Motorsport News Issue 201 - March 16-29, 2001 by V8 Sleuth

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IN-DEPTH AGP COVERAGE Austpalia $5.50' NZ $6.95 itneli GSf

Mo. 201 16-29 March 2001

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EXCLUSIVE PICS

motorsport news

Issue 201 16-29 March 2001

INSIDE

News and Opinion

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Lowndes ready to win Craig wants more at PI Track safety under review FIA looks at the aftermath Why was Ferrari late? Did the reds fail the crash test? Andretti wants Indy 500 Is this the year for Michael? Motor Mouth Webber on F3000, F1,etal Box Seat Saward in and on Melbourne Talk Converter Nine sucks and cut the splitters

Features 44 45 48

I have plenty of VI Os Paul Stoddart jumps for joy I only need one V10 Coulthard starts off with second I have even more VI Os Dr Mario Theissen from BMW

Race Coverage

20 30

50 >X% IN-DEPTH AGP COVERAGE

56 72

confident after storming GP debut

da Matta wins in Mexico Who is Mario's son again? Schumacher's AGP A sad weekend for the sport. All the news, views and muses Ford's Big Day Out The Rat, The Kid, the others Albert Park Supports Nations, Lambos, Will, Will, Will Makinen wins in Portugal Mud, rain, mud,fog and mud

Regular Departments

c^i n^vin^ INCLUSIVE PICS' Him for tome penpeettvo?

i Photos: Cover: Dirk Klynsmilh and Sutton-lmages. Contents: Sutton-lmages, Bothwell Photographic and Klynsmith.

22 60 64 68 70 74 76

Motorcycles Drag Racing Speedway NASCAR Rallying Histories Marketplace 3

Finger pointing Frentzen accuses Sauber of running traction control at GP JORDAN driver Heinz-Haraid Frentzen has poured fuel on the smouldering allegations that some teams may attempt to implement driver aids before their official reintroduction at the Spanish Grand Prix. Frentzen, who was undoubtedly 'best of the rest' in performance terms behind the Ferraris and McLarens at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, has cast doubt over the legality of Ferrari-engined cars. After being punted out of third place by Ferrari number two Rubens Barrichello, Frentzen spent most of the afternoon behind the Petronas-badged Ferrari ehgines of the Sauber cars, causing his inflammatory remarks, "I don't know if traction control comes as a factory option with Ferrari engines," he said. “But every time I got close in a slower corner, (Nick) Fleidfeld would pull away under acceleration, which was strange as I could hear the engine misfiring." Writing on his website, the German continued, "In the past 18 races, I had plenty of opportunity to trail behind Ferrari cars or machinery powered by Ferrari engines. And one thing was particularly remarkable; out of tight corners, these cars had a pretty stunning acceleration, combined with a misfiring engine. For me, it is beyond doubt that somehow Ferrari managed to develop an engine software which reduces the power by a certain margin to the extent that the driven wheels don't spin, "It cannot be ignored that

something like that exists, there is simply no room for discussion about that." Frentzen made it clear that he did not wish to detract from Fleidfeld's performance in Melbourne though. "In the laps when I was following Nick, he drove without any errors. This was a performance that deserved to be awarded with his first ever Formula One points." The allegation that Ferrari might be making use of traction control has been a popular sound byte throughout Formula 1 in recent months, McLaren's Ron Dennis opened the account by suggesting that the FIA should be particularly vigilant in the early rounds where traction control, which is to be officially reintroduced because it is so hard to detect, could well be employed. Fie said: "I hope the FIA will be vigilant because the outcome of the championship could be determined in those opening races. We need to see a clear contest in those opening Grands Prix. Only one team did not want us to start the season with all of the driver aids reintroduced at the opening race. Everyone else did." That team was Ferrari, who successfully vetoed the immediate return of the complex electronic systems. Outspoken Ford Premier Performance CEO, Niki Lauda, has also tipped a nod towards Dennis's line of thinking on why Ferrari should want a delay in the return of 'gizmos’. "Ask Mr. Todt,” said the triple world champion. "Fie will have a reason." - JOE SAWARD

Who needs traction control? Frentzen has caused a ruckus by accusing Sauber - and, indirectly, Ferrari- of using traction control. (Photo by Sutton)

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Lowndes

Ford’s star recruit looks fi by PHIL BRANAGAN

CRAIG Lowndes heads to PhiUip Island’s SheU Championship Series opener full of confidence after his strong debut for Ford at Albert Park. Lowndes flew from Brisbane to Melbourne on Monday for a full day’s testing at Winton, prior to the opening SCS round. According to the three-time champion, a win at the Island could be on the cards. “Considering the structure of the race, a win is a possibility,” he said. “With the pitstops, and the longer format, the team will play a big part in deciding what happens. If the stops work out, we can win.” “After the GP, we’re more confident than we’ve ever been,” he said. “We said for the Grand Prix we were hoping for a top 10 result, and we got a third and a second. We’re looking for at least a top six result for Phillip Island.” One thing Lowndes will have to overcome is the fact that Gibson Motorsport has not tested the exStone Brothers Ford at the Island, where a number of opposition V8 teams regularly test. But working in Lowndes’favour is the fact that there are two practice sessions prior to qualifying, and his 2000 form at PI. Last season, Lowndes poled in his Holden Racing Team Commodore, won the first race and led the second until a rare engine failure. And his car is well-suited to the track. In the same car Lowndes is racing until the first Gihson-huilt car is ready mid-season, Craig Baird won Race 2 last year after qualifying 18th, more than 2s off Lowndes’ pole time. The car’s race pace, and good tyre wear, allowed the New Zealander to move through the field and score his only win of the season. Gibson’s team will be taking things steadily in its first race, but that does not mean that they will be sitting on their hands at PL

Silver dream racer: After his stunning For

"lAfith Oie pitstops, and the longop format,the team will play a big part in deciding what happens. If the stops work out, we can win" - Draig Lowndes “We’re going to try' some things with the car,” Lowndes said. “We haven’t made any major changes since Albert Park, but there are some things we will be doing before the first race.” Lowndes has also been heartened by the mostly-positive response he received from the fans in Melbourne; “The response from the fans has been really good. They have been great. A couple of people have come up and spoken to me, and now they say, T wish you were still driving a Holden, but we will support you’. That means a lot.” motorsport news

NEWS

is confident

>r success in Phillip Island SCS opener

Ritter for DJR? The V8 Supercar teams have been grabbing their endure co-drivers early this year. But who will fill the void at Dick Johnson Racing, with 2000 drivers Jason Bright and Cameron McLean spoken for? A number of young drivers have been mentioned, but we hear that the team is keen on Greg Ritter, who ran with GRM last season. No announcement has been scheduled, but we hear that the driver and the team are getting pretty chummy,,, n Speaking of Ritter, we also hear that he may be running a limited number of V8 races for Mike Imrie this season. The ex-FF champ, Allan McCarthy and Christian D'Agostin have all been mentioned In relation to the seat. n Marcos Ambrose's V8 Supercar debut went as well as Stone Brothers Racing could have expected, but the Tasmanian did face the ire of the Stewards. Ambrose was fined $2500 for getting into Steven Johnson's Falcon and may face the music over other incidents come Phillip island. n Mark Larkham's new sponsor is still under wraps. We hear that Larko, who ran his Falcon in Karcher yellow in Melbourne, has signed a multi-year deal with a Gold Coast-based technology company. There was to be an announcement today (Thursday); expect the news prior to the Island's SCS opener.

debut at Albert Park, Lowndes is looking to continue his solid run at Phillip Island.

(Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

fWR management deal over

CRAIG Lowndes and Tom Walkinshaw have made peace and ended their five-year relationship. Following a meeting in Melbourne when the three-time ATCC winner and TWR and HRT team boss sat down to discuss the matter, Lowndes is now 'unmanaged' and free to pursue his new driving career, and the commercial aspects associated with it, with Ford. "You know there's been a little bit of a dispute over the last few months," the Scot said at Albert Park. "We have sat down and resolved the issues amicably." "We had quite a complicated issue that had to be resolved." For his part, Lowndes is happy with the outcome. "It's all done. We were able to sit down with Tom and now we can look forward to the future and go 16 March 2001

Me? Naive? Tom Walkinshaw racing," he said. While it is likely that a sum of money has been exchanged in the resolution, neither party would comment. "It's none of your business," said Walkinshaw. "VVe're both happy with the terms of it." Walkinshaw said that he was not sad that their professional relationship was finished.

"You always work with your drivers. You move on. I wished Craig all the best for Bathurst when I was here (last November) and I meant it. I don't wish him well for his current drive. We still want to beat him." The settlement was made without any involvement from either Holden, Walkinshaw's partner in Holden Racing Team and Holden Special Vehicles, or Ford. The face-to-face meeting came about after Lowndes wrote to Walkinshaw before he came to Australia with his Arrows Grand Prix team."He said, 'let's sort this out'," said Walkinshaw. "That's what we did." Walkinshaw said that the contract, which was signed in 1996, was no longer applicable to either party. "I think we were naive to think we could have a deal which would suit us for 10 years."

n AVESCO may need a mobile creche. Along with the expanding Bargwanna family, we hear that there will be new additions to the tribes of Richards and Murphy, the two exteam-mates looking pleased with themselves at Albert Park. Richo will be expecting his second, while Murphy is suiting up for fatherhood for the first time. n Greg Crick will be behind the wheel of RPM International's Falcon EL at this weekend's Konica Series round at Oran Park. Team owner Terry Steer said it was a one-off: "I think he'll do well, our car works well there so it should play into his hands," he said. n An ambitious Melbourne sports oar builder is heavily looking at entering the American Le Mans Series. George Vidovic, who owns and runs the Python Racing Team that ran cars in the Marque Sports Car class during the past two years, is chasing funding for his AusOne Racing venture.‘We are currently in the process of tying up funding for the team and have already had talks with the Panoz people about the supply of a chassis and engines for a full season of ALMS racing," said Vidovic. 5

Track Safety ui Marshall’s ‘mate’ adds perspective to debate

TRACK safety conditions are set to be reviewed at Albert Park following tbe accident which claimed the life of trackside marshal Graham Beveridge. While Beveridge’s co-workers at the scene of the crash were among those to describe the accident as just that- a tenible combination of odds and circumstances - the incident will feature at the next FIA Safety Committee meeting. While a handful of drivers and former great Jackie Stewart were reported in the immediate altermath - with limited accurate information available - calling for substantial change, more reasoned discussion since the tragedy will see attention paid to those parts of the Albert Park circuit where this sort of accident is a possibility. In particular, ai-eas close to heavy braking zones such as turns 1 and 3. Indeed, the perfonnance ofthe debris fencing in retaining a cai’ which could so easily have flown into the crowd, must be considered an endorsement ofthe safety work canned out over recent years. Once the predictable pontifications of the various cricket and football writers roped into the GP squad by some of the dailies were over, it was left to ‘Paul’- a turn three marshal who witnessed the tragedy - to put some reasonable perspective into the issue. He told Melbom-ne talkback radio station 3AW; “Without wishing to take away anything from what has happened,

yes, it was a tragic accident. I’ve read, like most people have, and seen a lot of vision and read a lot of editorials on what has occurred, and I have to say that generally the media is reporting a lot ofthe facts inaccurately. “I’ve been involved in motor sport for over 20 years. I’ve worked as a volunteer with a number of promoters at varying circuits around both Victoria and New South Wales and, without any shadow of doubt,I would say that the safety facilities that exist at the Albert Park track are some of the best that I have ever experienced. “I think that, yes, it was an accident and it should be treated as such. It was tragic- but I don’t feel any blame can be laid at the organisers or the corporation (Australian Grand Prix Coi-poration)for the way that the safety measures are in place. Quite frankly,if I didn’t feel safe, I wouldn’t keep coming back to that track, or any other track that I work at.” He continued: “There’s been reports that there was delay in getting medical attention to him. I probably was there no more than eight seconds after the accident occurred and the paramedic and doctor that we had at that point were already there and working on him...” After a memorial service at Bowi’al - where he spent most of his life -late last week, Graham Beveridge was buried after a private family funeral in Bundaberg on Monday.

EXCLUSIVE PICTURES How it happened; Jacques Villeneuve’s BAR-Honda was closing on Ralf Schumacher’s BMW.Williams at a difference of SOkmh when contact occurred. The BAR flew into the air, right, and parts of both cars disintegrated and were spread over the track. Villeneuve’s car hit right-rear on into the retaining wall, below, and then turned onto its underside before rolling, below right. Villeneuve and Scumacher were assisted from their cars by marshals, bottom, before many people realised that Graham Beveridge had been struck by a wheel and fatally injured. (Photos by Gavin Johnston and Sutton-images)

found out about the death of Graham Beveridge when MichaelSchumachertold me. Along with the rest of the media corps at Albert Park, I had my instincts, which were aroused when the medicos lingered on the scene for some time before the ambulance drove slowly around and away from the track. The indications that something tragic had occurred continued when the placegetters declined to spray champagne on the podium. The first we actually knew was when Michael himself told us at the post-race press conference, in response to a question regarding the race. Schumacher seems capable of mastering almost everything in the sport but confirming the death of a motorsport news

ider review

Schumacher’s finest hour HAVING confronted on-circuit tragedy before, most recently at Monza last year, Michael Schumacher showed a humane element to his personality in the immediate race aftermath. The long delay between the top three drivers climbing the rear stairs and appearing on the rostrum was, it transpires, due to Schumacher. According to the few witnesses, he made it clear that no-one would go out onto the podium until he knew exactly what had happened at turn three. Once he was informed, Schumacher ‘took over’ proceedings, insisting that there would be little celebration and no champagne spraying. It was Schumacher too who confirmed the sad news to the media at the post-race conference. For once, the normally slick GP Corporation media team had been found wanting. Something, anything, official should have been released to the media before this. Breaking such news is not what World Champions should have to do. Schumacher is entitled to a great deal of respect for the way he handled an awful situation. - CHRIS LAMBDEN

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the lessons are learned marshal is something that should never have been for him to do. More than that, many of the Australian press present have friends and acquaintances on duty around the track. At the first indication that something was very wrong, I rang my brother's phone; he was a fire marshal, but I was unsure whether he was on Turn 3 or Turn 4. Thank goodness he answered. Inevitably,the daily papers blazed into print the next day, with the death as their lead story. There were suggestions that the track was unsafe;that waved flags are archaic;that access holes in the fence are the work of Satan. Many of these opinions were penned by senior sports(read golf, cricket,football) writers whom people like me recognise only 16 March 2001

because I see them once a year at Albert Park; not Sandown,not Bathurst, not anywhere else cars race. Their wide circulation gives them privileged, once-a-year access to the bold and the beautiful, and that adds weight to their words. But people like me do not blaze into press rooms at the cricket orthe football, suggest that Carey or Gilchrist should be dropped, and then head off into print and say so. Many Motorsport News readers know far more about GP racing that some of the so-called experts you have read recently in the dailies. Calls for changes In the sport have come and will continue to do so. Ignore much of it; as our own Joe Saward pointed out on radio the day after the tragedy,the safety measures

largely did their job. The consequences of an FI car hurtling into a crowd at SOOkmh do not bear thinking about There is also something to be said about the manner in which the death was handled by race officials. A media conference was called for 5pm but not in any of the three facilities provided for the working media. Rather,45 minutes after the appointed time, the AGPC's Ron Walker and CAMS's Peter Hansen faced a 'doorstop', which encourages shouted questions and the use of elbows. It also means that you are at the mercy of external elements, like Abba blaring out over the PA. Hardly dignified; the memory of Graham Beveridge deserved much, much better. - PHIL BRANAGAN,EDITOR

NEWS GRAHAM BEVERIDGE 1948-2001 GRAHAM Beveridge lost his life while, working as a spectator marshal at the Australian Grand Prix, he was struck by the wheel from Jacques Villeneuve's BAR Honda. Beveridge, 52, was born in Bowral, NSW. He left school while still young, and worked several jobs before being employed at what is now known as Bowral Cement. Working his way up the ladder, Beveridge eventually became a process controller before accepting a l voluntary redundancy in 1997 after 30 years of service. It was shortly after he started at the cement works that Beveridge met his wife-to-be, Karen. The pair married in 1973, and soon relocated to Berrima, where they remained for several years before finally moving to Winfield, near Bundaberg. After attending a Gold Coast Indy race as a spectator, Beveridge decided that he wanted to be closer to the action and duly applied to be a marshal, reporting for duty at for the first time at same event a year later. After speaking to other marshals, Beveridge learnt that positions were available in Melbourne for the Grand Prix. He duly applied. Those closest to him spoke of his endless enthusiasm for motorsport, and his love of being involved. Nobody was surprised when an application to marshal at next month's V8 Supercar round at Adelaide was found among his personal effects. But the final word should go to his widow, who concluded her eulogy by saying, "He was killed doing something he loved. He wasn't in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was in the right place at the wrong time." Beveridge is survived by Karen and three children Matthew, Peter, and Kelley. A Trust Fund.Account for the Beveridge family has been established with National Australia Bank. Donations should be titled "Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Limited In Trust For Graham Francis Beveridge Deceased Estate" and addressed to CAMS, Box 147 Caulfield, Victoria 3145. Alternatively, donations can also be paid directly into National Australia Bank BSB Number 083 669, Account Number 52 798 2725. J

Romano^ the Young Lion

Complex deal involves TWRA, HRT, Kmart Racing and Romano Racing by AARON NOONAN

AS rumoured some time ago, Paul Romano will be the Holden Racing Team’s third entry in the Shell Championship Series - under the Holden Young Lions banner. But with the number of chassis at a minimum with the introduction of the Kmart program, Romano will use one of Rod Nash’s cars before a HRT car becomes available. The introduction of the new Kmart team into the Tom Walkinshaw Racing Australia fold left TWRA in a predicament, so with each Level 1 franchise only allowed to enter no more than three cars, a solution was required to run the four cars. Kmart itself attempted to purchase Colourscan’s Level 2 franchise for the Kmart team but that was snapped up by Dugal McDougall, so TWRA has entered into an agreement with the Level 1 Romano Racing team. It will see Romano drive an exHRT Commodore from his Queensland base in HYL colours and the Kmart cai's of Greg Murphy and Todd Kelly entered imder the Romano Level 1 franchise. Romano’s car will be entered along with the HRT cars of Mark Skaife and Jason Bright, but will be prepai-ed by the Romano crew,led by team manager Phil Curtis,framerly ofPaul Weel’s team and DJR. The new deal brings the V8 category even further into line with Winston Cup racing, where multi-car teams in different colours in different workshops which share infrastructure and ownerships status are commonplace and vital in continued success. There are reportedly a few teams - and AVESCO itselfunhappy over the move, which effectively means TWRA will have five cars to test with and therefore, five loads of tyres. As part of the deal, Romano will have to test on HRT’s home test tracks in Victoria and the Kmart team will be allowed to also, rather than test on Romano Racing’s nominated Queensland circuits. Rick Kelly will drive under the HYL banner as well in Formula Holden in a Birrana Reynard. 8

Switches all around: After four years as a Young Lion, Todd Kelly’s HYL seat is taken by Paul Romano after a sea of moves to ensure there are enough franchises for enough TWRA cars. (Photo by Marshall Cass) ■MOS

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Courtney and Briscoe also back into pre-season testing ALL three of Australia's young internationals raced back to Europe after last week's GP for pre-season testing. Mark Webber completed over 160 laps during three days of running at Silverstone for Benetton last week and then, as we closed for press, topped the sheets in the first day of a two-day F3000 test there. Courtney was straight back into F3 mode at Snetterton, while Ryan Briscoe was scheduled for Formula Renault test duty back in Germany. Webber's three days with Benetton concentrated on tyre and electronics development, using the interim B200 car. Mixed weather hampered

proceedings through the test, but Webber was the best of the Michelin runners until late on the final day when Pedro de la Rosa went two-tenths better in a 'qualifying' run for Jaguar, "It was quite clear we were on a different programme to the one Jaguar were on at the end,” said Webber, “We were planning a similar sort of run ourselves but the rain got to us before we were ready. Three days later, Webber topped the time sheets on the first day of the official F3000 Silverstone test. His 1:36.811 s was four-tenths quicker than Justin Wilson (Nordic Racing), and half a second clear of David Saelens (European Minardi).

Team-mate Mario Haberfeld struggled, and was 10th fastest (1;38.146). Having topped the times throughout at a major F3 test prior to his rapid AGP visit, James Courtney was thirdquickest in an inconclusive day at Snetterton last week, which started in cold, damp conditions and got worse. Anthony Davidson topped the sheets, from Takuma Sato, while the day proved quite dramatic for Courtney's team mate Andre Lotterer - he roiled his Jaguar F3 Racing Dailara in a big 'off' at Riches corner during the first session and sat out the rest of the day. - CHRIS LAMBDEN motorsport pews

NEWS

Oh, what a feeling!

NINETEEN year-old karting international Ryan Briscoe has been confirmed as part of Toyota’s future F1 plans. Briscoe, who has based himself in itaiy for the past four years to pursue an internationai kart and motorsport career, was confirmed as a signing to Toyota’s driver deveiopment programme on the eve of the Austraiian GP, in Meibourne, as predicted in our last issue. Adeiighted Briscoe joined Toyota executives at the MotorSport Awards dinner, confirming that his opportunity came foiiowing a recommendation by Toyota Motorsport team manager Ange Pasquale, who saw him running karts at an internationai race in itaiy. Briscoe wili contest the 2001 Formuia Renault Eurocup and Italy’s Formula Renault series, both with Toyota’s fuil-on backing, before making an expected progression to German F3 next year in a bid to continue

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the climb up the iadder. His eievation to Toyota’s squad came after a coupie of tests in the second half of last year, where, driving an open-wheeier for the first time, he eciipsed drivers with significant car racing experience. Coming from exactiy the same background as Jaguar F3 driver James Courtney, and with the unabashed backing of a car

company seeking to force its way into F1 contention when it debuts next year, Briscoe now brings to three the number of young Australians on the potential path to F1. “it’s a terrific opportunity,” he said. “At 19, I’m a little older than some in making my car debut, but the opportunity has been weii worth waiting for.” -CHRIS LAMBDEN

ate for class

Late comers: While Ferrari were last to arrive in Melbourne, they were the first to cross the finish line at the (Photo by Sutton-lmages) opening Grand Prix of the season. 16 March 2001

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FERRARI may have been one of the Grand Prix teams which had to re-take its mandatory crash test. The team was late in arriving before the Australian Grand Prix, and had to take a commercial charter flight to Australia. The team put the delay down to last-minute testing in Itdy, but Motorsport News sources have been told that the team was delayed because it had to re-take the test on February 22. Team manager Jean Todt would not shed any light on the matter, saying in Melbourne that there was "no problem” with the F2001 chassis. But that has been interpreted as pointing to the fact that there was no problem with the car once it arrived in Australia. Up to three teams were said to be in trouble with their first crash tests, which the FIAuse to test the integrity of all cars in GP racing. Much of the problems for the current generation of cars are said to revolve around the changes in regulations, which have seen downforce reduced and roll-over protection increased. A Ferrari technician reportedly said before the test that there were problems, and the lateFebruary test was the last chance to get things right for the season. Ironically, Ferrari went through its own crash test toing Friday practice, Michael Schumacher rolling his F2001 during the session. At a media conference that afternoon, Todt joked that he was pleased that the car had come through its unscheduled test unscathed!

n TOO MANY V8s! We’ve waited and waited for the first Shell Championship round of 2001. The bullshit stops at Phillip Island ... ... and, before that, Wills, Perrier and co go to Oran Park for Konica’s Round 2

n Drag Nationals 2001 The Big Go lights up the night at Calder Park n Mikey in Malaysia? Will McLaren fight back against Ferrari at Sepang? n Catalunya WRC Sainz has threatened to win all season and he’s on home ground next in Spain

Contents correct at time of going to press

I n

ten

rm _

home of

■_B

[motorsport] Shell Championship Series

Mick

V8 Supercars * Mar25 . , . .Philip Island .Adelaide Aprs

.Rd l

Apr 29 . . . .Eastern Creek

.Rd 3

May 13 . . .Hidden Valley JunlO Canberra . . .

.Rd 4

Jun 24 . . . .Perth

.Rd 6

Jul 15

CalderPark .

.Rd 7

Jul 29 . . . .Oran Park . . .

.Rd S

Aug 26 . . .Ipswich

.Rd 9

.Rd 2

.Rd 5

Konica V8 Supercar Series *

May 6

d 1

.Rd3

WInton

.Rd4

May 27 . . .Philip Island Jul 8 . Lakeside Aug 12 . . .Mallala Oct 6 .Bathurst

.Rd5 .Rd6 .(non Cham pionship)

FIA Formula One World Championship Mar 18 . . .Malaysia i. . Brazil* I Apr 1

! . 1

rf—

A.pr 15 Apr 29

S.'

● 1

. . .San Marino* . . . .

.Rd2 .Rd3 .Rd4 Rd 5

Spain

May 13 . . .A1-Ring*

Rd 6

May 27 . . .Monaco* ● - denotes F3000 round also

.Rd8

SOOcc World Grand Prix i

Apr 22 . . . .South Africa

.Rd2

May 6

Spain . . . .

.Rd3

May 20 . . .France . . .

,Rd4

June 3 . . . .Italy

,Rd5

FedEx CART Championship Series *

LI, L

Motorcycle Championship * .Rd 1 .'Xpr 8 .Japan

5 T5i

.Rd 2

.Aprs

.Long Beach

Apr 29

Texas . .

.Rd3

May 6

Nazareth

.Rd4

May 19 . . .Motegl . Jun 3 .Milwauke e

,Rd6

Jun 17

Rd7

. . .Detroit

.Rd5

World Rally Championship* .Rd 3

Mar8-11 . .Portugal . Mar 22-25 .Catalunya

.Rd 4

May 3-6. . .Argentina

.Rd 5

SBK World Super Bike Championship Kyalami . .

.Rd2

Apr 22 . . . .Philip Island

.Rd3

Apr 29

.Rd4

Apr 1

Sugo

Mark MICK Doohan has named his navigator for the Targa Tasmania - Mark Stacey. The current Australian Champion, who called the pace notes for Possum Bourne last season, and who used to partner Ed Ordynski, will join the five-time world 500cc champ in his AMG Mercedes CLK 55 AMG coupe in the event, which will be held between April 18-24. “Mark is one of the best navigators on the Australian rallying scene, and it's going to be good having him calling the shots from the seat next to me,” said Doohan. “This is a unique chance to race with Mercedes-Benz and Mick (Doohan), who I always admired because he kept winning at will on motorcycles, whatever the conditions and circumstances,” said Stacey. Meanwhile, the event will bypass the streets of Hobart for the first time. The Salamanca stage, which runs through the state capital’s streets, has been sidelined due to the $100,000 cost of setting up the 1.7km course. More than 280 entries have been received for the event, including ones from Peter Brock (Holden), Jim Richards (Porsche) and Neal Bates (Lexus).

ten home of

motorspon All event dates in this calendar were correct at the time of printing. Please consult any individual tracks and/or associations for date changes. I

Series or events telecast on Network Ten are marked with an asterisk. Check your local guides for screening details.

Flat left, no wheelstand: Stacey, right, will join Doohan in Tasmania.

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Andpetd's

Michael leads CART charge for woi by PHIL MORRIS

ENTRIES for this year's 85th running of the Indianapolis 500 have opened and, while there have been just five entries so far in the few days they have been opened, it's the drivers and teams particularly from CART - who will enter in the next few weeks who are getting people talking in the United States. The big talk is regarding Michael Andretti. As we went to press the final details of his deal were being confirmed, though a press conference scheduled for Tuesday (US time) was expected to see Andretti announced as a starter. He's expected to drive a Dallara/Oldsmobile owned by the Pennzoil Panther team and backed by Motorola, his sponsor in the Champ Car series, and by Archipelago, a national E-Trade company, with some crew members from

Team Green involved to run the car. "I said we wouldn't consider letting Michael go to Indy without the support of our sponsors and we're meeting with them this weekend," said Barry Green on the weekend in Mexico. "It's getting very late but, yes, I can say it's still a possibility." Defending champions Chip Ganassi Raoing have confirmed their participation with new signings Bruno Junqueira and Nicolas Minassian, while Roger Penske will run cars for Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves with backing from Penske Auto Centers in light of the cigarette advertising laws. The Penske team will run this weekend's IRNLS opener at Phoenix as a warm-up. Treadway-Hubbard Racing were the first to enter, fielding two entries for the returning Arie Luyendyk and Brazilian Felipe Giaffone, who is backed by Flollywood. That Hollywood link moiorsport nsws

NEWS

n The Formula Holden field is looking a little thin this year compared to last, though we hear Christian Murchison is odds-on to return to NRC Racing to tackle Young Lion Rick Kelly for the title. Alan Gurr will run for Graham Watson in the ex-Halliday 94D, while Chris Staff (Hocking) and Peter Hill are also confirmed runners. Oz F3 Champ Paul Stephenson will run Damien Digby's Reynard 92D in the series.

.4 n

n Mark Blundell was at Albert Park. The former Brabham/McLaren/ Ligier/Tyrreil driver was present to assist ITV with its coverage of the first FI event of the season. The former Le Mans winner will race for MG at the 24 Hour classic this June.

f It’s a long way: The Super Tourers and TOGA Tourers will be heading to (Photo by Bob Potts) the Island for a 500km enduro in December.

TOCA enduro 500km December race for Phillip Island

is expected to help place Mauricio Gugelmin (formerly backed by the tobacco company in CART)in a ride somewhere, while another regular IRNLS team - Kelley Racing - have entered three cars. Two are for Scott Sharp and Mark Dismore, while the third is continually rumoured for Scott Pruett, who made his debut as a CART commentator on the CART Radio Network on the weekend. It has been entered with the number 20, the number Pruett used during his long stint at Patrick Racing from 1995 to 1998 ... IRL regulars such as Greg Ray, A1 Unser Jr, Buddy Lazier, Eddie Cheever, Scott Goodyear and Robbie Buhl will also be amongst the final list, with Billy Boat to join Eliseo Salazar in a pair of AJ Foyt cars. All entries for the race must be postmarked by April 11. 16 March 2001

A 500km endurance race looks like the centrepiece of the 2001/2001 BOC Gases Super Touring Championship. The race, to be run at Phillip Island, will probably take place in December, with a possible date of December 9. However, before the race calendar can he confirmed, Phillip Island will have to accommodate the event in its schedule. The track is subject to guidelines provided by the Environmental Protection Agency, which stipulates that the circuit can only run unrestricted events (ie, for race cars or motorcycles) on a limited number of days. TOCA Australia, which conducts the series for Super Tourers and TOCA Tourers, was

awaiting confirmation of the race as Motorsport News closed for press. The race will cater for two drivers in each car, though some entries may be restricted to one driver. The last scheduled 500km race, at Bathurst in 1999, had two drivers per car, except for Paul Morris, who drove solo. The event was shortened due to the appalling weather, the race finishing after little more than half its scheduled distance. What is certain is that the championship will be held over eight rounds, starting at Lakeside on September 23. As usual, BOC Gases retains naming rights sponsorship, and all rounds will be broadcast on Network Seven. - PHIL BRANAGAN

Dennis defends RON Dennis spoke out against the criticism levelled at his team and the potential unreliahility of its new MP4/16 in the huild-up to the Australian Grand Prix. Despite the concerns voiced by such key team figures as Mika Hakkinen and Martin Whitmarsh, Dennis would have no suggestion that a question mark hung over the car or its prospects of prising the drivers’ and constructors’ world championships away from Ferrari. “I’d rather have a fast unreliable car than a slow reliable car but I feel a bit uncomfortable when people start portraying us as an

unreliable, incompetent GP team,” said Dennis. “We’re far from that and our results show it. The fact is our reliability last year was incredible. “That our main competition has perhaps slightly better reliability tends to throw the spotlight onto us and why we didn’t win the world championship. “Since the first time McLaren turned a wheel on a GP track in ’66, we’ve won one of every four races in which we've competed. That demonstrates not only a winning culture but a culture of reliability.” -JOESAWARD

n There are plenty of names running in the GTP series this year and some exciting machinery. Charlie O'Brien (Nissan 200SX), Brett Peters (Subaru WRX Sti) and Bob Pearson (Mazda RX7) are all joining in while we hear Rick Bates is going to get behind the wheel of a Toyota Sitrion. n PROCAR Australia has introduced a new set of awards to recognise Level 2 drivers in the 2001 series. The National Marque Awards will be presented to the three highest finishing Level 2 drivers in each of the eligible marques, which are those fielding three or more cars. n James Thompson is returning to Vauxhall in the BTCC. The Yorkshireman, who had his first factor/ BTCC ride with the manufacturer in 1995 and 1996, has secured a drive with the Triple Eight satellite team in a Vauxhall Astra. n Pop watch; Robbie Williams is not normally associated with historic motorsport, but keep an eye open for his latest film clip. 'Gentlemen Racers' morphs the Pom star into footage of Jackie Stewart's 1970 FI campaign and features 'Bob Williams' and JYS duking it out for the world championship. The song isn't bad, but the racing is brilliant... n Sportscar regular Franck Lagorce could team up with David Brabham in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. The Frenchman has switched from Cadillac back to the Panoz team for which he raced in the French sportscar classic back in 1997. A seat in the number one LMP07 alongside Brabs and Jan Magnussen looks likely, unless the team can persuade BMW to release former race winner JJ Lehto for the event. n Steve Newey, team manager at Mo Nunn Racing, left the team prior to the season-opener in Mexico, The split, though amicable, apparently resulted from a difference in opinion over the structure and future direction of the team between Nunn and Newey. 11

FIA worried Is the GP tyre war getting too hot? THE lap times of the Malaysian and Brazilian Grands Prix could decide whether or not draconian measures will be introduced to cut the rising speeds of Formula 1. At Albert Park, Michael Schumacher took pole position in a time four seconds quicker than Mika Hakkinen's pole of 2000 despite a reduction in downforce following winter regulation changes. Schumacher's time was a second inside the hitherto outright fastest lap recorded hy Jacques Villeneuve's Williams in 1997, when Formula 1 cars featured wider track and slick tyres. The increase in speed has largely been laid at the feet of Bridgestone and Michelin. The competition between the rubber men has increased speeds, but the cars themselves are also thought to be particularly effective devices in 2001. At the pre-season launches, almost every team claimed to have reclaimed a significant amount of the downforce lost through the raising of the front wings and reduction in the number of wing elements permissible on the rear wing. They also confidently predicted the complete restoration of 2000-levels of aerodynamic grip by the mid-point of the season. It is also believed that the latest generation of works engines has a significant power increase over last year, and these factors, combined with the higherperformance tyi-e compounds, have conspired to considerably reduce lap times. With the reintroduction of traction control from the fifth round ofthe championship in Spain, cornering speeds will go up another notch, as drivers will be able to reach an optimum cornering speed more efficiently than through the use of their own right foot. This is seemingly causing a deep level of concern in the FIA's ranks. “We knew that competition between the two tyre makers might increase the speed and that is why the technical commission worked on the aerodynamic regulations to reduce it,” said FIA President Max Mosley. “The impression is that the sums were not right. We don’t want to jump the gun, but if Malaysia and Brazil were to confirm, as I fear, the results from

British ra

Foot and Mouth outbreak stops Weis by JOE SAWARD

THE continuing spread of foot and mouth disease throughout British iivesrtock continues to put a question mark over major sporting events in Britain up to and including the British Grand Prix. The Cheltenham Festival horse racing classic. Crufts dog show and the Badminton Florae Trials have been scrapped, together with the British Rally Championshi[o-

opening Pirelli International Rally. Rallying in Ireland has also been drawn to a halt for four weeks and circuit racing in Britain put on hold. Silverstone held its opening race meeting of the year on March 3, and precautions laid out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were put in place, including disinfectant pads through which spectators and their cars had to pass. There is no end to the spread of the infection in sight, however, and the 1%

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Compound interest: Will the FIA take steps to interrupt the MichelinBridgestone tyre battle? (Pholo by Sutton-lmages)

Melbourne, the FIA must act quickly.” Bridgestone, meanwhile, is seemingly anxious to distance itself from the renewed competition in Formula 1 tyres. Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of motorsport for the Japanese firm, insisted that its aim has not changed, despite the end of its monopoly on Formula 1 tyre supply. “We are two different companies with the same aim,” said Yasukawa.“We have been fighting each other since the early 1980s. Every company has their own philosophy and their own ideas (about) how to work. “Michelin has a lot to say, has a high-profile and a more aggressive approach. Bridgestone is much quieter, but our objective is still to have wdnning results. It's their job to compete to destroy our advantage. Michelin has a lot of ideas and it will be hard competition this year. “Personally, I like competition but we need some limitations. FI is not a t3Te competition. We don't want too much attention to be on tyres.”

-JOESAWAED

Silverstone: n THE redevelopment of Silverstone Circuit is likely to see gravel traps - dubbed 'kitty litter'- disappear from its corners in favour of highfriction asphalt prior to the 2002 British Grand Prix. Gravel traps replaced catchfencing as a safer means of arresting the progress of wayward racing cars from the mid-1980s but, among the many circuit safety issues in recemt years, the use of gravel traps has remained high on the agenda. Gravel, or more specificailly the use of gravel, has regul arly been called into question

through instances when cars have not been effectively drawn to a halt and either flown into the waiting crash barriers at high speed simply, or driven through the 'kitty litter' at low speed. It has also become notorious for flipping cars over if they spin into the traps at an oblique angle, as was most recently and spectacularly demonstrated by Michael Schumacher in practice for the Australian Grand Prix. Fligh-friction asphalt would very likely arrest the progress of a spinning car and greatly reduce the risk of it roiling through either rutting on the surface or the wheels digging in. motorsiiirt news

NEWS

ce threat

n Mario Dominguez has signed for PacWest's Indy Lights team, thereby putting his still-born Champ Car team on hold. He was rumoured to have taken the place of Marcel Tiemann in the Zakspeed/Forsythe team in Mexico when the German's sponsorship hadn't materialised, but will focus on the CART feeder series for 2001. Don't be surprised if he's in a Champ Car somewhere during the season.

f Rally, could disrupt British Grand Prix

carried up to 70km through the air, but humans are still more efficient carriers. Although almost immune to the disease, large crowds in open places can carry the virus on the soles of shoes, on clothes and cars to be released into previously uninfected areas. The sport's governing body in Britain, the MSA, said: "We have recommended that the circuits stop, but as long as the MAFF is happy with the precautions that they take then we are happy."

prospect o-f 200,000 spectators arriving for a Grand Prix is a far cry from the few hundred who attended the opening 'clubbie' event of the year. The last time foot and mouth attacked B ritish shores so virulently was in late 1967, when the RAC Rally (now the World Rally Championship's Rally of Great Britain) was abandoned, and as the scale of the current infestation escalates so too do fears for all major sporting events. Foot and mouth can be

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Mad dogs and Englishmen: Will lire Brit GP go ahead? And, if it does, will there be kilty litter?

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In the case of head-on accidents, such as befell second-placed Mika Hakkinen in Melbourne, however, the asphalt wo:uld not be as effective in slowing a car before it reached the point of impact, particularly if there is a suspension or brake failure. Silversto:ne will be greatly modified following this year's British Grand Prix, including the constructiom of a new Formula 1 pitlane, paddock and start line on the Hangar Straight before Stowe corner and a significant re-profiling: of the circuit as a whole. BRDC president Jackie 16 Mircii 20S1

Stewart has stated that Silverstone is "almost certain" to employ the high-friction tarmac on its run-off areas when the modifications are complete. The BRDC has leased the venue to promoters Octagon Motorsport for 15 years to bring in the level of investment required to implement such costly rebuilding work. High-friction asphalt has long been a cause celebre of the FIA, and will be a feature of at least two races this year - the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix. -JOESAWARD

What about the mules? Schuey has to wear a Bell. Does his crew?

Never ask for whom the Bell tolls In the wake of the Australian Grand Prix, attention was drawn to the peculiar hand signals made by Michael Schumacher towards his pit just after the halfway point in the race. Although the hand movements caused some activity from Ross Brawn on the pit wall, Schumacher insisted that it was due to the Bell product he is now obliged to wear following a court case in Belgium, Schumacher changed to a Schuberth Helme product over the winter on the counsel of his brother Half, but judge Christine Dalcq ruled in favour of Bell’s European distributor Sports Europe, with whom Schumacher is under contract for 2001. He was ordered him to pay $125,000($248,000) per day he appeared without the Bell helmet, and was clearly unimpressed by the decision. “I had some problems all weekend with air coming through my helmet and going into my eyes,” said Schumacher of his hand signal.'T put some kind of strips to take it away. I had to take it away because there wasn't enough air in the helmet. I took it away, but then again I had the problem to have too much air. It is something I need to sort, but I hope we can do that.” Schumacher is believed to be able to vouch for the resistance of the Schuberth helmet after his double roll in the gravel at Melbourne in Friday practice (courtesy of the time difference between Europe and Australia). Meanwhile Mika Hakkinen has swapped to the Bell helmet for 2001 - and reported no problems... -JOESAWARD

n On the eve of this weekend's Indy Racing Northern Light Series opener at Phoenix, Dick Simon’s team has been rocked by the withdrawl of main backer Mexmil. The aircraft insulation company backed out of its three-year deal due to increased business which prompted the construction of new facilities. Frenchman Stephan Gregoire will still drive for the team. n Previously out of a ride at Treadway-Hubbard Racing, Davey Hamilton has found a ride with Sam Schmidt's new team. The 38-year-old is the only driver to start all 43 races in IRL history, while Schmidt has linked with his 1997-98 team owner Larry Nash to prepare the cars and his 1999 team - Treadway Racing - in a marketing and technical partnership. Hamilton will carry the #99 which Schmidt used during his racing career. n Billy Boat has found a ride for the first few races of the IRNLS. Greg Beck of Beck Motorsports has bought Mid-America Motorsport's equipment (who ran Jaques Lazier late last year) and will run the #98 car for the first few rounds before Boat links up with former car owner AJ Foyt for the Indy 500. Cary Agajanain is involved in the team, hence the number which his team used in the past with drivers such as Parnelli Jones. ■ Tri-Star Motorsport, the IRNLS team partly owned by Tony Stewart is returning to the series in partnership with Immke Racing. Immke's former driver Tyce Carlson will do the driving, while RDM Racing will field former TriStar driver Jeret Schroeder at Phoenix. ■ Robby McGehee, flung by Treadway Racing, will replace Donnie Beechler in Cahill Racing's IRNLS entry. Dr. Jack Miller will get a run with the team on the 'easy' ovals ... ■ Veteran Roberto Guerrero is returning to Indycars, The American will drive for the little-known Zali Racing at Phoenix, Give it away Roberto... ■ This weekend's Sebring 12 Hours will see the debut of Stefan Johansson's Gulf Audi R8 before it heads off to tackle the European Le Mans Series. Brit Guy Smith will co drive in the Florida classic, though a co-driver for the ELMS is TBA. 13

Stoddart Bit ex T

Eddie’s in the seat: But Jag have a pile of other drivers signed who could take over at a minute’s notice. Make that a second’s notice ... (Photo by Sutton-Imagcs)

vacancies at the Jag Inn? JAGUAR Racing currently has a wealth of driving talent on its books as it aims for respectability in 2001 and the beginning of a real challenge thereafter, and adding to the competition for seats is Bobby Rahal's vote of confidence in Dario Franchitti. With Eddie Irvine and Luciano Burti currently in place on the race team, Pedro de la Rosa waiting in the wings and Tomas Scheckter on testing duty, the FI team is well stocked. Meanwhile in its Formula 3 junior squad, German driver Andre Lotterer tested the interim R1B FI car impressively over the winter but he, in turn, is expected to struggle against Australia's James Courtney in the F3 team. Franchitti tested for Jaguar last season, with a view to taking the seat which Burti currently occupies, but the outing at Silverstone was reportedly far from impressive and the Scot returned to Team Kool Green in CART. Franchitti's place in CART is, however, only a one-year deal and Rahal rates him highly, having raced against him in the last years of his driving career. "I rate Dario very highly because he is one of the few guys who can race wheel-to-wheel with Juan Pablo Montoya," said Rahal. "Fle's still young enough, but if he's going to come over here with any team, it must be this year." Franchitti, like Burti and Scheckter, is a product of the Jackie and Paul Stewart regime and this may count against any move to Jaguar. After graduating through the junior formulae with Stewart, Franchitti was picked up by Mercedes for its International Touring Car squad, thence to Champ Cars, but the Scot had made no secret of his desire to reach Formula 1. Eddie Irvine's contract, while undoubtedly lucrative, also has a performance-related clause. He has also incurred displeasure for his criticism of the Jaguar Racing team and its 2001 car, the R2. Franchitti is managed by Julian Jakobi, who is also the manager of Pedro de la Rosa, and it is thought that he may be offering Jaguar a package deal for his drivers in 2002. Rahal clearly believes that the test last year did Franchitti no justice due to poor organization, and if Juan Pablo Montoya shines for Williams he may have all the argument he needs to plump for the Scot. - JOE SAWARD 14

THE European VIO engine, which began.life in 1998 as the Ford Cosworth engine that powered the Stewart Grand Prix team, was th-e cause ofsome concern to many of the European Minardi team - but not, seemingly,team boss Paul Stoddart The team’s Brazilian driver Tarso

Marques lost a lot oftime in the Friday free practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix after a spectacular blow-up of the unit, and on Saturday morning his team mate Fernando Alonso also returned to the pits trailing smoke. Alonso’s car was caught in time for a swift repair to be made, but Marques was hampered in his

PETBONAS

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They do it with the cricket: Now the Malaysians are doing it for FI. (Pholo by SuHon-lmages)

Malay Malaise

THE orgamizers of the Malaysia^ Grand Prix have cancelled, live coverage of the event from its own domestic television schedules as a bid to boost ticket sales. It seems that only 28,000 tickets for raceday have been sold to date from a maximum capacity of 94,000 as the local populace has opted to stay at home to watch the third running of the event. A 300 percent increase in the price of hotel rooms in the area is also believed to have counteracted

the enthusiasm for the event at the standard-setting Sepang facility. Despite the apparent slump in popularity, Malaysia has recently committed to staging the race until 2010, although a return to the end of the World Championship calendar would be preferable to the organizers. Among their many grievances this year they believe that the early date and lack of championship-deciding status have worked against the event this year. -JOE SAWARD

moiorspori newt

NEWS

>w ups ^ected 5

efforts to gain useful practice for qualifying and failed to be the 107 percent qualifying barrier- but was permitted to start on a technicality. Stoddart, who led his team out in Melbourne only seven weeks after his purchase of Minardi and with only 60 kilometres oftesting under his belt remained unconcerned - despite admitting that the problems would not be solved until the European season. “We Imow what the problem is, so it’s not going to be an issue, but it just takes time to manufactxire the new components,” said Stoddart, who admitted to feeling great pride in bringing the Faenza-based team back from the brink to lead it into his home town of Melbourne for the opening round of the year. “By Barcelona the problem should be gone altogether,” he added. “1 think we’ve surprised quite a few people on how many engines we’ve got here today. “Engines are not an issue for us. I can’t stop them blowing up, but we’ve got more to put in if they do!”

DESPITE his up and down weekend in Australia, BMW Williams has come out strongly in favour of its new man, Juan Pablo Montoya. The Colombian was consistently outpaced by Half Schumacher in Melbourne, but his bosses are full of support after a difficult debut weekend. Montoya’s sixth-row qualifying position counted for little off the line in Australia, where he got the drop on the drivers around him to charge into the leading pack albeit briefly as the first corner

He can slide it in fifth! Montoya has drawn praise on debut, i ^ (Photos by SuOdB'I

caught him by surprise. After pulling back much of the lost ground and running third in the pit stop window, he was stopped short of the chequered flag after an oil leak on the new BMW engine. Despite the numerous off-track

watch!’ “His qualifying would have been better but he was overdriving,” said Sir Frank Williams. “He knows it. He just needs to assemble a data bank and he’ll be there. - JOE SAWARD

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excursions of his debut weekend, however. Montoya impressed his new empioyers, and they had no hesitation in giving him their backing. “He’s everything other than smooth,” said Gerhard Berger, BMW’s motor sport manager.“He goes sideways in fifth his driving sfyie is a joy to

By Allan Schofield

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My-my-my Sharpna; ! Volkswagen could j have saved a lot of grief if they had just called The New Beetle’ The Knack’... THE VW Beetle is hitting Australian racetracks this season in the GT-Production Car Championship. Two new Beetle Rsi machines will be entered by Volkswagen Australia in Class B of the title and will be driven by Tim Leahey and Matthew Coleman. The team will be run out of Volkswagen Group Australia’s corporate headquarters in Alexandria, NSW,and overseen by Greg Siddle. The front-wheel drive machine, which features a 2.8-litre, V6 engine and a six-speed gearbox, will debut at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.

“It’s a rippa little car,” enthused Leahey. “Production car racing is going really strong at the moment and it’s good to be associated with a factory team.” Peter Nochar, MD of Volkswagen Group Australia, said that the 3.4-litre V6 machine (which features 4WD)will run in 2002. “We know you have to walk before you can run and the plan is to gain some experience racing the front-wheel-drive cars this year ahead of a program for the all-wheel-drive model in 2002,” he said. -AARON NOONAN

ANTHONY Reid and Warren Hughes have been named as the drivers of the new,factory entered MG ZS cars which will race during the second half of the 2001 British Touring Car Championship. The 'BTC Touring' division of the series has a larger entry than feared, with these and 11 other cars - three Peugeot 406 Coupes (Peugeot Sport UK), two GM Astras (Vauxhall Motorsport), two Lexus IS200s (ABG Motorsport), two Alfa Romeo 147s (JSM), and two more Astras (Team Egg Sport). There will also be 23 cars in the 'BTC Production' class, making a total of 34 when an event is fully subscribed. Even so, the series, which will start at Brands Hatch on 16 April, has lost its live BBC Television coverage. - QUENTIN SPURRING

New face SOMEONE has to get the short straw and come and work for Motorsport News, and Mark Glendenning is the, er, lucky guy. Those of you who spend those long, lonely hours surfing the internet probably already know the name, Mark having already contributed much to the world of motor racing in h}q)erspace. Mark, below, enjoys travelling, writing and macrame (just kidding) and has already distinguished himself by being able to name every winner of the Latvian Grand Prix, which dates all the way back to 1972. Like everyone else, he had to start at the bottom, so Glendenning’s first race meeting as a MN newshound was the Australian FI Grand Prix. They’re not all like that, Mark. Sometimes, Michael Schumacher doesn’t win - or even show up. Welcome to the A-Team.

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OPEIM 7 DAYS EARLY TILL LATE

NEWS Pounding through the pre-Le Mans program; The experienced Brundle joins the British team for another crack on La Sarthe. [Photo by Sutton-lmaaes)

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RIARTIN Brundle is returning to Le Mans for his annual attempt at the race, but in 2001 it will be behind the wheel of the new Bentley. These days a commentator for ITVs Grand Prix telecasts, Brundle will be joined in the driving squad by former race winner Stephane Ortelli and young Brit Guy Smith in addition to the already announced Andy Wallace, James Weaver and Butch Leitzinger. “It is a great story, being one of the Bentley Boys,” he said. “Having seen the car and looked at the technical side, I think that the Bentley is a very exciting prospect, but it will be a tough campaign with a lot of work to do in a short space of time. Winning is unrealistic, but I would hope for a solid finish from a standing start.” The car is expected to first run in Le Mans trim next week. Brundle won the race for Jaguar in 1990 with John Nielsen and Price Cobb and has been attempting to repeat the success, with unsuccessful attempts with both Nissan and Toyota in recent years.

ENJ for NRC FH And m^ylDG Murchison as by AARON NOONAN AMERICAN Emerson Newton-John will fill one of NRC Racing's seats in this year's Holden Australian Drivers' Championship, which begins at Phillip Island on March 25. The 26-year-old, who made his FH debut in New Zealand last year, will drive the Reynard 95D that won the New Zealand Grand Prix and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy in the hands of Andy Booth. "I just can't wait to race in Australia," said Newton-John, nephew of Olivia. "It has been a tough slog since the New Zealand Series to ensure that I could race in the Australian Formula Holden Championship with a top team."

Yank In, but is Murch? Newton-John joins NRC. (Phaw by Oiiic wynsmui) THE NRC team also tested Christian Murchison and Stewart McColl alongside its new signing at Phillip Island. Murchison, who has returned from Europe without any deals for this season, was quickly in the 1m24s bracket, while McColl ran, according to Abrahams, in times not dissimilar to Newton-John.

"If the dollars come in then (racing for NRC) it's 80 to 90 percent," said Murchison. "I'm pretty hopeful." There's also talk that twotime Gold Star Champ Simon Wills will make a one-off appearance in Adelaide. Another Wills/Murchison clash on the streets of Adelaide would be something ...

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Teen dream A misunderstanding between young Kiwi Scott Dixon and his team was the only downside to an otherwise impressive CART debut at Monterrey. After outqualifying all the other rookies by planting his PacWest car 14th on the grid, Dixon, below, inherited the race lead by not pitting during a session of full-course yellows. Unfortunately, this had not been part of the race strategy the team had meant for Dixon to come in, but he missed the call. Adopting a one-stop strategy

to conserve fuel, Dixon held the lead for 13 laps and was running in the top 10 late in the race before finally being caught short on the restart during the final lap following another yellow-flag period. “We had communication problems," said Dixon. "I thought the team told me to stay out, but that wasn't the case. "It was pretty boring from then on. I was just saving fuel, and on the last lap there was no fuel left; zero. It was disappointing. I think the car had more in it, a top-12 for sure."

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IT will take a long time to stop associating Michael Andretti with the Newman-Haas Lola team - not. In his very first race since deposing the all-time CAKT winningest driver from Carl Haas and Paul Newman’s bespoke team, Cristiano da Matta hit the track running by winning the opening round of the 2001 FedEx Championship Series in Monterrey, Mexico.

Da Matta didn’t dominate the race - Kenny Brack did that, mostly - but when Christian Fittipaldi walled his NH Lola on lap 67, prompting a long yellow flag period, the diminutive Brazilian held the lead and hung onto it - and stretched it - over the final five laps to record his second career win. With the race finishing a lap early because of the time limit, there was no way that da Matta

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Once were warriors: It may take some time to realise that Andretti, foiiowing, and Team Kool Green are now on the same side. motorsport news

CHAMP CARS

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Tough start: Gil de Ferran was under the weather all week but, typically, the Brazilian kept going and was second at the end of the race behind da Matta. (Photos by Sutton-Images)

was going to yield, and he came home clear of Gil de Ferran and Paul Tracy. Andretti, in his first race in the Motorola/Green Honda, was fourth from Brack, Jimmy Vasser and Tony Kanaan.

The first trip for the FedEx series to Mexico was not without problems. Thursday practice was shortened after many of the drivers complained about the state of the track, giving organisers not much time to get it right for Friday practice and qualif3dng. Brack was on fire in qualifying, edging da Matta off pole in his Team Rahal-Shell Lola-Ford, and that form carried on in the race, the former Indy 500 winner leading the first 24 laps. When he pitted under gi'een, that handed the lead to newcomer Scott Dixon, who stretched the fuel range in his PacWest Reynard, making only one stop to the opposition’s two or three. Brack resumed up front, only to

failed.

“Then I looked like a wanker after that because I had no brakes. It’s a shame, we had a great car until that happened.” Da Matta stayed out a lap longer than Brack when both pitted under green and that decided the race. Brack nursing his brakes home to fifth. “Kenny was running strong and

then had some kind of problem,” said da Matta.“He was really strong before that but after I got in front, he was still pushing me until our second (and final) pit stop.” With de Ferran unable to challenge - he was suffering from Montezuma’s revenge for the weekend, and required a drip after the race - the race ended with a whimper. There were several other hardluck stories. Local hero Adrian Fernandez ran out offuel after trying to stretch his fuel range late in the race, while former champion Alex Zanardi charged early, after running into Bruno Junqueira’s Lola-Toyota on the first lap. The Italian later tangled with Shinji Nakano and DNF’d.

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have his Ford shut down on lap 44, giving da Matta the lead that he would hold until the finish. “I was coming down the backstraight when,‘Boom,’ the engine just shut down,” he explained. “I flipped the ignition switch back on and it came right to life. I caught right back up to Cristiano and I was trying to pass him (lap 53) when my brakes

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by JORGE DELGADO IF you were Australian and your name was Troy, then chances were you enjoyed your weekend in the opening round of the 2001 World Superbike Championship at Valencia in Spain. Troy Corser took two sweeping victories for Aprilia, so dominant that he eased up on the final laps of both races. Meanwhile,fellow Aussie Troy Bayliss cemented his claim as the number one Infostrada Ducati hope for the title with a pair of seconds. “Despite the fact that I didn't get a good start in race one, I managed to get to the front of the race pretty easily,” commented Corser. Corser survived a big scare on the last lap of the first race when he made contact with Austrian backmarker Johann Wolfsteiner, but apart from that, it was a pretty clear run for the former champ. New team-mate Regis Laconi had a troubled Superbike debut, racing with bruising to his left Imee after being hit by the sliding bike of another rider in the morning warm-up while he was walking along the escape road! The Frenchman gritted his teeth and ended up with fourth in race one and a race two DNF when he was hit by Tadi Okada. Bayliss’s team-mate Ben Bostrom showed considerably better foirni in the opening round than at the same time last year, the American taking third in race one. In race two he copped a double black flag for jumping the start and then breaking the pitlane speed limit, maldng his second mandatory retm-n to the pits a final one. That left the final place on the

On the double Troy Corser began the 2001 World Superbike Championship in the best way- with two strong wins in the opening round at Valencia, while Troy Bayliss chimed in with a pair ofseconds

podium in race two to Gregorio Lavilla (Kawasaki), while defending Champion Colin Edwards struggled all weekend to find a decent set-up and ended up with a sixth and a fourth. Points: Corser 50, Bayliss 40, Lavilla 27,Edwards 23,Yanagawa 18, Chili 18, Bostrom 16, Laconi 13, Chambon 12, Hodgson 11.

IN the opening roxmd of the World Supersport Championship,Aussie duo Kevin Curtain and Karl Muggeridge had strong runs to finish fifth and sixth respectively.

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Back-to-back: Team Yoshimura Suzuki rider Mat Mladin made it two wins (Photo courtesy Suzuki Racing) in two years at the Daytona classic.

Mladin’s Daytona

ON the other side of the world in the opening round of the AMA US Superbike Championship - the Daytona 200 in Florida - another Aussie in Mat Mladin was busy belting the opposition to take his second consecutive win in the event. Mladin had to overcome three separate race re-starts but was never really threatened, having been the fastest all weekend in the races as well as practice and qualifying. "It was frustrating in the early laps as I was able to build a lead, but then lose it all when the race was red flagged. "From the third restart, I was dicing with Miguel (DuHamel,

American Honda), Eric Bostrom (Team Kawasaki) and Kurtis Roberts on the second American Honda and made my way past them without too many problems and back into the lead," said Mladin. 'With the early interruptions we only had to make one pit stop which was good. As is usually the case at Daytona, tyres play a crucial part. The Dunlops got us through to the flag, but I know that a few of the other guys were having trouble with them and were sliding around a fair bit. All in all, it just awesome to win here again." Four-time Daytona 200 winner Scott Russell was one of those caught up in the early race incidents, suffering a broken left leg and wrist.

motorsport news

BIKES & ALMS

New season,same result

Audi 1-2 in American Le Mans Series opener at Texas AUDI has continued its domination of the American Le Mans Series with a 1-2 result in the opening round of the series at Texas Motor Speedway. While Dindo Capello and new team-mate Tom Kristensen won the race, the brand new Panoz of David Brabham and Jan Magnussen held an 11-second margin with half an hour ofthe race to nm,though a late-race stop for fuel forced them to settle for third. ‘We had to stop so I pushed hard to lengthen the lead and hoped for a fast pit stop,” Brabham said. It worked out that we got third. It’s a new car which needs more development but I’m looking

forward to the next round at Sebring. Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro finished second in the second Audi. The duo had set the pole position time but the time was disallowed due to a rear diffuser that exceeded the maximum height allowed. Dorsey Schroeder and Andy Wallace in the Champion team 2000-spec Audi R8 were fourth, ahead of the older model LMPOl Panoz of Klaus Graf and Gualter Salles. Ron Fellows and new Corvette recruit Johnny O’Connell kicked off the GTS class on a strong note by repeating Corvette’s first victory from last year at the Texas venue; O’Connell replacing Chris

The proven and the new; The Collins/Pilgrim Corvette tasted concrete, top, while the Schnitzer BMW, above, debuted in the GT class. (Photos by Sutton-lmages)

Ajittle blt-of a birthday over the summer and the Audi’s are stiii the cars to beat: Dindo Capello and new partner Tom Kristensen continued at Texas where the team left off last year in Adelaide. (Photo by Sutton*Images)

EARL’S

Collins and Andy Pilgrim wasn’t so fortunate, with Collins cutting a tyre and slamming the wall. Porsche took first blood in its GT battle with BMW. Lucas Luhr and Sascha Maassen took victory ahead of Randy Pobst and Christian Menzel. Boris Said and Hans Stuck brought the top BMW home in third spot, while the debuting Schnitzer car of Jorg Muller and JJ Lehto ended up fifth. Round two of the series is this weekend at the classic Sebring 12Hours.

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NioforSport Av\^ards

Mick steals the show MICK Doohan was the star of the 2001 Australian MotorSport Awards. Nearly 500 of motor sport’s movers and shakers provided a standing ovation as Mick accepted a one-off Gold MotorSport Award for his contribution to, and achievement in, motor sport. Fittingly, four-wheel motor sport legend Peter Brock made the presentation to the five-time 500cc World Champion following a video tribute which had many reaching for their hankies... “It brings back memories,” said Doohan, who later joked with Brock that “my hair’s the same colom- as yours!” when asked about his age being a factor in his retirement. “That last accident pulled things to an abrupt stop but it’s good to watch from the other side of the fence,” Mick continued. “I didn’t think you guys (the car racing fraterrdty) paid so much attention! It’s good to see the two being combined in things [award presentations] like these. “I really enjoyed riding against the competition. Maybe I was a little crazier than the rest,” he concluded.

5 '

MotorSnnii I

C^yrtney’s double: Top award and shared international with Webber AFTER tying the MotorSport International Achiever voting with Benetton test driver Mark Webber, Jaguar F3 team driver James Courtney narrowly took out the top award for 2000 - the MotorSportsman of the Year. Flaving set a new record for race wins on his way to winning the British Formula

Ford Championship, Courtney joins Webber on the trail which may ultimately lead to the Grand Prix grid. With Courtney on a plane home following a successful F3 test the day before, his awards were collected by Australianbased PR man and advisor Neil Crompton (International) and proud parents Jim and Deanna

(MotorSportsman). Crompton was his usual quotable self: "I'm the 'whatever' part of the Courtney charge ..." he said. For his part, Webber was noticeably thrilled to be sharing the stage with his idol Mick Doohan, who made the presentation: "Mick's somebody who we

i 1

/■

can all look up to in motor sport," he said. "It's good to be back for the GP. Congratulations to James; he's getting used to the long trips we all enjoy so much... "The Benetton test contract was a great reward and, with David Sears and Supernova this year, it'd be great to wrap it [the F3000 title] up.

AustraUan

MotorSport Awards

moiorsport news

NEWS

Skalfe peopki's choice AFTER a stellar season with the Holden Racing Team in V8 Supercars, Mark Skaife added to his 2000 trophy cabinet by being voted Personality of the Year by Motorsport News readers. “Thank you to the readers,” said Skaife. 'This comes as quite a surprise to me,” he continued. ‘There’s plenty of personalities in our game, (but) Tony Cochrane says I don’t have onel” he added. Cochrane didn't poll too badly, either, we should mention... Skaife narrowly out-polled 1999 winner Mark Webber.

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OK,so don’t ask what Garth’s wearing in the photo. Although, come to think of it, he did lose to Mark Skaife in the Shell Series by a nose last year,so that might be something to do with it...

Tender’s effort in winning the FA1 1000 at Bathurst and finishing a close runner-up in the SCS won him the Circuit Racer of the Year ahead of SCS winner Skaife. ”lt’s a bit of a surprise - I didn’t write a speech!” admitted Garth. 'Td like to thank our team for giving me the opportunity to be here tonight and thanks to Bargs - he has as much right to be standing up here as me.” Garth (ieft) was one of the unfortunate victims co-opted by iliusionist Raymond Crowe...

Youlden’s Youth vote

THE son of former Australian Production Car Champion Kent, Luke Youlden’s achievement in winning the Australian Formula Ford Championship at his first attempt was enough to convince the judges that he was a worthy selection as MotorSport Young Achiever of the Year. The Victorian won the titie by one point over fellow nominee Rick Kelly. "I can’t believe it. If I get a seat 16 March 2001

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for this year then maybe I can be up here next year! ’’It really was a dream come true with a small group of guys helping. Thanks to Tristan Fisher, Nick Green and my parents.”

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NiotorSport Awfards

Possum’s fifth Rally win CAN somebody please find a loophole in the immigration laws to send Possum Bourne back to New Zealand? The live-wire Kiwi, below, with

Oarsome Foursome Olympic gold medallist James Tomkins, picked up his fifth Rally Driver of the Year Award after yet another struggle with long-time Toyota

foe Neal Bates and couldn’t resist stopping at the microphone as we’ve discovered over the past five awards nights: "I’d like to thank all the people involved in our sport, in particular. Channel 10 for helping build it,” said Bourne. “Mark(Stacy)and I had a blast last year and we>e aiming for our sixth this year. To the team, thanks for the opportunity to drive such a fantastic motor car. It’s pretty easy to get good results with a good team behind you. I dedicate this to them -they’ve worked their guts out.”

McCoy the Bike standout GARRY McCoy was a no¬ surprise winner when 2000 MotorSport Bike Racer of the Year voting was tallied. The former Camden,now Angora, resident won three SOOcc Grands Prix in 2000 in his second season with Yamaha and easily out-polled Superbike colleagues Troy Bayliss and Troy Corser. With a hectic testing schedule in Europe through February and March, McCoy was unable to be present on the night, but sent a message of thanks for his win and an acknowledgement of the support he is getting from his fans back home in Australia.

Russo's Drag win PETER Russo's AHRA World

WITH son Brooke off chasing his di'eam in the World of Outlaws Sprintcars in the United States after another World Series Sprintcar title win, George Tatnell, pictimed above with long-time Speedway enthusiast and occasional FI punter Joe Saward,accepted the award on behalf of his lad.

“Thank you to Motorsport News,” said Tatnell Sr. It’s a brilliant publication and we send it to Brooke all the time the Americans say it’s first class. Brooke’s off living his dream at the moment after another summer here. Unfortunately the Australian Title eluded us, but he sends his best wishes.

Funny Car fitle was enough to give the unsponsored Victorian the Drag Racer of the Year Award.

Funny Cars are hard enough, but being up here (on stage) makes the heart really pound. I'd like to thank the

This is fairly scary," said Russo, who received his award from the surprisingly similar Joe Saward.

sponsors, but we don't really have any! Thank you to Helen [Peter's wife]- she owns part of the team...

OPINION

Back to business t was certainly good to get back to Australia for the Grand Prix as it's always a time of the year that I reaiiy enjoy. It's not only because Australians can get to see what Formula One is about at first hand but a lot of Europeans have the opportunity to enjoy our country, too.

everyone's best efforts and innovations, an accident iike this could still happen in motorsport in 10 to 20 years time. Unfortunately, 22 cars driving round at 340 kiiometres an hour cannot aiways be predictabie even though every possibie precaution has been taken.

'his year, of course, it's not possibie to taik about the Austraiian Grand Prix without mentioning the unbelievabie misfortune that struck one of our own. When I returned to Europe for FI testing, severai of the drivers were taiking about just how freakish the tragedy was and that unfortunateiy, despite

eing a part of the Benetton 'team now, it was interesting for me to be really involved with a Grand Prix team for the first time during a race weekend. To watch the team at work at an away Grand Prix such as Meibourne was a pretty good sight, especiaiiy considering the amount of trouble we had

between and during sessions. A lot of peopie are probably wondering what the heil is going on at Benetton, but the simple fact is that the only thing even Formula One can't buy is time and we are late with the chassis and the enginel If you think about it, Benetton has had probabiy the most change of ali the teams over the winter with a massive change over in engineering and aerodynamics, totaily new engine and totaily new tyres. You can't build all that up in a fortnight and realisticaliy it's going to take a good 12 months. It's probably good that we are doing ali of our changes in one hit as when they ail gather momentum - and they will - the package will be strong.

See you on the grid: Webber caught up with Toyota’s new signing, Ryan Briscoe, at the MotorSport Awards before heading backfor three big days of Photo: Bothwell Photographic FI testing with Benetton (below).

watched the whole Grand Prix from the first corner and Schumacher is definitely something else! The way he drives that car through a race distance is very unique and once Hakkinen had his failure. I'm quite convinced that Michael was playing with Couithard and McLaren. The Ferrari iooks as though it's even quicker than iast year's car out of the box and heading to Malaysia and Brazii - circuits which Michael is very strong at(which ones isn't he?)- he could be off to an awesome start to the season.

Motor Mouth With Mark Webber I watched the whole Grand Prix from the first comer and Schumacher is r« definitely somethmg else!

y the time you read this, I will be in Maiaysia and iooking forward to seeing the big four battling it out again. I'm not sure whether Michelin will challenge the Bridgestones just yet as they obviously haven't been to Malaysia before, but their day wiil definitely come. And, the Williams is certainly looking very, very competitive, so when those Michelins do hook up, the reds and siivers better look out!

'm settling in reaiiy weli with my F3000 team. Supernova. I can't wait for the championship to start and there's no confusion at all about what I need to do this year. I'm feeling quite good going into our first race in Brazil at the end of the month, having had some good tests with the team (see news pages for iatest) and I feel that after three or four races, we should really have a picture on how the championship is going to pan out.

y the way, if you want to check regularly on how things are going for me over here in Europe this year, then you might want to check out my websites at www.webberracing.co.uk and vww.webber.yeilowpages.com.au which are currentiy being updated for the start of the season. If not. I'll catch you next time round in Motorsport News. 2T

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n n \\. toilii’r^L'lieratson; Already comparisons are being drawn h-;tWi:cn the uccidenis ofJacqv.es Viileneuve in Melbourne and that 'if ●iis faihcr. (lille.i, at Mount Fuji in 1977 and Zolder in 1982. . fFhiMobySifVi; h/y.i'II'Alhporii

HE Melbourne week was one of contrast. It started with excitement, optimism and enthusiasm and ended with an awful accident and morbid questions about safety issues. The slogan for the race was "This is living" but by Sunday evening we were talking about the death of a track marshal, and the wilder members of the press corps were once again winding up the air raid sirens of criticism. The good things that happened on Sunday were shoved under the carpet. Kimi Raikkonen's great FI debut; Minardi's happy little miracle and a brilliant event. Until Sunday evening I was enjoying myself. It was sunny and one should never underestimate the power of a 28

few solar rays on a Pom. I was back with racing cars again after a winter of desks and drizzle. There is usually not much time for partying in Formula 1 but, somehow or other, I managed to get to a few events (which is why I am writing this at 4.24 in the morning). I even got an invite to the Grand Prix Ball from that nice Ron Walker. I had such a good time that when the following day someone asked me about what had happened I could barely remember any details. Was the food good? Urn... well, 1 think it was lamb. What was being auctioned? Urn... I have no idea. I paid some attention to the speeches and presentations (but not much) but I do remember being quite touched by a rather

weepy Murray Walker telling everyone that the award to him was the proudest day of his life. I have known Murray for a lot of years now and I know he was being genuine. attention at thenot Ballpaying what So, if you were were you doing? I was asked. What was I doing? Well, I was doing what one does at Balls, I was pretending to be Prince Charming and chatting to a Cinderella or two on the table at which I was seated. We talked about quantum physics and erogenous zones (modern Cinderellas, don't you know) and after a winter of being a grown-up it was nice to be a kid again. At the end of the evening the waiters brought us chocolate

racing cars with the coffee and we giggled like children and stole as many of them as we could and smuggled them out into the night. I had a wonderful evening. And the next day,European Paul Stoddart of the Minardi team promised he would give me a £1m if a Minardi could win the race. "If this team wins the race I will be so happy that 1 would do it," he said when I suggested that millionaires always say stuff like that. So we gathered some witnesses and a pact was made. If I was a little biased towards Minardi on race day, I could have been forgiven for it. I was even asked to enter a Minardi sweepstake and paid $30 to molorsporl news

proudly write my top three finishers; F .Alonso. M Schumacher. M Hakkinen. In the end, the fun and games came to an end as Jacques Villeneuve went tumbling down the road in his BAR-Honda. At the airport on the way home I met a weary-looking Craig Pollock. "When I saw the accident all I could think of was Zolder 1982," he said. Formula 1 historians will know that Jacques's father Gilles Villeneuve had a similar accident when his Ferrari ran into the back of Jochen Mass.'s March at the Belgian Grand Prix of 1982. Villeneuve was killed instantly when the Ferrari nose-dived into the ground. His body was hurled from the 16 March 2001

disintegrating car. It was horrible. My thoughts in the seconds after the accident followed similar lines but 1 was thinking more of Mount Fuji in 1977 when Gilles Villeneuve missed his braking point at the end of the main straight and ran into the back’of Ronnie Peterson's Tyrrell. The Ferrari cartwheeled off the track and, although Villeneuve escaped unhurt, a marshal and a photographer were killed and others were injured. The similarities were eerie. 'hen all is said and done, what happened in Albert Park was not "a tragedy" as everyone was writing. It is terrible that a man should have died, but he knew the risks. He was passionate about the sport.

as most marshals are, but unfortunately he was in the wrong place at the wrong moment. That may sound crass, but that is the reality. Sad though it may be. It is hard to see how the fatality could have been avoided. It was just bad luck. The wheel which hit the poor marshal came through a gap in the debris fencing which is not big enough for a wheel to pass through. But at leOkmh, the rubber of the tyre and the steel rods of the fencing contrived to make it happen. You cannot regulate what Fate decides will happen. And yet, at the same time, the crash was an extraordinary illustration of just how safe Formula 1 cars and circuits have become. The accident is the

worst kind that can happen in - -: nnotor racing. It was a similar accident during the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1955 which caused the worst disaster in motor racing history when Pierre Levegh's Mercedes 300SLR sportscar ran over the back of another car opposite the pits and flew into a public enclosure packed with spectators. Levegh and around 100 others were killed. The debris fencing at Albert Park saved the sport from that. There were cuts and bruises but that was it. Motor racing is and always will be dangerous. Minimising the risks is what is important. I did not leave Australia feeling like a light-hearted kid... ...but I was relieved that it had not been worse. 29

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Michael Schumacher swept to pole position from team-mate Rubens Barrichello, and the Maranello pairing went 1-3 in an eventful - and tragic race. JOE SAWARD reports on the 2001 Qantas Australian Grand Prix

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t was, for the greater part of the weekend, a glorious start to a new season of FoiTOula 1. Melhoume, as ever, provided a spectacular hill of supporting entertainment, seamless organisation and atmosphere by the bucketload. Alas, the event will be remembered in history - or at least in the newspapers - because of an accident which claimed the life of a trackside marshal after a collision on the fifth lap between Ralf Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve. The screaming headlines were not really warranted: the death of the marshal was the result of an extraordinary sequence of events that are never likely to be repeated. Safety must be reviewed, of course, but the reality is that given the severity of the accident it

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':.:i was remarkable that so few people were involved. If anj-thing that crash was a testament to the high level of safety which exists in FI today. The, crash, however, overshadowed a tense battle between Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen; an interesting contest between Michelin and Bridgestone and a truly remarkable Grand Prix debut from Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen - who finished seventh on the road but was promoted to sixth when Olivier Panis was penalised for overtaking under a yellow flag. As often happens in Formula 1, people do not look far beyond the final result, but one cannot say with any certainty that the event was a walkover for Schumacher. It looked that way but the men from McLaren were convinced that if

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Take me to your Red Leader: Ferrari has never had the front row to themselves in Australia - but that was before they ventured to Albert Park. The F2001S of Schumacher and Barrichello gave plenty of cheer to the Tifosi, some of whom were packing an all-red front row of their own, below. Yellow sharks? Apparently ... Honda Is back and Jordan threatened In qualifying, H-HF, above, starting fourth. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmilh, Marshall Cass and Sutton-lmages)

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Mika Hakkinen had kept going he would have beaten Michael. It is an academic point. Hakkinen did not keep going. He braked hard at Turn 13 on lap 26 and something broke in the leftfront suspension and the Finn suffered a very sizeable impact with the tyre wall, prompting a quick trip to the medical centre. “I hit the brakes and then lost control of the car,” explained a rather subdued Finn. “I went to the medical centre for a check-up as something hit my helmet, but I’m fine.” When the crash happened, Hakkinen had been 4.7 seconds behind Schumacher’s Ferrari. It had grown quicldy in the five laps prior to the accident and Hakkinen later explained that this was because something did not feel right in the car. Prior to that, he had been holding station just a second behind Schumacher. The Villeneuve-Ralf Schumacher accident on lap five had thrown all the strategies into chaos, so it is hard to know exactly what would have happened, but it is worth noting that Schumacher pitted on lap 37 of 58. It was a strange moment at which to stop and David Coulthard highlighted this by reducing the gap between himself and the Ferrari from nearly 16 seconds before the crash to only 10 afterwards by stopping four laps after Schumacher did. One can argue that the Ferrari team had a big enough lead not to

have to worry about strategies but it was odd nonetheless and - given the fact that there was a lengthy Safety Car period lasting for 10 laps one could argue that Schumacher might have been on a two-stop strategy which was later changed to suit the circumstances. If this was indeed the case his pace in the early laps was not surprising. Hakkinen was clearly on a one-stop strategy. Evidence to back up this theory comes from Schumacher’s burst of speed when the race was restarted after the Safety Car. He set eight fastest laps in 10 laps. Hakkinen could not quite match him. The men at McLaren seem to believe this theory and unless someone at Ferrari starts blabbing - which is not very likely - we will not know for sure until the cars meet again in Malaysia. Does the Ferrari have a smaller fuel tank or higher consumption - than the McLaren? It is quite possible. Rubens Barrichello stopped two laps after Schumacher but two laps before Coulthard, so no real conclusions can be drawn from that. It was just an odd strategic move on the part of Schumacher and Ross Brawn and they do not normally make strange calls. Everything is done for a reason. What is interesting about Coulthard is that he was able to catch and pass Barrichello - with a lovely outside move on lap 34.

continued on page 34 33

Albert Park continued from page 33

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There is no escaping the fact that the second McLaren was faster than the second Ferrari. Barrichello put this down to the fact that he had had a scrape early on with Heinz-Harald Frenzten and the toe-in on his left front tyre was all wrong thereafter. “At the end of the race, my left front tyre was ruined,” said Barrichello. Coulthard’s chances were helped by a moment when Barrichello made a bit of a hash of overtaking backmarker Fernando Alonso and went wide on to the grass. So there is evidence both ways and no definite answers. The result is on the board: Ferrari won, McLaren did not. Ferrari has 14 points in the Constructors’ title and McLaren has six. We will have to see what happens in Malaysia.

at was clear in Melbourne . . was that Jordan is the team most likely to take on McLaren and Ferrari. Frentzen and Jarno Trulli qualified fourth and seventh and, immediately after the session, the team let everyone

know that they had pulled off a very nice con job in pre-season testing. No-one suspected that the team would be that quick. Frentzen said it was the best Jordan car he had ever driven and, given the fact that he has won in two other cars, that is worth noting. Frentzen kept up his momentum throughout qualifying and came out ahead, while Trulli struggled to find the right set-up and, while not exactly panicking, he did not achieve the result he would have liked to have seen. Even the top drivers are sometimes thrown off balance by a problem early in a qualifying session. The fact that the difference between the two men was only seven-tenths of a second indicates just how sensitive the cars of today have become. In the race, there are different criteria and there is no doubting that both the Jordan men have the necessary blend of caution and madness. Coulthard made a better start than Frentzen and tried to pass him at the same time Ralf Schumacher was right with them and, so, there was an element of bumping and boring as they

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Absence makes the heart go ‘Honda’: The Hondas and BAR impressed, Olivier Panis qualifying right behind Jacques Villeneuve. (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith)

I 11

AUSTRALIAN FI GRAND PRIX

A PRiietlCE AND QUALIFYING RESULTS

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PosNo Driver Nat Car FriAM FriPM Sat AM Dual 1 1 Michael Schumacher D Ferrari F2001 1:29.368 1:29.284 1:27.561 1:26.892 2 2 Rubens Barrichello BR Ferrari F2001 1:29.056 1:28.965 1:29.945 1:27.263 3 3 Mika Hakkinen FIN McLaren-Mercedes MP4/16 1:30.037 1:29.799 1:27.775 1:27 .461 4 11 Heinz-Harald Frentzen D Jordan-Honda EJ11 1:31.908 1:30.802 1:27.940 1:27.658 5 5 Ralf Schumacher D Williams-BMWFW23 1:31.352 1:30.277 1:28.666 1:27.719 6 4 David Coulthard UK McLaren-Mercedes MP4/16 1:30.052 1:29.324 1:27.540 1:28 .010 7 12 Jarno Trulli I Jordan-Honda EJ11 1:32.347 1:29.267 1:28.193 1:28 .377 1:38.349 1:31.559 1:28.962 1:28 .435 8 10 Jacques Villeneuve CAN BAR-Honda B003 9 9 Olivier Panis FR BAR-Honda B003 1:32.330 1:31.166 1:28.677 1:28 .518 10 16 NickHeidfeld D Sauber-Petronas C20 1:32.329 1:30.345 1:28.895 1:28 .615 COL Williams-BMW FW23 1:32.287 1:31.721 1:29.184 1:28 .738 11 6 Juan Montoya 12 18 Eddie Irvine 1:33.969 1:31.573 1:28.861 1:28 .965 UK Jaguar-Cosworth R2 13 17 Kimi Raikkonen FIN Sauber-Petronas C20 1:33.369 1:31.453 1:28.851 1:28 .993 14 22 JeanAlesi F Prost-Acer AP-04 1:46.977 1:31.089 1:29.981 1:29 .893 ND Arrows-Asiatech A22 1:31.830 1:31.669 1:31.590 1:29 .934 15 14 Jos Verstappen 16 8 Jenson Button UK Benetton-Renault B201 1:34.522 1:33.403 1:30.893 1:30 .035 17 7 Giancarlo FisIchella I Benetton-Renault B201 1:34.892 1:32,475 1:30.549 1:30 .209 BR Arrows-Asiatech A22 1:35.752 1:33.203 1:30.782 1:30 .520 18 15 Enrique Bernoldi 19 21 Fernando Alonso 1:34.829 1:32.587 1:30.360 1:30 .657 ESP Minardi-European PS01 20 23 Gaston Mazzacane ARG Prost-Acer AP-04 1:34.941 1:33.153 1:34.431 1:30 .798 21 19 Luciano Burti 1:33.471 1:33.011 1:30.578 1:30 ,978 BR Jaguar-Cosworth R2 1:36.463 1:36.463 1:34.491 1:33 .228 22 20 Tarso Marques* BR Minardi-European PSOl ●Marques started at the discretion of the Stewards after failing to meet the 107 percent qualifying criterium

ALBERT PARK, VICTORIA, MARCH 2/3 34

Trouble in paradise: When was the last time a McLaren qualified sixth? That’s where Coulthard started. And it is so written; “the Benz faithful shall hide their sadness with silver paint”. (Pholos by Dirk Klynsmith and Marshall Cass)

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Blur en bleue; Alesi - and others - expected much from the Prost-Acer, but the car was out-paced by the ‘other’ Ferraris in the Sauber. (PhoiouyDirkKiynsmiu,)

headed down to the first corner. Coulthard lost out and with Barrichello having made a bad start as well Frentzen found himself third. Trulli was sixth, although he was soon eaten up by the recovering Coulthard. The fact that Ralf Schumacher went for a ride across the grass helped Jarno maintain his sixth position and that became fifth when Barrichello made a bit of a mess of overtaking Frentzen. Rubens committed himself when he did not really have the room to do so and Frentzen quite rightly thought he had the right to take 16 March 2001

the corner. The result was that the two cars touched and the Jordan went for a spin, Frentzen shaking his fist as he went out of control. It was a fairly ham-fisted manoeuvre by Barrichello (which is rare). “That ruined the race for me,” Frentzen explained. Later he suffered from understeer which he felt was caused by the bumps with Coulthard and Barrichello. He started out in 16th after the spin and gradually moved up as the others ran into misfortunes. His pit stop strategy made up another place and he ended up in sixth position chasing after Nick Heidfeld’s Sauber. The pair remained locked in combat all the way to the flag. Sixth place(which later became fifth when Panis was excluded for overtaking under a yellow flag) was at least some reward for Frentzen. But he could have done a lot better. Fourth would have been a better reflection on what the car was capable of achieving. It may not be enough to challenge for victories, but it is a good place at which to start. Trulli would probably have finished fourth but for a misfire which developed on his engine in the middle ofthe race. He was running comfortably in fifth place behind the McLarens and Ferraris when Hakkinen went out and so inherited fourth - but then he disappeared with the engine problem.

^ at was clear with the . . Jordans is that they were faster than the two other Hondapowered cars in the field: the BAKs. Jacques Villeneuve and Panis lined up eighth and ninth in qualifying and,if the truth be told, Panis would probably have been ahead but for a recalcitrant Heidfeld when Olivier was on his final flying lap. Prior to that, Villeneuve was having trouble keeping up with his number two. At the start of the race, Heidfeld managed to sneak between the two

men, and then Jos Verstappen (who, as usual, was running with a light fuel load) also managed to get ahead of Panis. Not long afterwards both Jos and Olivier overtook Heidfeld under a yellow flag. On the fifth lap Villeneuve, who was right on Half Schumacher’s tail and running quickly, looking for a way to take sixth position off the Williams driver, missed his continued on page 36

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House specialty: After doing it in France in 2000, Coulthard passed Barrichello on the outside again, the Brazilian suffering from excessive toe-in and a recalcitrant Alonso Minardi. Hakkinen had an even worse time; an off with suspension failure and a long walk. (Photo by John Morris/Mpix and Sutton-lmages) continued from page 35 braking point at Turn 3 and ran into the back and over Schumacher’s car. The BAE flew through the air, turning as it went and then landed tail first on the wall beside the track. The front of the car then crashed to the ground (breaking the monocoque) and the car then slid backwards down the wall, its rear in the air. As it passed a gap in the debris fencing, the right rear tyre popped through and was sheared from the car by a sturdy metal post at the end of the hole. The wheel then bounced down the naiTow alley behind the debris fencing but in front of the spectator area for about 10m before it hit Graham Beveridge, a crowd control marshal from Queensland. The wheel was probably only travelling at around 80kmh by the time it hit the unfortunate Beveridge in the chest, but it was still sufficient an

impact to cause him fatal injuries. And while there have been the usual stories about fans getting in the way of medical assistance and so on, it is fair to say (without

going into nasty details) that Beveridge was not going to be saved by anyone. He was taken to the amWlance being given cardiac massage all the way but at the

hospital it was soon concluded that there was no hope.

continued on page 38

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Albert Park FI in brief Launch news: European Minardi launched its new PS01 on the steps of Melbourne's Parliament House on Wednesday, February 28. Apart from its monochromatic colour scheme, the car featured a small black and white striped logo on the side of the nosebox as part of team boss Paul Stoddart's life-long devotion to the Collingwood AFL club. But that was as far as the footy theme went: any chance of getting European drivers Tarso Marques and Fernando Alonso in 'Pie gear were, presumably, kyboshed by conflicting airline sponsorships. The Woods are supported by Emirates Airlines, and the race itself was a Qantas-backed affair. n Despite the fact that it was his first press conference as an FI team owner, Stoddie proved a dab hand at the job. When asked about the unreliability of his 'European' engines -which he fully expected, given their mileage - the Melbourne man was prepared."We can't stop them blowing up," he said, "but we do have more to put in when they do. I think

people have been surprised how many engines we have."

continued from page 36 There were about a dozen people who were showered by bits of carbon fibre and metal but no-one else suffered more than cuts and bruises, Out on the track Villeneuve’s wild ride ended with the car flipping several times but he emerged unhurt. He later complained of some back pains which is not a surprise - and went to hospital to be checked out. bar’s horrible day ended with Panis, who had finished fourth on the road, being penalised for overtaking Heidfeld. His 25 second penalty dropped him from fourth to seventh.

he accident meant that Raff Schumacher was no longer in the running and so it is very difficult to gauge just how good the Williams-BMW-Michelin package really is. Michelin was guessing in Melbourne and the fact that Schumacher qualified fifth was an impressive indication that the French tyre company should not be overlooked in the future. Without any data about the track the Michelin men had to do what they could and Williams engineers then had to fit the cars around the tyres. It was all about making compromises. The good news for Williams is that the BMW engine is very strong and that the car can be played with to match the tyres. When Michelin gets to some tracks it knows, Bridgestone is going to have to pay more attention. Will there be Williams-BMW victories this year? Probably.

) Raff’s race was short and flawed. At the start, he was involved in the bumping match between Frentzen and Coulthard but he emerged fourth until the start of the second lap when he went wide

n Marc Gene was a busy man in Melbourne, running against Larry Perkins and Allan Moffat in the Williams-BMW. But he was almost sidelined when he showed up to collect his pit bike to go to Friday's race: it had been moved to a secure position by a security man, despite the fact than the Spaniard was firmly holding on to the key.

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n Speaking of bikes, rack one up for good old Aussie security. When a Harley Davisdon arrived at the FI Paddock gate, it was not getting in without a vehicle pass. No matter that the rider was Mika Salo; the recent Ferrari and Sauber (and future Toyota) man was allowed in, but the HD stayed firmly put on the public side of the gates. n Crowd figures were up on attendances for 2000. On Thursday, 49,600 showed up (up 200), followed by 80,400 on Friday, 111,000 for Saturday qualifying and 128,500 for Sunday's race. - PHIL BRANAGAN 38

at the first corner and so slipped behind Barrichello, Coulthard and Trulli. Montoya had qualified 11th because of traffic but at the start fired the Williams up and into the leading pack at the first corner.

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Formula Juan: Montoya looked good until oil problems foroed an early chat with Aussie engineer, Sam Michael, moiorsport news

FORMULA ONE pipe fitting broke and he was forced to retire. So Williams went home with no points but,for anyone who cared to take notice, the fourth fastest lap of the race was a hint of things to come.

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Rookie report: Kimi Raikkonen took the honours for the new lads; yes, that is three time GP winner Frentzen. The future is Orange - doh! Bernoldi looked fast enough he he kept hitting things, like this wall. (Photos by Sutton-lmages)

only to go off and ran over the grass and slip back. At the third corner he tried to retake a place from Eddie Irvine and knocked the Jaguar into a spin. Montoya then settled down and was riding around in eighth place after the Safety Car. This loecame seventh when Hakkinen disappeared and sixth when Trulli slipped away. He was just about to come in for his pit stop when an oil

The team going to gain most keeping and notfrom getting into trouble was Sauber. Throughout the weekend it was clear that the new Sauber - the first to be designed by a new group of engineers put in place last year by Peter Sauber - was a very good little car. Nick Heidfeld qualified 10th and new boy Kimi Raikkonen was 13th. This was a bit disappointing, as both men had been in the top 10 throughout practice. The two drivers both blamed traffic. Whichever way you look at it, it was still a good result, particularly from Raikkonen. “I think this shows that people underestimate just how good the top level kart drivers are nowadays,” remarked Kimi’s engineer Jacky Eeckelaert, the man who was chiefly responsible for convincing the often conventional Peter Sauber to do something really radical. “Next, I am going to take someone straight from karts to FI,” muttered Eeckelaert quietly... Last year Heidfeld showed little form in the Prost but, with a better car beneath him, he seemed to have a great deal more confidence and seemed to be comfortable mixing it with the big names. As those ahead dropped away, so Heidfeld emerged to ran seventh, and this became fifth with the retirements of Hakkinen and Ti-ulli.

Stoddie’s dream: Alonso looked really good, his old European V10 running to the finish. Eddie Irvine struggles on behind. (Photobysutton-imagas) At the end of the race he held off a stiff challenge from Frentzen. Early in the race he was overtaken under yellow flags by both Panis and Verstappen and did not lose his cool and so eventually he found himself fourth. Raikkonen mirrored his

performance a couple of places behind and so collected a point on his FI debut. Very impressive. Tbe more rest than of the survivors. field were Luciano little Burti qualified in 21st but survived to finish a lap down in eighth. It was a workmanlike performance and one which will do little to improve his chances of holding on to the second Jaguar drive. Burti will have to move a few mountains if he is to hold off Pedro de la Rosa’s challenge for the seat. Irvine’s performance in qualifying was rather better, lining up 12th on the grid but he started in the spare, was knocked off on the first lap by Montoya and rejoined 21st and then spent the second part of the race with a misfire. He finished 11th.

The suffered Orange from Arrows the usual team problem of having a car which appears to be designed for only short runs. Arrows almost always goes for two pit stops and the only conclusion one can draw is that it is designed to be a qualifying special. This means that early in the races the cars come up through Dynos ready in France: Fisichella, Button and Benetton droned around and, at least, finished. (PhotobyoirkKiynsmiih) 16 March 2001

continued on page 40 39

Albert Park FI in brief Arrows's 'launch' was not a very salubrious affair, even compared to Minardi's. After a photographers' ruck was cleared in pitlane, Jos Verstappen and Enrique Bernoldi dragged a dust cover off the latest Asiatech-powered beast, replaced it, did it again, watched the little birdie -

the field sand late in the races they fade awary.lt has happened a lot in the lastyrear. The ini.a.pi)i'tant thing, therefore, is to quab.ify well and this did not happeniraaJlustralia, with Verstappeeii 15th and Enrique Bernoldi i 18th. Verstap5pen’s early progress in the race v'^'viis impressive(as one

finish. He was pushed back to 10th when given a 25-second penalty for overtaking under a yellow flag early in the race. If Aitows wish to score better results, rather than just looking promising, they must qualify better. Bernoldi qualified badly and was out after two laps, having made a mistake. Dazzling it was not.

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ARROWS

genuinely rathei’ confused not to have done better. With Gaston Mazzacane in the second car, the team is in effect a one-car operation and, so, when Jean Alesi ended up 14th in qualifying there were some worried faces. Mazzacane was 20th. In the race Jean trolled around to finish 10th on the road (although this became ninth). “The result is well below my expectations,” he confessed. “In free practice on Friday we realised it would be very difficult to adapt out car to this circuit and we have not been able to find a satisfactory solution.”

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The team clearly needs more time in the windtunnel. and that was that. Less than 15 minutes of fame which, given Arrows' history of success, seemed about right. H Top speed can hide a multitude of sins. BMW's new P80 unit was Top of the Pops in qualifying, Juan Montoya and Ralf Schumacher running 1-2 on the speedtraps at 313.7kmhand312.9kmh respectively. The Beemer led the low-drag Arrows-Asiatech of Jos Verstappen, while the smugglers were the Benetton-Renaults of Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella in the 302/303 range

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iscussing Benetton in the same breath as Minardi is an would expaect) and he climbed up to seventh, haul he had to pit even before thes Safety Car period was over and so was soon back in last place. He charsrged again and was 10th when he ppitted again. He dropped to 11th anndwas ninth at the

B There was a much higher presence of Finnish media in Melbourne this year. Apparently, much of it was due not so much to a possible fightback from double world champ Mika Hakkinen but the presence of new lad, Kimi Raikkonen, It seems that the following of the McLaren driver is not especially passionate in his own country, despite his success and high-profile, TV personality wife, Erja, With the impressive debut from Raikkonen, and the impending return next season of the very popular Salo, we expect to see more blonde-haired media at future races. ■ Race day's Tom Walkinshaw/ Craig Lowndes 'Peace in our Time' media conference started late because Lowndes could not get into the heavily-secured media centre, Walkinshaw was waiting, somewhat impatiently, for his former driver and commented, "I wish the bugger would drive th\s slow..." - PHIL BRANAGAN 40

Prost moreGrand than the Prixteam had delivered promised and, although many scoffed and said that the French team was running light in pre-season testing when Jean Alesi tumbled lap records, the team did seem

200t IPIMTAS AUSTRALIAni FI GRAND PRIX RACE RESULTS - 58 laps

B Peter Wright was at Albert Park, The expat Aussie, who is widelycredited with the innovation of ground effects in the 1970s, is now involved with Italian driver Giorgio Pantano, who will race in Formula 3000 this season. The current German F3 driver, a sometime Benetton test pilot, will compete for the Astromega team.

Mazzacane’s race was horribly short. His brake pedal fell apart on the first lap.

Ceramic Innovatiiaiis INNO’TIOTONS Pos Drivel 1 Michael 4l:'Sibu[nacher 2 DavitfCtmiilitiard 3 Rubensi, Uwichello 4 Nick'«e*idltld 5 Heint-HsianH Frentzen 6 Kimi'Raiiikwon 7 OlivietP "alls* 8 Luciaae. iBadi 9 Jean'ftteij 10 Jos Ver^tippen 11 Eddielivwh 12 Fernaada^o'/ltonso 13 Giancad Oofitichella 14 JensoaSBlBn**

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odd situation, but one which was very clear in Melbourne. Renault Sport decided to accelerate the development of its new wide-angle VIO and take the early season pain that they knew would come. They did not know that the pain would be quite so bad. Although no-one said it on the record, the cars were very down on power and suffered from dismal vibration problems. Jenson Button qualified 16th, Giancarlo Fisichella 17th. In the race, they both went backwards and, while Fisichella was classified as a finisher, he was three laps down at the end, his engine sounding like a tractor and the Italian treating the race as a test session. Button retired after similar

On 30 40 33 35 35 35 36 31 56 31 29 56 23 24

qualified 19th was cause for celebration and when the stewards

Fastest Lap: ffM.iSchumacher, 1:28.214 (216.414 km/h) lap 34 (new record) Not Classi(iecta/l|!tireinonts: Williams BMW Oil fee d Juan Moir.nlo/a M 41 laps Jordan Honda Jarnolraalli B 39 laps Engine Mika :Hilca:.|jiiEn McLaren Mercedes B 26 laps Suspension failure Williams BMW Crash with Villeneuve Ralf StlWLuniither M 5 laps Crash with R. Schumacher B.AR Honda Jacqii!Sl;Mlleiieuve B 5 laps Brake failure European Minardi M 4 laps Tarsofls*tt»8S Crash Arrows Asiatech Enrique EBtinoldi B 3 laps Prost Acer Brake failure Gaston K^'linacane M llap

decided to let Tarso Marques race, despite the fact that he was just outside the 107 percent time in qualifying (he recorded a lap which was 107.29 percent of the pole time), there was rejoicing. In the race Marques lasted only three laps before a brake problem put him out but Alonso stayed out of trouble and ended the day in 12th place.

ALBERT PARK, VICTORIA, MARCH 4

In many ways the raceitraised more questions than provided answers but Malaysia will give us a better picture of what to expect in the months ahead...

Car Tyre B Ferrari McLaren Mercedes B B Ferrari B Sauber Petronas B Jordan Honda B Sauber Potronas B BAR Honda M Jaguar Cosworth M Prost Acer B Arrows Asiatech M Jaguar Cosworth M European Minardi M Benetton Renault M Benetton Renault

Result lh38:26.533 +0:01.700 +0:33.400 ' +1:11.400 +1:12.800 +1:24,100 +1:27.000

Fast lap lm28.214s lm28.838s lm23.060s ltn30.317s lm30.266s lm30,229s lm30.199s 1m30.903s lm31.999s 1m31,030 1m31.267 lm32.043 1m32.407 1m32.001

+1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +1 Lap +2 Laps +3 Laps +6 Laps * Panis peintHisiil 25s for overtaking under yellow ** Button retired 6 laps before race finished

Drivers' pointiss; M, SchumacfmeilO, Coulthard 6, Barrichello 4, Heidfeld 3, Frentzen 2, Raikkonen 1, Constructnis!.;/,points: Ferrari 14, Mttauran-Mercedes 6, Sauber-Petronas 4, Jordan 2.

noisy problems from a broken exhaust.

And so to the local Minardi. Now runheroes by an Australian the team amazed everyone by getting to Melbourne on time with two cars. The fact that Fernando Alonso

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Australia has its own team in Formula 1 and it debuted under the direction of expat Aussie Paul Stoddart at Albert Park. For a team which didn’t have drivers, a car, an engine deal or any funding three months ago.Just getting to Melbourne was a big achievement MR0N NOONAN spoke with Stoddart immediately after the race. Molorsport News: What a performance... Paul Stoddart: It's been a simply unbelievable performance against all the odds by everybody and I think somebody up there (points to the sky) must like us because we got the reward we deserved. We started so far behind the eight ball - you can't even imagine how far behind. We got

here, which was like winning a bloody Grand Prix, and then we performed totally beyond expectation in, what for us, were four test sessions before qualifying. Fernando's car had only done 50 kilometres of testing and the other one never turned a wheel until it got to Melbourne. We paid a small price for that over the weekend.

I'm really proud for these guys. They gave their all and we got the result we deserved but never expected. MN: You couldn't have dreamt anything like this would happen? PS: No. Before the race I thought 'what would I be happy with?' and the answer was,'a race finish'. A top 10 would have been better.

Within 107percent ofeverybody but Schiiey: On his letiirn to FI with Minardi, Tanso Maniiws rnLm'd out on ciucilifying thanks to ’ Schumachers hnlliiint Uip. The Siewaixl.s lei him race, though his weekend didn’t get much better: the Brazilian failed tofinish.

but 12th is pretty damn good. MN: Was there a time over the past few weeks where you thought,'hell, what have I got myself Into?' PS: About two weeks before we came to Melbourne. It really was 50/50. We were having supplier problems and that's not to say a lot of them didn't do a good job, but there's always that one or two that will let you down and we had our fair share of that. MN: Unfortunately though, this great story of yours has been overshadowed by a tragedy. PS: Yes, these marshals do a great, great job worldwide and I know what it was like at Monza last year when we lost one. That is the saddest, saddest part of what has been otherwise a fantastic weekend. Personally, I extend my condolences to the family of the marshal. MN: How did you feel when the cars were on the grid? PS: Nervous. I felt nervous on the grid but when the race started I was fine. I stood still moiorsport newt

INTERVIEW

The lone Silvercarman

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David Coulthard’s 2001 season got off to a more than respectable start when he secured second place in Melbourne. Having ended last year with a strong drive in Malaysia, DC seems to have rediscovered the form that made him a strong contender in the middle oflast season. ADAM COOPER caught up with him. (Photo bv Sutton-lmaofte)

"He's absotutely brillianr' -Stoddart on Alonso, above with Marques in background during the national anthem and lucky there weren't any TV cameras close, because I think there was a tear there ... Australia's got its own Grand Prix team to cheer for now and I think they really will. That really means a lot to us in the team. It really does. MN:So you're cutting back on the cigarettes and coffee now that it's all over? PS; I managed to hang on the pit wall for two hours (during the race) and not have one. I've gotta make up for it now, I think ... MN: What were you telling Fernando (Alonso) throughout the race - just to finish? PS: I didn't need to say anything, with this guy you don't need to. You could throw the radio away. Mind you, we had so many people on it (the radio), that I probably should have done! He's so cool - nothing fazes him. He's absolutely brilliant. MN:So with Fernando's, and the team's result, will the team be a lot more relaxed for Malaysia? PS: There's a few guys in the garage that are quite emotional and I tell you, I'm struggling a bit, I really am. I almost cracked up at the end there when he (Alonso) set his fastest lap on the last lap. MN: How did that last lap feel? PS: I was watching the timing monitors and seeing it go green through the first sector and then the second sector. There is an absolute star in the making here. (He's) Unbelievable. If you look closely at qualifying, and he showed it on race day, his 16 March 2001

(Alonso) true position in this grid at this moment is around about 14th or 15th and that proves him and the car. In the race, shit, what more can you ask for? MN: So he's totally exceeded your expectations? PS: Totally, and Tarso had a//the bad luck all weekend, even on race day. Every single thing that went wrong with the team happened on Tarso's car. They weren't all the same (things) either. He'll be alright. We'll get him sorted out. He'll be in a different chassis for Malaysia when we finally get our t-car, so we'll put Tarso in that and this chassis which has given us problems all weekend will become the t-car. MN: So were both drivers under instruction to take it steady all weekend because there wasn't a t-car? PS: No, the beautiful part about Fernando is that you don't have to tell him anything! MN:So has Flav been on the phone, wanting Fernando back? PS:(Smiles). Yeah, but hopefully I get q couple of years mileage out of him first! 1 said earlier that I was the happiest person in Australia but I can confirm it now. MN: Can you sum it up? PS: I think I can actually by just saying that the impossible we find we can do straight away, but miracles take a bit longer. Today, and indeed this weekend, you've seen one in the making. We have performed beyond all expectations and I'm fairly safe in saying, we've earnt the respect of our peers in this pitlane. It means a lot, not only to me, but to the guys in the team.

'.to

Motorsport News:Is second place a reasonable start to the season? Da'vid Coulthard: Yeah it is. Ob'viously, the accident takes away a great deal of how everyone’s going to feel and react and all the rest of it. It’s a sport at the end of the day, and a fatahty is a terrible thing. But putting that to one side, I felt ready for the season, before my disappointing qualiftdng position. Although I didn’t get too down on that, because I knew the circumstances that led to me being out of track position, and I felt that I would get back up. MN:Was that because the session was stopped? DC:I cocked up the first runs,so I have to take responsibOity for that. Thereafter I had traffic and red flags and we hadn’t had the chance to understand what the car was doing, so we didn’t adjust it for the last run, and that was it- we ran out of time. So I knew I would move forward. 'The car in race trim was basically quite well-balanced. We understand some differences between ourselves and Ferrari that we need to work on, to improve the pace of the car. But given the stability of the rear, and the traction that we have,I feel that it’s something we can achieve. We were just under-prepared for the start of the season. There will be a test happening at Magny-Cours before Malaysia.

MN:Can you reel them in by Malaysia? DC:In reality, it’s probably aTall order. It all depends on how well the Magny-Cours test goes. If we find what we’re looking for, and we know what w'e’re looking for, then yes, it’s just a simple fact... the fundamentals of the car are good, but we’re just not in the right area, in the zone. So it’s going to be a long hard fight. In the same way we’ve been pretty quick here in the last couple of years in relation to Ferrari, and yet they’ve been quicK in other circuits, that’s probably going to be the situation. MN:The good thing is you’re six points up on last year... DC:Absolutely. I had a good little battle. I could have lost it all in the first straight when we touched with Ralf[Schumacher] and Heinz-Harald [Frentzen], and I managed to get out of that. I avoided Montoya coming down my inside, which I saw in my mirrors, and gave him a lot of room and let him go straight on. Then I managed to get past a couple of people rmder braking, which was fun. I left plenty of room for Rubens, because I thought I was past him, but I just didn’t want to take the risk of us coming together, so I went wide. Which meant he almost had the chance to pass me again. continued on page 46 45

David Coulthard continued from page 45 So it wasjust a race of being careful, taking opportunities when they came. It was a fortunate, but hard-fought, six points. MN;You were really on the ball when Rubens had that problem, but you’ve got to be there when something like that happens... DC: Exactly. That’s why I was keeping myselfin that one second gap. Any closer than that and I was going to affect engine temperatm-es and brake temperatures and all that. Any less than that and if he makes a mistake you’re not going to get an advantage. I had to tiy and juggle between maintaining the car and keeping him in that one second gap-

MN:After Magny-Cours last year, you seem to be specialising in passing on the outside! DC:I think the McLaren is a good car on the brakes, and I think it’s one of my strengths,late braking. Put those two things together and you can make the guy on the inside feel a bit sdly!

“'Rottrin

MN:You seemed to decide to sit back and let the race unfold, and take your chances when you can.Is that a sign of experience? DC: Definitely... there ai-e so many things that ifI knew when I first stai-ted, that I know today, I would drive differently. And that enables you to try and read a little bit what’s happening in the race. You’ve still got to push and, as the car changes and loses weight and the tyres get worse,then the car wiU always change lap to lap. It’s about trying to read exactly what’s happening. I had one moment at the fast chicane out the back where I ran out on the grass. I thought,‘I’m not doing that again’, because you could easily put yourself out ofthe race. You need to be there to score points, especially at the beginning ofthe season.

MN:What can you do about Ferrari? DC: They’re on the ball. There’s no question that around this track they’ve been setting the pace and we’ve been catching up. While I don’t believe that- to use someone well-known in the team’s words -1 don’t think we’ve optimised the car. What’s another way of saying that... We haven’t got the most out ofthe car as yet. It’s not an excuse,it’s fact. We can look back to why we haven’t got as much out of the car as we should have done, but in reality that doesn’t help us for the future. MN:Do think you can pull them back? DC: The car will go quicker. Whether that’s enough to overcome where they are, because naturally as quickly as we can develop, they can develop. It just depends whether they are up against a ceiling or not. In previous years, we’ve been up against a ceiling and they’ve been able to move up closer. Time will tell whether there’s a similar case this year. MN:Mika had a fairly spectacular suspension breakage. Was there any discussion about you stopping? DC: We’ve had no history of that happening during winter testing. The great thing about carbon fibre suspension, if that’s what it was, is that it’s very light for its strength. The downside is that unlike when you actually fabricate a steel wishbone, and you can see the joint, you can’t see what happened inside. You hope that everything is

"We can look back to Why we haven't got as much out of the cap as we should have done, but In reality that doesn't help us (OP tte future" - Coulthard an the MP4/16

bonded together, you hope that everything is laid up perfectly. And it just takes it not to quite be bonded perfectly, and that’s it, you’ve got a potential weak spot. We had a couple of suspension failures last year in Monza. It’s one of the risks. MN:Did the team tell you of the problem? DC; It’s not something that would be useful information to me. I wouldn’t start braking earlier. MN:Should there be a rethink about slowing the cars? DC:If you look at some of the pictures from the ’50s, there’s a shot of a guy on his hands and knees watching his car spinning in the air back in the days when cars didn’t have seatbelts. It’s not a new thing, cars going in the air. Irrespective of the wings, you’re never going to make it 100 percent safe. But what we should be trying to do is contain the accident within the circuit, and take away the risk of a marshal or spectators getting injured. Clearly, in a lot of areas, the safety fence isn’t able to retain tyres within the track. What do you do? I don’t want to see any less power. These are Grand Prix cars, I want to feel that these cars have got loads of gi-unt, I want to feel the rear slide and move around. Talce that away from me when I’ve experienced it, and it’s like taking away your computer and giving you a typewriter. You’d get on with it, but you wouldn’t enjoy it, it wouldn’t be the same. MN:Any thoughts on the accident? DC;"We’re doing SOOkph into that comer, and a guy turning in is probably doing 60-70kph. There’s a massive speed difference, and there’s a predetermined braking distance, and if you get out of step on that by one or two metres, the speed difference is incredible. It’s always going to be difficult. I don’t know what the answer is.

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KIMI RAIKKONEN

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Kimi Raikkonen arrived in Melbourne with doubts over whether he could race a Formula 1 car. He left having made a point - is this the next great FI driver? ByPHILBRANAGAN THIRTY minutes after the end of the 2001 Qantas Australian Formula One Grand Prix, there was a kid watching a replay of the event in the back of the Sauber team’s garage. He paid attention, especially, to the times that car 17 flashed onto the screen. That’s because he was its driver. Kimi Raikkonen finished his first GP in seventh place, which became sixth place after the race. He was within 85 seconds of winner Michael Schumacher. At 20, after the pre-season controversy of issuing a Superlicence to someone who had by-passed notjust Formula 3000, but also Formula 3, he could have been expected to have looked like a yoimg man who had had the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. Instead, the Finn looked like he had spent the last 90 minutes playing a video game. 16 March 2001

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“I don’t feel at all tired,” he said quietly. “It was not so hard as I thought it would be. “The start was really bad for me. I lost too many places.” An understandable weak point, given the 400 percent increase in horsepower he had undergone in 12 short months. With his strong race performance coming after an apparently flawless two days of practice and qualifying, the Formula Renault British Champion was already looking forward to his next race. “I need more experience now. For Malaysia, I will prepare the same way. But, I must say, I had no problems at all.” Even better for the Sauber team, he was two spots(and only 13s) behind team-mate Nick Heidfeld, the Swiss team showing something of resurgence in its first race with its all-youth driving combination.

“Nick and I try our own things on the cars, and we try to get as much as we can out of them,” he calmly explained with the tone of a teenager playing a video game with someone over the internet. Following Melbourne, Raikkonen headed away for a few days off, jetting to Malaysia for the second race before returning to Europe for more testing. And, after the controversy, did he feel vindicated? “People thought I had a right to be here,” he said, referring to team owner Peter Sauber and his team. “I know I can do it.” Now, so do we. There is talk already that, one day, Raikkonen will race in Ferrari red. With Benetton/Renaultcontracted Fernando Alonso also making an impressive debut, we may just have seen the seeds planted for Formula One’s next great driver rivalry...

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Dr Mario Theissen

Power Hungry Dp Mario Theissen is the man charged with ensnring BMW's return tn Fnrmuia One is a successfui one. PHiL BRANAGAN spoke te him at Aihert Park

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The Man and his Mission: Mario Theissen’s new P80 engine has taken Williams to near the top of Formula One’s power race. (Photosby suiton-images)

“MY name is Mario.” Straight away, after having had the more formal title of‘Doctor’ used to address him. Dr Mario Theissen insists on a less formal handle, which is a comforting thought. The German engineer is charged with one of the most demanding tasks in the Grand Prix pit lane; ensuring that BMW returns to the high end of Formula One. And it is doing so in its traditional way; not out-sourcing an engine to a specialist(like Mercedes-Benz does with Ilmor Engineering)and not building the whole car (like Ferrari does, and Toyota will). Theissen has set up a Formula One facility in BMW’s Munich headquarter, staffed it, and built two generations of FI engine - all in a very short time. It is a job which has, so far, proven to be a successful one. In year one of the manufacturer’s return, Half Schumacher finished fifth in the 2000 Drivers’ Championship and Williams(or BMW.WilliamsFl,to give the team its proper title) was third in the Constructors’ Championship. In other words, in its debut season, the Williams-BMW combination ‘won its class’, given that the only drivers and manufacturers to best them were the all-conquering men and machines of Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes. At first glance the 48-year-old fits one’s idea of a Munich scientist; serious-looking, impeccably groomed, bespectacled. The sort of man who could be expected to spend long hours poring over computer data looking for the last degree ofimprovement. But he is also an enthusiast, with a passion for motor cars. Apart from spending much of his waking life considering how to drag more performance out of BMW’s 2001-spec ‘P80’VIO, he loves cars. In the garage at home is a BMW,of course - an M5.And he says he recently sold his other car, a 1969 Lotus 7. “I had no time to drive it,” he says with a resigned shrug. And he knows enough about this part of the world to be able to pick and choose his Australian wines, and started his dinner with a Cooper’s, which he asked for by name. The pressure to succeed in the biggest game in town meant that

Theissen and BMW had a busy year in 2000. “We knew that the 2000 engine would be good for one season only,” he says. “Design of the P80 started even before the first race of 2000. It takes a long time; to make a new engine, you have to make the decision by March of the last year.” Theissen is a 24-year veteran of BMW,starting with its road car engines before moving on to project cars and then the setting up of the company’s Project Centres in Munich and Palo Alto, California. In 1999, he oversaw the development of the Le Manswinning V12 engine before moving quickly onto the Formula One program. He faced a huge challenge. Apart from the dominance of the two leading teams, manufacturers like Ford/Jaguar and Honda/Mugen-Honda had a long head start, so to catch, let alone beat, them in one season - one race, even - shows that the performance of BMW in Wear 1’ was impressive. “I think we had a pretty good idea (in the first year),” says Theissen.‘We took the approach of starting with a conventional engine. When we gain some experience, we can challenge the top teams.” So how did he, and BMW,go about the huge job they faced? “There were three main tasks; getting the team together, getting the FI factory built and designing and building the engine. The biggest task was getting the team together; getting the right people and making them perform as one.” Since the start of the FI program, the number of people working on the technical side has remained fairly static at 220.‘We are interested in gaining knowledge, not people.” The team also had to build its relationship with Williams, which was also looking at rebuilding its performance after a few tough years using Supertec’s engine. “We don’t actually have people at Williams,” says 'Theissen, “not on a permanent basis. But we have a very good relationship and communicate via computer, oneday visits and so on. Working in different locations is not really a problem with the means of information transfer which we work with.”

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Pedigreed: Theissen has tasted success already, leading BMW to victory at Le Mans in 1999. One of the talking points of the off-season was the fact that Renault had unveiled its new engine with a 111-degree vee angle, while BMW also made major changes, using a 90-degree angle for its VIO. “There are two major advantages of having a 90 degree V-angle,” he says. “It lowers the centre of gravity, and lessens vibrations. “The P80 is better in all the significant criteria: weight, size and power. In my view, the weight issue has been over-rated in the past. When you reduce weight, you compromise reliability. “Weight is not an issue by itself. Every car on the grid weighs 600 kilos and taking weight out of the bottom of the engine means nothing. The chassis designer places weights near there for ballast. “Size; we are talking millimetric improvements these days. And power; when we came to Melbourne in 2000, we were making 750 horsepower. By the time we Came to the final round of the championship in Malaysia, we were making 800-plus.” And now with the P80? “We didn’t make this engine to make less horsepower! Already, we have more ...” That was a fact backed up by feedback from the drivers. The new engine allowed the Williams drivers to top the charts which plot maximum speed through the speed traps in qualifying, against the acknowledged high-end speed of the Ferraris and Hondas. Naturally, neither Schumacher nor Juan Montoya had any complaints about the new unit in this regard. Like horsepower, maximum revs is a subject from which engine designers shy away and Theissen is appropriately shy on the 16 March 2001

metallic materials which, effectively, means beryllium cannot be used. “We are locked in on materials because of the bans on beryllium,” comments Theissen. “But materials can give you some gams. A group within BMW’s 220strong technical staff works on materials full-time, and the P80’s insides are all metallic, with no composites or ceramics used. And, of course, there will be another ‘German’engine in FI next season. Toyota is preparing to enter the game next season, with its own car and engine from its headquarters in Cologne. “Very ambitious,” he W smiles. “It will be very hard for them to be successful. They will have rr to do everything at the same time. -DrMario Theissen “I am happy we just do the engine. It’s much more difficult to do the car and “(The PSO's) good point is the engine at the same time.” that it has good top-end It is likely that the P80 will continue into 2002, with power. That is probably the hardest tiling to achieve. If the appropriate modifications and you have good top-end, you can always improve improvements along the way. driveability. You can’t do it There are, Theissen the other way around. suggests, already changes he wants to make to the unit “The gains (in horsepower) have come from increasing following its winter test progi'am when, he says that engine revs, gas exchange, less friction and better engine blow-ups numbered a combustion. With higher low and impressive three. revs, you don’t necessarily And already, there are need more cooling. If cooling changes he wants to make to efficiency goes up, you gain the next generation of BMW’s more. Cooling is about the FI engines. There could be a same as it was last year.” new generation of Theissen BMW designs its own working on the project as cooling system and uses well; Theissen’s 18-year-old proprietary radiators, the son is keen on pursuing the brand of which Theissen does ‘family business’ and wants not actually know.“It’s to be an engineer. There is much to do. standard FI,” he muses. One area which has Expect more performance gains from the blue-andchanged in FI regulations in recent times is the ban on white propeller cars this beryllium - or, more season. It’s a good thing that Mario Theissen loves his precisely, rules which place a limit on the hardness of work... matter, stating only that the P80 revs higher than its predecessor. With the 2000 program said to be starting in the high-17,000rpm bracket and ending the season around 18,000, it is likely that the new engine is already heading into the midids, with higher revs possible before much longer. So, does Theissen think there wdll be a ceiling on horsepower? “I don’t think so - I hope not! Especially now, with all the manufacturers in the game, something can always be done to gain horsepower.

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Hot Wheels V8 Supercar Shovs^dovs^n

Th 4 lot of drivers impressed at Albert Park’s V8 races, but it was Paul Radisich who took home two trophies and the honours. PHIL BRANAGAN reports HE Hot Wheels V8 Supercar Challenge can be - can be - a good guide to the competitiveness of the Shell Championship Series. Let’s hope that the 2001 version was. After Mark Skaife won the first of the three races for Holden, Ford stepped up to the plate and Paul Radisich whacked two home runs for Dick Johnson Racing. In fact, the second race featoed (whisper it) a 1-2-3-4-5 result for Ford, with the best Holden runner being Todd Kelly(in a Kmart Racing car for the first time)in sixth. There was much contact, as usual at Albert Park, and many charges from the rear. Skaife got clouted in Race 2 and had to charge through the field in the final outing, in company with Garth Tander and Jason Bright, who actually got past his team-mate on the final lap. Steven Johnson, second in the first race, had to do likewise, but the best charge of all came from Craig Lowndes. The man everyone was watching qualified 11th, got turned around on the very first corner and then charged home to be second overall in an impressive first-up appearance for Ford. And none of those guys qualified on pole. V8 Supercar rookie Marcos Ambrose did. That, and the seven different drivers who appeared on the podium from nine opportunities, augurs well for a gi’eat season ...

Yellow, Dick, Road: Radisich quaiified badiy but raced briiiiantiy at Aibert Park. before the 2001 season kicked off Qualifying in earnest, would rule the Remember your first day of school? There’s a lot to learn; where is the classroom? Who’s the teacher? There’s new faces, new looks - so much to take in. And then you have to figure out who you are going to play with ... Thursday at Albert Park was just like that. There was Lowndes, in white, in a Falcon. Two new drivers at Stone’s. Bright in a Holden. Different colours, different drivers. Some would think that the Old Guard, with less variables to learn

weekend. Some would be surprised with what happened in qualifying. Skaife set the mark which, for some time, looked like staying at the top of the sheets. But then, right at the end, there was a Stone car on top - Ambrose’s. The young Tasmanian had been languishing in 15th spot but, on his 10th and final lap, came up with an improvement of 1.7s to bounce the defending Champion by 0.04s. There were, inevitably, finger pointed and suggestions that

(Photo by Dirk Kiynsmilh)

Ambrose had scored the time by short-cutting the course, to which the youngster responded,“I guess they will find out tomorrow ... (ie, in the race).” One thing to look forward to “tomon’ow” was a charge from his team-mate. David Besnard was 20th which, he pointed out, was a career-worst qualifying result. The team checked the set-up, which looked okay until they realised there were some inconsistencies in the data. Changes were made a priority.

continued on page 56 motorsport news

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I remember this bit, Fred: Lowndes raced brilliantly, as usual, and returned to the podium in emphatic fashion for Gibson Motorsport/Ford. (Photos by Dirk Klynsmifh) He was on the podium for Race 2 and Race 3.

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POSNO 1 4 2 1 3 5 4 34 5 6 2 7 17 60 9 11 10 10 11 00 12 18 13 35 14 31 15 40 16 6 17 15 18 43 19 28 20 9 21 3 22 54 23 29 24 46 25 16 26 21 27 24 28 32 29 23 30 69 31 75

DRIVER Marcos Ambrose Mark Skaife Glenn Seton Garth Tander Russell Ingall Jason Bright Steven Johnson John Bowe Larry Perkins Mark Larkham Craig Lowndes Paul Radisich Jason Bargwanna Steve Ellery Cameron McLean Steven Richards Todd Kelly PaulWeel Rodney Forbes David Besnard Caneron McConville Tony Longhurst Paul Morris John Faulkner Dugal McDougall Brad Jones Paul Romano Tomas Mezera Trevor Ashby Jason Richards Anthony Tratt

CAR Pirtek Falcon AU HRT Commodore VX FTR Falcon AU Valvoline Commodore VX Castrol Commodore VX HRT Commodore VX Shell Helix Falcon AU CAT Falcon AU Castrol Commodore VX Karcher Falcon AU Gibson Motorsport Falcon AU Shell Helix Falcon AU Valvoline Commodore VX Supercheap Falcon AU Greenfield Falcon AU FTR Falcon AU Kmart Commodore VX DuPont/K&J Falcon AU www.ausmosport.com Falcon AU Caltex Havoline Falcon AU Optus/Lansvale Commodore VX Delphi Commodore VX Big Kev Commodore VX JFR Commodore VX Pepsi Commodore VX OzEmail Falcon AU Romano Commodore VS Densitron Commodore VX Lansvale Commodore VS Team Kiwi Commodore VX Toll Falcon AU

TIME 1:58.941 1:58.985 1:59,071 1:59.101 1:59.147 1:59.389 1:59.528 1:59.632 1:59.632 1:59.639 1:59.668 2:00.349 2:00.369 2:00.402 2:00.446 2:00.451 2:00.638 2:00.746 2:00.828 2:01.177 2:01,367 2:01,447 2:01.554 2:01.585 2:01.797 2:02.050 2:03.173 2:03.691 2:03.980 2:04.135 2:04.702

HOTWHEE15 V8 SUPERCARS Albert Park 16 March 2001

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A few years ago, when Steven Johnson broke into V8 Supercar racing he was, to be frank, carrying a little puppy fat. Over a six-month period, the Queenslander dropped a fair bit of condition, as they say in horse racing parlance, and became much fitter. Last year, though, he started to expand a bit, and it was getting him down. "I didn't have much confidence mid-way through last year," he admitted. "The turning point was in Canberra. I started to train properly, and I have been training really hard since Bathurst."

Johnson is now slimmer and more highly motivated than he had been in some time after having taken some comments about his 2000 performances in a positive manner and resolved to do something about it. The results are impressive and ongoing. Johnson says he will drop another 8-10 kilos before the season finishes. Having seen the transformation in his fitness when he broke into V8 Supercars four years ago, it was not hard to believe that he will manage it. Oh yes; he's driving fast, too. - PHIL BRAIMAGAN 51

Hot Wheels V8 Supercar Shov^^dov^n continued from page 54 Considering he was second, Skaife was not pleased. He felt that the car lacked balance and made changes through - and after - both sessions. Such are the margins these days that the drivers make much oflittle gaps in time; after all, he was only 0.04s away from pole. Bright was back in sixth. He too made a number of adjustments but, generally, was making more positive noises than his team-mate, which is the opposite reaction to what normally happens when you are two rows further back on the

grid.

Third was Seton. There had been considerable chat that the track was fairly grippy, in comparison to its 2000 guise. The PTR team, unlike some others, had left the cars in condition to take advantage of the surface, and Seto had left the AU in its original nick and set a time 0.13s off the pole. Steven Richards was less lucky. He had a peculiar problem; he did, in Seton’s words,“under-drive” the track on his first set of tyres and, when he went out on his second, he

Welcome to the Big Time: Marcos Ambrose stunned the Old Guard by taking pole, but it got worse from there, the Tasmanian getting caught in the ruck. He was eventually fined $2500 over a clash with Steve Johnson. Hard start: Craig Lowndes’first corner was a shocker, but it only got better from there. (Phoios by su«on-images and Marshall cass) ; riSF!

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Backwards in biack: Jason Richards started his season in a tough way, (Photo by Sutton-lmages) the Team Kiwi Commodore surfing over the grass. found a spinning Rodney Forbes Falcon in his way, forcing the lap to be aborted. The result was 16th grid spot. Tander followed, not happy with the set-up of the VCRT VX.'The car felt tally and he ordered changes overnight, while Bargwanna was in the same boat as Richo, not going hard on his first set and having brake problems on his second. He was in 16th. Ingall was fifth. In the Bathurst car - fitted with the engine which dropped its load in the FAI warm up - he was struggling for a set up, and shaking his head, promising better for the races. Perkins was ninth behind Bowe, LP having to worry about not just the usual racing, but also the 52

"i guess they will find out tomorrow" -Pole man Marcos Ambrose Formula One Speed Comparison, which would have been a lot more interesting if he and Marc Gene had swapped cars after the first race. There was a Shell Helix car leading the way on row four, but it was not Radisich. It was Johnson, and if what he says is to be taken on face value, we should start getting used to it(see breakout). Radisich wasn’t even in the top 10. Despite two seasons in DJR’s Fords, the Rat went the wrong way on set-up and was left with much work to do if he was to

salvage anything from the weekend. Worse off was Lowndes. The silver and black AU looked all right on its first set of tyres, but on the second, the Kid found the car a handful. He was 11th, one spot short of where he was aiming but it was, still, an encouraging first-up showing, which would get better.

Race 1(10 laps)

The question was; how would Ambrose handle his first V8 racing start? The answer was not long in coming. Skaife rocketed away and Tander, sensing a gap,followed. Ambrose tried to hold him off, received a tap, while, at the same motorsport news

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Yours, mine, ouch: In race 2, Lowndes got a run on the Bowe/Richards dice and snatched second on the line. The Kmart Kelly Gang: The Toddler was the lone Kmart shopper, but ran impressivey in the TWRA-built VX.(Photos by Sutton-lmages)

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time, Skaife half-ran off the road at the first corner. There was more action behind. Cars went all over the place and, stranded on the grass when the mess cleared, the biggest victim was Lowndes. The Ford took forever to get going and, by the time he was, he was second-last. You could almost predict what was 16 March 2001

about to follow during the race ... The other victim was Ambrose. He ran wide and Tander and, amazingly enough, Johnson went past. Bright went deep and was, for a moment third, before falling back to fifth on the exit. Then he did it again half-way around the lap; up to- third, back to fifth. Skaife put down the hammer (carefully after his lap one moment)and then settled, but Tander was reeling him in. By the time the second lap was done,it was looking like a precis of the 2000 title, before Skaife pulled a small gap and established what would be a Vvinning position - by 0.9s. There had been a lack of continued on page 58

Radiating confidence: After an off in Race 1, Weel raced through the (Photo by Ian Robinson) field in the newly-liveried Du Pont/K&J Falcon.

Hot Wheels V8 Supercar 5hov\^dov\^n continued from page 58 general carnage until the last corner of the first lap, when there were cars everywhere. When the dust cleared Perkins, Ellery, McLean and Forbes had been caught up in the mess and all retired on the spot. As is usually the way of Albert Park - it is a long and flowing, but a one-lane racetrack - the order would stay pretty static at the front. On lap 7, the battle for the podium was settled for good. Garth ran wide on Turn 1 and both Johnson and Bright(who picked off Ambrose on lap 2)snuck through, taking the positions they would hold to the flag. Radisich tried to get third, but had to settle for fourth ahead of Tander, Ingall, the recovering Ambrose, Bowe and Seton. The best of the ‘chargers’ was Richards in 10th, while Besnard got as high as 12th before he “got hit by everyone” and fell back to 15th. And, in the Ford many were watching, Lowndes got up to 12th in a smooth and fast drive. The damage from lap 1 had been kept down to one spot, and the car was healthy. Not a bad way to start what was about to turn into a fairytale.

Same man, new colours: Mark Skaife had a good-news, bad-news weekend - as did HRT.

Race 2(12 laps)

The surprises continued. After what was almost an HRT 1-2, there was much expectation that the red and whites would continue the trend second time around but Johnson beat Skaife away. Ingall was fast off the mark, and Radisich made a cracker to be looking at third in the first corner. More Turn 1 chaos. Skaife went

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deep, getting a clout to a guard on the way. After smoking around, he pitted and continued until parking for good. Radisich took the lead from Ingall, Johnson and Ambrose, who got aggressive, clouting the DJR car at Turn 10. Steve was stuck in the gravel for over a lap had to smoke his way around and DJR was down to one contender. Radisich stretched the lead out, put it onto cruise, and won as he liked. Bowe emerged in third from the recovered Ambrose, Steve Richards, Kelly, Bargwanna,

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John Bowe limited edition replica visors complete with a certificate of authencity

We inherited a iot of positions"

-Lowndes on his Race 2charge

(Photo by John Morris/Mpix)

Larkham, Lowndes (!), Besnard (!!) and Bright, who lost a lot of real estate in the melee. Ambrose was showing plenty while chasing Ingall and Bowe, but he was suckered into a false move on lap 4 and lost two spots, allowing Richards and Seton to get into third and fourth, while a misfire dropped Ingall back behind them. Lowndes got past. Ingall fought back and the battle was on. It was looking worse for Holden when Bright and Bargwanna clashed at Turn 10 on lap 9, leaving only two Lions in a Forddominated top 10. Both Jasons were spoken to after the race. Bright claiming he was squeezed, Bargs saying there was plenty of road left. It was ‘a racing incident’ - okay, then. Then Bowe, with fading brakes.

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My nose hurts: Richards’ Race 3 challenge lasted only as long as his (Photoby Sutton-lmages) front splitter, which went west after Lap 1. moiorsporl news

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Albert Park

Photo by Marshall Cass

ON the face of it, Larry Perkins, Allan Moffat and Marc Gene share little in common, but the disparate trio shared the Albert Park blacktop in a Castrol Commodore VX, BMW 318i and BMW.Williams FW22 respectively. In a test of the handicapper's art,the three left the start line in approximately the same time zone before hurtling (the term used loosely in Moffat's case) around the track, the idea being to have all three cars cross the line side-byside, or thereabouts, in a stoke of good management, rather than luck, the aim of the exercise was achieved on all four occasions the FI Speed Comparison was run. To those of us who actually watch real racing, as opposed to sideshows,the interest laid mostly with Gene's car. The Williams was as it left the track in 2000, with two large exceptions. Because of the sensitive nature of FI's 'level playing field'. Gene ran the car with no telemetry,the idea being that four full-bore racing starts before the beginning of the GP may have potentially provided the Williams team w'lth

was caught by Richards and Seton. The FTR pair set the CAT car up on the final comer and Lowndes, who had got away from Ingall, switched back to grab third behind Radisich and Richards. Ford ran 15; oxygen to Fisherman’s Bend, if you please. “We inherited a lot of positions,” smiled Lowndes later. Wise man.

Race 3(10 laps)

The Rat, The Kid and The Enforcer at the front. Skaife, Bright, Tander and Johnson at the back. Recipe for a great race? Kind of Radisich boomed away and Lowndes looked at Richards, but thought better of it. Ingall was 16 March 2001

an advantage in the starting technique required for the once-a-year Melbourne tarmac. So that's why, in past years, McLaren's two-seater always left pit lane like it was fired from a cannon... The other teams would have cracked it if they thought the Spaniard was giving Ralf Schumacher and Juan Montoya an unfair edge come the race. So Gene ran without telemetry which, according to the team, was a conditionthey willingly accepted-though some of the other teams had palpitations when Gene made the Sunday run in Juan's helmet. The other exception was the tyres. Inevitably,the chances of the now-Michelin supplied Williams team getting its hands on 2000 Bridgestone rubber was zero, so the FW22 ran, as it had in winter testing, on Michelins. That was not a problem, according to one BMW FI insider; "Even most of our road cars now have had the Bridgestones taken off them and Michelins fitted..." PHILBRANAGAN

quickly past Bowe and onto the tail of the fwo Fords, whose battle was resolved when Richards rabbed his front against Radisich at THirn 3. The FTR splitter flew off at once; Richards had some braking moments before he headed into the pits next time around to retire. As he had in Race 2, Radisich carefully warmed his rabber and, after two laps, dropped the hammer. Lowndes had made overnight changes and found they had not helped; The Rat was home, Lowndes second. Ingall third, a lonely Seton fourth. The battles behind were fairly intense, with Kelly holding off Bowe and the impressive Weel, after a great start in the PWR Ford. Besnard was also gaining

spots, and looked good until the HRTs and Tander caught him, prompting David to look outside Skaife at Turn 4 on lap 7 and beach the Caltex car. Bright got past Skaife with a lap to go to gain another spot. That was that. Ellery made ground after playing catch-up, with fellow Race 1 victim McLean in his mirrors. Ambrose was halted by a smoking tyre after another bang somewhere, something he will not be able to afford when the series staids in earnest. It’s two weeks until The Show starts, and the young’uns are starting to make their presence felt against the ‘Old Guard’. Let The Games begin ...

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Race 1 -10 laps Pos Driver 1 Skaife 2 Johnson 3 Bright 4 Radisich 5 Tander 6 Ingall 7 Ambrose 8 Bowe 9 Seton 10 S. Richards 11 Kelly 12 Lowndes 13 Bargwanna 14 Larkham 15 Besnard 16 Faulkner 17 Jones 18 McDougall 19 Longhurst 20 Romano 21 Weel 22 Mezera 23 Forbes 24 Tratt DNF J. Richards DNF Morris DNF Ashby DNF McConville DNF Perkins DNF Ellery DNF McLean

Race lime FaslesI lap 20:21.850 2:00.979 20:22.838 2:00.647 ^ 20:23.733 2:00.504 20:25.834 2:00.419 20:27.764 2:00.999 20:28.334 2:00.909 20:30.087 2:01.124 20:38.224 2:01.847 20:40.801 2:01.083 20:41.689 2:01.699 20:42.460 2:01.234 20:45.986 2:00.969 20:46.610 2:02.325 20:48.154 2:01.868 20:55.761 2:01.760 20:57.218 2:02.590 21:02.387 2:02.901 21:02.850 2:03.103 21:03.263 2:02.676 21:03.488 2:03.496 21:07.182 2:02.282 21:12.164 2:03.360 21:12.394 2:02.757 21:26.177 2:05.003 2:05.356 9 laps 2:03.694 4 laps 2:05.857 2 laps 2:25.083 1 lap 0 laps Olaps Oiaps

Race 2-12 laps 1 Radisich 2 S. Richards 3 Lowndes 4 Bowe 5 Kelly 6 Ingall 7 Seton 8 Weel 9 Besnard 10 Jones 11 McLean 12 McDougall 13 Ellery 14 Perkins 15 Longhurst 16 Larkham 17 Mezera 18 Bargwanna 19 J. Richards 20 Tratt 21 Ambrose 22 McConville 23 Aihby 24 Forbes DNF Morris DNF Romano DNF Bright DNF Skaife DNF Johnson DNF Tander DNF Faulkner

24:27.561 24:33.431 24:38.270 24:38.476 24:38.562 24:43.212 24:45.550 24:46.166 24:46.953 24:48.457 24:53.925 24:57.221 24:59.940 25:01.378 25:04.674 25:05.063 25:10.649 25:11.319 25:14.410 25:24.900 25:26.855 25:29.105 25:40.648 26:27.284 9 laps 9 laps 8 laps 4 laps 1 lap 0 laps 0 laps

2:00.561 2:01.275 2:00.589 2:01.172 2:01:649 2:01.518 2:01.309 2:02.232 2:01.915 2:02.126 2:01.655 2:02.036 2:01.707 2:02.494 2:03.034 2:01.263 2:03.926 2:01.551 2:02.314 2:04.084 2:00.282 2:03.540 2:04.615 2:03.044 2:02.312 2:04.057 2:00.666 2:00.605

Race 3-10 laps 1 Radisich 2 Lowndes 3 Ingall 4 Seton 5 Kelly 6 Bowe 7 Weel Ellery 9 McLean 10 Ambrose 11 Bright 12 Skaife 13 Tander 14 Jones 15 McDougall 16 Johnson 17 Faulkner 18 Longhurst 19 Tratt 20 McConville 21 Perkins 22 Forbes 23 Ashby 24 Romano DNF Morris DNF Besnard DNF Richards DNF Larkham DNF Richards DNF Mezera DNF Bargwanna

20:12.692 20:15.273 20:16.074 20:17.509 20:26.554 20:27.340 20:27.974 20:28.379 20:31.167 20:32.347 20:34.253 20:35.394 20:36.211 20:38.627 20:42.140 20:42.340 20:45.000 20:56.945 20:59.767 21:01.016 21:03.213 21:03,355 21:03.064 21:10.112 18:48.872 12:29,469 6:28,652 4:22,554 2:12.815 DNF DNF

No fastest laps available for Race 3

Nations Cup/Lamborghini Supertrophy

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>:by;MR^Ni NOONAN

N its first appearance at the Australian Grand Prix, the Nations Cup class looked a bit more like the Lamborghini Supertrophy with Paul Stokell dominating the weekend, taking two wins out of three. The final win was only denied by a stop-go penalty thrust upon the former Gold Star champ for a rolling start infringement, handing the win to Jim Richards (Porsche GT3). “We had the advantage in the faster sweepers on the track and can get a run on whoever’s in front,” said Stokell. “It’s just a matter of blocking the cars and the Diablo’s a wide car!”

There are only a handful of tracks in Australia which really suit the Lamborghini Diablo Nations Cup car of Stokell, but Albert Park is one which suits it down to the gi'ound and quahfying showed that. Minus the devil’s number in

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deference to FIA wishes (the FIA doesn’t like three numbered numbers), the former Gold Star champion ran a 2m06.033s, 1.3s faster than the FeiTari 360 of Prancing Horse Racing’s Mark Noske. In fact, the red team had seven other cars on hand and Cameron McConville, in the Warwick Fabrics example,jumped out of the Lansvale Commodore to be sixtenths behind his team-mate, who is much more experienced in these cars. Richards was the best of the rest in the Porsche GT3(and now sporting backing from Greenfield Mowers), but way back on a 2m08.475s. The sweeping Albert Park layout doesn’t suit the German machine and Jim’s hopes were riding on the back of an allItalian failure. Peter Fitzgerald missed the morning practice session with a good reason. There was no window net attached to the car and so he wasn’t allowed onto the track. A trip back to Fitzy’s workshops rectified the problem, but Rusty

French’s newly-updated Viper separated the Porsche duo. Dominic Beninca, having his first run in Peter Bradbury’s TNT GTS, qualified seventh but was put to the rear for being underweight after qualifying.

Race 1 As with all Nations Cup races this season, the races were run with

rolling starts and the sheer power of the V12 Lambo was enough to take Stokell to the lead. Noske slotted into second but troubles soon hit the #4 car. A huge brake lock-up looked out of place on the opening lap and he retired with a failed ABS sensor, leaving team-mate McConville to attack Stokell. The Safety Car appeared on lap fom- for a spun Scott Shearman

Gravel traps and panel damage: Dominic Beninca, left, was quick when he kept the TNT Porsche on the track but outbraked himself in a duel with McConville at turn one. Greg Crick, below, couldn’t steer clear of Cornish’s Ferrari and bent the white GTR. (Photos by Marshall Cass)

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Murf’s the Diablo Man Antipodeans dominate Lambo Supertrophy )

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The Black Attack: Paul Stokeil and the Lamborghini Diablo were the best suited to the flowing Albert Park layout and give race sponsor (Photos by Dirk Klynsmith) Cleanevent plenty of champers to clean up ... (Ferrari 360)before a re-staif on lap six, which saw troubles ofits own. Matt Coleman(GT3)had a tankslapper through turn one, with Jim Cornish (360)spinning to miss the Victorian. The Super Touring vet was hit by Greg Crick (Skyline GTR)and all three cars were in some form of damage. Crick out for the weekend. Stokeil simply held off McConville by 1.2s, ahead of Richards, Fitzgerald, French, Beninca (a storming drive from ROG)and a recovered Coleman, who actually drove his car to and from the track over the course of the weekend ... “The car’s quite easy to drive but the hardest thing is jumping in and out(of the Commodore to the Ferrari and back again)and it’s taking me three laps to get the best out of the car,” said McConville. Even though the Porsches were completely outclassed, and Richards - as always - drove the wheels off it, Jim didn’t see any reason for any changes in the cars, with different cars suited to different tracks. “PROCAR are doing a pretty good job,” he said. Just wait until the Lamborghini gets to Wakefield Park!

Race 2

Race two saw a Ferrari and a Porsche on the front row, leaving many punters scratching their heads, particularly when they looked up their programs and saw the names Scott Shearman and Tony Quinn. The reverse grid format left the quick guys at the back and, as expected, it didn’t take them long to file their way through the 16 March 2001

slower cars. Beninca was the first to get to the front ahead of Fitzgerald, McConville, Stokeil and Coleman, with McConville snaring second on lap four. The 360 began to close and had a look at turn one on lap seven, though Beninca went in even deeper and paid the price, spearing off through the gravel and putting Cam into the lead. “I thought I was(braking)late in a car which brakes as well as the Ferrari, but Dom went in even deeper,” reported Cam afterwards. Not that McConville was home and hosed. Stokeil(who started from 15th) blasted past over the back side of the track and led home McConville, Noske, Beninca (who ran off the road at T1 again after a braking duel with Noske), Fitzgerald and Richards.

Race 3 Any chance of another Lambo win went out the door at the start of Sunday morning’s race, Stokeil given a black flag and stop-go penalty for exceeding the 80km/h start speed limit by running at 85. At least he was in the race, both Noske and McConville failing to start with electrical problems. Could running such a large number of cars be putting a strain on their preparation? It was unusual last year to see any of the red cars having any failures. Richards inherited the lead and never looked back, leading home French and Stokeil, whose dominance of the weekend was underlined by the fact that he reset the lap record on five consecutive laps in his chase of the leaders.

Giving his confidence a Boost: Greg Murphy’s 1998 Lambo experience (Pholo by Miir.ihall Caa<> didn’t hurt in 2001. the Kiwi taking a clean-sweep. AFTER a three year absence, Albert Park was again treated to the roar of raging bulis when a fieid of 22 Lamborghini Diabio GTRs participated in the Shannons Lamborghini Supertrophy. Greg Murphy and Wayne Gardner headed a line-up that othenwise consisted mainly of ‘gentleman’(read: amateur) drivers from the international series. Murphy’s intentions were clear from the outset, claiming pole in the first qualifier from Gardner and Pietro Gianni. Murf only completed three laps in the second qualifying session, but it was enough to better his time and consolidate his grip on the top spot. Gardner spent the session locked in a close battle with Frank Kremer before gear selection problems Intervened, handing Kremer second place. From a rolling start, Murphy led through the first lap of race one, though Gardner closed in quickly, and the pair swapped leads several times. Gianni was also closing in, and just when it looked like a three-way battle might be on the cards, Gardner was struck again by gear problems. He retired soon after. No longer under threat from Gardner, Murphy took off and finished well clear of Gianni and John Williams in third. It was more of the same on Friday, when Murphy again streaked away from the rest of

the field. Gardner, running in second, encountered problems that allowed Wido Roessler'to pass. Fuel problems on the final lap forced Roessler to retire, boosting Gardner back to second and promoting fellow Australian Paul Stokeil to third. Other final lap shenanigans, in the form of a collision between Steve Webb and Stephane Ratel, gifted Sam Newman with a top 10 finish. Murphy picked up his hattrick in race three, but all eyes were on Gardner. Starting from 17th, he was in sixth by the end of the first lap and up to third two laps later. Ahead, Gianni was harassing Murphy for the lead, but a series of quick laps gave Murf a buffer big enough to see him home. Gardner’s car had sustained front-end damage at some point during his charge, but he was nevertheless able to close up to Gianni, the top three cars all crossing the finish line within 1.5 seconds. Murphy led the final race from flag to finish, ending his campaign with four wins from four starts. Stokeil and Kremer made up the final podium places, but again it was Gardner providing all the action. Starting from the pitlane after the door of his Diablo wouldn't close, Gardner stormed through the field, setting a new Lamborghini lap record of 2m00.869s along the way to bring the car home fifth. -MARKGLENDENNING 57

Karcher FF Track Attack/Cej^bs by AARON NOONAN IN the world debut of the Van Diemen RF2001, Will Davison simply thrashed the opposition at Albert Park, taking three wins from three starts in the Karcher Formula Ford Track Attack. With winning margins of 15 seconds in two races and a new lap record on the last lap of race three, there’s no doubting the 18-year-old and the new VD as the combo to beat when the series starts at Phillip Island in just over a week’s time.

Qualifying

Hunting

Davison dominates Aibert Park in wopid debut of 2001 Van Diemen

As is always the case at the GP, Formula Ford was the first category to hit the green track on Thursday morning and the pattern for qualifying and the subsequent races became very clear; Davison on top. 5 But when qualifying canie I around, one of the men r expected to be battling for pole I -Andrew Jones - was in strife. [ A developmental driveshaft I broke,(“it’s done 1500kms and been on Leanne’s [FerrierJ car”) and he only got enough laps to place 29th. Davison was simply too quick, setting a 2m09.856s lap, half a second quicker than Jamie Whincup (Skittles Mygale SJ2000), who was making his Albert Park debut, with the help of Greg Ritter in the Whincup Motorsport camp coming in very handy. Stuart Kostera was third quickest(“the car’s good, the track’s awesome, but Davo must be on another track...”) in his debut for Johnny Walker Motorsport, with Marcus Marshall and Barton Mawer (both in new RF2001s) completing the top five. The Albert Park field was especially tbin in terms of quality, but with 31 cars on the grid, at least that left Jones with some work to do ...

Race 1(8 laps)

Car number 93, you’re ready for launch: Darren O’Brien smashes over the top of Mark Ceveri (who paid a trip to the track’s medical centre) in a chillingly similar accident to the Villeneuve/Schumacher one which would occur a few hundred metres up the road some 20 hours later. (Photo by John Morris/Mpix) 58

Look at the results of race one and you’d think that Davison belted the living daylights out of the opposition. He didn’t- he actually crushed them into the Albert Park bitumen. WTiile he made a decent start and cleared away, the trailing pack offour chopped one another up. Whincup, Kostera, Mawer and Marshall made up the chasing pack, but the man to keep an eye on was Jones. Andy had the OzEmail Stealth wound up and was up to seventh, molorsport news

AGP SUPPORTS picking up another spot when Marshall retired on lap four. Kostera had had a look at the inside into turn three, but locked the rears and ended up backing to the outside of the track, clipping the hapless Queenslander on the way through. TOrincup looked safe in second but Mawer chased him down in the closing stages to steal the position. By the time all that had happened, Davison was a whole.15 seconds ahead and cruising. Will later reported that he’d been monitoring the rest of the field on the giant screens and even had time to see Mika Hakkinen being interviewed... Jones got to fourth place ahead of debutante Daniel Elliott(who was very quick but needs much more experience in these cars), Greg Woodrow and a recovering Kostera. “It was very hard to catch Will,” said Mawer. “They’re similar cars but mine wasn’t that easy to drive, though I’m really rapt to be here. We were really banldng on good results to raise sponsorship for the rest of the season.”

Race 2(10 laps)

The formula for race two was the same as the first. Davison nailed the start and cleared off while the world behind was fighting among itself After two laps, the gap was 6.4s and rising, while Mawer and Jones raced hard with some contact resulting through the car park (turn four and five section). The Safety Car appeared on lap

three because ofAdrian McCurdy stopped at turn one, but Davison brained them on the re-start and wandered away to win by 14s, setting a 2m09.034s on his second last lap. “I wasn’t sure if I could catch Will on the slowdown lap!” was Jones’ assessment ofthe situation. Kostera was third after the OzEmail car had passed him on the last lap, while Whincup recovered to fourth ahead of Greg Woodrow and Steve Grocl.

Action Stations: Barton Mawer’s new VD RF2001, above, had a diffi cult weekend after a strong second in race one, while Jamie Whincup, (Photos by James Smith and Marshall Cass) below, went ploughing in the Mygale.

Race 3(7 laps)

It was all getting a bit silly by the time race three rolled around and to be honest, the only question was how much Davison wo^d win by. He led early before the Safety Car came out on lap two, but that caused problems for Whincup, who was third behind Jones. Too busy looking in his mirrors, Whincup rammed the back ofthe slowing Jones, busting up the nosecone and a steering arm. He was man enough to admit it was his fault too. The red flag came in place of the yellow after the re-start following a horrifying crash between Mark

Ceveri, John McGowan and Darren O’Brien. Ceveri was taken to the track’s medical centre for a precautionary examination, but the carnage continued when the race re-started with three laps to run. Jones was belted by Mawer in, judging by the marks on AJ’s car, a very over-enthusiastic manoevure.

while Elhot ended up off at turn three after launching off Woodrow, leaving Kostera to take second ahead of Robert Jones. Davison broke Rick Kelly’s record on the last lap (2m08.655s), sending an ominous reminder to his rivals of the upcoming opening round of the FF Series at PhiUip Island.

Rower wins; Catriona crashes

OLYMPIC rower Darren Baimforth took out the top prize in the BMW Celebrity Challenge at Albert Park, but the main talking point post race was Channel Nine's Catriona Rowntree. The Getaway host controversially ran into the back of Olympian Rechelle Hawkes under braking at turn three after being urged to attempt the move by TV commentator Alan Jones, who had an audio link to Rowntree's car. Starting from pole, Baimforth enjoyed an untroubled victory charge to be joined on the podium by Melbourne HeraldSun prize-winner Brett McKenna and Darwin newsreader John Uptin. The latter inherited third place 18 Mirch 2001

Catriona the Crasher: AJ's driving tips resulted in damage like this.

(Pilolo by Ian Robinson^ ,

Gi/feffe*

when FI-11 navigator Brooke Chivers spun at Turn 15 on the final lap. AFL legend John Flatten, 'Water Rat' Steve Bisley, Kieren Perkins, Gillian Rolton, Chivers, Robert De Castella, and Jamie Durie completed the top 10.

BMW Insurance

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Twenty-eight celebrities driving 2.2 -litre BMW Z3s contested the event, which for the first time was organised along State of Origin lines. Each driver represented their home state or territory, with points being awarded according

to finishing positions (i.e. 1 point for first through to twenty-eight points for last place). Points were then combined to produce a state total, with the lowest-scoring state being declared the winner. Tasmanian representatives Baimforth, McKenna, Wendy Kennedy and Yahoo Serious claimed the honours with a total of 41 points. Funnily enough, Serious wasn't born in Tassie or lived there, so we presume it was his alter-ego 'Young Einstein' doing the driving ... Forty-six points were enough to give the Northern Territory and the ACT second place, while Queensland completed the top three. - MARK GLENDENNING 59

300 mph man: Signs are that Jim Read’s long campaign for a permanent world-class drag racing facility in Sydney is close to bearing fruit.

een light for dpag venue

(Photo by Marshall Cass)

and MUM finally reach agreement

THE long-staiiding Sydney drag strip issue finally appeal’s to be reaching a resolution, following news that the NSW State Government intends to enter into a lease for an ai’ea of land at Eastern Creek for the constmction of a purpose-built, intei-natiomd-standai’d di’ag racing venue. The site, located to the immediate south ofthe cuirent raceway, is owned by the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. The Agreement to lease the site is stOl being finalised, but the deal will be conditional upon ANDRA's ability to confirm fimding for the project, and also to provide an acceptable business plan and secure all necessary planning permits. It is anticipated that construction ofthe facility will take ai'ound two years. ANDRA will also assume responsibility for administration of the privatelyfimded project, which will be run on a non-profit basis. Magazine publisher David Cook, who, along with Jim Read, spearheaded the push for a new venue, welcomed the news as a 60

significant step foi-ward in what has been a long process. “We are now able to finalise our business plan and negotiate a suitable lease,” stated Cook.“As we enter the second phase of the project, we have a long way to go, but now we have something positive to work towards and the finish line in sight.” John Watkins, NSW Minister for

"The tenacity of those directly involved in pursuing a resolution n has been inspiring - Tony Thornton Sport and Recreation, agreed. “I would hope that after many months of negotiations this decision is regarded as the first stage of a successful outcome for all parties. The Govei-nment will continue to work with ANDRA representatives to secure a home for their members and supporters,” Mr Watldns said. Drag racers have been campaigning for a new home since the closure of Eastern Creek to

championship drag racing at the end of 1997. At the height ofthe conflict, a convoy of 1500 drag racers and supporters held a protest rally in the centre of Sydney last August, creating a blockade that brought the city to a standstill. Fom-teen-time Australian drag racing champion Read was delighted by the news;‘We are now in a position to revitahse our sport in Sydney and nationally. This is a great day for the sport of drag racing and also for the people of western Sydney.” Read continued,“Today's announcement is the result of a great deal of hard work by many people. We are very grateful to the NSW Government and then desire to find a workable solution to what has obviously been a difficult issue for everyone.” ANDRA CEO Tbny Thornton described the deal as ‘Tantastic news for Austrahan drag racing. “I'm confident the patience of those involved in the sport and the industry in Sydney will be justified, and I must say that the tenacity of those directly involved in pm-suing a resolution has been inspiring.”

Upgrade for IRP INDIANAPOLIS Raceway Park, home of the largest, oldest and most prestigious event on the NHRA trail, will undergo a huge renovation, beginning in March. The project will include a completely rebuilt dragstrip, with the extension of the concrete starting line surface from its current 330 feet to 660 feet. In addition, the remaining racetrack will be re paved with asphalt, including 3800 feet of shutdown area. All electronic devices for the facility, including cabling, computer and tracking systems and the starting grid will be replaced. The entire project, weather permitting, should be concluded by the end of the month. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI moiorsDon news

DRAG RACING

The Joy of SFX SFX,the world's largest producer and marketer of live entertainment, has purchased a majority interest in the IHRA. SFX currently owns, operates or books 130 live entertainment venues, including 44 amphitheatres in the U.S. Each year more than 60 million people attend over 26,000 events promoted and/or produced by SFX. The companies ventures include live music events, Broadway and touring Broadway shows, family entertainment and specialised sports and motorsports shows. "SFX has a goal of significantly building our motorsport business in the U.S. and around the world in the next few years, and the IHRA is an important

component of that plan,” said SFX Motor Sport Chairman, Jeff Lewis. “IHRA Drag Racing has been enjoying a steady rise in popularity and with the powerful promotional resources of SFX and our parent company Clear Channel available to support it, we plan to bring the IHRA to new markets in North America and abroad as well.” The Norwalk, Ohio-based IHRA will continue to operate under the present leadership of its current management team,including President, Bill Bader, who will retain a minority interest in the sanctioning body. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

New Bud chief Tim Richards has been named as the new Crew Chief on the Budweiser King team as Kenny Bernstein and Mike Green have decided to end their relationship and part ways. Richards will assume the role as new crew chief immediately. "Tim Richards brings many years of success and experience as a crew chief for Joe Amato and Chuck Etchells," said Bernstein. "We are looking forward to his new leadership role on the Budweiser team. Mike Green put forth a tremendous effort over the past year and a half and we wish him every success." Johnny West will remain with the team as assistant crew chief and Tim's wife, Kim Richards, will also join the team as a crew member. n IHRA veteran Top Fuel driver, Jim Bailey, has joined forces with . Marvin Foxworth and Bobby Rex to run in IHRA competition for the 2001 season. The team has puchased a car from Darrell Gwynn and will be ready for the season opener in Rockingham in March. Bobby Rex will continue to : oversee the team, while former driver, Doug Foxworth and Rick Cassell handle the engine tuning. Bailey has seven career Top Fuel victories and has spent the last three years driving for Doug Herbert on the IHRA trail.

'®tr ■ffD®[5)[p@[? wtsftcsTaijii Joining Force; Look for Gary Densham in a third Force Ford. (Photo by Ford Racing Media)

THIRTY year Funny Car veteran, Gary Densham, has joined the John Force team as the driver of the team's new third car. Densham, 54, will make his debut in the Ford Mustang-bodied flopper at the next event on the NHRA trail, the 32nd annual Mac Tools Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, March 1618. The new team, led by Jimmy Prock, was original ly brought on board to ready Force's much anticipated Top Fuel dragster, but several delays have thwarted those plans until later this season. The plan was to run the new Funny Car on a limited schedule, but Densham's sponsorship program with the 16 March 2061

Automobile Club of Southern California, which has helped fund him over the past four years, wanted more than a research and development program with the new team. The Force-Densham relationship dates back to 1974 when both racers were touring Australia. Densham had been racing for years, but Force was just beginning his Funny Car career. "Densham took me under his wing and got me through it," said Force. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here because I probably wouldn't have made it back from Australia. I hired him because he's a good driver and because he can help Prock teach these new guys how to race."

Densham has three top 10 finishes to his credit, finishing ninth in 1995 and 10th in 1996 and 1997 and is still seeking his first Funny Car victory. He has been a runner-up six times. Ironically, four of those have been to Force or teammate Tony Pedregon. The Top Fuel car, while temorarily on hold, will hit the track later this season. "The dragster's coming," Force said. "Our plan was to run for the Winston Top Fuel champinship in 2002. That's sti ll our plan. "We were going to test the dragster this season to get ready for next year. The only thing that has changed is that it won't be ready as quick as we thought." - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

n While testing at the Majesty Homes Groundhog warm-up in Darlington, Steve Vick recorded the quickest pass in history by a nitrous Pro Mod car when his '68 Camaro stopped the timers in 6.249 seconds at 224.55 mph. A two-time national event winner in 2000, Vick also recorded a 6.267 last season at the Autumn Nationals, which at the time was the all-time best mark for a nitrous-equipped doorslammer. ■ John Montecalvo shook down his new Citgo-backed Chevrolet Cavalier Pro Stock iast weekend in Richmond, Virginia, shattering the existing IHRA Pro Stock mark. Montecalvo stopped the timers in 6.575 seconds at 208.71 mph, all in legal trim at 2405 pounds! The run was one of the quickest ever recorded, with a .949 60 foot and a half track mark of 4.224/166.52. ■ John Mitchell's 'Montana Express' Top Fuel Dragster, driven by David Grubnic, has signed a one year asscociate sponsorship deal with the Oberto Sausage Company, makers of Oh Boyl Oberto Beef Jerky, The program will begin at the next event on the NHRA trail, the Mac Tools Gatornationals. - DAVID OSTASZEWSKI 61

2001 Nationals

Stage set for 'Racer's l\la

Ravenswood. With a win at Willowbank - cracking the 300 mph in the process - putting him THE aptly-dubbed ‘Racer’s in a share of the points lead, the Nationals’are about to happen, recent announcement of the new just a few short weeks after Sydney track which he has worked ANDRA were informed by so hard towards may give him the Calder Park and the Bob Jane motivational edge he needs over Corporation that they were no the rest of the pack. longer able to promote the Read won’t have it all his own most prestigious event on the way. Steve Read and the Santo drag racing calendar. Rapisarda team won last time out For a while it seemed that there at Calder and appear to have may be no Nationals this year, but overcome the difficulties they were ANDRA’s intervention, combined having at the last Nationals with with the herculean efforts of a the engine back to producing the small management committee, type of power that almost saw have seen the 35th running of the them knock over the 300 mph biggest event of the year become a barrier over two years ago. With reality. the DiFilippo team also likely to Despite the short time during front for this event, there will be which ANDRA have carried the some big hitters out there on the ball for the Nationals, the entry line, but the Pennzoil team of list is already looking mightily Robin Kirby should not be impressive, and the very first overlooked. With consistency being entrant for the revamped event his hallmark, Kirby’s steady 5.0s may also be one of the best must rate him a very good chance. chances for taking home one of the Top Doorslammer is probably coveted gold Christmas Tree the most fiercely fought bracket of trophies. Jim Read - one of the the season, with several driving forces (along with contenders lining up for the publisher David Cook) behind the Championship. Victor Bray has rebirth of drag racing in NSW collected several national titles was the first name upon ANDRA’s and some sensational world record list and is very keen to build upon performances with his Castrol his already successful season. Chev, but he has yet to collect a With a record 10 Nationals titles Nationals win. He has recorded under his belts, Read is looking at some of his best performances at adding an eleventh for the Calder -including his stellar 237 Gregory’s Publications team after mph blast from earlier this season last winning the ‘Big Go’in 1990 at - and is fresh off his by GREG WARD

record-setting run (a 6.21 national mark)in searing heat at Kwinana Motorplex. After inheriting the Championship points lead for the first time this season he will be looking to consolidate his lead, but he must count on several challenges. The hungry Andrew Searle should rebound from his engine-damaging outing at Perth to get back to his 6.2-potential, and Peter Kapiris would hope for some more 230 mph-plus passes to show that he can match Bray in the horsepower department. With the likes of Brett Stevens, Gary Philips and Dave Koop also

capable of running the big numbers, this should once again be one of the brackets to watch.’ With the injury to Peter Ridgeway’s hand making him an improbable starter at this meeting, the Pro Stock ranks have been thrown wide open. Ridgeway’s Oldsmobile has been the pacesetter for some time, but Brano Cugnetto and Bruce Leake aren’t that far behind. Rookies John Barbagallo and Jason Grima are also on the tear with their tough reaction times putting the pressm-e on the established runners. However Joe Polito, entering with a Pontiac instead of a Ford, may be the darkest horse of Bring the noise: Andrew Searle will be among the top contenders in what is expected to be a highiy-competitive field all. A master at building of Top Doorslammers. horsepower, he may have something up his sleeve here that will serve it up to the troops. The motorcycle ranks will see some tough battles, but none more so than in Top Bike. After the Westernationals, Ian Ashelford and his WA-based Harley are leading the points chase, but he has also had a solid six-second performer in the shape of his ‘Attitude Racing’ injected nitro bike that suggests that he will be hard to toss. Jeff Smith and Brett Stevens will offer up some big time resistance, but after his qualifying heroics at Kwinana, Jay Uptown and his streamlined Puma Triumph may be able to provide the upset. 62

molorsport news

DRAG RACING

ionals' Ijta^ campaigner: n \3iiBReadwabe (coking to add to h;s cabinet.

Not bad for a weekend’s work: Victor Bray's win in WA boosted him to the top of(he CHampionship n ' »table, and rewrote the record books in the process.

Bray dominates Westernat

Pro Stock Bike seems to boil down to a two-way duel between the fellow South Aussie teams of Sam Scerri and Jason Lee. Scerri and partner Trevor Birrell currently hold the national records for the class, but Lee and team owner Dale Gilbert have seemed to have the knack of coming through when it means the most. If there is a breed of racing which provides sensationally close racing yet doesn’t get the exposure it deserves, then Top Alcohol must be it. The technology involved in competing at this level is very expensive but there just hasn’t been the opportunities for the class to strut their stuff this season. After the Calder and Adelaide championship races were cancelled, Gary Phillips and his multi championship-winning Lucas Oils dragster hold down the lead in the series, and he would seem to be a chance to extend it over his nearest contenders Paul Shackleton and Wayne Newby. With another wealth of brackets, and the usual uncertainty of big event competition, there can be little doubt that there will be some big surprises in the elimination rounds at what promise to be the most welcomed Nationals in many years. After looking like being on the rocks for some period of time, ANDRA’s commitment seems to have cemented the drag racing community and possibly ensured that this will be an event to remember. 16 March 2001

VICTOR Bray swept the 2001 Marlow's Westernationals, held at the Quit Motorplex south of Perth on March 4/5, after taking his Castrol '57 Chevy from fourth to first in the Top Doorslammer Championship standings,top qualifying, resetting the National Record, and winning the race. In sweltering conditions on Saturday, Bray unleashed a 6.229 at over 230 miles per hour (368kph)to lead qualifying, less than a tenth of a second ahead of Melbourne's Peter Kapiris. Brett Stevens equaled Kapiris' time later to take third, ahead of the Statesman of Peter Hamilton with a great 6.44. Dave Simpson and Robin Judd were in fifth and sixth in front of the home crowd, followed by Gary Phillips and Lindsay Murray. Andrew Searle, winner of the previous round, succumbed to engine damage during qualifying, as didJ-ui Raschella. Conditions remained hot for Sunday's eliminations. The Studebakers of Judd and Stevens opened the first round, with the Jack Daniels car leading the local favourite at the finish line. Two more Studebakers faced each other next, with Kapiris beating Phillips, the latter unable to reproduce the smooth performances of his last visit to the west. With a quick reaction giving him a three tenths lead at the start, Hamilton's slower 6.63 was enough for Simpson's 6.50. At the end of the first round, Bray opened his march to the final with a 6.66 win over Murray's 7.06.

Bray and Stevens did not meet this time around, with the Castrol Chevy facing Hamilton's Statesman in the semi final. Bray left late, but a stout 6.29 easily headed a 6.97 in the other lane. In one of the closest races of the night, Kapiris beat Stevens into the final by just four hundredths of a second. Bray produced the quickest run of the weekend in the final, his 6.21 easily covering a slowing 6.77 from Kapiris. Speaking about his sensational performance a jubilant Bray said, "It's not over yet. This is just the

beginning. We've been tiying to find the last piece of the jigsaw to make this combination work the way we knew it should, and it fell into place testing last weekend. "We've got the car working well at both ends of the track now instead of just running big speeds. Yesterday and today we've been refining the deal and we know

"We've got the lead in the Championship now and we're not going to he letting go if we can help it" - Victor Bray there's more left in it yet. "We've got the lead in the championship now and we're not going to be letting go if we can help it. "The Australian Nationals in Melbourne is the next target and then the two Wiliowbank Raceway rounds to finish off the season and hopefully grab that

sixth title for Castro! and all our other backers." Meanwhile, a runner-up finish for Perth's Ian Ashelford allowed him to maintain his Australian TopBike Championship lead in front of a home crowd. Top honours went to local Jay Upton on his unique Triumph, who led qualifying with a 7.48. Doing double duty in Top Doorslammer and Top Bike, Brett Stevens put the Jack Daniels Harley into second spot just one hundredth behind Upton. Another two hundredths back was the Harley of Ian Ashelford ahead of Garry Thomas on a Suzuki. Fifth was Jeff Smith, followed by local Brett Jonas, Graeme Morrell and Mark Ashelford. Smith, Stevens, and Ian Ashelford won their first round matches. Top qualifier Upton beat Mark Ashelford in their pairing, but the full bodied Triumph lost an undertray near the end of the run and was disqualified. Mark Ashelford faced Smith in the semi final, and was disqualified himself for crossing the centreline. In the other semi, Ian Ashelford unleashed the quickest pass of the weekend, his 7.09 heading the 7.25 from Brett Stevens. The 189.47 miles per hour (303 kph)from the Jack Daniels Harley gave Stevens the top speed bonus. A strong pass from Ian Ashelford remained well in front of Smith in the final, but the Harley veered across the centreline and took out the timing sensors, bringing instant disqualification and handing Smith the win. 63

Parramatta sold Contracts to be signed but the deal's done

IT’S more than likely that Parramatta City Raceway will have new owners in as little as three months time. Current owner David Lander has confirmed that he has accepted an offer to sell the speedway business, though contracts have yet to be signed so the deal isn’t fully completed. “It's not been an easy decision to make, but ultimately I think it’s one that I should make,” said Lander. “It frees me up to make some directional changes In other parts of my business and that will benefit the company in the longer term.”

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Lander will not at this stage name the identity of the new owners, though he would concede that the offer has been made from ‘offshore’. Sources suggest that ‘offshore’ means from the United States. The deal will see Lander pursue

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development of his remaining two tracks Newcastle and Gunnedah Speedways. “It’s been difficult to run three Speedways, I don’t think that’s a secret,” he added. “I’m looking forward to putting more time and effort into Newcastle in particular

which I believe is one of the finest Speedway venues in the country.” The sale of Parramatta Speedway, known as the Sprintcar capital of the country, will end some 12 years for Lander at the helm. In that time he has spent several hundred thousand dollars refurbishing the venue and the sport, becoming along the way perhaps the single most influential leader within the industry in the last 10 years. His promotion of the recent Gough and Gilmour CAT 50,000 Sprintcar race which paid $50,000 to the winner, is just one legacy he’ll leave for the sport of Sprintcar racing.

ig list of Aussies in UK solos

THERE will be a stronger Australian influence among the teams in the British League this year as the season gets underway. Both the Elite League, which contains most of the world's top riders, and the British Premier League, (which, despite its name, is actually the Second Division) have teams packed with Aussies. Jason Crump from the Gold Coast, tipped by many to become the next World Champion, again heads the Kings Lynn line-up. After having five Aussies in their team last year. Kings Lynn have changed their policy: Leigh Adams, (above right) Craig Boyce and Travis McGowan have all departed. Boyce has moved just 60 kilometres to join local rivals Ipswich to race alongside England skipper Chris Louis. McGowan can't get a team place in England so far but Mildura's Adams has moved to head the Oxford line-up, where he'll join Sydney's Todd 64

Wiltshire and Steve Johnston from Kalgoorlie. Jason Lyons from Mildura returns again to head Belle Vue's team but that club has no/oom this year for Kevin Doolan. Adelaide's Shane Parker has moved to Peterborough to join fellow South Australians Ryan Sullivan and Nigel Sadler, and will race alongside World Champion Mark Loram, who has moved there from Poole.

Craig Watson from Sydney has returned to Poole after suffering injury problems last year and it means there will be total of 10 Aussies among the nine clubs racing at Elite League level. At Premier League level, Ben

Shields from Mulbring, NSW, is a newcomer at Edinburgh, while Dave Watt from Townsville has joined Isle of Wight where he'll join the returning Adam Shields. Brett Woodifield from Adelaide, released by Elite League Peterborough, has stepped down to race at Cornish club Trelawny Tigers where he's joined by Lee Heme, who was actually born in England when his father Phil was riding. He has moved from Reading. - TONY MILLARD

Hughe NASH by AARON NOONAN

THE founding General Manager of the National Association of Speedway Racing(NASR), John Hughes, has announced his resignation effective at the end of March. NASR’s board of directors nret recently in Sydney as part of their general meeting to confirm acceptance of Hughes’s shock resignation. “I just wanted a change,” Hughes told Motorsport News. “I’ve been doing it for a while and I’m just a bit frustrated. No particular event has caused it(the decision) but I need to take a step back. “I have a vision of a sport which is professional and that’s not in the sense that it caters for the upper end, but that it’s run properly.” The frustration Hughes speaks of relates to the sport’s failure to present a united front, the original reason why NASR was formed to create a more professional profile for the dirt track sport. Previously, Hughes was a competitive Super Sedan driver, manager of Adelaide’s Speedway Park, and developed the World Series Sprintcar trail prior to commencing his position at NASR in September, 1997. With Hughes quitting, the future of the WSS must be in doubt. The directors’ meeting resolved for a call of expressions of interest and proposals to conduct NASR’s operation of the WSS, which has suffered depleted fields in recent times, especially following the withdrawl of QUIT as series sponsor. One possibility which could happen is NASR taking on a new General Manager, but ‘leasing’ out the running of the WSS to a franchise holder, NASR filling the role of sanctioning body. In the meantime, Insurances Manager Peter Dodd will head the Adelaide office with the assistance of local solicitor and independent director Garry Winter before a replacement can be found. moiorsporl news

SPEEDWAY

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Looking to different pastures: Hughes says it’s time for a change, the 54-year-old having been the GM of (Photo by Dirk Klynsmith) NASR since September 1997.

Wliat he said

"From where I sit, there's people in seats of responsibility who deny that happening. "This isn't my NASR or the board's NASR. It's for the members and they are the ones who it looks after. “1 might not be the person who can achieve this. I've done the best I can and right now I just want to step back. "The decision's been building for considerable time." -AARON NOONAN

"I've been doing it for a while and I'm just a bit frustrated. No particular event has caused it (the decision) but I need to take a step back. "I need to take a step back. In any job you look for job satisfaction. 1 have a vision of a sport that is professional, not in the sense that it caters for the upper end, but it's run properly. "Speedway has a structure now. I think the ground work's there and the opportunities are there for different factions to pull together but it's only going to work if that happens.

Australian Distributors for

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For more InfbrmatJon on Hoosler Drag and SpeedwayTyres call:

NSW;02 9679 1990 l Fax 02 9679 1187 VIC 03 9331 6477 l Fax 03 9331 7444 SA:08 8332 0800 l Fax 08 8364 0296 16 March 2001

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The Beasley Beast: This is the Pearce chassis which the Beasley/Hudson-Davies team will take to the Belleville Midget Nationals.

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Time to take a step back: Hughes is adament that speedway racing needs to be more (Photo by Dirk Klynsmilli) professional.

THE annual Belleville Midget Nationals, held each August in the small rural Kansas township made famous by the event, will have an Australian flavor this year with the addition of Australians Rodney Hudson-Davies and Leroy Beasley. The Belleville race has been one of the US midget calendar’s major events since it was first run in 1978 on what is the fastest half-mile dirt track in America. Hudson-Davies has teamed up with Beasley to drive their Cosworth-powered Midget and is in his second season with them, while Beasley is a third generation member of the legendary Beasley midget racing dynasty. His grandfather Arthur was one of the original pioneers who introduced Midgets to Australia at Melbourne’s Olympic Park Speedway in 1934 and a leading driver of the pre-war era, while Beasley took up driving before taking a decision to find a more talented driver to drive his machine. Hudson-Davies is a former Victorian champion in Mini Sprints and the duo are using the trip to gain experience in the category against the best.

2000/01 AUTOPRO SUPER SPRINT SERIES SCORE Point Standings to March 12, 2001 1.V6 Mike Van Bremen . 2.VII Jeffjudd 3.W52 Jeremy Warren . 4.V20 David Swayn S.V9 Rod Matthews ... 6.VI2 Colin Bulmer ... 7.VI8 Ian Lewis 8.V32 Ian Thomsen ... 9.V70 John Vogels I0.V21 Frank Ramsdale

.2441 .2205 .1989 1963 1875 1838 1727 1684 1570 1435

I I.V43 Garry Chippendall ...1244 1207 l2.VI4Peter Knight... 1131 13.V 13 Tim McCubbin . 1074 14.V30 Darren Russell . 1011 15.VS6 Brent Hough .. 1005 I6.V7 Daryn Maggs ... .973 I7.V73 Charles Hunter .935 18.V84 Graeme Pitcher .921 I9.V7I David Murcott . .917 20.VS7 Ian Smith

Rnd 8,Southern Showdown Mar 1 1. I. Tim McCubbin... 2. Ian Lewis 3. Daryn Maggs .... 4. David Swayn .... 5. Mike Van Bremen 6. Ken Veal 7. Jeremy Warren.. 8. Troy Little 9. PeterTelford.... 10.John Vogels

VI3 V18 V7 V20 V6 V96 W52 N20 S40 V70

Returning Bridge

Daryn Maggs came up trumps at Avalon. (Photo by Broil

mficent DARYN Maggs scored his first Sprintcar feature win after convincingly winning the l&V Truck Repairs Southern Shootout, which doubled as round eight of the Autopro Super Sprint Series. Avalon Raceway, which has long been a mostly frustrating track for Maggs, was tamed by the hard-partying Lilydale plumber who never let polesitter and championship points leader Mike Van Bremen get a look in. In fact, Van Bremen was pushed back to third after a lap 22 restart saw an aggressive Ian Lewis snatch the runner-up spot. Following this trio across the line was preliminary feature winner Tim McCubbin, who was hard pressed late in the race by David Anderson. The only down point on the weekend was the continually poor and inconsistent steward!ng. After a six week lay-off for the bulk of Victorian fans, it was like Nirvana when a huge field of 40 cars fronted for the first night of the two night event. In the intervening period, the Drew family had been forced to resurface the track and, as expected, the track did de laminate and was quite rough. There was nothing rough, however, about the performance

of Saturday’s Preliminary feature winner McCubbin, who led home Lewis and Maggs. Something, well, different happened in the final heat of Sunday night’s racing. David Brown won the heat after a charging Lewis rubbed wheels with Brown and flipped. That wasn’t it though. The ecstatic Brown, who has crashed more times at Avalon than he’s finished, did some Alex Zanardi-style donuts on the infield and was subsequently suspended for the rest of the meeting! In the A-Main, Van Bremen had to slot into second on the second start after Colin Bulmer spun and roll on the first. Maggs pushed hard to establish a gap but he had a damaged front wing, which was given added security from a crew member’s belt as they lined up for the re-start after Tony Moule rolled heavily following contact with Chippindall. Lewis immediately challenged Van Bremen and worked him over to get second, but there was no denying Maggs, who did a lap of honour, then a Polish lap of honour, and then climbed onto the top wing - which collapsed to do a wing dance ... - BRETT SWANSON

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TONY Bridge made an emphatic return to Sprintcars with a flag-to-fiag victory at Brisbane Internationai Speedway on March 3. Bridge was pushed all the way by Darrell Hodges, but Hodges was never quite able to get close enough to make a passing move stick. Bridge(AB Bridge Removals Avenger) won heat one ‘ comfortably, but spent heat four on the sidelines after a fuel line came loose. Thus, out of the 3x3 Shootout, Bridge was off the front row for the feature. For Bridge, who

hasn't raced since a big crash with Trevor Green at the Australian Championships a month ago, it was a satisfying result. "It's unfortunate we dropped that heat when the fuel line fell off. I would have liked to win both heats then go into the dash and then win the Feature," he said. "We're happy enough, it shows the car's back to its former self and fast again, so that's what we're looking for." For Hodges (Valvoline Maxim), the night was frustrating. While a second in the feature was salvaged, a pair of fourths in the

The first Phil gets his first SA title by DAVID McNABB PHIL March achieved a longheld ambition on March 3 when he stormed to victory in the Protec SA State Sprintcar championships at Speedway City, Virginia, his first in 15 years of trying. The driver who crashed out with March in last year’s state title event, Max Dumesny, provided the most competition this time, and chased March to the flag in an exceptionally close 40-lap race. Displaying the benefit of a full World Series campaign, local Tony Bartlett turned a few heads during time trials when he topped the 20car entry with fast time ahead of March, Dumesny, Trevor Green and Darryl Downing. Ross Wright trailered early with driveline problems, shortly before Toowoomba’s Andrew Scheuerle ran off with the first of two heat wins during a drama-filled round of preliminaries. Darren Disbury’s Dave Jack Paving Maxim kept jumping out of

gear during the B-Main, but way out front it was Wayne Bunker and Chris Evans who took out the repechage, claiming the soughtafter transfer into the main event. Reserves Francis Ramsdale and Brent Hough were both destined to gain a start in the title race after early crashes claimed some of the fancied runners. Mike Van Bremen’s Foster was the first casualty from a false start incident involving five cars radius rods being his problem, but on the restart it was all March. A mere matter of moments later, three cars were crashed out in a triple rollover that delayed the show for 20 minutes while Bartlett was extricated from his wrecked Gambler. The others involved - Downing and Warren - emerged from the carnage unhurt. By lap eight, Scheuerle moved up to fourth and a couple laps later Burford pulled infield with misfming problems. March was about to put a lap on fifth-placed Daryn Maggs when disaster struck Van Bremen on lap 23.

2000/2001 SPRINTCAR RACING ASSOCIATION OF VIC CALENDAR QSSS 2000/2001 CALENDAR CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS Mar 17 Brisbane ,Rd i2

Mar 24

Premier ...Rd 9

Mar 24

Wagga . .Rd 10

NON CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS Apr 13

Avalon ..Easter T

Apr 14

Mt Gambler ..Easter T

Apr 15

Warrnambool ..EasterT

Mar 24 ... Toowoomba

.Rd 13

Apr 21

.Rd 14

Brisbane

Mike Van Bremen current 2000/01 points.leoder

motorspon pews

SPEEDWAY

takes QSSS win 11SHERRIFFS MINI-CARS heats caused Hodges to miss the Time Trial and the Shootout. Todd Wanless(ABC Autogear Maxim)finished third on the night, and collected extra points from the 3x3 Shootout to keep in touch with the series leaders in the title chase. Wanless was running a Maxim, specifically the ex-Brent Kaeding car, for the first time in the series and also had a new engine, which he used to good effect, winning heat three before finishing second in the 3x3 Shootout and running third fastest in the Time Trial. Starting from ninth was always

going to be tough for the defending Champion. "It's hard to give drivers the calibre of Tony Bridge and Darrell Hodges a head start. We tried to reel them in, and another five laps we would have been OK," said Wanless. Series leader Stephen Bell (Speedflow Maxim)ended up having a fairly lonely race to fourth but held onto his points lead In the process, ahead of Peter Thorley, Darren Jensen, Drew Kruck and Adam Mackenzie. Points: Bell 683, Hodges 657, Jensen 651, Kruck 617, Wanless 605, Thorley 588, McComb 534, Mackenzie 518.

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Smiles all round: Green, Scheuerle, Miss Speedway City, March and Dumesny ham it up for the cameras. Darryl Downing, below, didn't have quite so much to smile about after this lap one crash.

(Photos by Frank MIdgley)

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The young Victorian had rejoined the race on the second restart, only to have a bolt give way from hasty infield repairs with expensive repercussions. Scheuerle had just relieved Green of third place but he was unable on the restart to catch Dumesny who in turn had his 16 March 2001

efforts to pass March thwarted by the clear track which now greeted the runaway leader. Dumesny couldn’t quite catch March, settling for runner-up ahead of Scheuerle and Green, who was enjoying a better than average run on only his second hometown outing this season.

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JEFF Gordon started 24tHi and appeared not to bea contender,but got it toêsther at the end to cash in ami.triu the million dollar‘No BaiBI' Winston bonus at Las \fegiBS on March 4 ■We’re back!” remarked (GenKlon, in victor)’ lane for the 53nltiiroe. We just never gave up.TBmcar was real tight to begin arri II think the track maybe cant tte us and with it being cool, weinseil' lots of tape to close off thefiaait grille and give us more downforce.” in the wake of the safety iisues with NASGAR. Gordon beusmiiTe the first Winston Cup driverr to win>a race using the HAM desice. : :ênvardsj he complaimecdrf sore jjoll^boMs, but is wilnogito w'ork with Jiheêvice. ' ■^Gdirdon took the lead for tfise 'first Jê wifejust 3.3 lapsofflS? ito'run and held off a distant ■ ■challenge fi-om pole-sitter Dalle Jpn-ett. Two-tim.e V(âs winner lefif Burton sjapped the wall on tfee ■ first lap. knocking him outt. . Following the caution fur

Burton, Rusty Wallace, w'ho led the points coming into the event, was knocked out of the race, when Penske team-mate Jeremy Mayfield nud^ him hard into the wall. Sterling Marlin took over the points lead, being the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all three races thus far. NASCAR adrieved parity in the results, with Che\’y, Ford, Dodge, and Pontiac the first four, but Cherrolet have now’ w’on the first three events of the year, so expect the Ford teane to lay on more pressure for rules changes. Final results J Gordon (Che\’y) 158.(S3 mph, Jarrett (Ford), Marlin (Do^), Benson (Pontiac), T Bodine (Ford), Martin (Ford), Park (Chevy), Harvick (Chevy).Homaday (Pontiac), Spencer (Ford).

- IHARTIND CLARK

arnhardt’s widow ights for photos

FLORIDA lawmakers - aiafl more importantly Goveruoar Jeb Bush - have moved simflly to put a hold into place wtdch will keep photographs of Ehaile Earnhardt’s autopsy inside- the medical examiner’s vault. Earnhardt’s widow, Teresa, h.as been lobbying since the Dayton a ■wi’eck to stop photos being released after pictures of the inside of thee car made their way onto the intern ret and some gutter magazines. The hold comes into place as Bush - who has received abouit 12,000 e-mails from race fans — fights to change the law and strop autopsy information becoming available to the public. However, one newspaper, th«e Orlando Sentinel, has been fighting strongly to obtain the ■ autopsy images, not for publication, but for their medical experts to look at and decide iff .the explanations given by NASC.AE co incide with the injuries. “We have been caught up ioi an unexpected whirlwind as a resrult 68

of efforts to gain access to the autopsy photographs,” Teresa told the press in Las Vegas. “I am here to tell you the trauma we have suffered has only growm since that tragic day.” 'Tim Franklin, the VicePresident for news at the Sentinel, thinks investigative reporting has its place; “The nation’s largest organisation of newspaper editors, more than 500 of them, have stepped forward and supported us in terms of what we’re trying to do. “This is a veiy emotional issue and I understand that people are upset and this may look morbid, but I hope people can look at the long riew and realise what we’re trying to do is carry out a credible investigation into the safety of NASCAR.” A hearing on March 19 will now decide the outcome in regard to the photos. A compromise will likely be reached that will allow release of the images, but any form of copying or publication will be prohibiteci:

Earnhardt Inc marches on after loss of leader secpmk ' about driving the The ^ scheduled for February emotionat roller coasterjd^^^ 25 at Norfei Carolina, we've all bgen iFrbas'^Sn'"^ Rockingham, came in two incredible: segments. "When you're associated A 52-lap first effort, of with Dale Earnhardt, it's not which only 17 laps were held about running second." Labonte was the closest of under green flag conditions due to showers, was followed seconds with Gordon, Tony by the rest of the race on the Stewart and Ricky Craven Monday. following, the latter The race saw pole-sitter Jeff impressive in the Tide car. Gordon, Steve Park and Bobby Earnhardt's replacement, Kevin Harvick, finished a Labonte as the major players, respectable 14th, the first car but Park ripped past Gordon one lap down with hardly a for the final time on lap 339 of mark on the white 393 to take an emotional win, Goodwrench number 29. the second in two weeks for Dale Earnhardt Inc. Final result; Park (Chevy) 111.966 mph, B Labonte (Pontiac), J Gordon "With about 10 laps to go, (Chevy), Stewart (Pontiac), Craven there was no one in my (Ford), Benson (Pontiac), R Wallace mirror," said Park. (Ford), IVIarlln (Dodge), Blaney "I started thinking about (Dodge), Jarrett (Ford). winning the race and I forgot - MARTIN D CLARK

Fighting: Teresa Earnhardt, left, is lobbying to have the autopsy photos of her late husband withheld. (Photo by Suilon-lmages)

“It is our desire that the Earnhardt family be protected from needless and continued hardship,” said NASCAR in a release. “NASCAR appreciates the efforts of legisliators who are attempting to protect the rights of the Earnhardt family.” - MARTIN D CLARK

For safety’s sake: The cars in the Winston C drivers, Jeff Burton was OK after tliis at Las

PEUDVF

by MARTIN D CLARK IN only his third Winston Cup race, Kevin Harvick,replacing the late Dale Earnhardt at Richard Childress Racing, captured his first and a very emotional win on Sunday in Atlanta. Harvick led only once, taking the lead with just five laps to run by diving under pole-sitter Dale Jarrett and Jerry Nadeau in a three-wide move on the front stretch, then fended off race dominator Jeff Gordon by just 0.006s in a photo finish. "It was as though Dale Earnhardt was in the passenger seat with me today, because someone was making the car go better than I was,” said Harvick. “I really don’t know whether to

jump up and do\vn or jump off the building right now.” A few ironies fell into place. It was Harvick’s third Cup race, a race that Earnhardt won last year in the same car - albeit with the number three - beating Bobby Labonte by the same 0.006s margin of victory. Harvick now sits 11th in points, even despite missing the Daytona 500. Atlanta specialist Bobby Labonte sm-ged forward in the final quarter, but fell to engine woes, as did Sterling Marlin, who ran in the top five all race long until his Dodge oiled the track on lap 301 of 325. Mai’k Martin and Jeff Bmixin lost engines and Roush team-mate. Matt Kenseth, bm’st into flames to end a top 10 nm,leaving rookie Km-t Busch to finish a credible 10th.

Jeff Gordon, amazingly, ran out of fuel while holding a huge lead and fell down a lap, but made it back with some help from team mate Nadeau. “I gave it all I had out there at the end. I want to know though, do NASCAR even know how to measure that distance?” quipped Gordon. Gordon now leads the points, having scored more points than any driver in the last six events including two from 2000. Final result; Harvick (Chevy) 143.416 mph,J Gordon (Chevy),Nadeau (Chevy), Jarrett(Ford),T Labonte (Chevy), Rudd (Ford), Benson (Pontiac), Schrader (Pontiac), Skinner (Chevy), Busch (Ford)324 laps. Points standings; J Gordon 613, Jarrett 576, Benson 540, Marlin 531, Waltrip 509, Elliott 495, Nadeau 478,R Wallace 472, Rudd 467, Schrader 461.

SafBty concent by MARTIN D CLARK

lup series are taking the hits, but so too are the (Photo by Sullon-Imagcs) Vegas. 16 March 2001

IN the aftermath of the Dale Earnhardt tragedy, several drivers,led by Jeff Gordon, are calling for an independent safety board to look at the safety of the drivers and the way NASCARs are structured. Some have hit out at NASCAR for changing the rules on the front chassis section ofthe cai's to heavier gauge steel, after teams were lightening up the front end of the cars. “They were tr5dng to stop somebody gaining a weight advantage without considering, that from a safety standpoint. It might be better to leave it the way it was,” said multi-team owner Jack Roush.

Obviously, ifthe thickness of the metal is increased, the less absorbsion there is in a crash, so the driver’s body ultimately takes a larger shock. Other drivers,including 1999 Winston Cup champ Dale Jarrett, think that they should let the governing body assess and make any necessary changes. “It would not be a good situation if we were not learning from these deaths,” he said. Perhaps NASCAR needs to look at a different way of designing the chassis and make the cars lighter. By moving away from the cuiTent ‘good old boy’ design that is still in place to keep costs down by using heavy antiquated parts such as rear axle housings and steering boxes, NASCAR could perhaps improve things.

More things of three: Crew chief Kevin Hamlin, Harvick, and owner Richard Childress, (pnoiow wanin dciatk)

NASCAR Brie^ The seat belts from the cars of rookie drivers Kurt Busch and Casey Atwood, were confiscated in the Atlanta garage area by NASCAR. It seems since the safety scare, inspectors are now checking items like seat belts and seats and the two sets of belts taken showed no manufactured date. NASCAR mandates belts must be no more than five years old. n Speaking of Atwood, he failed to qualify for his first race of his Winston Cup career in Atlanta. "With a new team you don't have any points. Stuff just didn't go the way we wanted it to, because of the rain delay in Rockingham we didn't get to test here," he said. n Wally Dallenbach has been released from his contract at Galaxy Motorsports by owner Darwin Oordt. Gaiaxy has not fielded a car in 2001, and after shelving plans to make the Vegas race, has a goal of competing in the July Daytona race. - MARTIN D CLARK 69

Atlelaitle gi

TT.

Le Mansktlemise leati The Mountain or Mohammed Bin Siileyam get to face the WRC regulars on his home ground - the Middle East? (Phoio by Ford Racing)

Lebanon WRC? ORGANISERS of the Rally of Lebanon have dropped a bombshell by openly admitting they are chasing a round of the World Championship. Competition for a slot in the saturated World Rally Championship calendar is fierce, with German, US and Indian organisers also vying for a place. The upcoming Lebanon Rally, a long-standing round of the Middle East Rally Championship, will be observed by the FIA for possible inclusion. The rally is an all-tarmac event, with stages in the streets of Beirut and

centralised servicing, in addition to a longer route as organisers step up their campaign to win World Championship status. The organisers have also drawn up a planned route stretching over three days, rather than the regulation two permitted for rounds of the Middle East Championship. Despite relative peace in the country over the past six years or so, many believe the FIA will take a dim view of the political Instability in the area when determining whether to award the Beirut-based event championship status. -JON THOMSON

ONLY a few months after pulling out of the WRC, Seat is returning to the fold. The Spanish manufacturer will take in ^ four events in this year's championship, which_ started with fte Rally of'*£2^ Portugal last weekend.| Rookie Marc Blazque2 is Seafs lead driver, despite only a handful of local events for experiem "It's a dream come trut said."After racing for onjj months,the great mome'r has come,and I found ou only a week ago. I can fei the responsibility, and especially appreciate the opportunity I've been give for the World ChampionsI The other events in wh the Catalan driver will compete are in Spain, Argentina and Greece. 70

r~J

7; .» %

by JON THOMSON ANEW proposal for motorsport in the Adelaide parklands has been put forward following the demise of the Adelaide Le Mans race. Organisers of the upcoming Rally of Adelaide have submitted plans to the city coimcil to run a Super Special

i'E^-nurns;

Sanchis and Michael Huerte/Xavier Amigo. The

MiM

urn

suggestions that they will

return to the WRC full-time fccompanv is playing down

but, with improve TV packaging ara a somewhit obvious sear,^ fora SpatiSh driver,they* could be'e^ected to retuftf for20G2.

stage in the west Adelaide parklands in July. The event will mark the first time the South Australian capital has hosted a round of the Australian Rally Championship in almost five years, and organisers are keen to make a good impression for the event. The Super Special would be staged in parklands some

Ralliart staying MITSUBISHI has pledged to continue its involvement in the World Rally Championship despite taking drastic measures to stem recent losses that include the closure of a factory in Japan and the dismissal of 9000 employees. Rolf Eckrodt, Mitsubishi's Chief Operation Officer, made the promise at the Geneva Motor Show as Ralliart prepares to make crucial decisions on the design of the Lancer Evo VII, which should replace the Evo VI for the Sanremo Rally in October. "We've been very successful over the years with quite a small operation. Rallying is integral to rebuilding the company," Ralliart Europe Chairman Andrew Cowan said. ■otorspait laws

RALLY NEWS

ts special

s to ARC Super Stage

...

Stohl clumps Ns

World Champ heads to Super 1600

EUROPEAN pundits are predicting that the new Super 1600 category could kill the Group N production car category within five years, particularly at WRC level. The prediction comes hot on the heels of the announcement by reigning World Group N Champ Manfred Stohl that he would be parking his Group N fylitsubishi (jumping, below) this year to pursue the Super 1600 title. Stohl was critical of Group N as a nursery for driving talent, citing the fact that no Group N World Champion has gone on to secure an outright World Championship or, for that matter, a regular drive in a full WRC car with a manufacturer. The Group N world title has become effectively a one-make championship, with Mitsubishi

clinching the last six titles. Only Subaru have been able to offer any opposition in recent times. Stohl contends that, with up to eight manufacturers arriving on the scene for the Super 1600 Cup, the fight for the world title will produce much better results and a clearer idea of who has talent and who doesn't. ■| may be criticising my own talent but the World Group N Championship has been more about who has the best machinery than who is the best driver," said Stohl. "Super 1600 is relatively cheap, there are a lot more manufacturers homologating cars and it will be more spectacular." The Super 1600 category has attracted cars from Ford, Citroen, Fiat, Proton, VW, Renault, MGRover and Peugeot. -JON THOMSON

■

lRrfof.ddyf.ARC cars will be taking to the Adelaide air when they hit (Photo by Grazia Neri/Allsport) ^]3.fer Specidi 'stage in.July. distance from the site employed for the Adelaide Le Mans race and Formula One Grand Prix, Premier John Olsen describing the site as being “overused” when he pulled the pin on the sportscar race last month. The Super Special downtown will complement another special stage to be held at rally headquarters, the

Wayville Showgrounds. The majority of the rally will be contested in the Mt Crawford forest, with a service park at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood. The rally is being put together by Jeremy Browne, who is also road director for the Rally of Canberra, with assistance from Ivor StaneUis and Rod Coppins.

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Rally of Portugal

Makinen fights I

tough Rallye de Portugal tpr.clkrni victory and the lead in Ch.eWorld'Rally Championship. f triumphed in nditiops which many described ,'worsb'ever seen on a World ^^ijionShrp Rally, with constant M^hlh'alhj mud.and lo^ cloud ^SvSathz lih re w everyth i ng gbahhing a load cm ●the 'penultimate ^^^g4-nnl;y!tphay(} lhe Finn trump r:j^^.,|mLhe£nal, teiit to-.take the

Marcus Gronholm sloshed his ly to third ahead of Richard Burns after a consistent, if not very fast performance in his Peugeot.

Legl

Right from the start it was going to be a muddy lottery and Makinen drew first prize with fastest time on the opening Super

Special.

The Mitsubishi took the early lead after the mud-caked and farcical Super Stage. Part of the problem was that the

He had to, as the wet turned the Rally of Portugal into a farce. JON THOMSON reports car leading on the two-at-a-time stage was spraying vast quantities of mud on the following car, obliterating the view of the driver and costing even more time. Makinen got the best of the conditions on the 3.2kms stage to lead heading into the rally pi'oper ahead of the Gronholm and Harri Rovanpei-a Peugeots. “If we ever want rallying to be credible, then they’ve got to stop organisers forcing us to do things like that,” fumed Burns.“You can’t bo credible in a mudbath.” Both of the works Skodas went out on the road .stages after SSI,

Bruno Thiry with electrical problems and Armin Schwarz with clutch problems. Rovanpera took over the lead alter the .second stage, edging Sainz’s Ford by just 0.5s. It was on the I'ourth test that Makinen put in a super-human performance to not only re-take the lead, but to put a staggering 23.6s bulfer between he and his cha.sers. Conditions were made worse by the fact that many of the cai's I'unning lower down the order became stuck in the stages during the first running. Gravel note cars

v\\

»●!

WORLD RALLY

Results 1 Tommi Makinen/Risto Mannisenmaki 2 Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya 3 Marcus Gronholm/limo Rautiainen 4 Richard Burns/Robert Reid 5 Francois Oelecour/Daniel Grataloup 6 Mister McRae/Dave Senior

Mitsubishi Lancer Eve Ford Focus RS WRC Peugeot 206 WRC Subaru Impreza WRC Ford Focus RS WRC Hyundai Accent WRC

3:46:42.1 3:48:50.7 3:49:37.7 3:50:06.4 3:56:48.9 3:58:50.5

Drivers Championship points: Makinen 20,Sainz 16, Rovanpera 10, Delecour 8, Radstrom 6, Gardemeister 5, Burns 3. Manufacturers Championship points: Mitsubishi 33, Ford 20, Hyundai 8, Subaru 7, Skoda 6, Peugeot 4.

WRC Round 3 Rally of Portugal

A ●; '.'-W

●- V●

■H-

It’s Colin! No, Alister! Visibility was about butkus in Portugal, though All McRae put his recent testing shunt behind him to score a fine sixth. Call me Mud: Burns is having a miserable season.(Phoios by Hyundai and Subaru Media) also stopped in the stage, while tow trucks were unable to get to the worst-affected spots. Australian Claire Parker, calling the notes for British driver Natalie Barratt, was out after their Group N Mitsubishi rolled eight times. The car is a write-off but both Barrett and Parker were unhurt. Eventually organisers relented, cancelling SS6 (a repeat of SS3) after stranded cars from the first run through and the stricken gravel note cars blocked the test. Stage seven was also cancelled on similar gi'ounds. Colin McRae was out of the rally one kilometre from the end of SS8 with a failed engine. The Scot is yet to score points for Ford this year. Rovanpera closed to within five seconds of Makinen as the Peugeot driver stepped up his attack, pushing Sainz back to third and Gronholm back to fourth. But Rovanpera was in trouble one stage later with radiator problems. The Finn was able to limp to service after refilling the radiator from his drinks bottle, getting him through the Super Special to make pare ferme and the overnight halt. “I have to be ahead of Harri (Rovanpera) on the road tomorrow - that’s essential,” said Makinen. “But it’s so muddy that sometimes you just go fast and you’ve no idea if you’ll have any gidp or not.” Makinen led Sainz by 17.4s at the overnight halt while Rovanpera was 8.9s behind. 16 March 2001

Leg 2

Th e opening stage of leg two allowed Makinen to extend his lead over Sainz ever so slightly as the conditions had not improved overnight. One person who was moving back into contention was Burns in the Subaru, taldng 26s out of Gronholm, as he closed in on fomth. With the treacherous conditions continuing, there were some anxious moments for competitors in stage 12 when the FIA safety delegates’ Mitsubishi Pajero became stuck. The competitors came across the car partly across the road with just its hazard flashers warning them, all narrowly avoiding the stricken car. “For this kind of thing to be allowed to happen is just not acceptable,” said Burns’ co-driver Robert Reid after they narrowly

missed it. Rovanpera’s engine finally blew on the road section to the service halt between SS13 and SS14. “In some places, visibility is less than 50 metres and we’re going into corners at ISOkph. I can’t push in these conditions I need bigger eyes,” said Gronholm. Markko Martin retired fi’om

seventh overall after his Subaru went wide on a comer and was stranded on its belly. Mitsubishi’s Freddy Loix also retired on SS15, the Belgian losing all drive and stopping in the stage. Sainz moved into striking distance of the lead after setting the fastest time on SS15. The Spaniard’s Focus was just 16.7s behind Makinen with seven stages remaining, while Bmms continued to make time fi'om third-placed Gronholm. Sainz more than halved the gap to the rally leader on SS18, the Spaniard a full 16.8s faster than Maldnen could manage. The ten’ible conditions continued and finally claimed another stage. The last test of leg two, SS19, was cancelled on safety gi'ounds after a late inspection. Makinen camied a 13s lead over Sainz heading into the short final

leg, while Gronholm was a massive two minutes adrift in third with Burns within touching distance in fourth.

Legs

The bad news for Sainz came eai'ly on day three when the opening stage of leg was cancelled. That left only two stages in which to catch Makinen -just 34.41km of competitive stages in which to bridge the 13s gap. And then, the Spaniard did the impossible. Using a better tyi-e choice, he took 15s off the Finn on SS21 to snatch a 2.1s lead with just one stage left. Maldnen responded brilliantly. He was 8.9s faster than his Ford rival after Sainz slid off briefly on some mud before the finish to lose any hope ofthe win. Mitsubishi team boss Andrew Cowan was emotional as he fought to hold back tears following his driver’s win. “Tommi was first on the road right from the start and it says a lot for him. If anyone was going to be caught out in these conditions it should have been him. This is pretty special on Tommi’s 100th world championship rally,” said the Scot. Makinen was astounded by the win and was ovei-whelmed with the result. “The last stage was more than maximum attack. I cut so many corners! But it’s an incredible feeling to win my 100th rally, and in this way too ,”said Makinen. Bm-ns attacked, but Gronholm’s advantage was too big to give the Englishman a real shot at the podium, Gronholm going on to take third place overall. Ford’s Francois Delecom’ was fifth, with Hyundai’s new Accent filling the next two places, Alister McRae taking sixth from Kenneth Eriksson. Makinen now leads the drivers’ championship while Sainz is just two points behind after scoring well yet again heading to his home event in Spain on March 24. 73

Painting the isiand red

RED was the colour chosen for Shannons Phillip Island Classic on February 24 and 25 - Ferrari Red.And what a good choice it was! One week before the Qantas Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari fever was gidpping Melbourne. The prancing horses were out in force, and a record crowd for an Australian Historic meeting was on hand to witness plenty of gi'eat racing in ideal conditions. One sour note was the nonappearance of one of the key attractions, American Tom Price's Ferrari 250 GTO. This priceless classic was set to take part until the authorities placed a whopping .$500,000 caveat on the owner, presumably to stop him from unloading it in Australia. Fat chance of that! It's Tom's, and one of the few in the world that is campaigned regularly by its owner at Historic meetings. Another disappointment for the organisers was the fact that the ex-Michael Schumacher Ferrari FI car could be seen but not heard because it was claimed it would make more noise than the allov.'able limit at the Island. It seems a bit odd that it would have been OK for Mark Noske to run it up the main street of Ballarat (had he been able to select first gear!), but not to run it around a proper motor racing circuit. There were some great performances on track including Steve Land's winning treble in the tintops up to 3000cc driving his Ford Capri, and the domination of Paul Samuels (Lotus 15)in the Groups J, K & L Sports and Racing events. Samuels finished low down in the handicap but scored fastest lap time.

John Mann's Mustang did similar things in the races for the Group N big guns, although Michael Miceli's Mustang won the opening encounter, and Trevor Talbot did a fine job in his Torana to finish second in all three scratch races. Jamie Lamer(Brabham BT18) and Paul Hamilton (Elfin 600) did plenty to entertain the crowd when the Groups M & 0 Sports and Racing cars came out to play. Lamer finished on top (just!), and Andrew Powell took the handicap in the famous Faux Pas. The man to catch in the MG class these days is undoubtedly Mort Fitzgerald, and he demonstrated this on both occasions at the Island. His best time of lm42.38s was no mean feat. The other sports car races for Groups Sa, Sb & Sc were similarly dominated by Chris Smith(TVR Griffith), and although he was hopelessly penalised in the handicap, he turned in a blinder of lm54.85s to climb up to 10th at flagfall. The winner was the Porsche 911 of John Ingham. As usual, the Formula Fords gave of their best with victory going to veteran Brian Sampson (Van Dieman)in the first encmmter and Bendigo's John Goddard (Royale RP24)next time out. Don Hume took the handicap race in his Van Dieman. The Pre-War Regularities were shared around amongst Mark Burns (Alvis 12/50), Ron Boyle (MG TA)and a delighted Dennis Russell(MG TC), while John Harvey(who is developing a keen interest in Historic racing), won the first Post War Regularity driving a Cobra replica. The other events went to Matthew Kent (Austin Healey) and Michael

MELBOURNE'S Peter Candy epitomised what Historic motor sport is all about-few people enjoyed their racing and the social interaction thatfollowed as much as Peter and his wife Bev. It was through motor sport that Peter met his wife-to-be in 1957. MGs were also dear to his heart, amongst which were the MG 'Gold Cigar' and the Regah MG Special - a car that is still campaigned today in Historic events by Graeme Wright. The following year he drove his MG TF at the last meeting at Albert Park before the venue closed for more than 40 years. Peter also campaigned a supercharged 74

Vale

Ferrari Fest: An ex-Alboreto Ferrari joined Geoff Manning’s #24 Volpini (Photos by Chris Carter) and the #15 Renmax of Pete French at Phiilip Isiand.

Valmorbida (Aston Martin). But undoubtedly the star of the weekend was Melbourne's Andrew Robson who set the crowd abuzz in the Groups P, R & Q Sports and Racing events. Robson dominated the big thunderers in his Lola F5000, winning all three events and breaking Bob Minogue's 11-year old outright track record with a blistering lm31.45s lap, almost one second under the old time. Mike Glynn also got into the ImSls in his Lola T400 and

finished the weekend with two hard-fought second placings. The 12th Shannons Phillip Island Classic set new benchmarks for Historic motor sport in Australia - all congratulations to the Victorian Historic Racing Register and the Victorian Mini Club for raising the bar, and also to Prancing Horse Racing and members of the Ferrari Club for supporting the meeting so enthusiastically. - BRIAN REED

Peter Candy (1934-2001)

Elfin Catalina and his name is in the record books for winning Fastest Time of Day at the Mt Tarrengower Hillclimb on five occasions (1984 and '85 and 1987,'88 and '89). When his son Paul was 14 years of age, Peter bought an Elfin Streamliner-a car that will remain with the Candy family as a special keepsake. Peter will also be remembered for establishing a business in 1960(assisted by his mother) making driving suits and other race apparel which was sold through Miles Frederich's SAAS outlet. In 1963 he and Bev

married, and Bev coined the name 'Fastman' for the family business which was located in Coventry Street, South Melbourne. Peter, 67, had suffered poor health in recent years, and it was fitting that he was buried at Springvale Cemetery in his driving suit(no doubt a Fastman!) with the sounds of motor racing from Sandown in the background. To his wife Bev, son Paul, sister Lola and his many friends we extends sincere condolences. -BRIAN REED moiorsport news

HISTORICS Old cars and ail that jazz

|.Y2K>rus;I Bugsr-Tlie Bugattis'wefe a welc.pme addition.to the Oantas Au^raliaii'Grand Prix.

(Pftofo tiV Brian’ReedJ

Orand display

:blf BfUANREED

THE weekend following Phillip Island the colour turned to blue - French racing blue - when Bugatti was the chosen marque for the Tattersalls Historic Demonstrations at the Qantas Australian Grand Prix carnival. This year's theme was 'Golden Age of Racing', and what a fitting choice it was to have Bugatti centre stage. From the outset Bugatti played a major part in the history of the Australian Grand Prix and one actually led the first handicap race in 1928 at Phillip Island by a whopping nine minutes before pitting to fix a fuel pressure problem. Arthur Terdich returned to the Island the following year to make amends and won the 1929 AGP in his Type 37A, winning from R. Brearley's Type 37. The Bugatti trifecta in Class C was completed with A.W. Bernadou finishing in third place behind the wheel of his Type Brescia. For the following three years Bugatti won the Australian GP at the Island, with W.B. Thompson successful in 1930, C. Junker in 1931 and W.B. Thompson again in 1932 - a formidable record. There were 27 Bugattis at Albert Park for the 'Golden Age of Racing'- the biggest lineup ever assembled - and this included 20 Grand Prix cars which helped show the amazing transition that has taken place in Grand Prix racing from the sophisticated Bugattis of the 16 March 2001

1920s to the super sophisticated state-of-the-art machines of today. There were also several famous participants such as William Adams, a descendent of George Adams, founder of Tattersalls who have been ongoing sponsors of the Historic component at the AGP carnival at Albert Park. New South Welshman Adams was driving the 1939 BWA Australian special (which reputedly stands for 'Bloody Work of Art'- an appropriate tag in such illustrious company). Another noteworthy name was Tom Roberts, a descendant of the internationally acclaimed Australian artist of the same name. The younger Roberts was behind the wheel of his 1926 Type 37A, a 1500cc powered car that broke with tradition - it was white instead of the usual pale blue. Then there was Dr. Bob King from Melbourne, an authority on the marque whose love affair began as a school boy after reading Ken Purdy's book 'Kings of the Road.' Bob has owned six Bugattis over the years and currently campaigns his 1925 Type 35 fitted with a 4 cylinder, 1500cc supercharged Anzani engine. He is the author of a definitive book on the subject titled 'Bugattis in Australasia' published by Turton and Armstrong. But by far the most significant person taking part in the 'Golden Age of Racing' was a regular visitor to our shores at this time of year, Sir Stirling Moss. The legendary ace was again behind

the wheel of Tm Byrne's replica HWM, a marque that meant so much in the early development of his career. Moss looked the part in the New Zealand-built car. It was British Racing Green, carried number 7 (his traditional number), and the open face helmet and goggles, the head back stance and the straight arm technique rekindled memories of his great days as a supreme Grand Prix driver - one of the best the world has ever seen. Apart from Sir Stirling Moss from the UK, other international participants included Gavin Bain (1927 Bugatti Type 35B), Bruce Pidgeon (1926 Type 37A) and Leon Whittle (1930 Type 51) from New Zealand, Achim Joisten (1926 Amilcar) from Germany, and regular visitor to our shores, American Peter Giddings (1933 Alfa Romeo P3 Monza).

IT seems that old cars and hotjazz go together, and one of the great protagonists of both is Sydney's John Cummins. ‘Cummo’has been aroimd the motor racing scene forever, and it seems he has left a legacy in Australia's early jazz scene as well.At a recent exhibition at the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne celebrating the early years of homegrown jazz,"Cummo"featured in the display of photographs promoting the 2nd. Australian Jazz Convention in 1947. The caption under a photo of a leading jazz band of the era listed the personnel; Ken Evans(tmmpet),'Wocka' Dyer(trombone), Laurie Howells(drums),John Cummins(drinking), Keith 1 Hounslow (ti-umpet), John Malpas (banjo).'The next photo again featured ‘Cummo’with another group of musos outside the Prahran Town Hedl the following year. This time"Cummo" was dressed in a Superman suit driving an old Dodge truck with the happy lot on the back. Another photo showed Wes Brown playing drvuns at the Melbourne Jazz Club around 1963.Apart from being an accomplished drummer, Wes was also a stalwart of the Hartwell Motorcycle Club,a rider of note, and a major organiser of the motorcycle component of the Historic Winton meetings in the early days. -BRIAN REED

> ^

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Classifieds

Ford Escort Twin Cam 1972, fresh motor. Club Car log book, road rego possible, ideal Targa car, too many extras to list. $15,000 ono. Ph0411 878 886 or 02 8701 7753.202

Forward to Motorsport News Free Classifieds, PO BOX 1010 North Caulfield 3161. Fax: 03 9527 7766.

Email: msnews@02email.com.au. Make sure to list your category.

Saloon Car #88, 3rd outright in first National race meeting at Wakefield Park Feb 2001. $POA. Ph 02 4573 6418.202

Commodore Cup car, current spec, fresh engine, two gearboxes, ready for 1st round Vic Series 17/3/01. $19,000. Ph 0418 395 566.202

1972 Welsor Invitation Ciubman, chassis num ber 008, Group 2A log book. Ford engine & gear box, BMC rear, currently running as SP1300, very competitive and reliable car. Included fully enclosed trailer. $22,500. Ph 0409 277 975. 202

Capri Sports Sedan, 12A P/P rotary, space framed, all fibreglass panels, new clutch and diff, 48s Oran Park South. $4000 ono. Ph 02 9771 0440.202

Nissan Biuebitd Sports Sedan, alloy space frame, mid-mount 2.2ltr, Motec M8 injection. Sierra turbo 450hp, intercooler, fibreglass removable shell, FI car bon fibre brakes, FI flooring, titanium parts, trailer and extras. $35,000. Ph Gino 0417 577 063. 202 1984 Nissan Bluebird, 5 spd manual, air con, bur gundy in colour, body and interior good condition, rego till 09/01, needs RWC, spares included. $1250 ono. Ph 0402 905 118 or 03 9740 3804 ah. 202

Sports Sedan, McPherson Racing Escort RSI 700, spaceframe, 2000 Victorian 2ltr Sports Sedan Champion, 5 pole positions, lap records at Lakeside, Calder, Phillip Island and Winton. Fully rebuilt, race prepared for 2001. Fresh Cosworth BDE, new block, new crankshaft, Speedtech fuel injection, Motec system, Hewland 5 spd. $33,000 ono. Ph 0408 522 175.202

Commodore Cup car, good HP Tate engine, HM exhaust, fresh gearbox, fast, well maintained, too many spares to list. POA. Ph Trevor 0418 135 187. 201 Commodore Cup Car #6,2000/01 spec, finished 6th in National Series with rookie driver, new top horsepower Tate engine and Ferris muffler. Very well sorted. Available for sale with transporter and all the bits. $24,000. Ph Tim 0409 565 012.202

'I Peugeot 405 Super Tourers, ex-BTCC cars, com plete with heaps of spares including body shell. Everything you need to go racing. Will sell separate with spares package. $45,000 per car ono. Ph 02 4577 2779 or 0407 272 165.202 Gemini Coupe Sports Sedan toller, log book. $3700. Rover 3.5 V8, new heads flow OP 360hp and block's one thick web. $2500. Ph 02 6734 2259 or 02 6732 3353.202

16 March 2001

1965 Mustang, gold, black Interior, new C4 trans mission, 302W, mild Camshaft, roller rockers, S/S Valves, moly pushrods, moly rings, screw in studs, Hypertectic pistons, new exhaust. King springs, Koni shocks. $25,000 ono. Ph 07 5448 5569 ah. 20: Datsun Under 2 litre club car, just completely rebuilt ready for 2001 season, blue printed L20 engine five speed box and limited slip diff, fully adjustable front and rear suspension with ride height adjustment, very light car with CAMS log book and can be run on club plates. Has spare engine gearbox and selection of diffs. Ph 0407 889 016 for more details. $8500 ono. 201

Mazda RX-7 Improved Production, Over 2 It, or Sport Sedan 13B fuel injeaed microtech engine, 5 races old built by Mazsport. New Nedham 5 speed gearbox, Harrop diff with LSD centre. Fully welded cage. 3 piece wheels. This car is ready to race with no extra cost and will be very competitive. $22,500. Ph 0404 873 472.20.

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Nissan Pulsar GTiR, silver, 1993, 2-litre turbo 4WD, rally rego, log book. $8500 ono. Ph 07 3209 2073 or 0414 645 755.201

QLD Gemini Series, 2000 Championship winning car, pole 6 of 9 meetings, won 5 of last 6 meetings, no expense spared, full range of spares, wheels etc. Tandem axle trailer available. /Assistance available if required. POA. Consider lease to right person. Ph Cameron Wilson 0419 768 662.201

Ford Anglia 105E Improved Production, injected, dry sumped, 2L Cosworth, 5 speed, LSD adjustable suspension, 4 spot APs, all quality parts, will separate engine and car. Reluctant sale. POA. Ph Rod 02 6562 7762.202

Porsche 911 RSCS, Australian Porsche Cup Class A spec car. 1998 championship winning car, fully race ready, 3.6ltr motor and gearbox rebuilt by Michael Newton, new suspension, on-board air jacks, kevlar panels, wing and fuel tank. $190,000. Ph John 0419 935 000 or Danny 0438 930 930.202 Porsche 911 RSCS, Australian GTP Championship Class A spec race car, ideal Porsche Cup or Nations Cup car. Multiple race winner, fully race ready, as new 3.6ltr motor, new suspension, special diff, Motec, Bilsteins, BBS wheels, Pirelli tyres. $190,000. Ph John 0419 935 000 or Danny 0438 930 930. 202

Falcon Production car, ex-GTP EL XR6, ground-up rebuild, new everything, huge range of spares, slicks, wheels, brakes, electrics, panels, tailshafts, radiator etc. Ideal for Street Sedan/Improved Production. Nothing to spend. $15,900 ono. Ph Darrell 02 4578 3434 or 0409 785 114 till 10pm. an BMWGroupA323l E30, Ex JPS Longhurst '85, ex Kitten Car Polishes rollover car Bathurst '86, com pletely restored and ready to race. Original Group A trim with all the right bits. Left hand drive car with history. Reliable and fast. Good spares pack age includes new engine and two sets wheels. $39,000. Ph David 0412 209 719.201

RS2000 Escort 1980, 2L 4 Speed, Jan 2002 rego, authentic Aussie built RS2000, mostly original components, never raced or rallied, Monza red, 2 door, needs some TLC. $4900 ono. Ph 02 9671 4753 ah, or 0404 891 513.202

Mazda RX5 Improved Production, rebuilt 13B PP and 5 speed Holinger, 5.1 diff. Race shockies and big brakes, Simmons wheels, competitive car with spares. $12,000. Ph 0411 736 980 or 07 3216 7871. 202

absolutelyfree*

*Motorsport News Classifieds are FREE for private sales. Classifieds ●from motor sport traders are accepted (marked with a ●) and must be prepaid at the following per issue rates: $5 per 10 words (min $10 per ad), photo $10. Further enquiries to our advertising department on 03 9527 7744. Classifieds can be mailed, faxed or emailed. Classifieds are not accepted over the telephone.

Ford Escort Twin Cam 1972, best example you will ever see. Historic log book, road rego, too many extras to list. $15,000 ono. Ph 0411 878 886 or 02 8701 7753.202

2 issues

Commodore Cup #14, many race wins in national series, Inc 2nd 2000/2001 National Championship. Top HP engine (new), every part 1st quality. $28,000. Ph Greg Waters 0412 988 091.201

HQ race car QLD #53, top 4 qualifier and finisher, top HP engine, CAMS logbook, 3rd QLD champi onship 2000, pole position QLD 500, holds fastest lap QR, Lakeside, 1:05.3. $8000. Ph 07 5428 7285 or 0419 709 939.201 EA Falcon GL sedan, 3.9 multi-point, 5 speed, dam aged RHF, repairable, or parts suit Saloon Car, $1700. Ph 07 5428 7285 or 0419 709 939.201 Nissan Pintara TRX, ex-GTP car, excellent begin ners/club car. Some spares. $6000 ono. Ph 0419 659 790.201

Cortina 3J Club Car, current CAMS log book, new high HP engine, 5 speed box, 9" axles. Falcon 4w discs, racing seat, harness, 2 sets wheels,'fast, reliable, reg winner. Ph Paul 03 5152 2114 bh or 03 5156 6394 ah. 202

HQ racer, chick magnet! This could be you, top 10 QLD Raceway, workshop clearance, everything included. $4400. Ph 07 5520 4855 bh or 07 5593 6368 ah. 201

NASCAR Pontiac Grand Prix, 18 degreee Chev engine with 650hp, very reliable and consistant per former, comes with Alcon and JFZ brake packages, Jerico and T10 gearbox and all spares. Ideal for 2001 NASCAR series or Sports Sedan. Must sell. Ph 0410 640 644.201

Sports Sedan,'78 Celica, Rover alum V8, 5 speed box, LSD, 4 wheel disc brakes, dual axle trailer. No reasonable offer refused. Ph 02 6559 4002.201

Formula Ford 1991 model, complete with enclosed trailer and annex, excellent condition with ratios, wheels, spare bodywork and fresh engine. $16,500. Ph 07 3806 1465.201

mths rego, 1995, white, 18" wheels, low kirns, any inspection invited. $58,950. Ph 0416 228 835.201 HQ race car, good condition, quick car with right driver. $4200 ono. Ph 0412 503 898. 201

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Formula 5000, Begg FM2, pristine condition and quick. 2nd in NZ Formula Libre Championship last year. Will be supplied with zero hour Chev engine. $80,000. Ph 00 64 9 4199665 or email: dcl1255@voyager.co.nz. 202

HGMonaro Group Nc, fresh high HP 350 Chev, seam welded, steel cage, pedal box, triple plate clutch, autometer gauges, no expense spared. Seen at Phillip Island Histories Feb 24/25. $60,000. Ph Jeremy 0418 545 185 or 03 9425 9443 or email jeremy@mantelloholdings.com.au 201

Historic Formula Ford, Van Diemen RF82, 1999

MGA Racecar, continuous race history since 1982. NSW Group Sa Championship winning car last 3 years. Great introduction to Historic Racing. Rountree engine, Needham gearbox. 36 starts for 32 outright placings including 15 wins. $24,000 ono. Ph 02 9522 6845 or email: edholly@optusnetcom.au 201

Group R Champion. Complete package with spares, moulds, trailer. $28,000 ono. Ph 02 9755 2299, 0411 428 andrew wilson@colpal.com 20 Formula Vee Rennmax Mk2, $5,750 rxiotor just top ended, new floor, new trailing arms, 2 pac paint, adjustable brake bias, adjustable shocks, some spares with registered trailer. Ready to go racing or hillclimbing. Ph Matt 0417 240 255 or 02 9676 5154.202

Formula 3 Reynard 903, 2nd 2000 championship, powered by Golf engine, ready for 2001 season. Loads of spares. Priced for quick sale. $33,000. Ph 02 9743 5911 bh. 201

Falcon 500G5 7/71, raw orange, black interior, V8, manual, ail original except for paint $8500 ono. Ring for details 03 5792 2527 bh. 201 Ford Escort Club Car 2Lt, twin side draught Weber carbies, Performance tuned extractors, Max power Nota Clubman, 1966 model, 1498CC Ford engine. head, Crowe cam, flat top pistons balanced and blueprinted, baffled sump, polished alloy roll cage, . twin Webers (fully rebuilt), all new brakes, new exhaust etc. CAMS log book, previous racing and Cobra race seat and belts, 7-in Rebel race wheels, hillclimb history. Needs further work. $14,500. Ph Toyo tyres, sports exhaust system. Locked diff, spares 0418 239 866 or 02 9976 2961 ah. 201 and log book. $5400 ono. Ph Craig 03 5126 2822.201

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Spectrum 06B, including full Motec system, top HP Speedtech engine, spares package, 2 sets of tyres, all in excellent condition and ready to race. $34,000. Will separate. Ph Peter Banfield 03 9762 6719 or 0417159 434. 201

1960 Bugeye Sprite, VGC, steel bonnet, original engine, soft lop and tonneau, new tyres, club plates CH3199. $10,000 or will swap for Group N car. Ph Chris 0417 053 417. 201

2 Go karts, 1 AX5 extended front, very little use with air-cooled ARC. 1 Dino 101 kart with rebuilt J Oj

HQ Holden NSW #20, new engine, August 2000, excellent condition, heaps of spares. $5000. Also, spare BRE engine, little use. $1800. Ph Mark 0408 965 182.201

Fiat 124 Sport 1968, historic Group Sb log book, club reg, consistent division two car with further development potential. Only four race meetings on new motor, $6800. Ph Mike 02 6257 2570.201

Open Wheelers

(very fast). With stand, trolley, large suit. All for $3500. Ph 02 9626 8792. 201

Superkart, 250 National, Suzuki 5 spd, full Kelgate brake system, new Kevlar floorpan, many spares, near new Walden Miller leathers, log book. Ready to race. $4500. Ph Rob 03 9563 0977.201

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Galloway-developed, race-winning Spectrum 07, Speedtech engine, MoTec, spares package, with assistance given to new owner. $37,000. Trailer also available. Ph Owen Kelly 0419 896 382.201

Pans Mercedes Benz 190E intercooled turbo, kit, brand n

VH Commodore Sports Sedan, full tube chassis, mid-mount, suit 5/B Chev, log book, polished alloy interior. Watts link rear, coil overs, alloy radiator, brand new in plastic 3" 6 point harness, quick release s/wheel, body panel moulds, spare gears, springs etc. Rolling chassis less rotors and calipers. $11,000 ono. Ph Ralph 0416 088 174. 201 Nissan GTR R33, original condition as imported, 10

Piranha P3 1997 F-Libre, fresh-built Kawasaki ZZR1100, many spares, wings, 3 sets wheels, sus pension, wets. Champion of Winton, 3rd 1998, 1st 1999, 2nd 2000. $19,990 ono. Ph Dennis 0417 on 652. 202 Open wheeler, 1966 Farr Special hillclimb car, VW motor & g/box, Hoosier vintage tyres, fully rebuilt, with trailer. $6750 ono. Ph 03 5261 3337.201

Kestrel Formula Vee, immaculately presented, car only competed in 7 race meetings. New tyres, Willans belts. Memo steering wheel, SPAX adjustable shocks, slimline mirrors. Complete with trailer and some spares. $7200 ono. Ph Ashleigh Rushy 08 8206 2517 bh, 08 8344 5374 ah or 0402 881 825.201 F3000 Ralt RT23, rolling chassis, spares, suit FHolden or hillclimb car. $23,000. Ph 0417 375 774.201

new, cost $5000, will sell $2500. Ph 03 5156 7758 or 0412 366 157. 202 Ford 9" diff, LSD 3.5, good condition with spare LSD ctr. $450 the lot. Ph 0403 412 280.202 Complete Pi system, data logger with C-Dash. As fitted standard to current-spec Van Diemens from fac tory, System 1 including all sensors, loom, software, beacon and dash. Used 2 times since new, excellent system. $6200. Ph 0409 219 032.202 Clutch, 5.5 AP triple plate metalic, as new with new plates. $980. Ph 0403 412 280.202

Send us your classified ads add we’ll run them for IREE* Category: □ Sedans □ Open Wheelers □ Speedway DDrag □ Parts □ Engines □ Trailers □ Wanted □ Photographs □ Other.

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Name: Address:. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Please use the form provided and print clearly. Please note we are unable to return photographs used in classified ads. Ads will appear as soon as

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possible after receipt. 'FREE Classifieds are for the sale of private goods and vehicles only, not business advertising (Trade advertisers see Classifieds header for rates). Photos marked "proof" will not be used.

motorsport pews

MARKETPLACE Trtanium valves, Chev 2.80 inlet, 1.60 ex. $1000 the set. Ph 0403 412 280.202 Webers, 3x45 DCOE 13 same batch, matched set in excellent condition, spindles as new. $1050. Ph 0403 412 280.202 Turbo, wastegate, ex-Indycar, 50mm valve, very light, excellent condition. $500. Ph 08 9571 1685.202

Speedway Mini Sprint Datsun 1200 twin 45mm Weber carbies, on methanol, GX head, indepdendent suspension, spare fuel, tyres and much more. A lot of work done, ready to race as last season, very compet itive car. $4000 ono. Ph Damien 03 5996 3552 or 0407 559 519.202

Scania race transporter and dog trailer, three car transporter, two cars in Scania, one in dog. Ideal for limited space at tracks. Scania fully refurbished with replaced roof and side panels. Scania $75,000, Dog $25,000. Ph John 0419 935 000 or Danny 0438 930 930.202 Lusty 48ft race transporter, three car transporter (ex-HRT), prime mover not included, ready to go. Professionally painted, hydraulic lift, interior cupbaords, lighting. $170,000. Ph John 0419 935 000 or Danny 0438 930 930.202

Brakes, 2 AP Racing calipers, 4 spot, 1 7/8 and 1 3/4" pistons, new carbon metalic race ready & 3 pads, suit 12-13" rotors. 2 AP Racing calipers, 4 spots, 1 1/4" pistons, new Hawke 110 pads, new 12" cross-drilled rotors. $3500 ono. Ph 08 9571 1685 or 0414 908 129.202 PR brake rotors, new Alcon 280x20mm vented 8 bolt. $580. Ph 0403 412 280.202 PR brake calipers, AP 4 spot with Padgid pads, record, good. $960. Ph 0403 412 280.202 BMW 5 series, BBS alloy wheels, 7"x14",good conditionx4, difficult to get. $500 ono. Ph 0403 412 280. 202

#PC421201 $200. Genuine parts, tiny transit dam age. Ph 07 5428 7285 or 0419 709 939.201 Butler built seat, suit Nascar road course, as new condition. $600, Ph 0417 558 452. 201 Tailshaft and yokes, Perkins type 1996 built, Ph 0417 558 452. Borg Warner, diff ratios with pinion bearing and shim, 4.11, 3.08, 3.23, 3.9. Ph 0417 558 452.20. Jerico, complete gear set and parts. $3500. Ph 0417 558 452. ro. Borg Warner,diff ratios with pinion bearing and shim, 4.11, 3,08, 3.23, 3.9, Ph 0417 558 452, 20. Jack Roush manifold, suit C302Bs $750, one-off magne sium manifold, suit C302Bs, 4Vs, raw casting by Ernie Elliott. $1000. Brand new XE Nascar blocks $4000, Hamburger alloy dry sump,suit Cleveland, new $1000. Also, wanted: one A3 head. Ph 07 3290 1606.201 Gearratios, Mk 9 19:32. $105 each. Ph 07 3806 1465 ah. 201

Pirelli racing slicks, 2 @ 305/645/18 -r 2 @ 245/64518 never used. $600 the lot. Ph Vince 0414 849 307. 201 Brakes, 2 AP Racing calipers,4 pot, 1 7/8" +1 3/4" pis tons, carbon metalic race ready 83 pads to suit 12T3" rotors. 2 AP Racing calipers 4 pots, 1 1/4" pistons, new Hawke 110 pads, new 12" aoss-dniled rotors. $3500 ono. Ph 08 9571 1685 or 0414 908 129.201

Trailer, lightweight, 5th wheel, 8x2.4x2.4, suit open wheel x2, touring car. $14,000. Ph 0417 375 774. 201 Hollywood mobile home, with race car in rear. International S tow, TA6 axle, 180hp with turbo, 6 speed, toilet, shower,fridge, cooking facilities, sleeps 6. Spent $200,000, sell $110,000. Ph 08 9452 2808.201

A Grade Sedan, 1997 EL XR8 Falcon, fresh 400hp 302 W, Tilton clutch, top loader, 31 spline 9-inch diff, MSD ignition, full Autometer gauges and much more good gear including spare engine. $9000 the lot. Ph 0413 412 525 or 07 3297 5227 ah. 202

Ford F1001984,ex-ambulance, new tyres, 9 months rego, 2400kg tow pack, bed, stove, ideal for tow ing/storage etc. Ph Mark 0408 965 182.201

Super Sedan,350 Chev, quickchange diff, plenty of spares, ready to race. Ph 0408 565 077 or 03 5447 2304.201 Grand Prix Midget, Australian & Victorian Championship-winning car. Stinger chassis, torsion bar suspension, power steering, Suzuki 1197cc, 40mm Mikuni RS carb, possibly the best available, consider trade for street rod etc. $9500. Ph Noel Freeman 03 5250 4080 or 0402 072 795. 201

2 Car Transporter, fast, reliable, 26', 210hp 10speed HINO FF, new fittings, sleeper cab, p/steer, winches, hoists, fold-out ramps, stainless benches, lockers, belly bins, aero kit, huge storage area, 240V lights and much more. Superb condition. $42,000. Ph: 0427 425 254. 201

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Globe Bathurst wheels, and tyres, Falcon 4, 15x7 and 2 15x8, new. Make an offer. Ph 02 6884 3752.201

7m enclosed dual axle trailer, 240v/12v, work bench, tyre racks, water tank, 7m x 7m attached annex, all professionally built. Suit FFord/open wheeler/Porsche/sports car. $11,000. Ph 02 9524 1199.201

International Acco, 345 V8 on gas, two spd diff, sized to suit sedan, aluminium ramps, winch, stove, fridge, CD, 240v, tyre racks, under body storage, full awning from side. Urgent Sale $12,500. Ph Tim 0409 565 012. 202

Speedway

Engines V8 253, and V8 auto box, M21 4 speed manual with clutch, flywheel, gear stick and bell housing. All Holden. V8 motor $800 ono, V8 auto $400 ono and V8 M21 manual $600 ono. Ph 02 4421 6779. 201 PCR ReSa engines (2), intending on racing and winning in ReSa in 2001? Both engines are proven race winners, freshly re-built and race ready. $ 1800 or $850 each. Ph 0419 382 017.201 Series V RX7 13 B turbo motor, with intercooler, computer, harness etc. VGC. $1750 ono. Ph 07 3888 0081 ah. 201 Full race engine, new 4340 crank, 4340 rods, JE pis tons, full roller, Brodix 10 heads with jessels Victor Jnr manifold, 4 bolt billet caps, engine full rebuild, never raced, $12,000. Ph 08 9452 2808.201

Super Sedan SA79, Pontiac, complete less motor, gearbox. Leaf spring, new spindles, brt rack. Winters wide five diff, competitive car, spares available. $16,500. Ph 0419 474 140.202

38 foot transporter, 2 car, ex-Super Touring team, ready to go, 240V power, winch, heaps of storage, excellent condition. $15,000. Ph 02 4577 2779 or 0407 272 165.202 Pantech, ideal for open wheeler or small sedan. $1500 ono. Ph Tony's Auto Parts 02 4968 9111. 202

Enclosed transporter, 30ft Tag, 3 yr old, smooth white colourbond, 6 wheel duratorque independent, 6 wheel elertric brakes, breakaway, rubber sealed doors, wind-up rear ramp. $15,000. Ph 0414 248 855 or 02 9521 1901.202 Speedcar, 2000 Clark Performance NZ chassis, Gaerte, Chev engine, Lee P/S, weld wheels, 19 gallon fuelsafe tank, 1st 50-lap Classic and Sth Pacific champs W/5prings. Car $46,000 NZ, spares info at www.khm.co.nz or ph Kevin 0064 9 8187134. 202

16 March 2001

Enclosed transporter, 26ft x 8ft x 9ft, dual axle, elec tric brakes with breakaway, 240v lighting, alloy checkerplate, rear ramp door, superwinch, fully enclosed annex, Sunrasia wheels, white colourbond. $11,000 ono. Ph 02 9524 1623 or 0415 445 386.202

Mechanic or team manager, position for talented Kiwi mechanic, experience in all forms of race car development and preparation , prefer V8Supercars or similar. Sydneybased but prepared to move. Ph Kirk 0415 704 388.201 Formula Vee chassis, suitable for use with late model narrow type bodywork. All non-VW parts required. Ph Matthew on 0414 954 756 or email on mwoodland@bigpond.com 201

Other QLD Raceway competitor pass, includes event entry, general practice track time and many more benefits. Bargain at $2500. Ph 07 4634 7961. 202 Helmet, open face HJC FG3 kevlar, white, size large (60cm), new, unused. $125. Also, race kit bag, RPM, yellow, stores suit, helmet etc. Excellent condition, as new, $80. Ph Richard 03 9762 2282 or 0414 508 723.202

Race suit, RPM Trans Am' triple layer, nomex, size XL. Red with white shiney nomex shoulders. New, never worn. $750. Ph Richard 03 9762 2282 or 0414 508 723.202

Transponers/Trailefs

Speedway, vintage speedcar. Formula 500, orTQ suitable for restoration. Prefer complete vehicle. Ph Doug 08 9525 2995 or 0418 924 465.202

FIAsuit large, FIA boots size 9, FIA gloves size 10, helmet size large, 2 meetings old. $700 ono or will sell separate. Ph 0419 489 465 or 02 9792 4779.202

Modified Production, Cnetura, 265, Charlyn power steer, fabricated suspension, fibreglass moulds, spare roller, needs work, still registerable. $2500. Ph 08 8556 3944 or fax 08 8557 4274. 201

as? LOGICAL vii

Race suit, FIA-approved XL, in good condition. Ph Russell 07 3800 0163 or 0419 397 349.202

Tech-Numbers 1 to 16. Prepared to pay for edi tions in good condition. Ph Richard 0438 791 090 or Email: richard@selectechnologies.com.au 202 English Motor Sport magazine,July 2000 edition. Ph 02 9872 8043.201

Hino GD '82 model. Pantech, alloy side boxes, pwr winch, ramps, 5x4 metre enclosed annex, excellent mechanical condition, cruise at 115mph. Must sell. $16,990. Ph 03 9790 6204. 201

Dunlop Formula R D93J tyres, 195/60/14x4, used once in wet conditions, as new. $700. Ph 0408 435 010. 201

1991 Fosters Australian Grand Prix, pro gramme. Will trade 1987 or 1993 copy, ex condi tion. Ph New Zealand 0064 9 4153959.202

Magazines, Racecar Engineering Volumes 1 to 4, 1991-95, numbers 1-6 for each volume. Race

Super Sedan Mazda RX7, 13B turbo. Microtech injected, QC diff, only 2 meetings since total rebuild, trailer and spares included. Easy to drive, excellent complete starting package. Regretful sale. $8000 ono. Ph 02 6043 2449.202

Mini Cooper S parts, brand new including S/5 billet crankshaft 76mm, 1:1 drop gears with tappered roller bearings, sprint camshaft. Vernier steel sprockets, 716 steel flywheel, grey dot clutch diaphram, 3 into 1 Janspeed extractors, red dot race distributor plus much more. Ph 02 9817 2134 or 0417 047 432.202 Parts, 1 Charlyn power head $400, 3 left hand drive steering racks $150, 20 assorted spring all rates $30 each, Afco and Monroe shocks $POA,2 AFCO radius rods $50 pair, 10 coil-over kits $30 each. 9-in diff, very narrow, new shortened axles. Commodore disc brakes 5.1 centre. $600. Ph 02 6242 6638.202 Proton bonnets, #MB945514 $150 each. Turrets

wanted. Ph 0411 259 828 or 02 9360 0808 ah. 202 15x7 wheels, to suit Datsun 260Z. Ph 02 4952 6209.202

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Magazines, Wheels 1953-1956, most months. ,The Motor Cycle 1951-1952 various, some Autocar, Royalauto, Motor Manual, The Motor, some years, 1953 Redex Trial story, photos, results, photocopys only. Ph 02 6040 3094 ah. 202 Founding life membership at QLD Raceway, x2, free entry to all QR meetings inc pit entry (as specta tor), and free track time with car (general practice) plus discounts on competition entry and pit garage. $26000 inc transfer fees($500 ea). Ph 07 3800 4712 or 0419799311.202 Founding life membership (Family Pass), for Queensland Raceway. Free entry to all Queensland Raceway meetings, pit entry, members area, and gener al practice days. Discounts on merchandise and other dis counts. $2600 inc transfer fees. Ph 0414 482 990.201 RPM Mondial race suit sra XL, suit 6"2' tall, FIAapproved in excellent condiion, blue with yellow waist. Hardly used. $250 ono. Ph Nick 0408 741 765.201 Bathurst 1982, 3 Hour highlights including Hardies Heroes. 1986 to 1992, 1996 to 2000 full race coverage. 1992 to 2000 Top 10. All very good condition. Ph 03 9792 4339 after 6pm. 201 Official Grand Prix port, complete set of 16 from Adelaide 1985 to Melbourne 2000 inclusive. Ph John 02 9848 5527.201 Race seat, Velo GP90, wide, FIA-approved, black, still in wrapper, $550. Also, Dunlop optical align ment & camber gauges, good condition. $750. Ph 0438 361 438.201

Wanted 1

Shoe! helmet, excellent condition, 3 visors (dark, clear, blue mirror), good for child, must sell. $150 ono. Ph 02 9670 4091.202

Australian Motor Racing Yearbook No 10, 1980/81, very rare edition. VG condition, act now and complete your collection. $190. Ph 0408 413 309. 20»

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Grand Prix ports, mint condition, still in box, Adelaide 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94. Melbourne 96, 97. $600 the lot. Ph 03 9720 2472 ah or 0418 546 216 bh. 201 I

r i Halda TWInmaster, Tripmaster and Speedpilot and Halda acceaories. Heuer dashboard stopwatches also

FI Memorabilia, genuine team gear from private collection - most teams, most years. Bags, shirts, sweaters, jackets, caps, pins. Also driver photos. Some items signed. Must cull, no reasonable offers refused. Ph 0408 312 526.201 QLD Gemini Series, drive available in 2000 cham pionship winning car, only drivers with suitable budget will be considered. Ph 0419 768 662.201

OPINION

motorsport EDITORIAl STAFF

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Sensible stuff

I watched the Australian FI Grand Prix and my condolences go out to the family and friends of the volunteer marshal so tragically killed early in the event. Over the past week we have seen many ignorant, illinformed and tactless comments in Australia. From a popular television commentator suggesting that “it is up to the manufacturers to ensure that wheels remain attached to the

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Funny Car rules!

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CONTRIBUTORS

General: Grant Nicholas, Darryi Flack, Mark Jones, Jon Thomson FI; Joe Saward, Adam Cooper, Nick Carton Europe; Quentin Spurring, Gary Watkins US: Phil Morris Speedway; Brett Swanson, Julie Pearce, Geoff Rounds, Wade Aunger, Tony Millard (UK) Rally; Peter Whitten, Jon Thomson Histories: Brian Reed Drag Racing: Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White, Ken Ferguson Super Speedvt'ay: Martin D Clark (USA) National; Mark Wicks, Sean Henshelwood, Michael Shaw Photographers: Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett, AFl Images, Neil Hammond, Slipstream Photographic, Thunder-Pics, Phil Williams, Allsport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, John Bosher, Lynley Reid, Mike Patrick (UK), Daniel Wilkins, Peter French, Chris Carter, James Smith, Ian Robinson, Paris Charles Artist: Bernie Walsh Cartoonist; Allan Schofield Motorsport News Is published by Australasian Motorsport News - ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: PMP Print 37-49 Browns Road Clayton 3168. Distributed by: NDD Ltd Material published by MOTORSPORT NEWS is copyright and may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Freelance contributions are welcome, and while all care will be taken, Australasian Motorsport News does not accept responsibility for damage or loss of material submitted. Opinions expressed in Motorsport News are not necessarily those of Australasian Motorsport News or its staff.

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The backbone of the sport: Volunteer marshals are critical in the running of any motorsport event. Without them, there would be no racing. Simple as that. (Photo t)y Sutton-lmages)

cars” to Ron Walker saying “it was a billion to one accident, but that’s life, isn’t it ?” FI is a technology leader, yet marshals still wave flags, much as they have for decades. Surely it would not be too difficult to build shields at marshal points, similar to those that teams shelter behind on pit straight. They consist of steel frames and bullet proof glass. Flag marshals could have a control panel to operate an overhead gantry of lights that would convey the same information as flags, and would be more visible to drivers. If Jacques Villeneuve can walk away unscathed, then surely track side officials and spectators alike should be able to expect the same. Andrew King Elwood, Vic

Dismayed and appalled

I am utterly dismayed and appalled by Channel Nine’s dismal coverage of the 2001 Grand Prix. Channel Nine is so focussed on grand-standing the sensational and the trivial, I had to resort to other channels and overseas television to get even the most basic information about the standing of the teams. I was appalled that the race organisers didn’t stop the race after the collision caused by Villeneuve’s idiotic behaviour. It was obvious, even from Nine’s scant coverage, that the race should have been stopped. Instead I watched in disbelief as the ‘race’

^ Ford fans pay as much at the ■J gate on race day as Holden fans. An equal chance for our teams and our drivers is what we expect.

toured around for nearly half an hour. Now it seems I’ll have to wait as usual for Joe Saward’s excellent coverage of the Melbourne race in Motorsport News. John Matheson Enudh jnmtheson@adelaide.on.net

The chop has to happen

Adrian Fuller raised an excellent question regarding the Holden imdertray rule for the 2001 Shell Championship Series. I found the response quite disturbing. AVESCO replied with: “The VX homologation process is underway with the undertray being full size and won’t have 100mm cut, and as always, be reviewed if necessary.” Last August, a Shell Falcon with a full size TEGA undertray and a HRT Commodore with 100mm cut from its TEGA imdertray, were driven down an airstrip with metering blocks fitted to the coil springs. The results were the Commodore had an aerodynamic downforce advantage of 66kg at 200km/h.. It was also calculated the Holden undertray, with 100mm replaced, would double its downforce advantage. With all this information collected, how the hell did Holden go to last year’s Bathurst and then this year’s SCS with such a massive advantage? The Holden undertray must be trimmed, and 100mm is not sufficient. Closer to 150-250mm will help achieve equality.

We’re writing to thank you for the award that Peter received as ‘Drag Racer of the Year’ and for the fabulous Harrop trophy - a work of art. Apart from appreciating that our efforts in the United States are recognised by others, we were amused to think that a driver from the much-maligned nitro Funny Car class, a class which currently has no recognition or role in Australian drag racing, received the award! Funny Car rules! Congratulations to Motorsport News on its 200th edition. Your broad and comprehensive coverage of all forms of motorsport will ensure your continued success. Drag racing will miss Gerald McDornan’s contribution. His passion, knowledge and history of our unique form of motorsport will leave an obvious gap, but, like us, your desire for continuous improvement will find a way to deal with that and fill the gap. Peter and Helen Russo, Lyndhurst, Vic

Lack of celeb control

The concept of the celebrity race is tremendous but is let down by Charmel 9 personalities trying to grab the limelight as in the case of the on-track-whilst-drivrng interviews with Catriona Rowntree. In my opinion, both Darrell Eastlake and Alan Jones were directly to blame for her running into the car in front of her at that particular corner. They both told her where to aim and go - and they didn’t say to her she had to get on the brakes, but they sure gave her plenty of on-air advice about “getting her foot down”. Also, it was totally irresponsible to show her driving along without her hands on the wheel whilst she adjusted her helmet. Equally irresponsible of her was the fact that all she could seem to talk about was her cold ambition to go and ram someone and take them off! It was obvious that all she wanted to do was to have a crash. How did she pass the intelligence test to get a drive in the race in the first place? John Blair Email; Iingress@bigpond.net.au motorsport news

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