Czech GP TSR practice notes

Gauloises Grand Prix Ceske Republiky

Day 1 Friday 23rd August 2002

The Grand Prix season resumes again here at Brno after the much welcomed 5- week summer break and this year with new rules banning testing on any GP circuit it was a complete break for the Team. After completing the routine work immediately after Sachsenring, the team have spent the last three weeks away from the track and the workshop recharging their batteries ready for the remainder of the season.

In the wake of the extreme weather conditions in Eastern Europe the fears or trouble actually reaching Brno were unfounded although eyewitness reports say the centre of Prague is devastating.

FREE PRACTICE -1

Position:            22nd

Time:              2.12.776

No. of Laps        15

Best Lap           11

This first session back had mixed results. Taking to the circuit with machine A with an immediate entry to the pits to fine adjust the gear change pedal rejoining the track within seconds again to pit on lap 3.

Switching to machine B for reference made just one lap before switching back to machine A, which lasted just 2 laps when the machine stopped suddenly at turn 3. After gaining a lift back to the pits resumed the session on machine B. This machine was performing well but lacked a little rpm at full speed.

Posting his best lap on 11 of the total 15 was reasonable with the small problems we had in this session. The problem with machine A was a small human error with no real problem and this machine will be ready for the afternoon's qualifying session.

QUALIFYING PRACTICE -- 1

Position:             27th
Time:                2.12.667
No. of Laps            11
Best Lap            11

A strange session. After finding a small problem with machine A just minutes before the session, we were forced to start the session with machine B and this through the session around.

After sorting the problem out with machine A just as the session started, Andrea made two laps before changing to machine A but just one lap as the machine failed to run properly after 12,500 rpm. Taking machine B back out, after minor adjustments, Andrea then entered the pits twice more leaving the last time with just four minutes remaining.

However, he managed to make just one quick lap and that being on lap 3 of the session, then Andrea had only one lap available as he exited the pits for the last time and posted his best lap of the day but was still way off a reasonable pace.

A bad session from the technical side this time and so we must make sure this does not happen again tomorrow.

-tsr-