM

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Jaguar Racing drivers Mark Webber (27) and Christian Klien (21) started today's race from 9th and 16th positions but after a difficult race which saw Christian suffer from a throttle control problem and Mark struggling with low grip, Christian was forced to come to a stop on lap 45 and Mark brought the car home in 12th position.

Only 13 cars finished the full course of 66 laps, which is a reflection of the track and its challenges. The team are frustrated not to have brought both cars home or at least one in the points. They will now return to Milton Keynes (UK) to continue development on the R5 in preparation for the Monaco Grand Prix in two weeks time.

Mark Webber:

"I suffered a slow start which meant that by the first corner I had already lost a few places. I tried to climb back up the grid as my pace in the R5 was good. However, during my first pit-stop we had a probem getting the rear left tyre changed as I dropped the clutch too early. I headed back out to try and limit the damage but I found that I was suffering from a lack of rear grip. This made driving the car more difficult and it just felt that there was a lot against me out there. Not the race I had hoped for. I am going to be working hard with the team over the next two weeks to ensure that we go well prepared to Monaco."

Christian Klien:

"I made a good start and made up a few places by the first lap but after a small error on corner eight that threw me wide I lost a few too. The pace of the R5 was then good and I was enjoying the race. The grip was not great though so it was quite challenging to keep the car on-line. I was aiming for the chequered flag again so when I seemed to lose throttle control on lap 45 I was very disappointed to be forced to bring the car to a stop."

"I have briefly spoken with my engineers and they are collecting the data just now so that we can understand what happened out there. I know that we will be working on this back at the factory to that we have resolved it in time for Monaco."

Dr Mark Gillan -- Head of Vehicle Performance

"After completing numerous tests on starts over the last two months it is frustrating to have seen Mark suffer from such a slow start. It cost him some places and then coupled with his slow pit-stop as a result of a problem with his left-rear tyre change when he inadvertently dropped the clutch he struggled to finish higher than 12th . The grip out there was not as good as it had been earlier in the weekend so again that changed the feel of the track."

"Christian was doing a good job and was doing well until he ran wide and lost a few places. His pace was consistent and he was driving well when surprisingly he suffered from a throttle control problem and had no choice but to stop the car. Until we get all the data back we will not fully understand the reasons behind this. Overall, we have enjoyed a good weekend and a positive one all-round. Thousands of miles of testing cannot guarantee that you won't suffer a problem during the race. What we have to do now is understand what has happened and move forward."

Mark Webber
Position: 12th
Chassis: R5-03

Christian Klien
Position: DNF
Chassis: R5-01

-jaguar-

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