Motorsport News Issue 282 - May 5-11, 2004

FI’S RADICAL REVOLUTION EXPLAINED THE IMEWL

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HSV boss Crennan invests in Bright's race-winning PWR Racing team

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Issue 282

5 — 11 May 2004 ●>-

news and opinion 4

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Not TWR, PWR Weel shakes up the Holden camp. Again One gearbox per car V8's gearbox saga settled PROCAR continues What will happen next Sleepless in Finland KimI, Ralf and ... Jacques?

14 Aussie F3 Frenzy All the Brit goss plus Christian Jones 25 Motor Mouth Paul Stokell on what he does from here 26 Box Seat Why Mosley's plans are a masterstroke 82 Talk Converter Comparing Jason Bright & Karrie Webb

28 Five Minutes With Jason Bright Once the sky matched the name he killed ’em 30 Five Minutes With Ryan Briscoe itchy trigger finger yes, impatient no 32 Starting 40 Therapy Glenn Seton still wants to win, even at M 48 39 36 Behind the rules What FI’s proposed rules changes will mean to the sport 40 1 May 2004 Sacred Sites and remembering the past 42 My name’s Davo, what’s yours? Is Alex Davison the man everybody wants?

race coverage

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Photos: Cover: Dirk Kiynsmith, sutton-images.com Contents: Dirk Kiynsmith, sutton-images.com. Ford Racing Media

regulars 64 Rallying

6C Speedway

68

Drag Racing

70 National Scene

75

Marketplace 3

Rumour Rile Where we air all those intriguing, but to date unconfirmed, rumours dug out by our imperious spies - in this edition, geography, the art of negotiation and a pop quiz on who drove whett in the past Could Phillip Island still be in the running for a V8 Supercar round this season? AVESCO CEO Wayne Cattach said that the choice of venue for the penultimate round of the 2004 series is "down to two", with many keen-eyed observers saying that Symmons Plains will be on in November. But we hear that the Island could still be a contender, with the track in favour with many of the teams and drivers and a better proposition than the trip to Tassie.

This one could be too close to call.

Just who could the Holden Racing Team sign up for the enduros? With pretty much all of their co-drivers from the last few seasons now in Castrol colours for Sandown and Bathurst, can anybody link them with a former Panoz Sportscar-driving son of a World Champion who drove for DJR last year? C'mon, guess who we're talking about...

Assurances from all concerned indicate that the tender documents for the Beyond-2005 control tyre contract will be ready soon. But one of the tyre companies considering a bid for the deal has suggested that, should there be a 'tender fee' attached to the process, which would presumably be non-refundable if they do not get the deal, they will not be in the final reckoning. Something about blood and stones...

The tyre stacks in place at Turns 2 and 6 at The Puke were removed at the request of many of the drivers. But we hear from several ear witnesses that the driver usually expected to take the lead on behalf of his brethren in such affairs was not the one leading the negotiations in this particular instance - and that he was visibly none-to-pleased about the fact.

We hear chat that there could soon be a high-profile addition to the ranks of the Carrera Cup. Confirmation is still some way off and we absolutely cannot name names but, if you make a list of all the drivers who have raced a Super Tourer, a V8 Supercar and a NASCAR in Australia, add an accent and divide the number of wheels by two, you might figure it out.

And, speaking of new pastures, look for some news on the drag racing scene soon about a rookie Top Fuel driver. Big deal, you think? Well, this competitor is pretty well known around the country for road racing.

Will the driver in question try to turn at the end of the quarter-mile?

a

Ferrari's

threat

Could the Horse Prance right out of FI?

ALONG with the FIA 2008 bombshell has come a suggestion that Ferrari may quit FI at either the end of the Michael Schumacher era, or the conclusion of the current F1 formula if indeed it happens prior to 2008.

Ferrari President Luca Montezemolo has told the British weekly Autosport that quitting the sport is an option for the future.

"I don't think it is possible to find another solution all together and I think maybe to save the future of FI everybody has to take their own decisions - stop or commit. I don't see a different solution," he said.

"What is for sure is that after the end of 2007 we are free, we have no deal with anybody. After

that everybody can do whatever they want."

In a purely commercial sense, Ferrari has achieved all there is to achieve. It cannot increase production of its exotic cars, in order to maintain exclusivity, and is costing parent company Fiat many millions of dollars a year. It is also reliant on its Marlboro sponsorship which, thanks to the gradual effect of antismoking legislation, will eventually disappear.

Ferrari could continue to trade on its hard-won image for many, many years.

Whether the concept of FI without Ferrari is further ammunition in the quest for substantial cost savings via the proposed new formula remains to be seen.

PWF GPWC is D-E-A-D ■fil I Not on:

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Renault's Flavio Briatore.

THE 'Grand Prix World Championship' enterprise involving BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ferrari, Ford and Renault has effectively been scuppered by Eddie Jordan.

The Jordan Grand Prix team principal secured a copy of GPWC's now-cancelled memorandum of understanding with the Formula 1 commercial rights holder, SLEC Holdings. The document proved that the additional income that had been agreed for the teams was to be distributed exclusively among the five GPWC shareholders, not all 10 teams.

Jordan told The Daily Telegraph that "they [GPWC] told us that we would get a bigger share of the pot if we followed them. It was a lie."

Jordan claimed that, under the GPWC/SLEC deal, Ferrari had been set to receive £30m ($73m), McLaren-Mercedes and Williams-BMW £12m each, and Ford (Jaguar Racing) and Renault FI unspecified amounts.

"They also told us that we would be offered cheaper engines if we voted with them to keep traction control," Jordan added. "[But] when I confronted them with it, they denied all knowledge.

This development has tended to realign BAR, Jordan, Minardi, Sauber and Toyota behind the FIA's newly announced plans to relaunch Formula 1.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

by AARON NOONAN

WHILE the balance of power between Holden's top line V8 Supercar teams appears to be tipping against the once-dominant Holden Racing Team on-track, there are big things in the pipeline for one team - PWR Racing - off-track as well.

Following Jason Bright's victory at Pukekohe on the weekend, the Kees Weel-owned squad is on a high as it continues its strong performance throughout the opening portion of the season.

But look for the Clayton-based team to be more strongly aligned with Holden Special Vehicles - the relationship previously enjoyed by HRT - with the reported involvement at an ownership level of not only John Crennan and Tom Walkinshaw, but also new Business and Marketing Manager Mark Roworth, who started his new job at PWR on Monday, having quit Stone Brothers Racing last month.

While Kees Weel is believed to have retained a majority share in the team, Crennan and Walkinshaw, who are both on the board of Premoso Pty Ltd, the company that owns HSV, have reportedly taken a stake in the molorsport news

NEWS

Lowndesy goes bush-bashin’ Psst! Wanna see Craig Lowndes in the outback? You can, Lowndesy will be making the trek from Darwin to Perth by road, starting the day after the Darwin race on May 23 and ending in Perth two weeks later, ■ Roland Dane is the newest member of the Board of TEGA and AVESCO, The Irish co-owner of Triple 8 Race Engineering was appointed just prior to making the trip to Auckland and sat on his first Board meeting at Pukekohe last Friday, Dane replaces Mark Roworth, who had to stand aside as a Ford representative after leaving Stone Brothers Racing last month.

■ Speaking of Roworth, the new man at PWR Racing was absent from New Zealand, Roworth is expected to appear with the Floiden team for the first time in Darwin,

I

rs HSV Unk

in Dandenong and,by potentially moving the race team from its current Clayton base(where it is alongside HRT and Kmart), would distance the team from the other Holden

business, though their exact shareholding isn't known at this stage.

It's no co-incidence that PWR drivers Bright and Paul Weel have been wearing HSV caps this season, the cars are carrying HSV logos and that the HSV stickers on the HRT Commodores seem to have decreased in size ...

Such a move will drastically alter the Holden V8 landscape. When added to the recent acquisition by Weel Snr,above, of chassis manufacturer Dencar,it places the Queenslander in a powerful political position.

MNews sources are suggesting that a distancing of the once close relationship between Crerman and HRT owner/driver Mark Skaife has S May 2004

helped speed up the process of Crennan's involvement in the PWR organisation. There is a suggestion that HSV is keen to realign its brand and image following a decline in road car sales.

Being directly involved and influential in the PWR V8 Supercar squad gives HSV its own medium to push its own brand,rather than Holden itself taking all the car space and subsequent kudos that go along with it, as has been the case with HRT. Whether Skaife can or will retain his position on HSV's product planning committee,for example, remains unknown.

Weel will soon open a Melbourne branch of PWR Performance Products in the ex-Gibson/00 facility

Motorsport-backed outfits on the premises.

Recent HSV slogans, aimed at a yoimger demographic on the PWR cars this season,support the thought train that the company is changing its approach to the sales race and using its own V8 Supercar team as the medium.

When quizzed about the reported deal, at Pukekohe on the weekend following his team's win, Weel Snr said that he hadn't heard the chat: "1 haven't heard any of these things myself but there seems to be a lot of chat up and down pitlane and what have you," said a cautious Weel on Sunday evening, "We have a good alliance with HSV, personally and business-wise, and we just do our own thing. If something happens down the track, we'll look at it. We're very much people of our own fortune. We have our own identity and what we're doing is starting to work for us," Despite Weel's downplaying of the story, look for things to start cooking shortly...

■ After Jenson Button's first pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix, it got us wondering the last time a Flonda-powered car,sat on pole for an FI race.

If you were flicking back through the history books, you'd have to reach 1992's Canadian Grand Prix where the late Ayrton Senna took pole in a McLaren-Honda, A whole 12 years between drinks ,,, ■ When the first V8 Supercar race was postponed at Pukekohe on the weekend, you had to go back to 1998 to find the last V8 race affected by weather.

The third race of the Calder round was cancelled completely as the weather was totally terrible. Ironically, it was Greg Murphy (debuting FIRT's then-new VT Commodore) who was sent out to do some sighting laps and check track conditions. Funnily enough, the same car was on display on the weekend in the Sky City complex in Auckland, as it's now a VY ride car (similar to FIRT's but without the third seat) to be used by the Murph to give some lucky Kiwi fan club members a scare.

■ WPS Racing is going to join the Konica Minolta Scries for the final two rounds at Queensland Raceway and Perth. Charlie O'Brien will handle the driving duties in the team's Falcon AU, which is the ex-00 Motorsport car used by Mark Noske last season.

■ James Koundouris has made the jump from Nations Cup to Carrera Cup. Last year's NC Group 2 Champion has purchased the 2003spec car of RT Motorsport that was campaigned in the second half of last season by Klark Quinn. He intends to join the series from either round five at Queensland Raceway or round six at Winton.

5

Powerful LMS Line-up

Larkham picks Power and himself for Sandown and Bathurst ..

FORMULA 3 standout Will Power will head home later this year to race a V8 Supercar with Larkham Motor Sport.

Power will join the Orrcon team’s regulars Jason Bargwanna and Mark Winterbottom in the Gold Coast-based team at Sandown and Bathurst. As expected, the team’s fourth driver will be Mark Larkham, who stood down from driving full-time at the end of the 2003 season.

While a Bargwanna/Larkham and Winterbottom/Power lineup is likely, the team is expected to confirm its pairings in the next month.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

Piikekohe off^t

F3 Power: Will drove with Larkham at Bathurst in 2002. f

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'» ¥8 SiyiPERiliAR crews are C6oilingiOT#r heels prior to heading north to the ne#t rOiUiid of thp V8 Supercar (Shaimipioihisihiip Series at Hidden Valleiy..

A week-long dalay iii the dpparture Of the teams' cars aild eqilipmeht has been caused!by the rerouting of the ship that was origifially going tO'Ship fhe hardware baSk to Brisbane. VUith the 6

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z ship noW%ound for Japan, it means th most of the cars will not arrive in Brisbane untli a week before they are due oh the track at Hidden Valley on May 21.

The exceptions are the cars of PWR Racing and ford Performance Racing.

Both teams are flying their cars back to Melbourne to be prepared for the trip horthi.

THE layout of the proposed Auckland street race has received a general thumbs-up from many of the V8 Supercar drivers who were at Pukekohe - but with some reservations.

The site for the race. proposed to run for at least seven years from 2006, was revealed last week,the track to run in the Victoria Park area using Fanshawe, Hobson, Victoria and Beaumont streets.

n

ElAfS

Col comes back!

COLIN McRae is coming out of Rally retirement!

Yes, we know he's contesting Rally GB later this year, but McRae is also set to launch the fifth installment of his console games.

Titled 'Colin McRae 2005', the new game features brand-new camera angles, new events, new cars and a career challenge mode.

Maybe he is basing that on personal experience ...

on Auckland Street Race radar - Manfeild and Taupo still options?

But some drivers, including local hero Greg Murphy, also see that the other bid from an

upgraded Manfeild track, would have merit.

"It (a street-race) would take the racing to the people," said Murph.

"Pukekohe, above, cannot hold that many people and a street race would be better for that. If you look at Adelaide, or the Gold Coast, it shows what a great event a street race can be.

"But racing (at Manfeild)

would help the sport on an everyday basis. I can see both

sides."

Countryman Paul Radisich is firmly behind having any expenditure go into improving a permanent track.

"Okay, we don't know what's going to happen to Pukekohe beyond 2005," he told The NZ Herald.

"If it's still around I'd like them to stay there and put the money into improvements.

"It's great to have racing

around the streets and it's exciting. But I'd like to see the money motor-racing generates going back into younger talent, and without having permanent circuits it's going to be very hard." for them.

"I know we've got Taupo coming on and Manfeild. But Auckland needs a permanent circuit."

AVESCO is expected to make an announcement regarding the future of the NZ event in February.

Shift into RD6 AFTER some weeks of conjecture, TEGA has mandated that the Holinger H6S gearbox is now the only gearbox to be used in V8 Supercar racing.

All cars in both the V8 Supercar Championship Series and Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series must now use the Melbourne-built item. The

Holinger RD6, which was newlydeveloped by the company over the past year, is now effectively illegal in both categories.

TEGA has, effectively, changed its definition of the gearbox eligible for use by the championships. Whereas previously boxes have been defined by specification, they are now defined by sample,in his case, the Holinger H6S. "TEGA sought the opinion of teams before we made the ruling," said TEGA Chairman Kelvin O'Reilly in Auckland. "(Peter) Holinger advised that the

RD6 could not be modified to meet the rules."

As a result of the ruling, two teams were forced to make last-minute modifications to their cars last week in New Zealand. The Castrol Perkins Commodore VYs of Steven Richards and Paul Dumbrell, and the Ford Performance Racing Falcon BAs of Craig Lowndes and Glenn Seton underwent the refitment of H6Ss on Thursday, after being shipped to Auckland with RD6s fitted.

Lowndes's car was forced to miss much of the early practice session last Friday due to an weeping oil line, which had to be slightly modified when the change was undertaken.

Holinger Engineering notified TEGA of its new box on December 12, more than two months after the unit was first used in competition. The secondplace finish of Lowndes and Seton at Bathurst was with the use of the RD6.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

n ETCC driver Paulien Zwart is likely to miss the rest of the season after sustaining a heavy testing accident at Magny Cours last week.

Zwart, who drives for BMW Carly Motors, was testing a BMW at the French circuit where she broke an ankle and suffered a double fracture of the pelvis. She has been replaced by her father, Klaas. n Some of the commemmorations that marked Ayrton Senna's death included a celebrity soccer match featuring the 1994 Brazilian World Cup squad versus Formula 1 stars. Ferrari drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, Renault racers Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli were some of the stars involved, which ended in a light hearted 5-5 draw. n Quick, what is the world's most valuable vehicle brand? Ford?

Nope. BMW? Uh-uh. Goggomobile?

According to Forbes magazine, it is Harley-Davidson. A recent edition of the business magazine ranked the biking institution in the top 25 brands in the world. Naturally, American brands topped the list, led by consumer group Procter & Gamble.

Fl-D was valued at US$15.7 billion, close to food giants Kellogg and General Foods and just down on Nike. n Marty Craggill is out of Superbike racing for the time being.

The two-time Aussie champ has a fractured C6 vertabra in his neck following a crash at Fontana.

The disc has been pinned and Marty has undergone a bone graft and his return to the Corona Suzuki team is being reviewed by medicos next month. Get well soon, Craggill, n The Touring Car Challenge, in conjunction with Wakefield Park management, is offering hot laps of the Wakefield Park circuit for those who attend Round 2 of the Touring Car Challenge on May 22-23.

All you have to do is lob to the Goulburn circuit, hold onto your ticket and hope for the best. Ticket numbers will be drawn on Sunday, and rides will take place during the day.

7

All Change for PROCAR

Interim committee to oversee Sandown;competitors keen to push on £ meeting to address any issues raised by competitors, however he will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the series over the remainder of the year.

While most of PROCAR Australia

by MARK GLENDENNING

■?

PROCAR is not dead.

Competitors from the series' various categories are scrambling to keep the show intact after PROCAR Australia Chairman Ross Palmer released a statement two weeks ago annoimcing that the company was withdrawing from motorsport.

According to the statement Palmer, who has largely subsidised the series both personally and through companies within the Palmer Group, had concluded that the expenditure levels were no longer sustainable.

128 series entrants attended an emergency meeting to discuss the series' future was held in Sydney last Wednesday, where it was decided that the show would go on under the guidance of an interim management group spearheaded by Peter Boylan.

"1 think it was fair to say that we should have run at a profit at Clipsal," explained Boylan.

"We didn't. And that's not Clipsal's fault. But we lost money at Clipsal, we lost nearly $300,000 at Oran Park, including overheads.

"Ross had already tipped in well over $10m to keep the series going over the past 10 years or so - it was, in fact, more than that.

"It was our view that after nine years, the thing should be self funding, and it was then decided that, in all conscience, we should stop the bleeding.

"While Ross loves motor racing, it was my view, and I said it publicly.

8

that Ross Palmer should not be paying for everybody's motor racing."

According to Boylan, the original PROCAR calendar remains intact and will be underwritten by the interim management group. The group has also elected to keep the PROCAR name alive for the time being.

"It's fair to say that there's a school of thought that says that we should call it something different, but PROCAR is quite well known," said Boylan.

"It's a brand, and it's very hard to build a brand. That brand has been built for 10 years. It is my personal belief that we just have to build on that brand."

Joining Boylan on the interim executive group are former PROCAR board members Ian Palmer, Roy Leaver and Peter Brock, while exCAMS CEO Peter Hansen has also been called upon.

Palmer Group CEO Frank Slowiak joined the group at last week's

Pty Ltd's staff were retrenched last week,the company remains operational.

"Ross is committed to paying all of its debts,so anybody that paid entry fees, yearly subscriptions and everything would not be out of pocket," Boylan confirmed.

"If we can get the TV covered, with all our costs, we're cooking with gas.

The circuit owners,CAMS and the new interim group are now working together where everybody is contributing for the good of Australian motorsport."

While aU efforts are being made to keep the championship alive, Boylan admitted that the Bathurst 24 Hour was not as high on the list.

"The 24 Hour is not a priority for the group at the moment," he said.

"We're concentrating on the Champ Series, because if the Champ Series doesn't work,it's hard to see how the 24 Hour will work. Ross Palmer is meeting with the Bathurst Council this week, and he is focusing on trying to make that work."

Entry fees for spectators at next week's round at Sandown have been slashed, with a family ticket priced at just $25. A single adult entry for Sunday will be $12,Saturday will be $10,and Friday is an open gate. Kids can attend for free throughout the entire weekend.

So how are things in GTP? THINGS are close to situation normal for GT Performance, which already enjoys strong grids and clear parity.

According to category manager Garry Holt, GTP competitors have formed an organisation to ensure that they have a collective say in the future.

One small change will be in race formats at Sandown, which will see the cars run one short race and one longer race, which will be worth double points.

Things are looking similarly positive in the Production Car class.

"Everyone is happy and I think it's going to work out for the better," said spokesman Len Cave.

"It's given us all a fresh Start."

Cave said that he is expecting a field of 20-25 cars at Sandown, including a new Ford Focus, with other new cars slated to arrive at later rounds.

- MARK GLENDENNING molorspon news

NEIIIfS

Where to from here though?

Popular and powerful: The VSBRutes remain a popular drawcard and are looking at where they can continue to build.

FOLLOWING the initial g 5* shockwaves caused by Palmer's 5 announcement,representatives from PROCAR's various categories are approaching the next few months as an opportunity to have a substantial say in how the series is rebuilt.

This is particularly true of Nations Cup, which fielded just six cars at the last round at Oram Park.

"Initially there was a lot of consternation following the sudden announcement of last week's decision," said John Teulan, who has stepped in as Nations Cup category manager.

"But it has been seen as an opportunity by a number of people to get the category back on track to what it used to be, so that we can see a much larger grid than what we've got today."

According to Teulan, top of the agenda for the Nations Cup revamp will be a return to its original production car basis -a move that could spell the end of the NC Monaro.

"There is plenty of room for the type of car that they've recently sent over to compete as a Pontiac GTO in the US, or as a Vauxhall in the UK," said Teulan.

"It needs to be production carbased,i.e. based on a CVS.I think it's more than a coincidence in time that a mass departure from Nations Cup followed the introduction of the Monaro."

The plan has the support of Team Lamborghini Australia manager Andrew Smith,above right, who has also suggested a move away from the Nations Cup name.

"We're all talking about a category called GTS, which stands for GT Sportscars," Smith said.

"The cars should be as close to standard as possible. And if you wanted to have a long-distance race, you could combine the GTP and GTS because the speed differential wouldn't be that great."

5 May 2004

According to Teulan, the recent changes also offer an opportunity to introduce a more stable system of regulations.

"The perception has been that there was a great deal of arbitrariness. The perception has been that the goalposts moved far too often, and therefore you didn't know what standard you were trying to achieve.

V8 BRutes spokesman Charlie Kovacs said that he is not anticipating any major changes in the category in the near future, however things could be a bit different further down the track.

"The BRutes are pretty excited about the future and look forward to things evolving," he said.

"We are obviously exploring the possibility of managing our own category and forming our own direction, but for the interim we are supporting the new entity, and will explore other possibilities further down the line.

"Whether we are talking about PROCAR MKII events or AVESCO events or Victorian State Series events, the BRutes have a fan base in regional areas that we need to support and we also would like to run at some high-profile events. So it will give us the flexibilty that the BRutes require to expand its business."

- MARK GLENDENNING

We’re

going weekly

(for one week!)

In order to re-align our publishing schedule for the second part of the year, MNews will be out again

NEXT WEEK on sale

WEDNESDAY MAY 12 with all our usual behind-the-scenes news, views, opinion and features.

DON’T MISS IT!

inotersport news

9

ten home of

[motorspon] 2004 V8 Supercar Championship* May 23 .. .Hidden Valley Jun 13 ... .Barbagallo Jul4 .Qld Raceway Jul 25 ....Winton ..

Aug 15 .. .Oran Park Sep 12 .. .Sandown Oct 12 ... .Bathurst .

.Rd4 .Rd5 .Rd6 .Rd7 .Rd8 .Rd9 .Rd 10

2004 FIA Formula One Championship* May 9 ... .Spain ....

May 23 .. .Monte Carlo May 30 .. .Nurburgring Jun 13 ... .Montreal ..

Jun 20 ... .Indianapolis Jul 4 Magny-Cours

.Rd5 ,Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 .Rd9 .RdIO

2004 World Rally Championship* ,Rd5 May 14-16 ....Cyprus ,Rd6 Jun 4-6 .Acropolis Rally .Rd7 June 25-27 ....Turkey .Rd8 Jul 16-18 .Argentine .Rd9 .Finland .

Aug 6-8 .Rd 10 Aug 20-22 ... .Germany .Rd 11 .Japan Sep 3-5 .Rd 12 Sep 17-19 ... .Great Britain 2004 Australian Rally Championship* .Rd2 Jun 5-6 Queensland .Rd3 Tasmania Jun 26 ,Rd4 July31-Aug1 . .Rally SA .Rd5 Aug 28-29 . ...NSW 2004 Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Championship* .Rd4 May 30 ...Eastern Creek .Rd5 Jul 4 .Qld Raceway .Rd6 Aug 22 .. .Mallala Oct 10 ... .Bathurst

F1's 2007 Revolution Max Mosley lays down the gauntlet to teams

A RADICAL set of proposed FI regulations put out by FIA President Max Mosley is also an attempt, and a likely successful one, to regain overall control of Grand Prix racing from the teams.

The preliminary proposals, released on the Friday at the Imola Grand Prix, propose substantial changes from the beginning of 2008 to reduce speeds, maintain safety and, most importantly, improve the spectacle of Formula 1. The proposed rules would massively reduce the technology in FI and thus substantially compact the FI 'industry'.

So sweeping are the proposed changes that they met with an initial mixed response from manufacturers, teams and drivers.

However, it took some time for

agreement, and the fact that it is seen as the reason behind FI's

those parties to also realise the significance of the proposed implementation date. Formula I's current Concorde Agreement, which binds the teams to a common

with some changes, as much as two years earlier.

Most harshly criticised in the immediate aftermath of the

cause and which can only be changed by unanimous agreement (and thus rarely), expires at the end of 2007. FIA boss Max Mosley looks set to capitalise on the constant disharmony and disagreement among teams party to the Concorde

current cost spiral, to regain control of the sport.

Teams were summoned to a meeting in Monaco yesterday, as MNews closed for press, to discuss the proposals, with our sources suggesting that Mosley has already secured the in-principle support of a number of current teams after some pre-announcement meetings.

With the expiry of the Concorde agreement so vital to the issue, Mosley is expected to take an almost take-it-or-leave it attitude with current teams, seeking 12 twocar teams to line up in 2008.

There is a suggestion that faced with this fait accompli, the teams may fold and,in fact, agree to the introduction of the revised formula,

announcement was the plan for allnew 2.4 litre V8 engines. Most engine men are suggesting that a restricted version of the current engine as a far more cost-effective means of reducing power and costs.

Mosley, however, seems confident that he can get all the

major FI teams to support his initiatives and even commit themselves to the FIA series. That will take care of the organisational side of the sport and attention will then have to turn to the thorny problem of finding a commercial solution between the parties currently involved. This is not going to be easy because the FIA is not allowed to be involved in the commercial management of the sport, beyond having the right to veto the agreement it has with the commercial rights holder if there is a change of control.

This however is a very powerful weapon and the big question is whether or not Mosley feels the need to force the Formula One group into the giving the teams a better deal than is currently the case. The reason that the GPWC plans were seen as a threat was because that organization campaigned to get a better share of the income generated for the teams involved - even though the major teams were in the end seen to have double-crossed the newcomers...

For more on the FIA's bombshell see Box Seat(page 26) and pages 30-33.

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

.Non Championship

2004 Procar Series May 16 ...Sandown Jun 20 ... .Winton Ju!18 ... .Eastern Creek Aug 8 ... .Wakefield Park Sep 19 .. .Symmons Plains

.Rd3 .Rd4 ,Rd5 ,Rd6 Rd7

2004 SBK World Superbike Championship .Rd4 May 16 ...Monza . .Rd5 May 30 .. .Germany 2004 Moto GP May 16 Jun 6 .

Jun 13 Jun 26

Championship * ... .France ●Italy .Spain

rt en1 k

.Rd3 .Rd4 .Rd5 .Rd6

J

home of

[motorsport_

All event dates in this calendar were correct al the lime of prinling. Please consult any individual tracks and/or assodalions for dale changes. _ Series or events telecast on Network Ten are H marked with an asterisk. Check your local I guides for screening details.

I’uriiiiig back If the cars looks as good as jord‘an%^^^9#rwbw^?ihco'i^^^ Engine 2.4 litre V8, maximum 4 valves per cylinder Two races per engine List of components which must be made from specific materials and/or using a specified manufacturing process Ban on variable geometry inlet and exhaust systems Standard ECU (under FIA control), enabling ban on high pressure (direct injection) fuel systems

Chassis Weight limit reduced by 50 kilos (to eliminate ballast) Combined tyre and aero package to achieve targets for cornering speeds, straight-line speeds, grip and braking performance Tyre width reduced at front, increased at rear Maximum modulus of elasticity (.stiffness) of materials reduced from 40 Gpa to 32 Gpa throughout car

Transmission, brakes and steering Manual Gearbox with electronic over-rev safeguard Manually operated clutch Ban on electronically-controlled differentials Ban on power steering Standard brake discs and calipers

Sporting No spare cars Cars under pare ferme conditions throughout entire event Control tyre - no tyre changes during racing (except punctures), refuelling to stay Testing limited by mileage, enforced by ECU Two sets of tyres for race weekend

Friday to include possible (new format) qualifying session General No restriction on the sale, loan or exchan ge of chassis and components between teams 12 two-car team entries per year, entries close July 1 for following season Guaranteed entries for teams with long term contracts to compete in championship Technical and sporting rule changes to be subject to a majority vote of the teams contracted to appear during the season when the rule changes will apply Technical changes to be announced June to take effect on January 1 of the second I year following the announcement No rule changes after entries close for a i* given year without consent of all competing teams molorsDort news

NEWS

Kimi considers AS McLaren's dismal start to the 2004 season continues,there are starting to be suggestions that Kimi Raikkonen could be looking elsewhere for 2005.

The Finnish driver's contract with McLaren expires at the end of this year and, while there has been a general assumption that he will stay with Team Grey, there are all of a sudden signs that things are becoming uncomfortable in the McLaren motorhome.

There are suggestions from within the team that Kimi has taken to not turning up for team briefings if the mood takes him. What next?

His name has always been bandied about as a possible Ferrari man in the post-Schumacher era, but if the post McLaren era is closer than anyone thinks, where could the introverted Kimi go?

The 2004 Driver Silly Season may prove more interesting than at first thought.

In the meantime, McLaren technical director Adrian Newey has confirmed that there will be significant changes to the MP4-19B before too long, although even these might not appear before

fT [

July.

Mercedes Motorsport chief Norbert Haug has conceded that the 19B is not going to succeed. "We have made mistakes," he conceded at Imola. "We wanted a giant development and perhaps it was too big. We have problems with the whole package."

- CHRIS LAMBDEN

Williams versus Rail

THE Imola Grand Prix brought a new low level to relations between the Williams team and its two current drivers.

with the German,there are those in pit lane who see a possible future in Champ Cars for Michael's little brother...

For many in the team the end of 2005 cannot come soon enough,some outsiders wondering how the team can possibly get through to October in this form.

Ralf Schumacher now has no

And with Montoya headed to McLaren next year and already criticising his car's performance roimdly (as he did at Imola), things are not rosy at Team Willy.

As one insider told MNews "the

chance whatsoever of staying with the team. Indeed there are

atmosphere in the team in general is great- it's just the two drivers. Noone wants to speak to either of them any more ..."

With 14 races left on the 2005

suggestions that Williams might withhold the German's next salary instalment(roughly US$lm per race) as a sign of its displeasure at his tepid perfomances to date in 2004.

And with Toyota now seeming to back away from suggestions of a deal

calendar, the FI paddock is becoming rivetted to the soap opera afflicting one of its greatest teams ...

-CHRIS LAMBDEN

... and could a seat go to... Jacques?

JACQUES Villeneuve for Williams in 2005? That's the latest bizarre rumour to surface as the team searches for two drivers for 2005.

ITiis latest rumour owes as much to the activity of Villeneve's manager Craig Pollock as anything. Pollock spruiking his out-of-work driver by saying that his man would be "interested in a return to Williams."

"I have already had discussions with the right teams.

Jacques had offers to drive this season but he is only prepared to race for someone who will give him a chance of fighting Michael Schumacher for the title," Pollock told London's The Sun. It's a move straight from the Willi Weber school of deal hyping. Weber recently claimed that a deal between his driver Ralf Schumacher and Renault was nearly done. In reality, there is and was nothing of the kind.

While Villeneuve may well be interested in a return to FI,it is very unlikely that the Williams team is remotely considering it.

5 May 2004

Having said that, the team's options for 2005 are getting tricky. The availability of number one choice Mark Webber remains conditional on the consent of manager Flavio Briatore, who has thoughts of pairing Mark with Fernando Alonso at Renault. Bearing in mind the ultimate outcome for all Webber FI team-mates to date, that may be a risky proposition - Alonso himself currently transparently suggesting he'd like the 'stability' of keeping Jarno Trulli in the team.

Even with Webber, Williams will still need another driver.

With BAR performing so well, Jenson Button is most unlikely to be available and (sorry NZ) with Scott Dixon not quite, according to team insiders, making the grade, Frank and Patrick do have a problem. Indeed the latest rumours are suggesting that Webber's former Jag team mate Antonio Pizzonia, now happily back testing at Williams and giving the regular drivers a hard time, might just get a second chance.

Flav wants more FI races FLAVIO Briatore has added his voice to calls for the Formula 1 season to be extended to 20 races, coupled with a 50 percent test reduction.

"From an entrepreneurial point of view, it's nonsense to cover five times as much test mileage as race mileage," he told German business magazine Capital.

"The public want to see thrilling battles but, instead of giving them what they want, we’re giving them extremely complex technology.

We've gone too far, everyone has spent far too much money. No spectator is interested in the fact that a car has to be developed by 1000 people..." n BMW has insisted on an increased engineering involvement in the chassis design process at WilliamsFl. Board member Burkhard Goschel, who is responsible for the German manufacturer's Formula 1 program, described the UK team's project management as "unsystematic" in an interview with German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.

He added:"We can't continue like this. Something has to change, and it has to happen fast. We're going to support Williams even in their 'sovereign territories'."

According to the magazine, Goschel has declined to accept the team's reluctance to allow any interference with its chassis and will send engineers to the factory at Grove to involve them in the design of cooling systems and other powertrain-related chassis developments. n Honda Racing Development director Otmar Szafnauer has confirmed that the Japanese Formula 1 engine supplier is operating a different strategy with the BAR team this season.

"In the past we had something at almost every race, a couple of horsepower here or there," he told Reuters. "This year we're packaging fewer steps but more significant ones. Our first was at Imola, the next will be in Canada and there will be two or three more after that." n Ferrari will join the growing campaign to keep the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari at Imola on the Formula 1 calendar, according to its president, Luca di Montezemolo.

"Italy with only one Grand Prix is unthinkable," he told the 'Gazzetta dello Sport' newspaper. "We are tied to Imola. We will defend it."

FI impresario Bernie Ecclestone commented: "I never say never to anything, so let's see. It depends on a lot of things. Maybe we can get a bit of help, like getting tobacco branding there..."

- QUEIMTIIM SPURRING 11

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THE proposed Formula Nippon race at a new circuit in Bunbury, Western Austraiia, has been put off untii 2005.

Perth International Motorsports Management, which is planning the track which will be g approximately 200km from Perth, I announced last week that plans I' for the December 4/5 meeting have been postponed. ^ "Time has run out to schedule a race on a track which we haven't Abbey Road or The Sounds of Silence? Will the sweeps of Silverstone soon be lost to Formula One? yet had approval to build and it would be commercially irresponsible to try and make the necessary arrangements for the race to be held this year," said PIMM'S Managing Director, Ross Roberts.

"We are committed to building the circuit in Bunbury as soon as approval is granted and will work with Formula Nippon to reschedule the event for 2005.

This may not be easy, as they will have to re-shuffle their calendar to accommodate Bunbury."

The track, designed by Roberts, is planned to host events of both track which are budt into the The British government is ANALYSIS by JOE SAWARD of Japan's major series, FNippon organization's rules and regulations. promising about US$25m but the and the Japanese GT THE British Grand Prix is not secure, The most likely result therefore is argument is that tliis money needs to championship. Roberts has said that the BRDC will in the end have to go into sustainable projects and the despite the fact that Interpublic has that there are no plans for the decided to bail out of its bite the bullet and conclude that they latest talk is of a full-sized rolling-road circuit to host, or to bid for, a should rim Silverstone without FI. windtunnel attached to a rmiversity commitments and give the rights for round of the V8 Supercar Other circuits have shown that this the race back to Bemie Ecclestone, which would be used by automobile Championship Series. manufacturers some of the time (at "Whilst our decision will be can be done if the management is paying him $93m to accept them. good enough and it would leave premium rates) and then be available Interpublic is admitting that it very disappointing to the people Formula One without a British race. more cheaply to racing teams when of Bunbury and Western Australia, made a mistake getting into As a result if Bemie Ecclestone demand was less intensive. Such PIMM is still committed to the motorsport and committed itself to wanted to have a Grand Prix in his facilities are currently rare and long term success of building a illogical deals. The damage has been overbooked. home country he would have to find a world class racing circuit for this done and the best thing is to get out as new venue and fund the whole thing State and bringing the Formula This might help the overall quickly and cheaply as possible. himself.

Nippon race here in 2005," said motorsport industry in Britain but it is The next step is for Interpublic to Roberts, And that is not going to happen. no help to Silverstone. The money is settle up with the British Racing Drivers' Club over the lease of apparently m place for a new pit and paddock at Silverstone but at the Silverstone. The company says that its commitment to the BRDC in terms of moment this is not being built as it has not been signed off by all the partners. the costs of this year's Grand Prix and future lease payments is around $61m. Even if it is built it will only be another short-term fix rather than a The BRDC may argue that it should long-term solution. be more because it is a full 'repair and The BRDC is thus faced with a renewal'lease with very specific choice of trying to keep the track alive obligations about keeping the track up and risk getting into debt because of to FIA standards and open for testing the demands of the El world. It must and other such activities. find a new partner to replace The BRDC may argue that settling Interpublic(an unlikely result given the lease should cost Interpublic up to the returns on a Grand Prix these day) US$100m. This would be a huge financial windfall for the club but it is or face up to the fact that if Britain is going to have a Grand Prix, the best still not enough to fund a complete thing would be to sell the track to the overhaul of the facility.

Formula One group and use the According to our sources, at least money to turn the BRDC into an US$150m is needed to get Silverstone where it needs to be and to take it organisation which supports British motorsport without being a track beyond that and turn it into the owner. motorsport hub of Britain with visitor This would be difficult to achieve centres and museums would raise that because of blocks on the sale of the price to US$300m.

The End of the British Empire?

Silverstone may have seen the sun set on the British GP

i

12

motorsport news

NEWS

ippon race off 't

I i.

3

i East meets West: No Nippons in Bunbury this year but look for the Japanese series to head down under in 2005.

An Arden FI admirer ARDEN Formula 3000 team boss Christian Homer says that his championship- y"' winning team may move into Formula One. "It's great to see it is gathering momentum," Homer told Autos magazine. "If a firm decision is made by June,it is possible we coready to run in 2005. Otherwise 2006 would be a natural entry point."

Horner, who has a long association with BAR team boss David Richards, said that a probable budget for a move / into the major league would be US$26 million, if he y' - j were allowed to source engines and chassis from a jjl manufacturer or another team.

Formula 3000 has graduated many drivers/"^ to the top series, like Juan Montoya and Mark Webber, but no team has made jT the jump from the category into GFX racing since Eddie Jordan y' up

Hie Italian Stallions

Valentino Rossi tests Mike’s Ferrari, goes fast and looks cool

IIM between his shock season opening MotoGP win at Welkom and last weekend's fourth-place at Jerez, Valentino Rossi sampled a Ferrari Formula One car.

The 25-year-old Italian, opposite, tested one of the team's Championship-winning F2003-GAS at Fiorano and, according to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, did an amazingly good job. In 20 laps, the five-time World Champion got down to a best of 59.9s.

5 May 2604

compared to the lap record of 56,6s.

Rossi drove the car away from the glare of the media. No photos were issued of the test, during which Rossi wore one of Michael Schumacher's spare helmets.

Apart from the fact that he went reasonably well in the car (in spite of spinning several times) the most remarkable thing about the test was that it happened at all, Rossi is backed by SETA (through its Gauloises brand) and races on Michelins, while Ferrari

is a Marlboro/Bridgestone-backed team. In usual circumstances, accommodating such conflicts of sponsors would be an impossibility but, after winning the opening race of the season on a Yamaha and taking two pole positions, it seems nothing is impossible for Rossi.

And, a future on four wheels?

"I just want to try Formula One for fun," Rossi commented recently, "I don't know if I can drive a car like I can ride a bike, so for sure I'll stay (In MotoGP)."

The BTCC gets weighty with the new boys TOCA, the promoter of the Green Flag MSA British Touring Car Championship, has reduced the weight advantage with which Super 2000 racecars - notably the new factory team Seat Toledos - have started the 2004 season.

Having initially had a 50kg advantage over the 1140kg BTCCspecification cars, the ETCC machines, which are contesting the series for the first time, have been handed minimum weights of 1085kg (front-drive Hpattern gearbox) and 1115kg (frontdrive sequential and rear-drive Hpattern). The series regulations permit up to five adjustments to be made to the ballast regulations over the course of any season. n The Pescarolo Sport sportsprototype race team in Le Mans, France, has again secured sponsorship from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for its Le Mans 24 Hours program in 2004.

Pescarolo’s Courage-built, Juddpowered LMP1 racecars will carry PlayStation 2 livery, and players of Sony's 'Gran Turismo 4' will be able to 'drive' the car themselves when the computer game arrives this year. n Championship Auto Racing Teams Inc, the Indianapolis company that previously owned and operated the Champ Car World Series and is in the process of winding up its affairs, has failed to file its annual report for the year ended 31 December 2003 with the US Securities & Exchange Commission before the SEC's extended deadline of 14 April.

The SEC granted CART a 15-day extension to that date when it stated that it was unable to complete its financial statements by 30 March, due primarily to the fact that its operating subsidiary had filed for bankruptcy in December 2003.

The sale of substantially all CART's assets to purpose-formed Open Wheel Racing Series was completed on 13 February. The company said that it was unable to predict when it would be in a position to file. n Condom manufacturer Ansell (UK) has entered motorsports by signing a title sponsorship deal for its best-selling 'Mates' brand with the promoter of the new Formula Woman track racing championship. n Trust, the Dutch computer firm best known in motorsport for its personal sponsorship of Dutch driver Jos Verstappen, will be a sponsor of the Jordan Grand Prix Formula 1 team for the remainder of the 2004 season.

- QUENTIN SPURRING 13

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Jones' Asian F3 Stirfpy

CHRISTAN Jones added another piece of silverware to his collection after winning the first round of the Asian Formula Three Championship at the Batangas circuit in the Philippines two weeks ago.

Jones took the honours in Race 1 when pre-race favourite John O'Hara spun while under pressure from the Australian, and then backed it up in the second race by making a perfect start, leading the field into turn one, and never looking back. He capped it off by re-setting the lap record with a lm24.8s effort along the way.

"That was my greatest win ever," the Queenslander grinned later.

- MARK GLENDENNING

Davo

Two podium res

Test-A-Lock IAN Dyk will take his first steps towards a European racing career early next month when he jets across to England to participate in a two-day test with leading British Formula 3 Championship team Menu Motorsport.

The test, first mooted in Motorsport News a few weeks ago, will take place over June 1 2 at the Pembrey circuit in Wales.

The opportunity was arranged

by Menu Chief Engineer (and expat Australian) Mick Kouros, who has been keeping tabs on Dyk’s progress for some time.

Australian Will Davison, who currently spearheads Menu Motorsport’s title assault, will not be present at the test, however Dyk will have Davison’s team-mate Fairuz Fauzy on hand to give the young Sydney driver some lap times to aim for.

- MARK GLENDENNING

John Morris/Mpix

Belly’s Back F4000 IS go!

by GRANT ROWLEY

NEIL McFadyen is a likely starter for the opening round of the Formula 4000 Championship at Mallala Motorsport Park in South Australia this weekend.

The 2003 Australian Formula Ford Champion recently had successful negotiations with personal sponsors in a last-ditch effort to start the series, and is "95 percent" certain to drive one of Graham Watson's Championship-winning Ralt cars, above.

"I'm preparing myself to go to Adelaide," said McFayden.

"Finding the money has been 14

really difficult but I've gained a lot of support just recently. I'm going to go there and try to win - that's what I've got to do."

McFadyen's main rival for the Gold Star crown will be former International Formula 3000 driver

Rob Nguyen. The Queenslander tested the Hocking Motorsport Reynard he will campaign this year at Winton last week.

Fourteen cars are entered for the first round, with new entries including Ty Hanger in the ex-Paul Trengove machine, and former Formula Ford driver Mark West.

Ricky Occhipinti will also be back for another shot at the coveted prize.

KIWI Carrera Cup ace Kevin Bell is returning to the Australian series for round three at Hidden Valley.

The Christchurch-based driver raced full-time in last year's series and won a race at the Darwin round in 2003 on his way to fifth in the championship, however this year has elected not to race full-time.

He will again suit up for the

International Motorsport NZ squad, driving the Porsche GTS regularly driven by Andrew Bagnall.

Bell will join Paul Pedersen and Ross Rutherford in the NZ squad, while the team is still working on sponsorship to run Matt Halliday in an additional car from the fourth round at Barbagallo.

-AARON NOONAN moiorspon news

NEWS

gets a double

Ills tor one Will, Scholarship win for Mawer WITH a strong contingent of four Australians now in the British F3

Championship,the chances of at least one of them having a great weekend are pretty strong and it was Will Davison's turn on the weekend at Croft.

The Menu driver took a third and a second from fifth and eighth on the grid respectively, the points haul enough to boost the 21-year-old into fourth in the series,just 12 points off joint title leaders Danilo Dirani and Nelson Piquet Jr. "It's an important result for us," said Davison.

ftness

"That makes a tally of three podium finishes for us from six races and that's what we need.

"You have to be consistent in this championship as well as fast and that's what we're focusing on, week in and week out."

Will Power's fortunes went the other way, qualifying fourth and 11th, only to have a troubled first race and end up 15th before crashing out of the other with James Rossiter.

"He was just being a bit greedy I think," said Power of the move.

"Even if he had finished third he

Show us your Dj moves: Davison celebrates a strong weekend at Croft, above, while Power had a shocker, below, involved in an accident with James Rossiter.

would be leading the championship |- and now we both have no points.

"It was such a mixed up weekend I for everyone. It actually makes things a little more interesting championship wise, a lot of people lucked in that otherwise wouldn't have because of the high rate of 'attrition. t

"The main thing is that we know we are quick and can be right there j again and again." o Ironically, Marcus Marshall, who I made his debut in British F3 for I Fortec and had a 16th and a 13th as he continues to find his way on the circuits and in the tricky F3 cars, is a former Formula Ford rival of Davison and Power, not to mention also Scholarship Class ace Barton l Mawer.

Mawer had a class win and a third for the weekend, moving him into the strong position in the title chase for older model cars.

That's four Aussies who all raced against one another in FFord back home fighting it against the best in the world in British F3!

And then there were four Aussies: Marcus Marshall made his debut in the British F3 series for Fortec Motorsport. The Queenslander is coming to grips with the cars and finished outside the top 10.

5 May 2004

Rounds seven and eight of the series will be at Knockhill in Scotland on May 15/16.

Willis and Ferrari?

GEOFF Willis has denied stories that he is talking to Ferrari about joining the team in 2006.

Willis said that he is happy to stay with BAR-Honda as long as the team has everything it needs to win the World Championship.

It is also worth noting that there is a widespread belief in FI circles that the next man In the top job at Maranello is going to be in trouble because it will be virtually impossible to replicate the success of recent times without the same people involved and without the time to build a new team.

Thus the job is seen by many as a poisoned chalice as expectations will need to be readjusted. n Johnny Flerbert will replace Guy Smith in the Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx driver line-up for the Le Mans Endurance Series this year.

Smith will remain with the team for the Le Mans 24 Hours event but makes way for Herbert who had previously been under contract only for Sebring and Le Mans.

The four-race Endurance series begins at Monza on May 9. The team said that it needed Johnny's experience with the Audi R8 because of the high level of competition expected in the series. n Circuits de Catalunya SL, the promoter of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, hopes shortly to sign a five-year contract extension with the Formula One group for the venue at Montmeio, near Barcelona. The circuit's existing deal does not expire until 2006 but Catalan minister Josep Bargallo said: "We're making progress with negotiations to renew the grand prix through 2011. Maybe we'll be able to announce the extension during our 2004 race meeting." n Pete Spence, the technical director of Toyota Racing Development USA in Costa Mesa, CA, has revealed that his engine design team is experimenting with iron blocks cast out of compacted graphite to reduce the weight of the pushrod V8 that powers the company's Tundra racecars in the NASCAR Craftsman truck series.

The Toyota is already thought to be the lightest engine in the category, TRD says that it has so far spent less than USUS$2m in development costs on its engine, some of it used in minimising the stroke.

The seven-man design team, led

by David Currier, identified that the weakest link in NASCAR's design parameters was the vaivetrain, which was conceived to handle 5000rpm.

- JOE SAWARD/ QUENTIN SPURRING 15

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NEWS

Reid debuts in Euro 3000 “i?.

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3

Audis top Le Mans 24 Hour testing; Brabham fast in Zytek

IN his return to Le Mans, Audi's Allan McNish has paced the pre race testing session at the famous Sportscar classic.

Tlie former Toyota FI racer, who is teaming up with Frank Biela and Pierre Kaffer in one of the two Audi Sport UK R8s, was only marginally faster than the team car of Jamie Davies, Guy Smith and Johnny Herbert.

YOUNG Kiwi flyer Jonny Reid showed promise in the opening round of the European F3000 series at Brno in the Czech Republic on the weekend.

In his debut in the class, the former F4000 speedster qualified fourth but got a shocking start and was forced to fight his way back through from last in the 20-car field, eventually recovering to a seventh place finish.

Reid, who was runner-up to Daniel Gaunt in last year's Gold Star, is being looked after by Graham Watson, who ran him in last year's F4000 series, Reid is campaigning for English outfit John Village Automotive.

"After a four year absence, it's good to be back at Le Mans!" the Scot exclaimed.

"We worked through a tyre programme before lunch, collecting valuable data for the race. Prospects look encouraging but the competition, not just from the other Audi teams, will be tough."

Champion Racing's Marco Werner was third ahead of five-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (Audi Sport Japan Team Goh) and an impresive David Brabham in the Zytek, the same car campaigned last year as a DBA. Colin McRae sampled the Prodrive Ferrari 550 for the first time on the Le Mans layout, he and co-drivers Rickard Rydell and Darren Turner adrift of the GTS class pace-setting Corvette of Johnny O'Connell.

"It's been a good day and my lap times have been getting a bit closer to the other guys in the car, which was my goal today," said the Scot.

"Bearing in mind we lost quite a bit of time this morning for the engine problem. I'm pleased with the time I did in the end. Physically, I was begimiing to feel it a bit after the end of an hour, across the shoulders, and the race stints are going to be two or even three hours.

"It's more physical than driving a rally car but I enjoyed the challenge of that and don't think it's going to cause me any problems."

Qualifying will be held on June 9 before the race starts on June 12 and runs to the 13th.

5 May 2004

It's not a Panoz, but it's better than watching! Brabham and Andy Wallace put the Zytek into fifth fastest position.

2004 Le Mans 24 Hour Test Times

Pos Drivers 1 McNish/Biela/Kaffer 2 Davies/Smith/Herbert 3 LehtoAA/erner/Pirro 4 Kristensen/Ara/Capello 5 Wallace/Brabham 6 Shimoda/Michigami/Katoh 7 Lammers/Dyson/Kaneishi 8 Coilard/Bourdais/Minassian 9 CoronelAA/ilson/Firman 10 18 24 33

Ayari/ComasTTreluyer Feiiows/O'Connell/Papis RydelITTurner/McRae Long/Bergmeister/Petersen

Car Audi Sport UK Veiocqx Audi- R8 Audi Sport UK Veiocqx Audi R8 Champion Racing Audi R8 Audi Sport Japan Team Goh Audi R8 Zytek Engineering 04S Kondo Dome SI Oi Mugen Racing For Holland Dome SI 01 Judd Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo Judd Racing For Holland Dome SI 01 Judd Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo Judd Chevrolet Corvette C5-R (GTS) Prodrive Ferrari 500 Maranello (GTS) Peterson/White Lightning Porsche GT3-RSR (GT)

Tme 3:32.615 3:32.627 ^ 3:34.176^ 3:34.347 3:35.132 3:36.150 3:36.384 3:36.628 3:37.805 3:39.991 3:49.982 3:56.026 4:05.979

Line 'em up

DISPLACED British Formula 1 drivers Justin Wilson, right, and Ralph Firman are to make their Le Mans 24 race debuts in June having signed to share a Racing for Holland Dome-Judd prototype with Dutch driver Tom Coronel.

Wilson, who raced for Minardi and Jaguar last season, and Firman, who was with Jordan, had their first experience of the car in last Sunday’s open test.

Having competed in the

opening Nissan World Series race, at Jarama, Firman has vacated his drive with the Gabord Reyco team.

- QUENTIN SPURRING

■ BMW will run its M3 GTR V8 coupes in the Spa 24 Flour event this year, above. Running in an invitational class of the FIA GT Championship event, the cars have strong driver line-ups. Pedro Lamy, Flans Stuck and Jorg and Dirk Muller will have Andy Priaulx and Antonio Garcia (both BMW ETCC drivers) join them for the event.

■ Former motorcycling champion Tetsuya Flarada is looking at the ETCC. The 33-year-old Japanese, who left bikes at the end of 2002 is now ready to start a new career in car racing.

"I left at 32, because I was too old for bikes, but I'm still young for cars," said Flarada, who visited the FIA ETCC paddock in Valencia.

Flarada has had a meeting at the JAS Motorsport workshop in Milan, where he discussed the possibility of entering a Honda Accord in the second half of the current season.

■ Saleen has taken the weekend's round of the FIA GT Championship. Germans Michael Bartels and Uwe Alzen took their maiden win at Magny-Cours, clear of the JMB Racing Ferrari 575M of Karl Wendlinger and Toto Wolff.

17

THREE different winners highlighted rounds four, five and six of the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch.

Matt Neal took his first win for the year in the action-packed first race.

BMW driver Justin Keen collected Jason Plato's slow starting SEAT, which sent him straight into the pit wall. Plato then speared back into the on coming traffic, which took out privateer John George and Michael Bentwood (who was meant to start on the

front row of the grid, but his car failed to start).

"I got tagged from the back," said Plato.

"I got slammed straight into the wall. The car is completely destroyed.

We need a new one!"

Neal collected the win from the impressive Rob Huff in the remaining SEAT, while Tom Chilton fought his way to tlie podium after a slow get away. VauxhaU runners James Ttiimpson and Yvan Muller roimded out the top five.

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Another first came in Race 2, but this time it was a first-ever win.

VauxhaU driver Luke Hines surprised Iris experienced team mates to score a great debut win.

Thompson and Muller made it a VauxhaU 1-2-3.

Thompson won the final race and is now equal on points with Muller, who finished third. Reid gave MG a deserved podium place and a top three spot in the tight series.

Points: Thompson 64, Muller 64, Reid 46, Neal 35, Hines 29.

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Celebration for a first timer: Luke Hines lifts his Round 5 trophy, above.

On the Defensive CHRISTIJAN Albers used successful defence tactics to claim his first round win for the year in the DTM Championship at Portugal's Estoril circuit last weekend.

Albers executed a sensational pass on pole-man Mattias Ekstrom and Gary Paffett on one corner to take the lead. He defended his position from there to take a hard-fought win.

Paffett then went off at turn one after a tyre came off the rim. He eventually finished a lowly 13th.

Ekstrom finished a galant second. He tried in vain to pass Albers, pictured above left, and the pair even made contact several times until Albers left Ekstrom no room on the exit of a corner in the dying stages of the race.

Ekstom's Audi team-mate Martin Tomczyk finished third, seen celebrating on the podium.

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above, and fel low Audi driver Tom Kristensen came home fourth. Mercedes stalwart Bernd Schneider was surprisingly off the pace but held out Jean Alesi for sixth.

Points: Albers 18, Ekstrom 14, Kristensen/Paffett/IVIartin Tomczyk 10

BMW upset

BMW bounced back in the fifth and sixth round of the European Touring Car Championship at Magny-Cours in France last weekend.

BMW Team Deutschland drivers Dirk and Jorg Muller stitched up the first round in their 320is, while Brazilian Augusto Farfus followed

them home in his fast Alfa Romeo.

Andy Priaulx continued the BMW crush in the second race after finishing a distant eighth in Race 1, followed by Italian Gabriele Tarquini. Farfus picked up another podium place.

Points: Tarquini 40, J.Muller 35, D.Muller 34, Fabrizio Giovanardi 33, Priaulx 31.

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Gordy goes back-to-back

Hanging the Helmet

IndyCar veteran retires; Giaffone takes over s

JEFF Gordon has claimed two NASCAR Nextel Cup wins in as many weeks,taking victory on Sunday at California Speedway as many of his rivals ran out of fuel.

A week earlier, Gordon claimed victory at Talladega, taking the win under caution.

As anticipated. Dale Earnhardt Jr. dominated the race, leading 57 of the 188 laps. But 'Little E' was just not in the right place at the right time.

Gordon was running alongside Earnhardt Jr when the final caution flag uncoiled, above, and under new rules, the field is frozen at that point.

NASCAR originally stated that 'Jr' was the winner, but moments later the decision was changed and Gordon was awarded the win.

- MARTIN D CLARK

ROBBIE Buhl, one of the mainstays of the IRL IndyCar Series since its inception in 1996, has decided to hang up his helmet.

The American, who is a coowner of the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing outfit in the series, has announced his retirement effective immediately and the team has announced that former Hollywood/Nunn driver Felipe

Giaffone will take over the Purex-backed Dallara/Chevrolet for the Indy 500 and the rest of the season.

"I remember when my goal was just to drive in the Indy 500," said Buhl.

"Now I've started in the front row, started in the back row, and Tve led;the race. I may leave some unfinished business at the Brickyard, but this is the right decision for everyone - my

family, my team, and me. I'm healthy, happy, and walking away on my own terms."

Buhl joined the team in 1999 after racing for Team Menard, becoming a part-owner in 2000. He won two I'RL IndyCar races and'finished:third in the inaugural 1996 season in addition to his 1992 Indy Lights PHIL MORRIS I

:fAventii

Toyota paces Bncl^rd tests

by PHIL MORRIS

TESTING is underway for the 88th running of the Indianapolis 500 and already Toyota has stamped its authority on the speedsheets.

A two-day test at the Speedway late last week saw Penske's Sam Hornish Jr top the times, with a best of 220.113mph. The reduced speeds are the result of IRL IndyCar Series officials cutting engine capacity to three litres, but weren't enough to stop Hornish's team-mate Helio Castroneves from posting the second fastest time.

Terrific Toyotas: Sam Hornish Jr was fastest in testing at Indianapolis for Penske, above, while Scott Dixon (also Toyota-powered) was strong.

IndyCar Champion Scott Dixon was third fastest(219.985mph) ahead of Tomas Scheckter (with Chevrolet power) and Dan Wheldon,fresh from his win in the Motegi event.

"Another week at the shop with these cars and we should be in real good shape for Opening Day next weekend," explained Hornish Jr. "Everything went really good both days of testing, each change we made seemed to make the car a little better."

Getting prepared for his second Indy 500, Kiwi Dixon is a lot more settled this time around.

"The track will only get faster throughout the month but the IRL has done a good job in establishing

guidelines and making changes to slow things down and still make the car a challenge to drive," he said.

"My comfort level is good and I feel a lot better about heading into the month of May than I did last year.

Having been through it once, I know what to expect this year and that makes it easier."

Among those to come to grief with Team Rahal's Buddy Rice, who came to grief at turn one, wlrile rookie Darren Manning also tasted the concrete.

Twenty six different car and driver combinations took to the track for testing, including the returning A1 Unser Jr in a Patrick Racing entry and Robby Gordon,above, in a self-owned entry.

motorspori news

NEWS

Newman/Haas returns

Junqueipa to drive at Indianapolis 500

Another Foyt for the 500 THERE could be another Foyt in the Indy 500 field this year.

Larry Foyt, son of A.J. and uncle of current AJ Fort Racing driver, AJ Foyt IV (confused yet?) has tested one of the team's Dallara/Toyotas with the plan of running in the 500. n The star ditz of reality TV, singer Jessica Simpson, has been given the job of performing the national anthem at the Indianapolis 500. Simpson, who stars with husband Nick Lachey in the MTV series 'Newlyweds' and has had us all rolling on the floor with her great calls ('I know it's tuna but is it chicken or fish?' being among them) will sing prior to the start of the 88th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Can't wait to see what ditzy calls she makes on the day ...

FOR the first time since 1995, Newman/Haas Racing will field a car in the Indianapolis 500 this year.

Brazilian Bruno Junqueira will drive the team's single entry, with backing from his Champ Car sponsor PacifiCare. The team has elected to use the G Force chassis coupled with a Honda engine.

Junqueira has made two starts at

the Brickyard, both for Chip Ganassi's Target team. Pole position in 2002 and a fifth place on debut in 2001 have been his highlights.

"We feel we have assembled a competitive program for our return to the Indianapolis 500," said Carl Haas, co-owner of one of the mostsuccessful open wheeler teams ever.

"Newman/Haas Racing has led

many laps in the Indianapolis 500, and hopefully this year will be no different- except that we hope to lead the final lap."

The one-off IRL race effort will be lead by the team's special projects manager Jim McGee and run from a sateUite office in Gasoline Alley in Indianapolis.

- PHIL MORRIS

Strap yourself into one of i

n Target Chip Ganassi Racing ran Mexican Luis Diaz in Rookie Orientation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday as we went to press. The team say that it doesn't intend on fielding any additional cars to those of regulars Scott Dixon and Darren Manning in the 500. Diaz drives for the team in the outfit's Grand-Am Sportscar program.

- PHIL MORRIS

iVlixed results around the world 'fe*

AUSSIES had mixed fortunes in the latest ronud of the AMA road racing series at Infineon Raceway.

Mat Mladin had to settle for fourth in the Superbike round, hampered by all manner of set up problems on his Suzuki. The battle for the lead was an allHonda affair, with Miguel DuHamel, above, zooming past Jake Zemke on the final corner of the race to take the win.

Mladin's team-mate Aaron Yates was third.

IN Superstock, Jamie Haking got the best of an all-Yamaha fight for the honours.

Aussies Damon Buckmaster and Aaron Gobert pressed hard but had to settle for second and third, just clear of the Kawasaki of Tommy Hayden.

IN the UK,the Suzukis are the bikes to beat, with Yukio Kagayama and John Reynolds taking a win each at a scorching hot third round at Snetterton.

In the first race, the two surged to the line side-by-side, leaving poleman Michael Rutter in third. Reynolds turned the tables in the second race, with Rutter again third.

Not in my bad^ard Gibernau and Honda spoil the Rossi/Yamaha roadshow at Jerez

IT rains in Spain - and local ace Sete Gibernau reigned,taking a wet win at Jerez.

After seeing not just Valentino Rossi's Yamaha on pole position, but that of Carlos Checa as well, Gibernau led pretty well aU the way,despite a challenge from fellow Honda man Max Biaggi, which saw the Italian take the lead on lap 16. Behind Biaggi, Alex Barros made it a Honda 1-2-3.

Where was Rossi? For once, out gunned.He almost fell on lap 12 but held on to take fourth,just holding off Nicky Hayden.

For once,it was the turn of a Honda race winner to down-play the victory.

"It was a spectacular race and very quick too," said Gibernau.

4111 We finally found a good set-up for the rain but there is still chatter. I was trying very hard,I think Max was also trying hard and we had a good race. I want to thank my team for the work they did."

Oddly, Rossi, above, took the same view about his Yamaha; "Each lap I was trying to be more aggressive and the front of the bike

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felt okay," he said. "I think we have quite a gap to make up with Honda in the wet weather,but in general we have had a good weekend, with another pole position."

Checa fell back as far as seventh on his Yamaha, while Loris Capirossi salvaged eighth for Ducati in a bad weekend. Neither his nor Troy Bayliss's 2004 bikes worked in Spain, out-gunned in qualifying by the yearold bike of Ruben Xaus.

Points; Gibernau 41, Biaggi 40, Rossi 38, Barros 29, Hayden 22, Edwards 18, Checa 16, Capirossi 14,Abe 12, Nakano 11.

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motorsport news

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The Don returns

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Stoner close but Simoncelli says

MARCO Simoncelli, #58 above, of Italy won the 125cc class from the pole for his first Grand Prix victory - but Casey Stoner should have won by a mile.

The KTM rider had the race under control with two laps to go, when he came up on a group of lapped riders. Choosing the inside line, he dumped the bike on a puddle but recovered to take fifth.

Steve Jenker of Germany finished second, while Spaniard Hector Barbara was third. The top three finishers were all riding Aprilias.

Points: Dovizioso 38. Jenkner and Locatelli 28,Stone 27, Simoncelli 25, Barbera 22, Nieto 20, Giansanti 14, Di Meglio 11, etc.

ROBERTO Rolfo won the 250cc race in a canter for his third career win.

The Italian led home the equally lonely Randy De Puniet by 8.74 seconds ahead of a thrilling battle between the Aprilias of Fonsi Nieto and Anthony West. On the final lap, the Aussie looked back to check where the local was, only for Nieto to pass him in the stadium section.

Points: De Puniet 40, Rolfo 32,Pedrosa and Nieto 25, Debon and De Angelis 21, West and Poggiali 13, Elias 12.

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"We're back," said Don Panoz.

"We wanted to build and race a car that is more in line with the cars that we sell for the road, so we took some time away to make that happen. We feel that the car will be very competitive but, before we commit to running the rest of the season, we want to see it in real racing action."

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motorsport news

Surprising Times The news regarding at the recent happenings PROCAR definitely took me by surprise.

For sure, it was hard for me to understand what was going on behind the scenes at PROCAR, as 1 wasn't close enough to the situation, but I still didn't expect things to happen the way they

Motor Mouth wllh Paul Siotell

did.

It was a bit of a shock for me, and it's hard to know where it's all going to go in the future.

I was competing in Targa Tasmania last week when it was all unfolding, so I've been keeping my ear to the ground listening to what's going on.

It sounds like a group of individuals are now working together to keep things going, and I think that this could be better in the future because we probably need some stability, and maybe a different set of management can help to provide that.

One thing that PROCAR offered was an alternative to V8 Supercars in Australia, and having that diversity is very important. It would be pretty bad if we had just one series in Australia and that was all.

You need something other than V8 Supercars - people don't want to just watch Holdens and Fords bang around all the time, so I think that there is a big scope for something like a Sportscar category. So it's important. I hope it can continue on in the future, but it's not up to me.

One of the problems that I've found in PROCAR in the past is that there has never been 5 May 2004

On a downer: Stokell has.been running double duty again this year but accidents in the Volkswagen at Oran Park left him pondering things. enough input from the people who compete - the teams, the owners, people like that. But now they have to get together, particularly in Nations Cup, and find a way to make it continue.

You to getand some stability intoneed the rules, develop something that people want to enter a car into, knowing that there's not going to be some rocketship turn up and beat them next week. Nobody wants to invest all of their money and then find that they're just wasting it.

I guess I would support going back to a production basis, but it depends how far they want to go back. It's hard to take a car that's been heavily developed and turn it into something that's a lot slower. Our car has the potential

where you could do that, but there are a lot of other cars out there that would struggle. n The Ferrari 550 really did rock people, because it's a GT car, not really a road-based car. It's based on the road-going chassis obviously, but there were so many changes that it was way above anything else that was running out here.

And then how do you know you much to slow it down? PROCAR would pick a figure and divide it by two or something, and say, 'there you go'. And you think, n 'hang on a sec, how can you possibly prove that that is equal?'

A lot of people were pissed off by that decision. Maybe it can work in the long run, but it's a bit difficult to go into a championship not knowing what you are racing against.

One positive thing to come out of what is happening with the process is the opportunity to come up with some clear regulations. Nations Cup in particular has always had problems in that area.

They had a set of regulations that ultimately said,'PROCAR's decision is final and we can do whatever we want'. And that's not really a set of rules. What you need is something that tells you that you've got this box to work in, and if you go outside that then this is what your punishment will be.

It's always going to be something that's difficult to control when you've got so many different makes of car with different performance levels. Getting them to the same level is virtually impossible. t's also that time of year when people start looking for endurance drivers. I guess I will start talking to a few people, but between Lamborghini and Volkswagen I've been really busy so far this year.

Now this has happened with PROCAR, I've been really focusing on just making sure that I have employment for this year and into the future!

But I'm certainly looking for a V8 endurance drive, and I'd love to get back into the seat again.

25

The End of the Wbrld Mosley issued a set of what he At Imola RAasPresident Max described "preliminary proposals"for a new Formula 1 in 2008.

Instantly, everyone In the paddock was arguing about the effect of the banning of a 'gaffer-dazzler' or whether or not tyres should be slicked or grooved.

A large chunk of the FI community completely missed what Mosley had done.

The rules are - in theory at leastnof negotiable. They are nof covered by the Concorde Agreement (which expires in 2007).

Max has the right to define the sport as he wishes to do so and the only question is whether there will be teams wanting to race.

In effect, he has taken back the power that the FIA lost in 1982 when the Concorde Agreement began.

Since then people have always assumed that there will always be

another Concorde Agreement- but obviously Mosley has a different idea.

22 years after Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone created the Concorde Agreement, they are now taking it apart, having switched sides in the interim period.

I think the future will involve two distinct agreements: one covering the organisation of the sport and the other commercial matters.

This is a very significant change, as it liberates the sport from the smothering effect of Concorde Agreements and will introduce much more flexibility in decision-making.

Mosley would not have been as radical in his approach had he not had support from key players. It is significant that a few days before the ■announcement Bernie Ecclestone.

Mosley, the FIA's Charlie Whiting and banker Dr Gerhard Gribkowsky (who represents the shareholders of FOM) were spotted visiting Ferrari ...

“This week the Formula 1 team bosses will gather in Monte Carlo for two days of talks. This is billed as a chance to discuss everything but it is more likely to be a meeting at which teams will be faced with harsh realities and will have to conclude that if they wish to stay in business they must accept the terms being offered by the FIA. The GPWC will realise that its dreams are over.

The manufacturers say they are committed to the sport but close scrutiny of those involved reveal only weakness. Ferrari has reached a point at which it cannot justify the spending required on FI because its car sales are pegged at 3000 a year to maintain the exclusivity of the brand. The Ford Motor Company is having similar trouble justifying the Jaguar program and knows that it could make money from FI by simply becoming an engine supplier via Cosworth. Costs are also an issue at Renault.

BMW does not have its own FI team. Williams is a private company and without the corporate weight of a manufacturer, knows that rising costs will mean debt. Williams knows that losing BMW as an engine supplier is a problem but not supporting the FIA could push the team into a decline from which it might never be able to reemerge. Rock meets hard place.

Mercedes-Benz says that it is fully committed to the sport but the company as a whole is facing enormous challenges. A new boss is coming this summer and his boss Jurgen Schrempp, the man in charge of DaimlerChrysler, is in all kinds of trouble. The alliance with Chrysler has not been a success, his globalisation plan is falling apart. And his FI program is embarrassing.

The final nail in the GPWC coffin came in Malaysia where team bosses were outraged to read leaked copies of

motorsport news

;>; ,

FORMULA 1

(as we know it) the Memorandum of Understanding which the GPWC had concluded with Ecclestone. They found that Ferrari, Williams and McLaren would all get more money than the smaller teams.

It was not transparent and it was not fair.

Once that document was out, the GPWC was fatally injured and in Bahrain, the irate team bosses were talking to Ecclestone about breaking out of the current deadlock. Everyone is trapped in an arms race, spending vast sums of money on weaponry simply to have the same, or more, than the opposition.

The sport gains nothing from this because the differences do not really affect the spectacle. Mosley's new rules will allow costs to be reduced if only because some of the manufacturers are going to leave the sport rather than accept a common electronic control unit (ECU)and as a

result the money supply in FI is going to be squeezed.

This is the only known way of reducing costs in FI because if money is available, engineers will find ways to spend it no matter what the regulations state.

M

osley has redesigned the sport and now we must see who is going to stay and who is going to go.

And this is where things are going to get interesting because, after that, the next step will be to sort out a commercial settlement.

You might think that the Formula One Group is now in a very strong position, but the profits in the past have left scars on the sport and there is a strong desire amongst the team owners not to let Bernie get away with it again.

The FIA appreciates that this could risk the World Championship because the team owners may just give up.

They are all wealthy men and a lot of them are getting towards retirement age. They do not like to see their

companies struggling for cash, knowing that so much of the money which is being generated is disappearing off to trust companies in obscure parts of the tax-free world.

The FIA must therefore look to try to cut Bernie's take. It has the weapon to do that because it is not clear who is in control of the Formula One group (there is a legal action between Bernie and his banks). The FIA can veto any change of control and cancel the entire 100-year deal.

Thus the rights holder could be forced to negotiate down his share in the business, under pressure from the FI teams and the FIA. And you know at the bottom of it all there is a fundamental conflict that must one day be resolved. Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley have been allies for 30 years but in the end they have to go head-to-head to discover who is smarter.

Like a huge game of Monopoly, there can be only one winner at the end ...

The with BoxlotSeat Saward

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Mosley has redesigned the sport and now we must see who is going to stay and who is going to go It

Sc

If

Who will win?

Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone have been associated for a long time. Thirty years separates the photos of the two Englishmen who may now find themselves on opposite sides of the debate over El's future.

27

Five minutes with

Jason Bright

After hammering the opposition to takePM Racing's maiden championship round win in NZ,Brighty toid PHiL BBAmGAni why Hie ieeis so good-and why the host may yet be to como

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Was that a coming out party on the weekend?

JASON BRIGHT: It was. I think that the team is coming of age. I think I said at the press conference that the job that they did last year impressed me just as much as the job that they are doing this year.

The results that we were getting last year were good, in the circumstance, but this year's results are getting noticed a bit more, obviously. We are more on the pace than we were last year, but what we did last year impressed me. Hopefully, we can continue to get good results.

That comes as a result of the hard work that the team has put in to get the results that we deserve.

MN: Looking back at last year, is having set-backs a good thing for the team in the long term?

JB: When I looked at the 2003 season at the start of this year, that is what I thought too. We worked hard under extremely difficult circumstances but we were still able to mix it with guys that were in much better situations.

Going into this year, I thought that would pay off for us. The hard work we put in transferred into the new car and that was able to give us a great start with the VY. That said, I think that we can make it even better.

MN: For a team that did not even have its drivers' racesuits sorted for the first race of the season,three races into the season, pole by a quarter of a second,two of the three race wins ... that's a thumping.

JB: Well, it's certainly good at this stage!

The car, from the word go, was quite well-balanced. We had a good run at the Grand Prix but we were pretty disappointed at 28

the engines we have and it is pretty clear that there are some teams that have lost a little performance with the new engine regulations in place now.

Maybe that was the difference we were looking for last year; we worked very hard on the chassis but we were losing a bit to some of the teams that were using lightweight engine components.

Adelaide and Eastern Creek. A lot of things did not make sense at those race meetings and it was not until we got back to the workshop after Eastern Creek that the things that happened at those race meetings started to make a lot more sense.

That was good. We got on top of them and went to New Zealand confident that we were on top of the problems. The results proved that we were back to where we were at the Grand Prix.

MN: That must make the idea of returning to Eastern Creek this year comforting.

JB: Exactly. One of the disappointing things about Eastern Creek was that we had a lot of problems on Friday. We were in and out of the pits for the whole session. It was all stemming from the same thing; we basically just covered it up for the weekend without realising it. It was great that we had a quick car going into the race, we were pretty confident, provided it was a dry race.

Then it rained and our car was not as good as we liked. The second set of tyres was nowhere near as good as the first set and we slipped back.

That left us with some work to do.

MN: Does PWR Racing have what it takes to contend for the championship?

JB: I am sure it does. I have no doubt that it has the right personnel and the right equipment to do the job. I think that we have a good

"I think that we can make it even hettei*" - The words 30 other guys do not want to hearjust now understanding of the VY, considering how long we have had it.

That seemed to be what Stone Brothers did last year. ' They were able to dial it in to whatever track they went to. I think we are at that level now; we can dial it up pretty quickly and show up with a set-up that is going to be pretty close to the mark.

MN: On the performance of your team's two drivers, and the two Kmart drivers,the hot ticket at the moment seems to be a VY with an 18-degree Chevrolet. Fair comment?

JB: It is hard to know because we have not run with the Holden Motor Sport engine yet. There are some teams out there that look to have got some pretty good power out of it.

Our car was really good onto the back straight at Pukekohe and that makes your engine performance look pretty impressive. We are happy with

MN: Are you and Paul Weel staying with the package you have got? Do you plan to have new engines or chassis this season?

JB: Hard to say whether we have a new chassis. I would hate to debut a new chassis without the right amount of testing. We have to factor that into consideration.

As far as converting to a Holden Motor Sport engine, when one is available to us, we will make sure that it is more competitive and more reliable than what we have got at the moment. When that happens ... we do not have that at our disposal now, anyway.

MN: How important is it to have Weel going well and taking points off the opposition?

JB: Great. He is doing a great job. He has had a change of engineer this year and that is working well for him as a team member. Our two engineers work well together and we are able to transfer a lot more data than we ever have before and Paul is able to use a lot more of my data than before. He was still getting used to the Holden last year and was probably running a little earlier in set-ups.

That was to make the car a little more comfortable to drive but the two test days this year have made him more comfortable with different set ups. It is working well. motorsport news

I

INTERUIEIAf

Five minutes with

Ryan Briscoe

Toyota's young Aussie is exneriencing his first year without actuaiiy racing. He shared some of his thoughts on his new situation with CHHtS LAMBDEN atimoia

MOTORSPORT NEWS: There must be some frustration this year. As we speak,the FI cars are practising - this is the first season in your career that you're not actually racing.

RYAN BRISCOE; Yes, I miss the racing for sure, especially now that all the other categories' racing seasons have started.

It Is a bit frustrating just testing. But I'm not worried. I'm quite happy with the position I've got In Toyota. Things are looking positive and I'm getting plenty of confidence in the (FI) car, going round and round.

The team is happy, so things are moving forward. Even if I'm not racing. I've still got a very good position.

MN: All you can really do is put everything into the testing, develop some rapport with the team and hope that an opportunity arises.

RB: Yes. I'm also learning all the time. And they have the confidence in what I'm doing.

A lot of the parts I tested last week are on the race cars this weekend.

They have a level of trust in what I'm doing. It's all about gaining respect within the race team, while putting on miles in an FI car.

MN: In the meantime,there is all the speculation about the Toyota line-up for next year especially with the Ralf Schumacher chat. You must consider yourself to be a contender for a race berth at some stage. Is all the Ralf stuff unsettling?

RB: We've got no idea, really.

There's all sorts of chat about all sorts of drivers! Yes, I'd like to think I'm a contender for a race seat, but at the moment it's difficult to know what they want - whether they're going to keep both or at least one of this year's drivers.

30

It's difficult to know. And to be honest. I'm leaving most of that to my manager.

There are quite a few possibilities for next year. I think, at worst. I'll probably be the third driver. That's still a very good position to have, as the team is still growing.

The most important thing is just to keep working hard, getting good results In testing.

MN: There's a suggestion that one option might be a drive with Minardi ~ whether or not Paul Stoddart negotiates a Toyota engine deal. Any progress on those fronts?

RB: It would be a possibility, I don't know whether Toyota will be ready to make an engine deal with another team next year. I can see it happening in the future, but maybe next year is too early.

If that opportunity came up, along with continuing to do testing here, that'd be great for me. Even if it's not a top team.

you are gaming race experience in Formula 1 and increasing the possibility of moving up into a race drive with Toyota.

MN: There are a number of current drivers who started their FI race careers there. Is there something to be said for experiencing F1 in a team where a little money goes a long way before moving on to better-funded teams?

RB: For sure. The car may not be fast, but yes, it is a good team to learn a lot from. The team has been around for a long, long time. They do have a lot of years of experience and there are some smart guys there.

They might not have the money to have the best equipment, but they know what they're on about.

It's quite amazing what they do achieve, given the level of input they have.

MN: Do you have any indication from the team as to

when you will realistically know what is happening in 2005?

RB: The (driver) market seems to be moving all the time. We're trying to work on next year already, but there aren't any concrete answers yet.

You can speculate on a lot of things, but not really know what's going to happen. August, September, maybe, we'll know with some certainty what's happening next year.

The most important thing for me is to keep within the Toyota team. Whether or not I'm loaned to another team, I want to stay primarily here with Toyota and continue my relationship with them.

MN:In terms of moving up the grid, it's taking Toyota some time ...

RB: They'll get there. It might take a bit of time, but they've come into Formula 1 to win.

They have the will and the resources. They'll get there, motorspori news

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Life Begins at M have an uneasy alliance. A Racing andhave birthdays number drivers of drivers had a lot of 39th birthdays because ... well,40 is a big number.

Glenn Seton is not having any of those fears. As he starts his 40th year today, he is free of the responsibilities of running his own team. Having sold his team, cars, hardware and licences to Ford Performance Racing at the end of the 2002 season, Seton has moved his wife Jayne and two kids to a new home on the Gold

Glenn Seton's life is very different to the one he had in 2002. Gone are the Coast. With a full-time ride, plenty of free time and,presumably,a healthy responsibilities of owning and running a retirement fund,life looks good.

"I feel fantastic," says Seton,"fit, team, and Ford Performance Racing healthy,raring to bloody win races. had such big changes in the promises much for the future. last"I've two years. Actually going from a team and to living in PHIL BRANAGAN spoke to Seton about owning Melbourne, to selling a team, to back to just being just a driver, life as a racing driver, what lies ahead going to moving to Queensland,I'd have to it's been a huge change in my life. and living in the warm and friendly north say

32

That comment, by itself, represents a major shift of thinking for Seton.

When he moved from Sydney to Melbourne, to join the Fred Gibsonrun Nissan team, opportunity beckoned. For some time, it appeared that Glenn was set to join the elite, after being courted by Nissan for an international career. But he put all that to one side in favour of establishing and running his own touring car team, with backing firstly from Philip Morris and then from Ford.

But, times change.

"There's no way I could keep up owning, driving and trying to win races at this competition level," he says,"I think it's quite a big task. I'm sure if you had unlimited money and

'f'.

39

unliiTuted budgets, you could do it.

But with the funding that I had,and trying to do it on that shoestring budget and run at the front, and own it and run it and be a part of it was pretty difficult to do,so I'd have to say it's been a positive change on the motorsport front.

"On the 'change in location'front, I can't answer that for probably another six months unril we get through a winter here and see if I have made the right decision."

When he walked away from team ownership, Glenn Seton Racing had nine employees,including its driver.

At the height of his career, when he won the 1997, he had six. The most people employed by the Dandenongbased team was 16- and that was running two cars.

Now,FPR has almost 40 people on board. And the changes are massive.

"For me personally, it's a huge amount(of change)from where I've been, because actually I was behind the scenes, involved in the organisation, the technical side of the

Number 5 is (still) alive: Glenn Seton is now a 'free'man as others run the team that prepares his FPR Falcon BA, left. Life on the Cold Coast seems to agree with Seto, who reports he has less grey hairs than be used to have ...

U8 SUPERCARS

cars, the engine side of it, the sponsorship side of it, then I had to drive the car.

"So for me now,I just turn up, turn the key and drive the car. There are the sponsorship commitments that I need to do for the team, and keep myself fit. But even so, it's been a huge change, probably more so mentally; physically I wouldn't say there's been a lot of change at all, but mentally there's been a huge change in what I've got to think about now compared to what I had to think about two years ago.

"The Nissan drive and working at the Nissan race team in 1985 was the main reason to move to Melbourne in the first place. Last year I naturally didn't have to go to work every day

and so. I'd have to say, I noticed the weather patterns in the winter, t he climate in the winter in Melbourne, for the first time. I wanted a change from that.

"I always spent quite a bit of time in Queensland. When I was a young boy my sisters lived up here and always liked it up here and, naturally, with my father being up here, that was all part of the decision-making process to come to Queensland.

"It also offers a better climate and up-bringing for my kids based on being able to do a lot more 'outdoors' stuff all year rormd,instead of just in the summer.

"I find it very easy now,and I find myself a little bit lost in that I need more to do mentally for me because

There'S no way I could keep up owning, driving and trying to win races at this competition level"

HI'

- Seton on the change from owner/driver to driver

I've just been one of those people who camethrough the era of having to do your own racecar, own your own race team and drive as well. To walk away now from doing that for basically 14 years, 15 years,I need more stimulation brain-wise."

So, with the influx of drivers settling in Queensland's south-east corner, what is there now? Boats? No. Jet-skiing? Nope. Golf? When we spoke to Seto, he was outside his father Bo's engine shop, preparing for another day of getting his hands

dirty.

The previous day, the Setons had been at Morgan Park, working together on the restored 1980s-era Ford Capri in which the younger Glenn had made his name.

"Tm driven," Seton muses,"I'm very highly driven that way. My passion has been motorsport, naturally, because I've been brought up in it and I thrive on the technical side of the sport.

continued on page 34

■r

continued from page 33 "I thrive on being able to drive the cars, and if anything I miss being involved in the technical side. That's not going to happen forever because, at the end of the day, whenever I retire or whatever I do,I do want to get involved in a team that wants my sort of input and help.

"I do miss that side of it. I do miss the camaraderie of day-to-day, every single day being at the workshop and being involved with the guys and learning a lot of things, and doing testing and things like that -1 definitely miss all that side of it.

"I believe I've had a lot of years experience in the sport and I believe that I can help in the technical and overall view of a race team."

And that is part of the irony that is FPR. The team is based in Melbourne; its two drivers, who like nothing more than getting out the spanners and tinkering with their cars, are almost 2000km away in Queensland.

According to Seton, that is not a downside.

"I don't see it being a problem.I don't see any reason. What's the difference between someone living in Melbourne two hours away, as in driving distance, or two hours away in a plane? I don't see the difference.

At the end of the day planes are just like taxis these days - you can hop in a taxi, an air-taxi, and it takes you two hours and you're there!

"So I don't see any reason; if I was involved in the business day-to-day I can see it would be a conflict, there's 34

no doubt about that. Not so much a conflict, but a hard situation to deal with.

Prodriving: Seton leads Lowndes at Albert Park back in March, above. The two drivers will be hoping to go one better than their second-place finish at Bathurst last October, below.

"But at the end of the day we are drivers for that team and that's our duty - to drive the race cars and to take care of our sponsorship commitments, which we easily achieve."

And Seton is qualified to make such a comment. After all, when the Peter Jackson team was af its height in the mid-90s, team-mate Alan Jones was half a country away from the team's base,just as Seton and Craig Lowndes are now.

No chat with Seton would be complete without mentioning Bathurst. The man has had 17 round wins in the championship and 52

At the end of the day I hope I am teamed up with Craig, because I think that's our best chance to win Bathursf'

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-Seta hopes Prodrive listens podiums. But Bathurst is a black spot; no wins, two second places, one of them with Lowndes last year.

He.is hoping that he can go one better this October, with Lowndes as his co-driver.

"I hope I am teamed up with Craig agaon, because I think that's our best chance as a race team to win Bathurst. With where we are championship-wise and speed-wise.

I see Bathurst as our biggest potential achievement for this year.

It's not up to me to put us two together but I hope we are together because I think that's our best opportunity, and if we can come away with Bathurst this year ... well, everybody knows that whoever wins Bathurst can write off most of the year really."

FPR is noted for not making public statements prior to its decisions. But

with the team still in its transformation period, and endurance drivers at a particular premium this year, it does seem to make sense that its two regular drivers attack the enduros together.

And nothing would suit Seton better. His new home lacks for nothing - except a Bathurst winner's trophy. Wouldn't that give him something to show his new neighbours?

moiorsport news

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Say Goodbye to

ELECTRONICS

From 3-iitre VIOs to 2.4-litre V8s. Engines must last two race weekends. Variable inlet and exhaust timing outlawed

Control ECU for all functions. Launch and traction control banned.

No adjustment allowed for any functions

TRANSMISSION Manual operation of gearbox and clutch. No variable diff mapping

AERODYNAMICS Fixed front and rear

HAIVGAK

REAR TYRES

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Wider, to increase drag.

No tyre changes allowed except for punctures

CHASSIS

Lower mininum weight to reduce ballast.

Stiffness of materials used reduced motorspon news

FORMULA ONE

the Bells and Whistles Just what has the FIA proposed for 2008 and what difference will it make to the cars and racing? PHIL BRANAGAN looks at what stays and what goes

T

HE list of proposed changes to FI's technical regulations revealed in Italy last week is the most dramatic in the 54-year history of the sport.

If all of the changes are implemented - and the suggestions are that Max Mosely is intent on getting his way with most of them the look and performance of GP cars will change drastically.

The main purpose of the new rules appears to be trying to reduce costs, and that process starts with engine specification. At present, all FI cars must use a normaUy-aspirated, internal combustion engine with 10 cylinders and a displacement of no more than 3000cc. Even with the

. percent reduction in the number of cylinders (to eight) and displacement (to 2.4-litres). If the performance of the engine was to remain unchanged, that would cut horsepower to approximately 720 - although unchecked development is likely to raise that figure somewhat.

But the FIA is also planning to extend the 'one engine' rule to force teams to run engines for two events.

Along with that, it plans the use of a control ECU that has the potential to greatly limit and control engine performance. Variable inlet and exhaust systems will be outlawed as well. With this in mind, with current technology, probable horsepower wiU be somewhere in the mid-600s.

new-for-2004 rule limiting cars to the use of one engine over race weekends, the units produce approximately 900 horsepower and rev to over 19,000rpm.

AU the of the engines currently in use have free electronics, which allows the use of traction control, and utilise pneumaticaUy-actuated valves, variable-length inlet and exhaust systems and, within guidelines, free use of materials.

Under the '2008' rules, the engines wUl have a lower capacity, with a 20

Currently, all teams use automatic gearboxes, though this season, drivers must do the gearchanging themselves (albeit using elecdtronic 'flippers'). Laimch control has been 'banned'though, through a loophole, a certain number of start functions can stUl be accommodated in the same system that governs pit lane speed limiters.

Under the proposed regs, both gearbox and clutch must be operated manually, power steering will be outlawed and variable diff mapping

u

with be illegal. The current cars use carbon brake discs and pads;in four years, these will go too.

Wheel sizes will change,narrower at the front and wider at the back, to reduce the cornering speed of the cars and increase drag. Control tyres will be supplied by a single company.

A reduction in'maximum modulus of elasticity' of materials will mean chassis are less stiff- and far less expensive.

Aerodynamics wiU be confined to a formulated package, designed around an agreed downforce figure.

Spare cars wUl be outlawed; all cars wUl be held in pare ferme when not on the track. Tyre changes will not be allowed but refuelling with stay, though the FIA may consider limiting the fuel aUocated to a car for the race to encourage fuel efficiency.

Apart from possible changes to the points system,the other big difference wUl be that there wiU be no restriction on the sale, loan or exchange of cars or their components between teams. To this point, teams have had to develop their own chassis, aerodynamics,transmissions and,in some cases, engines,by themselves or in partnership with their suppliers or manufacturers.

COMMUNICATION Radios allowed but twoway telemetry banned

This has meant that it is possible that two different makes of car might look identical(except for paint) and even have similar performance,but share no actual components. Witness the level of fuss made at the start of the season when Sauber unveiled what appeared to be a blue Ferrari F2003.

Should this rule come in, and be availed by the teams,it could dramatically reduce the cost of new teams coming into FI. With the FIA stating that it would accept up to 12 entries (ie, 24 cars) per season, this is clearly a way of extending the grid size from the current 20 cars and ensuring the survival of the current teams that may be facing financial difficulties.

What is the aim of all this? Clearly, as Saward explains {Box Sent, page 26), the FIA is determined to retake control of GP racing from the teams, all of which have the right of veto under the Concorde Agreement. For some years, the FIA has sought changes to be approved by the teams to reduce costs, cut speed or both.

With aU the teams having individual agenda,so far, they have not come to the party.

Mosley wiU also be aware that having the same team win most of the events is as bad for FI as it is for any sport, and there appears to be agreement that Ure current generation of cars are close to becoming too fast for some racetracks. The FIA,clearly, has had enough of negotiating with the teams and is setting its own agenda. Or,to put it another way,it has always had a gun. Now,it has buUets as well.

For FI's early reactions to the Mosely plan, see over page...

FRONT TYRES

Narrewer,to reduce grip. Contrel tyres for all events frnm a single supplier S May 2004

37

So what do you fliH \

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The FIA shook the GP world at Imola when it unveiled a hlueprint for an all-new H from 2008 onward.

JOE SAWARD gauged the early reaction from some of the key players

One of the problems - and 1 is fascinations - of Formula that everyone argues from a different point of view and the problem is getting agreement on any issue.

It may turn out that the most important clauses in Max Mosley's proposals, published at Imola, were not the technical regulations but rather the sporting regulations which change the way in which decisions are made after the end of the FI Concorde Agreement at the end of 2007.

The technical ideas are designed to bring down costs, for teams and manufacturers, while improving the show and making sure that cars are safe.

But there are also political agendas in the background.

There is no question that the biggest problem facing FI is financial. Too much of the money which is generated by the sport goes out of it. On this issue

38

everyone apart from Bernie Ecclestone and his partners agree. Funds must be redistributed. Not surprisingly Ecclestone is not keen to give ground.

Flence the establishment of the GPWC and all the politics of recent years. But the GPWC is not going to work because its proposals were neither fair nor presented with financial clarity.

Although some of the manufacturers say that the GPWC is an option, in effect it is dead.

Mosley's 2008 Formula 1 regulations are an attempt to define FI as it will be in the new era and the one thing that is clear from the responses is that everyone in FI is driven by selfinterest. Few will look beyond that. And when that is the attitude you can find all manner of arguments. The rules have been designed to make life easier for everybody but ask Paul Stoddart of Minardi (left) what he thinks and the reaction is one almost of despair.

"It will cost me more money," he says. "Changing everything costs more money and the idea that I can go and buy a chassis from other teams will not work. I asked a few teams about that and the prices they come back with were ludicrous. So I would have to build new cars and pay for new engines. I don't see how I can do it. At the moment I can use the same cars year by year and there are a lot of parts which do not have to be changed."

Stoddart knows that the old Minardis cannot go on forever and argues that money is still the key. Fie needs more to do anything.

Up at the other end of the grid, the manufacturers are arguing that a rule change will cost more, but they are looking at the problem from a completely different angle. motorsport news

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k of t so fap? it is clear to us that if you change from a 3-litre VI0 to a 2.4-litre V8 you have to do two separate engines in parallel ## for at least one year.

11

- Mario Thiessen, BMW "If we think we need to do something about it I think we should try and get it done before 2008 and not as late as that," said Mario Theissen of BMW (below, right).

"In my view cost reduction is the most urgent thing and this is why we would not propose a different engine format. It is clear to us that if you change from a 3-litre VI0 to a 2.4-litre V8 you have to do two separate engines in parallel for at least one year. And that would be a massive cost increase.

"We would be happy and support extending engine life, maybe even beyond two race weekends. That would take power down and at the same time would be a massive cost cut. That is what we need."

Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug has similar views.

"My personal view is that a change of rules, in terms of the engine, doesn't help to save money, not at all. It's quite the opposite in that case."

Haug (below left, with enginemaker Mario mien) makes the point that if the rule-changes are designed to drive out the manufacturers there is a danger that there would be would not be enough engines, but this is disingenuous. If there are no engines, there will be companies which will appear to supply them.

Cosworth and Mecachrome are already rumoured to be at work on such projects. Engine supply will not be the Issue.

But FI does not want to lose all its manufacturers and so needs to strike a balance and that may mean that the philosophy of Formula 1 will need to shift. The thing that is costing money is the belief that FI is primarily a technological exercise rather than part of the entertainment business.

"Without the technology what makes Formula 1 different to anything else?" says Eddie Jordan, "That is part of the sport."

The men at Honda agree with that. "in general we would be against any changes that take away the technical challenges from our engineers," explains Otmar 5 May 2004

Szafnauer, the vice president of Honda Racing Development. "I think there are things in there like the rev limiters and things of that nature that are anathema to Formula 1 in general. We're not against reducing engine size as long as the design freedoms remain open and Formula 1 remains the pinnacle of motor sport."

But there is middle ground where a compromise can be done. The key is still money.

"If Formula 1 is going another way, which is not congruent with our ideas and values as BMW,then we would change to another kind of motorsport," says BMW's Burkhardt Goeschel. "We are not fixed on Formula 1. FI has to change Its style of management or BMW and fellow manufacturers are off to the GPWC. It has to be managed like an industrial company.

There is room for discussion but a new series might be one solution."

The reality is different and those companies which choose to remain FI players must sort out the problems between them.

Compromise is going to be needed.

"We think the aim of the proposals is very positive," says Ferrari's Paolo Martinelli (above right). "We have to consider what we can do for the future of the sport. We have to give priority to safety, to maintain or improve the spectacle and to design a formula that still allows for the peak of technology but at reasonable cost.

"If one of the targets is cost reduction we have to consider standard hardware for electronics. It is something that is a primary goal of cost reduction. Of course the software must allow a level of freedom to develop according to the need of each engine manufacturer."

"The devil," says Renault FI's Rob White, "is going to be in the detail," What everybody knows is that if the sport is not careful it will kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

"We need to go through the changes carefully," says Frank Williams, "but we are cautiously positive about them,"

Does FI haveas

Imola should be one offour races with a permanent place on the Formula 1 calendar

T

HE Dino Ferrari circuit, at Imola,looks to be joining what is an increasing list of classic Grand Prix venues falling foul of the doUar-driven surge for further expansion of the Grand Prix circus.

The history of the place is, admittedly,less extensive than some of Europe's other classic venues, with its first full GP taking place in 1981.

However, the ambience of the place, as it twists and turns and rises and falls through the outskirts of the little Italian town of hnola,is irreplaceable.

What a place. This writer cajoled his way out onto its sweeping layout (okay,it was just an Astra rental car) prior to this year's race and,believe me,even without a race-day crowd,it oozes atmosphere.

Out of Tosa, sweeping upill then down into Acque Minerali; through the Variante Alto then dropping down into the Rivazza, surrounded by local houses and restaurants.

None of your Turn 1, Turn 2,Turn 3 stuff here, thanks. You can keep that for Malaysia, Bahrain and, presumably, Turkey.

It's like Bathurst with pasta and gorgonzola. Tamburello may have been emasculated since the tragic events of 1994, but it remains a race track with style.

It's certainly something that nobody could hope to rephcate anywhere outside of Italy - never mind in the desert of Bahrain or the wastelands of Turkey, the latter seemingly set to take Imola's spot on

the Formula 1 calendar in 2005.

Imagine the termis grand slam series without the French Open Roland Garros is getting a bit tatty after all. Or the British Golf Open being moved from its various links venues to some new putt-putt spectator-friendlier super-course in the south of England.

Or V8 Supercars without Bathurst.

What was it that some entrepreneurial motorsport newcomer once said about 'sacred sites'?...

Imola falls into this category. In fact it is one of four Grands Prix(add in Monza,Spa and ... okay, Monaco) which should effectively be immune from the mega-mUlion dollar dealing which now characterises the Formula 1 Grand Prix calendar.

By all means make the megamoney from the other 14 races, but even Bernie Ecclestone must(?) deep down understand that a major sport is nothing without some sense of history. Without a soul. Imola is part of that.

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Sure, there are things at hnola which need to be addressed. Some of the facilities are below par. The pits and paddock are simply too smaU for the modem collection of pantechs and chrome-plated motor-homes and PR centres which make up the Grand Prix.

The toilets are... er, Italian. Yes,it does need some money spent on it There are suggestions that the cancellation threat is indeed designed to get the circuit owners to do just . that. Let's hope so. Spa came back after one year. Imola must too, or

motorsport will be the poorer,in an aesthetic sense,for it.

Among the moments make up Imola's history iswhich one dark weekend in which two Grand Prix drivers lost their lives.

The 2004 hnola Grand Prix marked the 10th anniversary of that sad weekend and,in general, the memory was handled with a dignity which suggests there are still some near to FI who do have a soul...

Without disprespect to Roland Ratzenberger, Ayrton Senna's memory dominated the weekend.

A castle in the city of hnola was taken over by the Senna Foundation, which put together an extensive display of Serma history and memorabilia.

Three Senna cars - a 1984 Toleman, a 1985 Lotus, and a '94 Williams were on show,along with a superb collection of images of Senna's career

by MNews GP photographer Keith Sutton, below, whose photographic future in FI grew from a chance meeting with the young Brazilian early in his Formula Ford career.

On track, Sunday's race crowd witnessed a couple of laps by Senna's closest friend in FI, Gerhard Berger, left, at the wheel of the JPS Lotus in which the young Brazilian won his first GP,at Estoril, in 1985.

Sister Vivianne, left, was on hand, as was Jo Ramirez, the long-standing (now retired) McLaren team manager who forged a solid bond with Senna during his time with the team.

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The ambience of the place, as it twists and turns and rises i and fails througi^ tits ! ^ outskirts of the yttie ^ itellaHtownef!mflla, “i Is irrepiaceahle ff

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6h Tl amiliar, even if the face is TiE not.name is probably Atjeast, it wasn't to a bunch of scho® kids dangling out of the - windows of the indoor volleyball courts above Albert Park's pit garages dining a Motorsport News photo shoot last week who wanted to know whether the guy in the Mistral cap was someone famous.

After waiting a couple of moments .in..the vain hope that someone (i.e. me) would answer the question for Mt\ Davison mumbled

^|n:i|ething to his intrigued audience ^Happut how he just drives a bit, and

HnUtat that.

Idds w'eren't satisfied, but that PPefegi't really matter. Despite E^P«5on's aversion to courting ^.pabhcity, there's every chance that it won't be long before people won't ^bss to ask. If we do a similar shoot tesame place in a couple of years, ^.those Idds will probably come S^njnning down the stairs for an

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Da\ison has been off the radar

, . Si"-''somewhat in tlie Australian racing L'_ n

Peter Bury

42

l . scHne over the past few years,having - Siwtacross the world to race in the German Carrera Cup,Porsche n 'Supercup, and occasionally ALMS after^^shing equal-second with - Steve Owen in the 1999 Australian FormuLi Ford Championship.

He returned home for a flying visit ■at the start of 2003, making his Australian tin-top debut in the inaugiual Carrera Cup races at the Grand Prix (where he ended the weekend w'ith a clean-sweep), and has now shifted back to Melbourne

had in his first three years of V8 Supercar racing then of course I'd be very, very happy.

I just like to be myself. I don't have any idols or anything. I don't base the way I do things around how other people have done them in tlie past, I just do things the way I see fit and go on the things I've learned over tlie last four years and the mistakes that I've made. I just try to be my own person.

MN: The idea of doing things your own way is evident in the route that you have taken to get to where you arc.

AD; Yeah. And the reason I went over there (to Germany) in the first place had nothing to do witli wanting to be different, although I suppose no-one else has really gone down that path.

But there was no real plan behind it at the time. After weighing up all the options, I thought it was the bestf option. And the further down the track I went, the happier with the decision I was.

At first it was, 'oh. I'd really love to be doing open-wheelers, F3 or whatever'. But the longer I spent over there, the more I saw and the more I found out about how that side of motor racing - Formula One, and the junior ranks like Formula 3000 and Formula Three - really is.

The more I found out about it, the more I just didn't want to be a part of it, because it's a huge effort financially, logistically and just about in every area to get to Formula One. And once you get there, the race is only just beginning, because then you've got just as big a task getting to a top team where you can win races.

V^ereas the reason I am involved

5>ia^nently.

After tw'o rounds, the 24-year-old is leading the 2004 Australian Carrera Cup Championship - and already possesses the most sought-after signature for V8 Supercar teams looking to complete their driving line-ups for the endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst.

in motor racing is to be competitive and win races. That's what keeps me going. So I'm enjoying racing touring cars and GT cars and all that sort of thing.

It's great to be able to earn a living doing it.

MOTORSPORT NEWS: Tm going to start with a nice, easy one. You're back in Australia after a few years racing overseas, and you're pretty much the number one draft pick in terms of endurance drivers, despite having limited V8 experience. So are you the next Marcos Ambrose?

ALEX DAVISON; I suppose I wouldn't like to say that I want to be the next Marcos Ambrose, but if I could emulate the sort of success he's

MN: In other words, you're more of a realist than a glory hound?

AD: I just love the competition. I think that if you are running around in a category - and I experienced it last year - not being competitive, you start losing the fun of it. It starts to become less enjoyable.

It's enjoyable driving, but if you're not being competitive, then it stops being enjoyable to a certain extent.

But that's not to say that I wouldn't have loved to have gone to

motorsporl news

CARRERIi GUP

My other car is also a Porsche: Davison gets around in Porsche's very smart Cayenne, right. The GT3 Cup car, above, only comes out on weekends...

Formula One. If I'd had the opportunity at the time^ I would have kept going down that track. But 1 don't regret veering off that road quite early in my career at all.

, IF I don't regret veering

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off that road early in my career at all rr - Davison on why he shelved his open-wheeler aspirations

MN: Why did you decide to come home this year?

AD: I had the opportunity to stay over there this year and do German Carrera Cup and, potentially.

Supercup.

But whether it was Carrera Cup or Supercup wasn't an issue really, it was just the fact that I didn't want to stay over there year after year, doing the same thing, with no real progression.

As far as this year went, there 5 May 2004

wasn't even anything concrete on the horizon that made it look like I could progress any further. I was hoping this year to do FIA GT or ALMS,take that step up into the GT-type racing. which I did a little bit of last year.

When that fell through and the only option was to do German Carrera Cup,I sat down and had a good look at what my options were in terms of racing in Australia.

Especially after last year, being so uncompetitive ... it really turned me off those one-make series over there.

Not the Carrera Cup or Supercup in general, because 1 think it is a fantastic concept, and that is shown in the way it is working so well in Australia at the moment.

But over there last year, it really got down to who could cheat the best and not get caught, and I'm really not interested in being a part of tliat.

That's just another reason why 1 wasn't really pumped about going and doing another year of it.

Looking at the big picture. I'm the same as everyone else. 1 want to progress, 1 want to move up. And back in Australia, 1 saw a better opportunity to move forward.

For sure, there are more doors open to me here if 1 do well in Carrera Cup to move into V8s, for example, than there is in Germany for me to move into DTM. I'm not at the front of the queue in terms of getting a works

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drive with Porsche over there at the moment, and I didn't see anything concrete to tell me that if I did well I could move forward.

MN: Do you still have aspirations to race overseas?

AD: I don't have the aspirations to race overseas for the sake of racing overseas.

Part of the reason that I came home is that I don't want to be over in Germany just for the sake of being over there, so I can say I raced in Germany.

I want to race in the best possibly category for me, in the highest-profile category that I can get into. And in Australia, that's V8 Supercars. If I was in Germany I would have loved to have done DTM. Sportscars is

another top category, or Amercian Le Mans Series if you can get into the Prototype side of it. I want to get into a top-line category, and I saw my best opportunity to do that in Australia.

MN: When you did those three ALMS races last year, how hard was it to get your head around the various classes and the differences in the closing speeds?

AD: That was the hardest thing. The GT cars were really good, and we raced on some awesome tracks, and I really enjoyed it.

But the one part that I didn't like was that you were driving in your mirrors the whole time, You've got'to

continued on page 44

43

experienced drivers, they'll either go past you, or they'll hang back and blast past you down the straight. But these other guys will have half a lunge and just hope that you get out of the way.

And I can tell you,those things are so strong that it's like liitting a concrete wall-they won't deviate off their line one bit, but the old GT car will go bouncing off into the wall.

And it also came down to learning

continued from page 43 remember also that a lot of the guys in the Prototype cars are nuffies and are pretty much out of their depth, and a lot of them will just stick the nose of their car in after you've already turned into a corner, and have half a lunge,and just punt you off.

And all the good guys - the Herberts, the JJ Lehtos, the

how to be lapped;learning how to be overtaken by other cars without losing time. At first it was just ''bloody hell, just get out of the way as quick as possible without getting launched off the track!'.

But as I got more experienced I'd sort of see them coming and think, 'OK,I've got to set myself up so that I can get overtaken in the best way possible'. So that was all part of it too. In one race I was dicing for position right behind a bloke, you get a few Prototypes go past, and all of a sudden you are 5.0s behind the guy you were dicing with.

You can lose a heap of time by getting overtaken, so that was pretty difficult. It wasn't an enjoyable part of the racing.

MN:You must have learned a lot from racing there, though.

AD: Yeah,I did learn a lot. It was the first category that I'd used a radio in, so I got used to using a pit-to-car radio, wliich took a little bit of getting used to.

I got used to driver changes, and working with a team-mate that you're sharing a car with, because obviously you've got to be prepared to take a bit of compromise there and work together on set-up.

Little things like the seating position and stuff like that; you've got to work closely and it really is a team effort.

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MN: All of which will be very handy for the enduros. How many V8 Supercars have you actually driven so far?

AD:I've driven a couple. I drove Jay Verdnik's Konica Minolta car when 1 was speaking with Dynamik.

Oscar (Fiorinotto) teed up for me to get a few laps in that car. So I did about 10 or 15 laps at Wakefield Park.

It was a pretty relaxed sort of test, and a good opportunity for me to get a feel for the car.

I couldn't fit into it properly -1 had my knees around my ears trying to fit into the thing - but I still got a feel for what it was like.

I also tested one of WPS's cars at

%

A bit of hype helps to create some ioterest.

But it isn't going to win you races

11

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Queensland Raceway a couple of weeks back, and once again I did about 10 laps in it.

It's not enough time for me to really get right on the pace,and as those things normally go,when it ended I was starting to get really into it!

But that will set me up for next time I drive one, whoever that might be for. It win just help me get into it that little bit quicker.

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Peter Bury

Dirk Klynsmith

MN:Given your lack of V8 Supercar miles, as well as the fact that you've been off the radar in Australia a bit over the past couple of years, are you surprised at the amount of interest there has been from the V8 Supercar fraternity in soliciting your services this year?

AD: A little bit surprised. Pleasantly surprised - it's always ruce to know that people are watching what I do and think that I'm doing a good job.

So it's good.

In any of the years that I was overseas, I never had any interest from any of the V8 teams. I wasn't in contact with any of them.

And it was the same when I was in Europe - nobody cares about what you've done in Australia. You could be the ... I don't know about V8 Supercar Champion,because that has a pretty high profile even in Europe now,so that's probably a different thing, but anything else means nothing over there.

And it's the same the other way -1 could have won the German Carrera Cup Championship,and I don't tliink a heap of people would have noticed in Australia. It wasn't until I came back here,and did the Australian Carrera Cup,and have been pretty successful so far, that people started showing an interest.

In terms of what I was doing over in Germany,it didn't bother me too much that people didn't notice what I was doing. It doesn't bother me whether or not I get my head in a magazine. That isn't what motivates me to do well.

I just want to be successful in what I'm doing, and if you can start to be successful in whatever form of motor racing you happen to be driving in, you'll get the recognition.

MN:At the same time though, having a profile obviously makes things easier, doesn't it?

AD: When you get a bit of hype behind you and get a bit of a profile behind you, of course it helps to create some interest. And it might help you to get a drive.

But it isn't going to win you races.

Once you get there, you have to do a good job. It's great to get some interest from being successful - that's always pleasing, and you have to be proud when people notice what you're doing. But I'm driven by the competition, and winning.

MN:Which you've been doing a fair bit of since you got back to Australia. How does the Australian Carrera Cup series compare with the German one?

AD: Well, it's not nearly at the level that the German Carrera Cup and Supercup was when I was over there.

I don't think anyone expects it to be at that level after only one-and-a-half years.

Over there, instead of having one or two guys that you are dicing with at a race meeting, fiiere are 10 Jim Richards, or 10 guys doing as good a job as I am,more or less, on the track at once. So of course it's going to be more difficult in that area, because if you have an off day,or you don't quite nail the set-up in qualifying, then instead of being second on the grid like I would be now, you'd end up being 10th or 11th.

So obviously there is a lot more pressure to perform,and a lot more pressure to do weU. The way it is at the moment-1 know that Fabian (Coulthard)and a few guys like that are coming along, but at the moment,if I do a bad job in qualifying,I know that I'm stiU going to be second or,in the worst case, third.

MN:You scored a clean sweep against Jim in the first Australian Carrera Cup races at the Grand Prix in 2003, and since then quite a rivalry has developed between the two of you. How do you see it?

AD: Yeah. It's been an intense rivalry

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in the way that two people who are very closely matched and are always racing hard together are rivals, but not rivals in that we hate each other or had a huge fallout or anything.

We've had words a couple of times over little racing things, but there's no stress or anytliing between us.

I, and 1 think 1 speak for liim as,well, really enjoy tlie racing betv\'een us.

We've had some really good races togetlrer. It's always close, and you always just have to push at 100 percent.

Like race one at Eastern Creek -1 was in front and had Jim on my tail the whole time. 1 did 12 qualifying laps, basically.

At the time it can be a bit stressful, but afterwards it's really satisfying when you come out with a good result.

And even race two, when Jim beat me in the greasy conditions at Eastern Creek when we were on slicks, it was such a good race. It was really fair.

We had a really good wheel-towheel race for a while, and you cop it but you're still quite satisfied afterwards.

1 hate losing more than anything else, and I was pissed off that I didn't win that race but they beat us fair and square so you cop it on the chin.

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Someone had to break Greg Murphy’s winning streak at Pukekohe and he was glad that a Holden driver did it.

PHIL BRANAGAN reports on the rain, the shine and Jason Bright’s victory in Auckland

I

N 16 years of playing baseball for the Baltimore Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr played 2632 games in a row. After playing through injury and pain, he ended it himself in 1998 when he asked for a day off.

Greg Murphy did not ask to end his winning streak at Pukekohe but it ended last Sunday anyway when Jason Bright took a second and two wins in a shortened race weekend.

"It's just great to win a race," Brighty smiled after the finish. "We didn't actually win a race after the Grand Prix last year."

Saturday was a bit of a disaster after the opening race was postponed, literally minutes before the cars .were due to exit the pit gate.

The rkce was postponed imtil Sunday morning and, with the otlier two outings shortened from 54 to 36 laps, and the compulsory pit stops camred, the meeting took on the look of a one-day meeting.

Marcos Ambrose took second

I

.

overall, opening Sunday with a dominant win in the wet, while Murph had to settle for third in front of his adoring countrymen.

"It had to happen sooner or later," slirugged NZ's favourite son. "1 am just happy that it was a Holden boy

who did it."

With his results, Ambrose takes over the series lead by a narrow margin from Steven Richards, who was consistent (if never a winning threat) in the Castrol Commodore.

Rick Kelly and Paul Weel backed up their respective team-mates with solid points hauls but, wliile those two Clayton teams had good weekends, the Holden Racing Team's litany of woe this year continued.

After Mark Skaife qualified on pole position on Saturday, the best that can otherwise be said about the NZ trip for the team is that their two Commodores will at least make the trip to Darwin intact. Skaife ended up the weekend down in 21st position and Todd Kelly was 11th overall.

Championsliip hopes for the Reds?

Even the most ardent fan would have to admit that they are in ruins. Still, tlrere are 10 rounds and a lot of racing left before the curtain falls on the 2004 season.

Race 1 (36 laps) uckland can be beautiful one

A

day...

The skies looked grey and the

weather forecast predicted "afternoon showers." Afternoon starts early in NZ, about daylight, when steady rain started and, pretty well, stayed all day.

The warmup was led by Skaife, Rick Kelly and Ingall but, as start time approached, things looked grim.

A delegation of drivers ventured out to look at the track and it was announced that the pitlane would open at 1445 for a go at 1500, 25 minutes after the scheduled start time.

But it never came to that. Even as the drivers suited up and climbed into the cars, there was considerable consternation that the track was not safe. After some discussion, the race was abandoned, rescheduled until Sunday morning when, hopefully, Huey would be in a kinder mood than he had on a day when almost 70mm of rain dumped down.

Sunday started witlr low cloud and light ram but, as the start time rolled around, there was still no clear way to go with tyres. Some drivers tried slicks as the motored in and out of the pits and most (almost all, in fact) stuck with wets, many thinking that if the leaders did that, they would as well.

In a different boat was Craig Baird.

From 29th, the local lad had, at worst, three places to lose and a lot more than that to gain, so he pumped for slicks and a pit lane start.

Skaife started like he was on slicks.

As his car bogged down, Ambrose shot away into a lead he was never to lose. More than a second to the good within a lap, he cantered home to win easily.

Bright's second place was less straightforward. After eight or so laps, he and PWR team manager Johnny Panozzo started to contemplate slicks; indeed, the crew actually rolled them out until Panozzo felt that the time window to

Wet, wet, wet: Despite the puddles and mud, the carnage was kept to a minimum.

46

continued on page 50

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motorsport news

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Choice-Aye: Jason Bright, above, was superior in New Zealand. He was quickest in qualifying, finished second to Ambrose in Race t, left, and when the rain disappeared, Brighty was unstoppable in the final two events.

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Spraying that Champers: It was the first time since the V8/Pukekohe invasion that Greg Murphy didn't win a race or the round, but be still got a champagne soaking from fellow podium men Ambrose and Bright.

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Mark Skaife's first pole of the T year broke the drought — ~ " literally PHfL BRANAGAN reports

1

ITH a shot at four home wins in a row and, presumably, national immortality, nobody could keep Murph off the front page of the local pajlbrs.

Well, no person could. But Shrek did. No, not the green animated ogre, but Shrek the Sheep who, apparently, wandered off by himself shortly before Murph started his winning streak and returned the week before the race, suitably clothed in 20-plus kilos of fleece.

Shrek was everywhere: in the papers, on TV, on radio. When it came time for the poor bloke to be relieved of his woollen burden, the whole Kiwi nation watched on television.

Of course, newsreaders in Sydney and Melbourne reported the transaction with barelydisguised amusement. But what is a kid going to remember seeing on the telly; two politicians arguing over ... anything? A bunch of idiots renovating a house? Qr the day Shrek got shorn?

Welcome to New Zealand, the land where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and, if that causes you to snigger, tough luck, bro.

The denuded sheep would get knocked off page one by the lad from Hawkes Bay, eh? No, not on Friday. Murph was only fifth on Friday, hampered by a lack of speed from the Kmart VY. "We just haven't made a gain since last year," he mused. "We are fighting to stay close to the front."

"We" included Rick Kelly, the Creek winner (literally) rueing a trip up a set-upblind alley in a practice session, which sent him out in the slower group for qualifying. Kelly topped the session but was still 13th and not too disheartened, particularly by the weather report.

But a Clayton VY still topped the sheets. Jason Bright put a power steering-induced loss of practice time behind him with a wild ride in the PWR car, which looked unhappy but fast. With the front-left wheel porpoising through the final corner (always a good place to examine set-up) Brighty set the fastest two laps of the session in a determined show that placed him on provisional pole by 0.24s - a margin startling in a sub-57 second lap.

After running in a solo set of Dunlops for the whole session.

Bright reported that he expected the orange rocket to be a better race car than a qualifying car, a warning

ominous if it proved true.

Upsetting a Holden top five was Marcos Ambrose, who was second fastest in the Pirtek Falcon. While he was happy enough, Russell Ingall had a struggle, just missing out on the run-off, while the HRTs were next, Mark Skaife edging Todd Kelly by 0.09s. Both drivers said that their cars were a little low on straightline speed, a characteristic not enviable out of Pukekohe's tighter corners.

"It will make it harder," admitted Kelly. "Our cars are picking up pretty well but we will have to watch it behind us (under brakes)."

Some other drivers begged to differ with the red drivers' power summation, one saying, "Down on speed must mean that they are not faster, like they used to be ..."

Steven Richards was sixth, and relatively untroubled, in the Castrol VY, ahead of the Betta pairing of Paul Radisich and Max Wilson. The Kiwi and the Brazilian had gone separate ways on set-up. The Rat finding understeer slowing the cause, while John Bowe followed in ninth after being closer to the front in practice. Team-mate Brad Jones had a bad opening practice, spinning the #21 car three times in the same spot at the hairpin. Nice way to make TV - but Bradley was not happy with himself afterwards.

Making it into the 10, just, was Jason Bargwanna, who pointed to the fact that he has usually has good car speed around the challenging layout. He ran 11th and sixth in the two practice sessions and edged Russell Ingall out of the shootout by 0.01s in a last-gasp effort.

motortport news

1 I

"It is a little hard to look at the data to see where you can pick up four-hundredths," he said matter-of-factly.

Just missing the single-lap show were Paul Weel and Glenn Seton, who is yet to gain some of the tweaks bestowed on the sister FPR car of Craig Lowndes.

The CAT car was parked during the opening session with a leak from the gearbox, which had been changed overnight (see news pages).

A

LL the qualifying form went out the window early on Saturday morning when the rain started and kept going, and going, and going.

Skaife, Rick and Ingall topped the warm-up, with wet track aces Steven Johnson and Jason Richards leaping up to fifth and sixth respectively.

The story of the session was that Ambrose and Todd tangled, the HRT car having a lose and clouting the rear door of the Falcon as it swung back into line.

Damage was light but it did cost Kelly valuable wet track time.

Not that it had a huge effect.

With steady rain falling, the most remarkable thing about the shoot-out was that no-one managed to go off the track, despite the cars aquaplaning all over the track and the fact that Turns 1 and 2 were basically under water.

So, it was close. The gaps were tiny; from Richards in fifth to Wilson in eighth, the time difference was 0.033s. But it came down to a straight fight between Skaife and Ambrose, which went the way of the Flolden driver by 0.004s.

Amazingly close.

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Jason Bright

PWR Performance Products Commodore VY

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Marcos Ambrose

Pirtek Stone Brothers Racing Falcon BA

56.6062s*

Mark Skaife

Holden Racing Team Commodore VY

56.6209s

Holden Racing Team Commodore VY

56.7160s

Kmart Racing Team Commodore VY

56>184s

2

1

3

2

4

22

5

51

J^dd Kelly Greg Murphy

6

11

Steven Richards

7

888

Max Wilson

Team Betta Triple 8 Falcon BA

56.8786s

Paul Radisich

Team Betta Triple 8 Falcon BA

56.9058s

9

12

John Bowe

OzEmail Brad Jones Racing Falcon BA

’56.9423s

10

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Jason Bargwanna

Larkham Orrcon Racing Falcon BA

11

9

Russell Ingall

Caltex Havoline Stone Brothers Racing Falcon BA

56.9425^ 56.9526s

12

17

Steven Johnson

Shell Helix Racing Falcon BA

13

15

56.9529^ 57.0208s

16

RlckKe»y Paul Weel

Kmart Racing Team Commodore VY

14

PWR Performance Products Commodore VY

57.0W8S

15

5

Glenn Seton

Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA

57.0829s

16

3

Jason Richards

Tasman Motorsport Commodore VX

57.0904s

17

29

Paul Morris

Sirromet Commodore VY

57.2545s

18

18

Warmn Luff

Shell Helix Dick Johnson Racing Falcon BA

57.2793s

19

44

20

34

^mon’wills Garth Tander

Hoj^Grail Wne/^eam Dynamik Commodore VY Repco Vatvoline GRM Commodore VY

57.«57s

21

6

Craig Lowndes

Ford Performance Racing Falcon BA

57.4761s

22

21

Brad Jones

OzEmail F^i^g Team Falcon BA

57.4974s

Orrcon Racing Falcon BA Repco Valvoline GRM Commodore VY

57.5283s

23

20

Mark Winterbottom

24

33

Cameron McConville

25

Perkins Motorsport Commodore VY

_

_

56.8207s

57.4051s

57.5168s

8

Paul Dumbreli

2*6 ’ ’ 23

David Besnard

Castrol Perkins Motorsport Commodore VY WPS Falcon BA

27

31

Steve Ellery

Super Cheap Auto Racing Falcon BA

57.5756s

28 29

_75 021

Anthony Tratt

Toll Raci^ Commodore VY Team Kiwi Racing Commodore VY

57.6387s

30

14

31

7

32

45

Craig Baird __ Mark Porter Tony Longhurst Dale Brede

57.5393s 57.5584s

57.7102s

Hydralink Commodore VX

57.8811s

Castrol Perkins Motorsport Commodore VX

57.9201s

Holy Grail Wine/Team Dynamik Commodore VY

58.0219s

TOP TEN SHDDTDUT RESULTS

●mmmCAFE.V

I

1

Skaife

17.3906s

45.3824s

2

Ambrose

17.3555s

45.5421s

lm04.7517s

3

Murphy

17.6637s

1m05.2608s

18.1852s

4J.6118S 45.9568s

17.9145s

46.3844s

1m06.5466s

^^riht”" 5 Richards

Dirk Klynsmilh

Splash and Dash: Jason Bright ivas a mile ahead of his rivals in qualifying ... well, two-tenths, but the PWR driver could only muster fourth when the puddles arrived, above. Reigning Champion Marcos Ambrose, below left, was pipped for pole by Skaife in the shoot-out by tbe barest of margins.

1m04.7477s

1m05.7W9s

6

Radisich

7

Bowe

1^19208 18.1037s

4^^04s 46.4021s

1m06.5503s

8

Wilson

18.1196s

46.5403s

1m06.5796s

9

Kelly

18.5161s

47.0077s

1m06.7589s

10

Bargwanna

18.9645s

47.4512s

1m07.6230s

BIG

TU

1m06.5501s V

www.bigpond.com.au

Using your head

13

*

SP

I I

hn John Morris/Mpix

S May 2004

t

Dirk Kfynsmith

V8 SUPERCAR racing is a hard business.

Yes, the engines are all similar; the gearboxes are now all the same and there is a growing list of components similar of many of the cars.

So the difference between the winners and the losers is down to many other things, one of them how you use your head and your time.

With testing limited, practice time is critical and the loss of a session is a bad, bad thing. So when David Besnard missed the whole of the first session, the WPS team was on the back foot.

Engine problems? No. Other mechanical dramas? Not that either. Bezzy had a head problem; rather, he had

nothing to wear on it. He had left his helmet back at his hotel. Usually, drivers would carry a spare lid but, in this case, that was off being painted. How embarrassing.

"It was just one of those things but I'm determined to make up for it this weekend," said a chastened Bezzy, trying to put it behind him.

Funny, eh? Not really. Team boss Craig Gore was not giggling in the slightest. In fact, he slugged Besnard $10K for being a deadhead. For anyone, that amount is a big ask. But the chances of DB losing his head ... er, his helmet again in the future are small - and diminishing.

- PHIL BRANAGAN

49

continued from page 47 make up ground was closing, leaving Brighty alone to get home second.

The first local was third and, headline, it was not Murphy.

Radisich was quickly into third and even Skaife, then fourth, could not find a way past the T8 BA. Indeed, Murphy gunned past on lap 14, leaving Skaifey to fend off Steve Richards.

That ended in tears when the two Commodores met at Holden Hairpin on lap 20.

"I was trying to pass," explained Richo,"I was expecting him to give me room. I thought that I was in far enough and he turned in and across me.'

Skaife regained the track and headed in for slicks. After rejoining 28th, he steamed his way through the field to finish 16th. Bad things seem to continue when things are already going badly.

Wilson split Murph and Richards, ahead of Rick Kelly and Lowndes, who had been (again) impeccable in the rain. After starting 21st, he surged through all the way to eighth in another commanding effort.

Almost as newsworthy was Baird.

It took almost half the race for conditions to favour him; he did the fastest lap to that point on lap 15. But from there, the black car flew tlirough to ninth, vindicating the team's tyre gamble.

The other man to take the risk was

Paul Dumbrell, who was a lap down but flying when he came up to Bargwanna. Having run inside the 10 all race, Bargs was preparing to make room on the back straight when he was nerfed up the backside by the Castrol VY,leaving him in 27th.

"I turned in with two wheels on the damp (part of the track)," said Dumbrell following the race, and after a drive-through penalty."My fault. I would not expect nice compliments from him."

Correct weight. With all the current frisson about comments and disrepute, Bargwanna's comments will stay on the note pad and out of this family magazine.

Race 2(36 laps)

I

t was dry. That brought a smile to the faces of the spectators, who could finally see something on the track, but not to Ambrose, who missed the start completely.

The defending Champ later admitted that he did not have the car

speed ("third was about where we deserved to be")but,in any event, circumstances were going to make him the series leader in this race.

Behind that trio, it was pretty processional but still, plenty happened that affected the big picture. Skaife was stuck behind Bowe for the opening 10 laps but, suddenly, veered into the pits. At first, the team thought that it was just a tyre that was down after a brush with Baird at the Hairpin. But after an exploratory return, it was diagnosed as bent suspension and that was that.

His old sparring partner, Lowndes, was little better off. After collecting some debris in the splitter, the FPR started to run hot and, as the temps soared, the engine drive belt heated up and loosened. That prompted the alternator alarm and, with the team having had its share of engine maladies already this season. Tire Kid parked it. With a new belt fitted, the car was fme to go out and be a classified finisher.

The cause of the debris? Radisich found the entry to the front straight a little too narrow for a sideways Betta Falcon and was extremely fortunate to keep the car away from the concrete. From the rear. The Rat mounted a solid fightback, all the way to 15th.

Behind the top three, there was a fascinating Holden battle as Richards, whose car was getting slower as the race unwound,and Rick Kelly, who VY was doing the opposite. Richo had the brakes but not the tyre grip to hold The Rickler out, losing the position at Holden Hairpin with a lap still to run.

Paul Weel was next,from Ingall and Johnson, while Jason Richards upheld the honour of the locals with another strong run to 10th.

The Rat apart, the other charger of the race was Tony Longhurst. After changes to the car, the VX was flying and the veteran made it up to 13th.

And better was to come.

Race 3(36 laps)

‘'f the locals were relieved about the ..lack of rain in the second race, some may have prayed for precipitation after 10 laps of the last outing which, to that point, was as dull as the sky.

Brighty killed them. He won the start and dashed away to what looked like an effortless win, his only problems being when he found a backwards Dale Brede on the track at

Bright did to everyone what Ambrose had done to them in the opening race but at a faster pace and on a lesser scale. After returning the car to its Friday settings, the car was too quick for Murphy but not by much, the local legend falling 0.8s short of a grandstand-pleasing finish.

Not the Place to Make a move: Dumbrell fired into the rear of Bargwanna, which caused both to spin in the soggy Race 1, above and below.

This wasn't in the script: Murphy failed to continue his amazing winning streak, however, he maintained a 100 percent podium record.

50

motorsport news

Contrasting fortunes: Rick Kelly's solid season continued at Pukekobe but dropped a spot to fourth in tbe series. Elder brother, Todd, left trailing Rick, could only muster 11th overall - but on the bright side, it was his best finish for the year ... the Esses and then on the last lap, when Morris had a tyre deflate, spearing the Sirromet car into the wall right in front of Bright.

"We started off the weekend really well but in the wet, we didn't go too well," he said later.

And,on the new 'balance of power'among the Clayton teams?

"I don't know what the balance of power is at the moment," he said somewhat diplomatically.

The race was for second. Murphy and Ambrose had one of those battles

r

that left those who watched smiling.

Having a Shell of a time: Steven Johnson, above, broke into tbe series top 10 with a gutsy eighth overall. His team-mate, Warren Luff was an innocent bystander when Mark Porter spun at Turn 3, below.

that emotion backed up by the drivers after it was over. First, Ambrose jumped Murphy at the Placemakers Esses on lap 8, leaving Murph with two wheels on the (wet) grass in a 'lift or crash' manoeuvre.

The Falcon took a gap but, by mid distance, the KRT car started to redress the situation.

(V.J^

Murphy was close enough to think about a move by lap 33 and, when Ambrose got an ordinary drive onto the back straight, the local simply fired up the inside at Ford Mountain.

As we all held out breath, both cars

: 1 \ \

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5 May 2004

info@speedywheels.co.nz

51

VBSCS ROUND 3 PUKEKDHE, NZ

i;

Race

3S

i

LAPS

Pns I Driver [ Race Time [ Fastest [ Lap 1 Ambrose 2 3"" ’Radis'ich

37i0_9.9605 37:16.4337 ■37:'l3'.5910

4_ Mufpiiy 5 ’’Wlso'n'

j7:rZ96i6 37:T9.7219 ■37;29.i6b7 37:31.3511 37:3^3034 ■37:32;4773'

"6 S^Ricliards 7'"^R.Ke!iy 8' Lowndes 9 Baird 16 ■' Bowe ii_

'Weef" "

■37:33.12J8 '37:41.4617' ■37:41.7008' '37:42!r4'51' 37:45.0348 37:47.'20’34

13 Johnson 14 _ J. Richards 15 "'Wiils"_^'" ■ 16 Skaife [7" Kelly 18'"’ Ellery" ' i9_"'McCon^iie; 20' /ones 2/ ' "Morris 2r'~frati 23 Besnard 24 Luff 25 Winterbottom 26 Longhursl _ _ 27 Ba'rgvwnna 28 ■ Tender' '2'9 ’Seton 30 Dumbreil sfSrede"' 32' "Porler ■

Consistently Ricbo: Steven Richards brings a new meaning to the word 'consistent'. His weekend scorecard was 6-5-4. continued from page 51 emerged unscathed. It was some battle.

Richo hung on to the leaders for tire first half of the race before he settled for fourth ahead of the impressive pair of Rick Kelly and Weel, Ingall, Johnson, Jason Richards and Tander.

Todd Kelly was outside the 10 in 14th, while Skaife made early progress until he got stuck in 19th and could make it no further.

"It's a disappointing result, given we qualified on pole," he said. "We

were looking for a good result but the bad start (in Race 1) put us back and it happened from there."

With KeUy continuing to struggle for straightline speed, all is not well in HRTland at the moment.

Lowndes's bad day continued with, firstly, a power steering pump problem and then with another engine drama, which forced him to park again in the final stages of the race.

It has to be stated that the factoryappointed teams from both manufacturers are now wildcards for the odd race result but, so far, they

are being hammered by the 'customer' teams.

So, Murph's streak is over. Darwin will be much different (it never rains in Darwin, does it?), with high temperatures, a higher attrition rate and now a clear five-man battle for the title. Unless something remarkable happens, and soon, Ambrose, Richards, Murphy, Bright or Rick Kelly will take home the trophy this summer.

What looked like the 'third' Holden team a year ago announced itself as The Real Thing in the land of the long white cloud. With only minor repairs to be affected before 5. the long haul north. Hidden Valley 5 will be yet another riveting chapter in I this amazing season.

Cl

E

I

ll

K.

I I

I

52

_ 35 laps 35'laps ' ‘35 laps SSTap's '"34 laps ■

■■■■

2'2

1:'0l‘.35'68""l9 V:01.9923 'I'S ■58;6297"' 32 59.3/38" '34 22 1:01.1116 1:01.5896 28

■_34‘ia'ps 34laps I

3S

LAPS 57.6542 4 '577786 ‘"4‘ ' b7.79]f "5 57.8879 ' '3' 57.'6358* "3 57.9319 3 '57.8362'■ "5’ 56.428'5' ■ 9 ■ 58_.4657 ■5 "58.3837 " 17 ' 58.4'9'07 ■ ■■/8' "58.4375 '"5 '58'.'5T56 22 ''58.'4253' " 6' "'58.'4742' ■ f7 "58:2661 ' "l'7 "58.6828' "4 18 '5'8'.2192' _17 ■^8.’3B77 'J9’ '58:209/ " l'6"

'5'8:49152_2.8' '23 ""'Be’siiar'd' 2... "32:47.5865 ■37:5'8.063'9' '58:8338_ 24 Dumbrell _ '59:1973 ‘ 6 38:007277 2£'"JPorte'r 2 26 '■ Ellery'" 'SSiaps '” '58'.6243'""5' ‘5'8.'6738' '17' 2r"'Luff ' '33ia'p's”" 5787/5 28 ^mson^ ' _29iap6'_ 58.'567l' 3 29' Lowri'des " ‘ 28~laps' DNF"Br^'e ' ' '26iaps_ ■_ 58.5595 'if 6 DNF Bargwanna i'7'lap's ■■_ "58:6467 DNF 'Skaife ' "58.'6727 3' 9 laps 3

Bright Murphy _ Ambrose _ S. Richards

3e 34:59.8159 35:0'70260 '35:07 6249 ■ ' 35':6'8.'2/74" 35:16.0742 35:17:4239' 35:18.424'2' 35:24.8206

_35:30.i766 3'6'30.'54'67 '35:3Q:65'65'

i6 17

J5;36.2066 35:36.5249

Trail "wil's'on

27_'Dun^rell^'" 28_ "Portej-_ 29 _

■■""

'DNF_‘MorrisJ DNF Lowndes 'DNF' W'interbollo'm"'

BIG

LAPS 575119* _ 5 ■578685' '4 ■‘57.6933 ■■ 3 ■576437""4 _58.0095 '4' 5'8'.6'7T0 6 "68:ii7i' 3’ 58.0371 2 ■58,6987 7 58.283V "6' '58.2283 li ■ 58.1734 '58.4643 Y

3_5:'263686 ^ '35':'2~5'.'7l6r 35:25.7859' 35:28.0798

/3" _Lo£ghurer if' T.'Kd/y ■■__' i'5'"'Wilis

'23 _ 'Luff' Ellery""""" 25 _'Besn'aid" _

148, Ellery 62, Porter 58, Brede 48.

■

J7^'3:887f 37:4Zl'5'40

^lon Bowe

18 /one's"' 19 _ Skaife 26_'Ba'irY"'_ 2/ Bargwanna _ '22""S"eTon'

Winterboltom 234, Seton 231, Wills 216, J. Richards 209, Jones 202, Dumbrell 195, Luff 188, Trait 186, McConville 168. Longhursl

T|^01'44'97" '25 ’l:01.'8304" 27

35 laps

21 22

16 _Radisich f7 Baird McConville

lil".

Morris 324, Tander 322, Bargwanna 306, Radisich 294, T. Kelly 269, Skaife 254, Besnard 254, Lowndes 244, Wilson 236,

1':6i.'6725'_" 2\ l':6l'.i58'9 25' ■m6230' '23

_ 'SS'laps _ 1:01.5048 25 ' 'i:0l'.7582' ' 15

19 T Trait 20 jones

13" Ungh'u_rst l'4"' ''Winte'rbor/o'm"'

V^Jngall " Johnson 9 J.'Richard's' 16 " Tande'r'_[_^ if" Radis'ich

Ambrose 532, S. Richards 528, Murphy 509, R. Kelly 502, Bfighl 457, Baifd 364, Ingall 350, Weel 347, Johnson 341, Bowe 326,

'37:4_9'.24Y3 37:51 .'6522 ■37:52.2871 '37:'5'3.'6661

3'7:13._8065 ’37;i6.65i8' "37:17.7'716' '37;i8.3272 "37:l'6.62'3Y 37:24!994'6 '3'7':2'6.0’295' ■ 37:27;55l6' ■ szsl'fois' '37:32:6339 ■ 37';33.6’545’ ■"37:37.i887' "37:3'8.'6832 '37:38:5296' ■ 3‘7:'40.3446' ''37:4l'.2'l09 37:41.2'936” 37:42.8'9'49'

5 '"R.'Keliy"" '6'" 'Weel

Nightmoves

AS dusk fell, the rain stopped. On the motorway trip back to Auckland, there was even a glimmer of blue barely visible in the sky.

So much for that. It started to rain again and, shortly after 10pm, it got heavy. The teams had their sleep or late-night manoeuvres interrupted by calls to come back to the track.

The problem was that the pits were flooding. Some teams chose to move their cars to dry ground; others put out the cars on stands and hoped for the best. The last of the crews were still at the track as the clocks ticked past Sam. Pukekohe's pits are not the best in the championship; in fact, they are among the worst. When the skies opened, it's no contest.

- PHIL BRAIMAGAN

'ji00.86i2 21' 1:0V.6885' if ' r:0l'.3i3i'"'25 l66;9'2'60 '2\ ■ 58.'34i5*""28' ‘l':6l.‘6'3'l3 " 22' i;6l.360'3'* '25'

37:05.4230 '37:'66.'2685

4"""R.'Ke!_ty"_'"_' 5 S. Richards '6" ■ ‘Weel 7" johnson 9 j. Richards I'O ’T. Kelly' ii _Tander '/2' ' Wilis"

1 2 3 4'

mi

I

2

_B_right Murphy Ambmse

Race

A-

i!

Race 1 2 3

1:00.3202 24 1:00.7127' '23' 1:61.6212" 19 '1:60.8303 " 21' 1:00.9085 28 "l:6i'03i6' ' 2'6 r:0i:6506" 2'6 'l:01.3i35 ■ '2i' "59.702'7 24 '1:6i.3'689 '30' T:'0'i'.3433"' V

36:51.8458 37:00.091r

■5'8.r657"'_"7" '5'8:3895 " 'o' 58'.6'292 "28' "58.4182 "io' 563451 '"22 _36'372622 35:37:20^ ■58:25'8'0 "7 58.63'81 4 "35:473608' _ '35:'4'7.'5'812'' "'WMf 35:48.3837 35:4'9:0'72'7

'

58.'5726_ 16 '58.'640'3' 15

'3649.8'2i7 ■_ 58.'6172 _' 'B' "3'5:50~.'76'96'' " '58.7070 5 _35;51.0447 _ 58.4675 '" 6' '35:62'.6657' " ■58.'7i36' 'f 35:5'6s354 "'58.'B893 " ll' "'"3'5iaps_^''" 58.9688 ■"■'33"l'ap's' ■'■■'58.4388' 6 32lapY' "58.'760'5" 9' flaps ‘58.'3964 '"7

D

TTkl

www.bigpond.com.au moiorsport news

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T over.

HE amazing domination of Targa Tasmania by Jim Richards and Barry Oliver is

Part-time driver Tony Sullens, 38, took an emphatic victory last week in the 13th annual Targa, beating home the local crew of Jason and John White and Queensland's Tony Quinn. " The lead of the rally see-sawed between the leading four contenders throughout the five day,2105km rally, but the slippery Tasmanian conditions suited the four-wheel drives a treat.

Sullens, partnered by Julia Rabbett in their Subaru WRX used the wet

Congratulations to Tony Sullens & Julia Rabbett on breaking the Porsche record at Targa Tasmania

weather to his advantage and secured liis stiuming Targa upset by lml6s. It was Sullens' second attempt at the classic event after crashing out in 2003.

"The wet gave us an advantage and we pushed really hard/' said Sullens.

"The only problem we had was a spin at Strahan. We hit the armco and knocked out a white post. It cost us around 10-s, but at the end of the day it wasn't a big problem.

"To come away with tlie win is one of the highlights of my career. When you beat someone like Jim Richards at Targa you know you've beaten the

best. It's very satisfying."

The Tasmanian crew of White and White, aboard their Nissan Skyline, improved on their third place from 2002 to secure the runners-up trophy.

They started the last day in fourth place after encomitering an engine misfire, but traced the problem to a fuel tank regulator. Once rectified, they stormed past Quinn and Richards to grab second spot.

"It's good to be second, but also frustrating because we could have won," said Jason.

VIP Petfood driver Quinn, partnered by Keith Wenn,ran in the top five throughout and snuck ahead

of their more fancied rivals with smart and safe driving.

Seven-times Targa winners Richards and Oliver finished an imlikely fourtli. Tlieir two-wheel drive Porsche GT2 struggled for grip on tlie final day of competition after going into the final leg with a handy 28s lead.

"We had four good days which put us in with a chance," said Gentleman Jim. "However,it was hard to drive this car on these roads in the conditions today. There was about 20km of snow in Mount Arrowsmith and the car was wheelspinning everywhere."

A#

f

li

EcDTgK ph 02 9809 2110 www.Ecu TeK.com.au 54

molorsport news

TARGA TASMANIA while Carrera Cup competitor Peter Bradbury and co-driver Andrew Bullard rounded out the competitive top 10.

One of tire pre-race favourites, dual Targa winner Greg Crick crashed heavily on the second day at the Weldborough Pass stage in his Porsche. Neither Crick nor co-driver Mark Stacey were injured but immediately retired from the rally.

New South Welshman Peter Moore was running sixth on the second-last day,but crashed his Nissan Skyline in the Cethana stage and was also forced out of the rally.

Another to crash on the fourth day was Greg Garwood and Tasmanian co-driver Mark Perry. Both were taken to hospital after their Porsche 911 slid off the road and rolled down a bank. The pair were in third position behind Richards and Sullens when the crash occurred. Garwood actually led the rally after the first

i

leg.

Nick EUis and Tracey Williams won the Classic competition. Duncan and Bronwyn Matherson took the Touring Classic competition while John and Andrew Lawson won the Historic class.

Wppaifooot.coiitaii

There's something missing here ... a picture of Jim! Top, the runners-up. White and White in their fast Nissan Skyline. Above, Quinn and Wenn in the VIP Porsche. Below, Brock cocks a wheel in his Monaco on his way to sixth outright.

Former Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race champion Warwick Rooklyn completed the top five in his Mitsubishi EVO VII, while nine-times Bathurst 1000 champion Peter Brock was sixth in his black Holden Monaro. Brock, partnered by Anne Gigney was handed a tw'o-minute penalty for changing a tyre after he drove over a pot-hole on the third

day.

Alistair Bye and Michael Sherrin finished seventh in their Porsche 911, closely followed by Max and Georgia Warwick in a similar machine.

Ray Vandersee and John Allen came home ninth in their Westfield,

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What comes after

Yes, Honda and Jenson Button did well. Yes, Juan Montoya got the Schumacher elhow on Lap 1. But no-one else was in the same area code as Michael at Imola. JOE SAWARO and CHRIS LAMBOEN watched anether Schumi demonstration

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I

n previous races this year, there has always been a crumb of hope that things might have been different but for a change in temperature or a small mistake.

But in Imola the enormity of the situation was finally forced home.

Despite some help from Uie weatherman (agam!), Ferrari (or at least tlie one driven by Michael §chumacher) was utterly and completely dominant. And even a messy first lap, wliich gave pole man Jenson Button a huge lead, was just a mirage. Schumacher chopped the gap to nothing and then at the first pit stops he took tlie lead witli such forcefulness that everyone was crushed.

In the two laps after Jenson stopped, Michael put in a pair of laps that were devastatingly fast-some eight-tenths faster than Button's best for the day - and, after his own stop, controlled the race. Game over.

If Michael had not been tliere it

before the traditional pattern emerged. Button got away well but the rest scrambled a little and

might have been an mteresting race at tlie front, although Button too was pretty dominant in second place.

Instead, the action centred around a race-long dice for third,fourth and fiftli.

Formula 1 as it is today: the rutliless Schumacher let liis car drift out - as

The first lap was exciting TV as the Williams boys tried to grab places 56

bunched up. David Coulthard was simply caught out by Fernando Alonso slowing for the TambureUo diicane and ran into the back of the Renault, removing the front wing of the McLaren and hurtling off into the gravel. He rejoined and pitted but that was the end of his chances of a point.

As the leaders went dovm the straight after TambureUo Juan Pablo Montoya had a run down the inside of Michael going into the Curva Villeneuve (the left-right before Tosa).

The Ferrari blocked,so JPM switched to the other side.

This eventually meant that Montoya was outside and alongside Michael as tliey plunged down to the curling left-handed Tosa. Montoya stayed tliere and was on the outside as tlaey came out of the corner. It was an optimistic endeavour...

And here we had a microcosm of

he is entitled to do- and so pushed Montoya onto the grass. Montoya complained about it later, saying that when he did tilings like that he was penalised but when it was Michael he always went impunished.

In fact, it was Montoya's impetuous nature that was really his downfall.

What did he really expect Michael to do?

David Coulthard had an unusual view about all this: "When I hear that there has been an incident between Michael and someone else, I always assume that Michael is to blame," he said."What happened this time?"

Montoya might have been there and he might even have been quicker, but Michael was on the inside. In such circumstances, one cannot realistically expect anyone with a competitive nature to give you room to overtake.

n

At the post-race press conference Michael said he had not seen Monty.

That was obviously not the case.

As luck would have it, when it came to Montoya's turn to speak to the media, the incident in question was playing on the TV screens.

"Look," squealed Montoya."Let's watch. Oh no, he didn't see me there?

No chance. He has to be blind or stupid not to have seen me ..."

Michael's body language at that moment gave him away. He knew that no-one believed him. But so what? The stewards didn't even consider any action.

motorsport news

Tliat was really the end of it because Michael accelerated away and began to catch Button. After four laps he was on the BAR-Honda's tail and it

One of his greatest performances: Michael conquered Imola once again in a dominant drive, waiting patiently behind Jenson Button until the first round of pit stops. He survived some close attention from

was obvious he was being held up.

The only hope therefore was that Button was carrying more fuel. But he wasn't. Button pitted on the ninth lap.

Two before the Ferrari. There was no

Juan Montoya on the opening lap, left, which left the Colombian unhappy after the race, below.

But... what did Juan think that Michael was going to do?

0'

hope.

Michael reacted and banged in a pair of ten-tenths laps to take advantage and by the time he and Button were both back on the track he

\ yjUUaniu:^-,,%.;v

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was no longer one second behind Jenson. He was five seconds aliead.

FIVE SECONDS! He kept up the pace and in the next 13 laps pushed the gap out to 18 seconds. It was a massacre.

In part, Michael was once again fortunate because, on race day, the temperatures had dropped by around 15-degrees, as has- strangely happened at all three of the other races this year. Not only that, but an overnight storm had washed the track clean - absolutely not what the Michelin boys needed.

It played straight into his hands.

Amazing.

"The car is not quick enough," said a agitated Montoya later ."We are down on power and we are down on continued on page 59 57

QuaHtying

BAR Room Blitz

Michael Schumacher under pressure? Honda^s first FI pole in 12 years? It all happened at Imola. By JOE SAWARD

J

/

ENSON Button has been dominant in recent testing but few seemed to have taken it very seriously.

It is known that BAR is looking for money for the future and, well, let us just say that there are 'commercial strategies' that one can use to look good if that is what you wish to do.

But this was different. BARHonda was right up there on this configuration of race track, where aerodynamic efficiency is less important than horsepower and acceleration. There was a time when the Imola circuit was about high speed aerodynamics but that is long gone now, blotted out by a rash of chicanes in the 1970s.

"Jenson really did put in a good lap," Michael Schumacher was forced to admit. "It was all or nothing. I tried very hard."

And he made a mistake.

The performance of BAR was not in doubt on Friday when Button and Takuma Sato were 12 on the timesheets. Underlining this performance - and the fact that he is a talented driver in his own right - was the third BAR driver Anthony Davidson, who was sixth quickest.

"It is satisfying to have three drivers in the top six," said David Richards on Friday. "This really reflects the tremendous team work that has become our core strength. Since Bahrain, everyone has continued to work flat out to maintain the momentum of the first three races. We are completely focussed on pushing ourselves to the limit in every area."

The BAR-Flonda team had a revised aerodynamic package for this race and an engine upgrade.

The cars were reliable and there are signs that we are seeing much more of the Flonda of the late 1980s and early 1990s than the Flonda of the late 1990s.

Back then, at every race there was something new.

"We have made a good step here," said Button. "It is great to see the progress we are making with Flonda and with Michelin. I had a couple of very good tests after Bahrain. It is great to break Ferrari's streak of poles so far this season and on their home turf as 58

Jenson really did put in a good lap. It was all or nothing, i tried very hardn -Schumacher well, but pole position does not bring you any points unless you work very hard in the race to maintain that starting position.

We are under no illusions that tomorrow is going to be a tough race."

D

own at Ferrari, Jean Todt's face, a zone which is rarely creased by jollity, seemed a little severe. The great Schumacher is not supposed to make mistakes.

Rubens Barrichello had also not done as well he might and while second and fourth on the grid is not bad at all, for Ferrari it almost looked like a crisis.

The key moment in the qualifying process for the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola was when Michael Schumacher went Into the Variants Alta chicane and,took too much of the first kerb. Michael held on to the moment and the car did not spin, but it was close.

"I was lucky to keep it on the circuit," he said.

The lap was still good enough for second place on the grid but

Heading for a gunfight:Schumacher had an unusual (for him)amount of pressure in qualifying, finishing 0.25s behind Button.

Home lad: Giorgio Pantano, below, stepped up in qualifying, holding out highly-rated Jordan team-mate Nick Heidfeld.

Michael Schumacher had been beaten.

One might conclude from this that Michael made a mistake and that was that, but the important message was not that but rather why it had happened. Michael was under pressure.

The two red cars were split by Juan Pablo Montoya in his Williams-BMW. Ralf Schumacher was beaten and Montoya made the point that this was the first time he had beaten Ralf at Imola.

No-one was really very surprised. The difference between the two Williams drivers was just three-tenths but Montoya once again was the more convincing.

R

enault, which had seemed to promise more with a new engine spec, ended up with cars sixth and ninth.

Mark Webber ended up pretty much where he had expected, in eighth, a whole second up on Jaguar team-mate Klien, who had blotted his copybook by shunting his car on his first fast lap on Saturday morning.

The team made an impressive job of switching his engine moiorsport news

-■.-a

FORMULA ONE

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brand Prix ot

San'Marino

April 24 2004

*

|9 J Button (GB) . Lucky Strike BAR Honda !

■ 1:19.753 M Schumachor (D) ;&:i^e(1a_Ferrari ^rt^ro I 1:20.011 0.258 3 J P Montoya BMWWilllamsFI Team rr 1:20.212 0.459 2 R Barrichollo (BRA) iScuderia Ferrari Marlboro !

1:20.451

I

across to the spare car in time for some laps in the second session.

Interestingly, the Michelin runners ended up on three different tyre choices.

Renault opted for the softer of the three, with Jaguar alone in the middle and McLarenAA/illiams at the harder end of the scale.

Down at the rear of the grid were Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo Fisichella. As is becoming common, Kimi lost an engine and, facing a late-teen grid spot anyway, declined to complete a lap, choosing a pit lane start, while Fisi's inability to make it out for qualifying was actually a great shame.

The Roman put in a great prequalifying lap, admittedly with not much fuel, but as he drove back to the pits the gearbox failed and the team simply didn't have time to change it.

Both Fisi and Kimi would start at the back with revised, twostop fuel loads. Under the circumstances, it was really the only gamble worth taking.

S May 2004

Button scratches Honda's itch; Jenson was in stunning form in qualifying, becoming the first Honda-powered pole sitter in FI since Ayrton Senna did it in Canada in 1992.

IB^WIIIIanr^lTeam 1 1:20.538 + 0.785

I

i Mild Seven Renault FI Team; I -H.142 I 1:20.895 10 T Sato (J) BAR Honda 1

59

continued from page 57

Not as bad as it looks!

Montoya's Williams carried some healthy scars from its first lap confrontation with Schuey's Ferrari, but it's performance wasn't compromised.

downforce as well. We are a bit like the best of the rest apart from the fact that BAR has now overtaken us. We need to find a way to come back a little bit."

Williams suffered from its current

aromid him. He lost ground on the first lap and spent the rest of the race looking at the rear wing of Ralf Schumacher and then,for the second two stints, Jamo TruUi. Sato's race ended with a massive

weakness. Yes, the car was not quite fast enough, but its drivers did not help. Wlien you have drivers who are both on the move at the end of the year, it is hard for them to be motivated. In addition, the two men do not like one another and so they do not worry too much about politeness.

When Montoya lost momentum on the grass, he must have been cursing Michael. As they went up the hiU, RaLf was behind him and looking for a way to pass on the left. Montoya moved across the track until Ralf was

I

squeezed on to the grass. Montoya was doing to Ralf what Michael had done to liim.

All that meant that Ralf lost momentum to Takuma Sato. One might argue that Ralf was a chump to try such a move but the fact is that tliese days he makes more mistakes than ever.

After the first stops, Sato disappeared down the order with a gearbox problem but Ralf was pushed back another place by Jamo TruUi. At the second stops, Ralf managed

engine faUure while he was running

eighth.

Webber looked good for a point until his engine started to miss after the first stops. He plugged on for 13th -even so,somewhat more impressive than his latest team-mate. Christian Klien finished some 70 seconds adrift of his hobbled team leader with a 1 healthy sounding engine ... [ There have been freakish I circumstances this season -tike,four 3 race days much cooler than Saturday ^ - but Ferrari and Schumacher are

to get back ahead but at the third stops his mirrors were fiUed not by TruUi but by Alonso, a far better racer.

The Spaniard hied to pass him on lap 50 when Ralf left the door open far too much and tlien left Alonso nowhere to go after he was committed to the comer. Ralf spun and TruUi and Barrichello were ahead of him again.

And all of this was worth $lm (in salary) to the German? WUUams was not impressed.

The Renault again looked Hke a powerful chaUenger but stiU not powerful enough. StiU, the race gave tire team a good pile of points once again.

BarricheUo was never reaUy a chance because he was stuck in the haffic from start to finish, despite having a better car than most of those

^ MebilO V' SIEMENS^

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Another Black Day

THE less said about McLaren's performance,the better. '’ Last winter Ron Dennis took ■a bunch of journalists around his new factory in Woking. At the time the team was still labouring under the illusion that it would be competitive this year and Dennis was rather cocky and abrasive. He lectured the visitors about the secret of Formula 1, arguing that money was not the reason that one team won and another lost, The answer, he said, was management.

Now McLaren is dancing to a rather different tune. Dennis says that criticism of his management is not fair and that the team is focussed on the job and has not stubbed its toe on the corporate kerbstone of ego60

driven architecture.

Imola was a complete disaster, much in the tradition of the previous three races.

Kimi Raikkonen suffered an engine failure in practice and started from the back. David Coulthard was 11th on the grid.

At the start, DC ran into the back of Alonso and went off, above, and ended up down at the back after repairs had been completed, while Raikkonen spent most of the afternoon quibbling with Saubers and ended up seventh thanks to a two-stop strategy.

If Fisichella had not had a small off while avoiding a Minardi he would have beaten the Finn. Ferrari has 64 points from four races. McLaren has five.

- JOE SAWARD

currently as good as they have ever been,although it can also be said that the traditional opposition is simply shooting itself in the foot.

If any light is visible at the end of the red tunnel,it could be tliat Button is now a real contender and the next race at Barcelona has been a BAR hunting ground in testing.

A cold Sunday in Spain? Let's hope not...

Riding the Bucking Bronco

iT ■V

„ I° I' I

MARK Webber qualified eighth for the San Marino Grand Prix but hoped that he would in a position to pick up points, if nothing else.

But it did not quite work out like that. He steered clear of trouble on the first lap and maintained his eighth place but soon after his first pit stop one of the 10 cylinders on his Jaguar V8 began to misbehave.

Sometimes it was there, sometimes it wasn't. It was, he said later, like riding around on a bucking bronco, you were never quite sure whether you were going to have full power or not and that was alarming experience.

"It was like a 100 horsepower switch," said Webber. "And you just didn't know. So it was quite an interesting afternoon!"

Mark fought the car all the way and brought it home in 13th position.

- JOE SAWARD

motorsport news

FORMULA OtflE

just right

At the first race in Europe there was plenty to see on the cars. PAOLO FILISETTI unravels the latest FI tweaks While Imola is a mid-downforce circuit, itis often the scene of new aero inovations, following the three 'flyaway' races at the start of the season.

This year was no different, with the most significant changes appearaing on the BAR after a string of positive tests at Barcelona, Most obvious is the introduction of a mid-wing (below left), as introduced by Ferrari in Melbourne, to create an overall better balance to the aero package.

BAR also introduced a variation to its rear wing.

Initially the team planned to introduce an all-new rear wing, with inclined endplates, but the FIA banned it, judging this solution to break the technical rules. Furthermore, the FIA warned BAR that the vertical mid fences placed on the top profile of its normal wing were to be considered as additional elements above the two allowed by the rules. The team therefore decided to cut the

rear of these fences (below)so as to make them seem as part of the main profile and not added items.

As evidence of the fact that all teams look at each other and analyse anything that looks interesting were new rear wing endplates introduced by Renault (right). These were first seen on, yes, the Minardis and provide large vertical vents which allow for varying wing profiles without increasing drag.

Ferrari appeared with modifications to both the engine cover and mid wing and a more powerful evolution of the 053 engine. The engine cover (below right) now follows the profile of the engine even more closely, lowering the lower rear bodywork (1) by 30mm and providing narrower chimneys (2). The reduced mid wing width reflects the lower downforce requirements of Imola.

/

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61

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Driver/Entrant

Time

Laps

Kmh

Gap

i 1 ; 11 Michael Schumacher(GER)]62 j 1:26:19.670 n I Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro n '2 62 I 1:26:29.372 09.702 i 9l Jenson Button (GBR) ! Lucky Strike BAR Honda i

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02.037 I 211.440 ' 1:21.650 58

+

12.562

2} Rubens Barrichello (BRA) "62 ! 1:26:56.353 136.683 j Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro ; '

00.467

7

4] Ralf Schumacher(GER) t i BMW WilliamsFI Team

8

6! Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) I West McLaren Mercedes

19

11 Giancario Fisichella (ITA) , Sauber Petronas

210.931 .

.

19.047

62 i 1:27:15.400' 55.730 61

1:20.411 ^ 10

1:21.870 27

;

1

7j Jarno Trulli (ITA) t 62 { 1:26:55.886 1 36.216 Mild Seven Renault FI Team;

1:26:20.284 j 1 LAP ?

61 ! 1:26:21.263 ! 1 LAP

1:21.666’ 11 >

210.912

1:21.873 31 .

210.144 ' 1:21.689 30

1 LAP ; 208.952 j

1:22.500 39 ;

00.979

1:22.654 60 l

208.913 : 1

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: 212.008 ^ 1:21.201' 28 11.915 { 211.523

62 i 1:26:41.287 I 21.617 3! Juan Montoya (COL) i BMW WilliamsFI Team T i 62 1:26:43.324; 23.654 8j Fernando Alonso (ESP) < Mild Seven Renault FI Team

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61 1 1:26:33.852, 1 LAP ;

12.589 ; 208.406

61 : 1:26:58.490 ] 1 LAP

24.638

207.422 I 207.386 ,

12 5 David Coulthard (GBR) West McLaren Mercedes

61 i 1:26:59.350

1 LAP :

00.860

13 14 Mark Webber(AUS) Jaguar Racing 15 Christian Klien (AUT) Jaguar Racing 21 Zsolt Baumgartner(HUN) .Minardi.Cpsyyprth 10 Takuma Sato (JPN) Lucky Strike BAR Honda

61

1 LAP ;

09.071 } 207.028

; 60 , 1:26:54.894 \ 2 LAPS >

1 LAP I 204.160

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\ 1:22.951 42 1:22.931 55 1:23.647 27

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197.911

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Engine , 209.17

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44

DNF [ Gearbox I 204.991

1:23.381

44

DNF ; J,

Not Classified

48

18; Nick Heidfeld (GER) ; Jordan Ford

Drivers' Championship: M. Schumacher 40, Barrichello 24, Button 23, Montoya 18, Alonso 16, Trulli 15, R. Schumacher 9, Sato and Coulthard 4, Massa, Webber and Raikkonen 1.

Constructors' Championship: Ferrari 64, Renault 31, BAR-Honda and BMW.Williams 27, McLaren-Mercedes 5, Sauber-Petronas and Jaguar Racing 1.

1

Grid

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April 25 2004

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DNF *

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1:25.457

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6

0:08:43.157t Fastest Lap

1 Michael Schumacher (GER) !

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro

220.850

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16: Cristiano Da Matta (BRA) : Panasonic Toyota Racing 20 Gianmaria Bruni (ITA) Minardi Cosworth t 19; Giorgio Pantano (ITA) J. Jordan Ford

1

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Grand Prix of San Marino

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Pit stop

8

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20

motorspon news

T. i

T

HE first serious in-race technical failure in my car meant that the Jaguar team didn't really get any return for effort at Imola.

A points-scoring result was on the cards looking at how the first stint panned out, but shortly after the first stop,the engine picked up an intermittent electrical problem which effectively caused around 100 horsepower to come and go randomly. That has its moments I can tell you!

It was something to do with the fuel system on one bank of cylinders richeningthe mixture substantially, which of course increased our fuelconsumption a little as well.

In the end, it was just a case of plugging on, hoping the problem might clear and that there might be some attrition up front. Neither was the case.

f

-1

Me and my Mumm: Webber and team-mate Christian Klien get a taste for the good stuff with one of the lovely ladies offering Mumm champagne at the laguar race eve cocktail party.

n

S Mtv 2004

T

ractice and qualifying had Pgone reasonably well.

I'd undertaken our tyre comparison on Friday. The softer of our two options was a tyre none of the other Michelin teams had selected and in fact it turned out to be the best option for us. I think it fell somewhere in the middle of the overall Michelin choices of the teams over the weekend.

Although the car was reasonably balanced,there was still a little bit of understeer in a couple of critical corners quite noticeable in the tricky right-hand flick into the Aqua Minerale - so we changed something that we don't often do at race meetings, the centre of gravity of the car.

Modern GP cars are a fair bit underweight and thus carry ballast. By removing the undertray, it is possible to relocate that ballast and make a noticeable - ie 1%- move forward or backwards of the centre of gravity.

This has a number of other implications and changes which need to be made with it, so it's something we normally reserve for test days.

In this case we figured it worth trying and made the change overnight on Friday.

The good news was that it worked and also reduced the time drop-off after the opening lap on 'green'tyres. /Qualifying didn't produce vJLany major surprise for us in fact I predicted eighth just before we went out.

It was a pretty okay lap, as good as I could manage,and we left the circuit in a positive frame of mind in terms of scoring points on Sunday.

There's no doubt that in terms of the MichelinBridgestone tyre contest, our tyres get better and better as " rubber goes down over the weekend, so by Saturday night the track was starting to'come to us.'

So when we sat down for a quick bowl of pasta on Saturday night and the black clouds and thunder and lightning rolled in, it wasn't particularly good news for us unless it was going to stay wet for Sunday. in the event, it dawned bright and clear, but 15 degrees colder. Not ideal!

M

y initial start wasn't my best, but as we turned in to Tamburello a couple of things went in my favour, with DC clipping the rear of Alonso's Renault, easing him wide enough for me to slip inside and settle down between the two blue cars for that first stint.

We had an idea that they had been carrying a little more fuel than most so I didn't honestly expect to keep Alonso behind me once we stopped for the first time - which is how it panned out.

Whether I would have been able to keep the Kimi's twostopping McLaren at bay for the final point became academic once the engine stated to miss on lap 14.

From there it was simply a matter of pressing on as best I could.

We hopefully have a couple of revised aero bits coming for Barcelona, but to be honest I am, as usual really looking forward to Monaco two weeks after that... (with Chris Lambden) 63

Aye, Coming Sadjd

Magm

*

WHILE speculation continues over the long-term future of Mitsubishi's manufacturing plants in Australia, it seems its rally programs are secure for the moment.

One-offcomeback for McRae at Rally h COLIN McRae has confirmed that he will return to the WRC in a one-off drive in his home event, the Rally of Great Britain.

However the Scot, who will compete in this year s LeMans 24 Hour in a Prodrive-run Ferrari and ran in the Dakar Rally for Nissan in January, says he has not done a deal with Subaru for the GB drive or to rejoin the WRC in 2005.

McRae's one-off attack on the British WRC round will cost close to $AUD500.000. and it is believed that Sony Playstation will bankroll it. Despite a year out of the sport, McRae is still one of the most bankable stars in world rallying thanks to ihe popular Colin McRae World Rally games on Playstation.

McRae confirmed that he intends to approach other manufacturers, including Ford, to buy a drive for the Welsh event but says people shoulfjft'Lexpect him to be pn.the,g^ce with the WRC frontrunners in September.

“I haven't driven a rally car since November, so to turn up nearly a year later and expect to be competitive isn't really reasonable," McRae said.

“There's no real possibility of getting back into if full-time. But I still want to go and do the best I can. so I want the best car I can get."

- JON THOMSON

The LaiUpi Touch

i

FINNISH rally ace and Ralliart Europe test driver Lasse Lamp! has been in Australia over the past week helping compatriot Juha Kangas with testing ahead of this weekend's Rally of Canberra.

Lamp! spent a week in Tasmania with Kangas and team owner Les Waikden as the Ralliart team prepared for Canberra.

The 53-year-old is given some credit in helping Tommi Makinen to his four World Rally championships, setting the car up for him and acting as a mentor for the now-retired rally star when he joined Mitsubishi in the mid-1990s.

Kangas's regular co-driver Julia Rabbett heads to Canberra with a winning feeling after calling the notes for Tony Sullens in a spectacular win in the Targa Tasmania, breaking Jim Richards seven-year wining streak in the Apple Isle.

- JON THOMSON 64

The company last week armounced the Magna AU-WheelDrive rally program that MNews reported on some months ago would go ahead this year with one car for Ross Dunkerton and one for media

7,

representatives.

Former V8 Supercar team manager Alan Heaphy is now listed as the principal of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart and oversaw the preparation of the cars that will debut in this weekend's Rally of Canberra.

Heaphy and his team turned a pair of road-going Magna AWDs into rally machines in just five weeks at his Dandenong base in Melbourne.

"We have changed very little," n says Heaphy.

"The cars are fairly standard.

Apart from the usual safety items and underbody protection, we added some Drummond suspension and ^ competition brake pads,but that is I about it.

I "We are using the standard I automatic sequential gearbox from I the road car and we have sourced

Sola System

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Young Spaniard gets call-up for Greece - but Mitsubishi’s iong-term future iess certain

AS Mitsubishi prepares to move its raily base from Rugby to Coventry and continues to struggie for competitiveness in World Rallying, the company's financial problems brought its sporting exploits into sharper focus this week.

But while some have speculated at a possible closure of the Ralliart WRC operation, the potential withdrawal of a capital injection from Daimler-Chrysler will have no impact on Mitsubishi's motor sport plans this year according to MMSP boss Sven Quandt.

"Motor sports is part of the business of Mitsubishi and it is in the DNA. We will run business as usual," Quandt said.

"With the Japanese financial year starting on April 1, this year's budget was already approved and will run through to the end of March 2005,."

Meantime 22-year-old Spaniard Dani Sola, right, will get his first works drive in a World Rally Car in Greece next month as part of the Mitsubishi squad.

After some stunning performances in the Production car title this year, the 2002 Junior world champion was seen as worthy of a chance in the struggling Lancer WRC 004.

Sola is one of Mitsubishi's three contracted junior drivers and has already tested a WRC04 and will get another chance before the Acropolis. He competed in Greece last year in privately-run Xsara WRC. - JON THOMSON motorsport news

f.

1 Breaks Cover n

some genuine Mitsubishi part number slotted brake rotors. That's how standard the car is."

Despite Heaphy's long history in touring cars, his motor sport roots are actually in rallying.

"Rallying is actually my first love and that is how I got started in motorsport, driving in rallies in

Northern Victoria many years ago,so it is a bit of a spiritual homecoming," said Heaphy.

Ross Dunkerton, arguably the country's most successful rally driver, has come out of retirement to compete in the new Magna ending a nine-year retirement from the sport "My wife, Lisa, reckons I'm Uke

clothes - if I hung around long enough I was sure to come back into fashion!" Dunkerton said.

"It's a great motor car - it will be really good.

"Given my age, the 10-CD stacker and air-conditioning will suit me down to the ground!"

- JON THOMSON

P L t/

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Atkinson 2., Cliina O

n

HAVING his win in the Forest Rally taken off him and a disastrous Rally New Zealand hasn't deterred Chris Atkinson, who won the recent second round of the Chinese National Rally Championship in a Subaru.

Just a week after his New Zealand foray, Atkinson was in winning form in China and will this weekend step back into his Super 1600 Suzuki to defend his APRC class title.

Atkinson, pictured above with brother and co-driver Ben, set the pace in the Chinese event, winning by almost three minutes, and adding to the third place they secured in the opening round in March.

Former Team Mitsubishi Ralliart driver Spencer Lowndes took second place in the Chinese event driving a Mitsubishi.

- JON THOMSON

m ^^~SOUbn-tiia$et,co

5 May 2004

RALLYING

Safari moves south THE Tasmanian round of the Globalstar Australian Rally Championship, the Subaru Safari Tasmania, has found a new home for the event, scheduled for 25-27 June.

The Safari Tasmania will now run in the Island State's Southern Forests after recent management changes by the company managing the forests in the Derwent Valley, the traditional home of the event, forced organisers, the 500 Car Club, to look for a new location.

The event will now be run near the Huon Valley and Geevestonp, adjacent to the Hopetoun and , Tahune Forests. '' "The Hopetoun Forest is one of Tasmanian rallying's regular playgrounds," Event Organiser Brian Richardson explained.

"It's a shame that we had to leave our traditional home in the Derwent Valley and we'd like to thank Norsks ^ Skog for the years they allowed us to compete there, but I have to say we are really excited about what the Southern Forests have to offer.

"Forestry Tasmania, as always, has been incredibly helpful and supportive in enabling us to a find a new home, and an area to base the rally from, at short notice.

"Taking the rally to the Huon Valley and Geeveston will give us a big opportunity to introduce a whole lot of new people to the event, and the roads down south are magnificent to compete on."

The other new development for the Subaru Safari Tasmania is a highprofile party start on Friday night at Parliament House, in Salamanca Place. n Exide Batteries has joined the ARC for a three-year term as a new series partner.

Exide management visited the first round of the championship, the Respect Yourself Forest Rally in WA, and was impressed with the opportunities available within the sport.

The opportunity to become a major sponsor has been enhanced for Exide through the company.s involvement as a naming rights sponsorship for the service parks.

Exide's National Marketing Manager Denis Dwyer is delighted to be part of the series and is looking forward to a great future with the sport.

"For the next three years and beyond, Exide Australia will be involved as a major sponsor of this important national rally series," said Dwyer, "The test of machines and drivers against the sometimes inhospitable road conditions was seen as the ideal 'extreme' environment to associate Exide Batteries with."

65

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22-YEAR-OLD Sydney youngster James Thompson scored his first career Sprintcar feature win at Gunnedah Speedway recently.

After starting the 25-lap final from outside the front row beside pole sitter Steven Lynch, Thompson, left, made every post a winner as he set a scorching pace in his 372cipowered Maxim.

A.Adrian Maher charged home to finish second, but 2 could catch Thompson.

Brett Loadsman claimed the final podium place, while Rod Maxwell, Steven Lynch and youngster Ian Loudoun rounded out the top six.

- DANIEL POWELL

Little

by GREG BOSCATO YOUNG Sydney 'hot shot' Troy Little will be returning to the United States soon to continue his US Sprintcar program.

Little told MNews that he will take two of his engines with him and that he has purchased a brandnew Eagle to race at Knoxville. The Maxim he used here last summer is also being shipped to the US and Little will also use that car while overseas.

Like last season. Little will be based at Knoxville but intends to do more racing away from his home base, though he will compete in the presigious Knoxville Nationals.

On the ANZAC long weekend.

Little took the opportunity to race a 360 Sprintcar at Mildura and came away with a third-place finish.

Early Aussie Win Vale: Ashley Smith

m

LEIGH Adams recorded his third Grand Prix victory when he claimed ,the opening round of the 2004 FIM ; Speedway Grand Prix Series in Stockliolm last Saturday night.

Adams pushed fellow Aussie Jason Crump into second place while hometown favourite Tony Rickardsson took third ahead of Poland's Tomasz Gollob fourth.

Two out of three ain't bad: Leigh Adams, middle, took a great win. Crump, far left, finished second. Rickardsson was third.

SYDNEY Litre Sprintcar racer and long time member of Kelly Linigen's Sprintcar team, Ashley Smith, passed away on Saturday, April 24.

Originally from South Australia, Smith endured a heart transplant while in the Navy 13 years ago, but after all the years, his body rejected the heart and the 32-year-old was rushed to Westmead hospital earlier in the week.

Unfortunately, another heart couldn't be found quick enough and he passed away.

After leaving the Navy, Ashley moved to Sydney and quickly hooked up with the

A Classic celebration of Speedway

Adams roared past Crump on the back straight of the first lap and never looked likely to surrender his lead "I have been in such good form in league racing this year that I started to thmk it would all blow up tonight," said Adams."But it didn't and it helped having a great track to race on."

Ryan Sullivan won his first heat but was knocked out of contention before the semis.

-TONY MILLARD Points: Adams 25, Crump 20, Rickardsson 18, Gollob 16, Pedersim 13.

66

Linigen team and become a crew member on Kelly Linigen's team, traveling around Australia with the 'Gas Girl'.

But Ashley's true desire was to race himself. He first took to ovals, racing Dirt Karts before moving into the Litre division around two years ago.

Smith will certainly be missed as he helped many speedway drivers and people over the years.

MNews passes on our sincerest condolences to Ashley's family, friends and the Linigen team (Ashley's Sydney family).

- GREG BOSCATO

Paris Charles

Old School: Don Kindred (ex-Ash Kindred Trimph) runs wheel-to-wheel with Don Foster (Don Bennet replica Jawa) at Adelaide's Riverview Speedway.

THE hands of time were turned back to the golden Speedway era of yesteryear at South Australia’s Riverview Speedway last month to celebrate the 14th annual Riverview National Vintage Speedway Classic.

Racing identities that gathered in the VIP area were former greats such as Kim Bonython, Ray Skipper, Phil Herreen, Nippa Lacey and Jim Bartlett, just to name a few.

Before the night’s on track activities kicked off, South Australian Speedway icon ‘Dashing’ Dudley Lambert was presented with a special award for his long standing services to the sport.

The evergreen Dud is well into his 80s and has only just retired this season from competitive Speedway racing in the V6 Sprints category.

- PARIS CHARLES moiorsport news

SPEEDWAY

on Big mission Transport Hey, that's not nice. Max: Troy Little, above left receiving a friendly touch from Dumesny, will leave the rough and tumble of Sydney speedway for the rude and crude tracks in America.

More Parramatta Practice

CONTINUING on the successful April 17 practice night Parramatta City Raceway has announced that on May 29,the gates will again open for another night of speedway practice.

Well over 70 cars attended the April date, and the May event is , open to all speedway divisions not just the categories that regularly compete at the Sydney ' track.

At the first practice night

Sprintcars, Speedcars, Litre Cars, Fender Benders, V8 Dirt Modifieds and Super Sedans were joined by Late Models, Formula 500, Micro Sprints and Production Sedans. Cost for spectators is $10 and entry is via the pit gate. l. ,, Keep June 12 free as PCR are looking to run a meeting on thk night during the Queen's Birth^ Weekend. fl - GREG BOSCA?!

Mr-

Green/Lewis/ States bound?

WORD from Parramatta suggests that Trevor Green will be racing in the US for Sydney car owner Barry Lewis'.

The rumor also says that Lewis will purchase two Sprintcars in the States and will be using an exSteve Kinser 410 engine that he had purchased recently. The car that former Australian Speedcar champion Craig Brady raced this summer for Lewis at Parramatta is up for sale, while Brady returning to race for Lewis again next season. n The North Queensland Sprintcar title Is set to be held on two nights over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June at Cairns , International Motor Speedway.'

World Series Sprintcar Champion Max Dumesny will be leading a large group of Brisbane based teams north for the $18,000 show with tow money being offered for all cars on what is sure to be one of the highlights of the '03/'04 season.

Meanwhile, Robbie Farr broke Darell Hodges remarkable run of eight consecutive Feature race victories, when he won Round 9 of the Comp Cams Sprintcar Series at Archerfeild last weekend. n In only his second World of Outlaws start of this year, former WoO n champion Mark Kinser dominated the Budweiser Spring Classic at the famed Knoxville Raceway.

After starting from pole position, Kinser, 40, led the entire 25-lap journey to score his 152nd career WoO victory.

Chad Kemenah finished second ahead Danny Lasoski, Tim Shaffer, Tim Kaeding and Craig Dollansky.

Current WoO standings leader and defending series Champion Steve Kinser finished down the order in ninth.

Out of the Aussies competing on the night, Kerry Madsen finished 15th in the feature after starting from position 26.

Former Aussie champion Skip Jackson finished fifth in the B-Main, exAdelaide speedster Jaymie Moyle 13th In the B-MaIn, while Brooke Tatnell failed to make it past his heat race.

- GREG BOSCATO/ MARKJONES/ DANIEL POWELL

I John

Max Dumesny Motorsport Australian Distributors for

2004 WORLD OF OUTLAWS CHAMPIONSHIP KNOXVILLE RACEWAY 1/5/04

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67

p

Stevens Wins The War B

RETT Stevens wrapped up his first Top Doorslammer national championship at the 2004 Tin Top Titles at Willowbank Raceway on Anzac Day, despite not featuring in the final.

The final was an all-Bray affair with Ben taking a well-deserved win over his father Victor in the Castrol/Super Cheap Auto '57 Chev. Tony Wedlock now heads to the season-ending Winternationals holding a slender lead over Peter Ridgeway in Pro Stock.

Stevens top-qualified in his Jack Daniels Studebaker with a 6.16s at 225mph, closely followed by Ben Bray and Steve Stanic with 6.17s and 6.18s second timecards respectively.

Stanic also recorded the top speed of the class in qualifying with a 238.6mph effort.

Others to qualify in the field included Victor Bray in the Castrol '57 Chev with a 6.23s, the Studebakers of Peter Kapiris, Robin Judd, and Gary Phillips in the next three positions, all in the 6.30s with Andrew Searle on the bump with a 6.42 at 220.

Stanic, at the wheel of the Lucky Belled '68 Camaro, put away a severe tyre-shaking Judd in the first race of eliminations.

This set up a tough encounter with Ben Bray in the next round, after Bray took a holeshot victory over Phillips in the Lucas Oil Products car in their first round match up. Both recorded identical 6.28s timecards, Phillips with a bigger mph in the top end, but Bray using a 0.18s ad' on the startline to

Oirk Klynstnith {

Dethroned: Ben Bray, above, won in Queensland but Brett Stevens, below, did enough for the sun to set on Bray's regin as Top Doorslammer Champion. Tony Wedlock, right, leads the Pro Stock Championship after defeating Peter Ridgeway.

Stanic became the second victim of the Ben Bray holeshot, going down in the second round with a 6.26s at 230mph. Stanic's quicker and faster 6.25 at 239.62 gave him the new national speed record, which was backed up by his earlier 238.60.

Bray Snr scored a holeshot victory over Stevens in their encounter, taking the win by a mere .014s at the finish line.

Victor out-reacted his son in the final, but shook hard and lifted before half-track to see Ben speed away for the win.

Ridgeway survived a first round scare in his Pro Stock '* encounter with Peter Pelekis take fhe^in. l Bray Srir had an easier win ovei before going on to face Wedlock in the final.

Kapiris in the first round, as did Stevens over Searle in the last / Both Ridgeway and Pelekis race of the first round. Stevens left earl'^and did not record set low ET of the event with this 'reaction times on the start line. pass, going 6.14s at 231 mph.

Pelekis was later judged to have left first by officials, and the win handed to Ridgeway.

Ridgeway had earlier topqualified the Speedflow Oldsmobile in the number one position with a 7.41s at 183mph, just ahead of Wedlock in his Ultimate Financial Services Pontiac on a 7.44s at 183mph.

He also set low ET and top speed of the event with his 7.38s at 185mph in his confrontation with Wedlock in the final. Wedlock took a holeshot victory over Ridgeway with his 7.44s at 183mph to head to the Winternationals with a slender lead in the points race.

The Supercharged Outlaws bracket featured two regulars in the final, wi^ Russell Schafer taking a harcf^^ht win over Daniel Reed.

Schafer recorded a near perfect 7.57 at 164 on his 7.56s dial-in to defeat Reed's gallant 7.41 at 180 on his 7.36 dial-in.

Top qualifier was relative newcomer Russell Mackay in his Sainty-powered '63 Corvette.

Mackay recorded his best numbers to date with his 7.21 s at 188 mph.

Archie Kajewski's performance in the now rotary-powered, exPro Stock Chev Beretta deserves a mention after his incredible pass in the Mazfix Super Sedan.

He produced a stunning 7.35s at 190mph despite a fair share of tyre shake. Eventual winner in Super Sedan was Allan Burley.

Winners in other brackets include Aaron Tremayne in Supercomp, Michael Adams in Modified, Juan Kudnig in Super Street, Luke Crowley in Comp Bike, Eddie Todd in Modified Bike, mark Woods in Screamin' Eagle Harley Davidson, and Brandon Gosbell in Junior Dragster.

I

Oh, Chute

DEAN Oakey was lucky to walk away after the popular American Auto Parts Top Alcohol dragster was destroyed in an accident during a test and tune at WSID two weeks ago.

The crash occurred when the chutes failed to open after the car crossed the finish line, pitching it through the catch fencing. Oakey suffered some bruising but was otherwise unharmed.

All of us here at MNews are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope of seeing Oakey and the team back on the track as soon as possible.

(Ohn’Ho'shvr

Vale

JIM McLURE

A Bristol Bath

a safe racing environment even if the showers ceased at 5p.m. when they made the decision to call the event for the day.

In Top Fuel, Tony Schumacher, above,lowered the Bristol Dragway elapsed time record with a 4.523s pass at 327mph in his U.S. Army dragster to lead Doug Kalitta (4.530/326), David Grubnic (4.532/323), and Brandon Bernstein (4.535/327).

Rhonda Hartman-Smith, who has really struggled in the opening races of the year after failing to qualify at the last two events, anchors the program with a last-ditch 4.76/302.

Whit Bazemore's Friday night run of 4.770s at 321mph remained the only 4.7s pass of the event, earning 5 May 2004

the Mateo Tools Dodge Stratus the top position in the Funny Car field.

The top four positions are filled by Cruz Pedregon (4.815/320), John Force (4.817/322), and points leader Del Worsham (4.821/314). Bob Gilbertson, driving the 'GoldFinger' dubbed 'Jungle Jim' Pontiac holds onto the bump spot at 5.055s.

Pro Stock's Greg Anderson posted Saturday's two quickest passes in his Vegas General Construction Grand Am,at 6.824 and a 6.840,but failed to better his Friday best of 6.790s at 202mph for his llth-straight number one starting slot.

Anderson's team-niate, Jason Line is second at 6.839/201. Kurt Johnson (6.841/201), and Bruce Allen (6.841/200) hold onto the third and fourth positions. Kenny Korestsky sits 16th with a 6.880/200 in his Dodge Stratus.

Final round results will appear in the next issue of MNews,along with NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series results from the next scheduled event in Atlanta.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

More Clay CLAY Millican claimed his second IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series victory of the season at the 34th Annual US Sports Scene.com Spring Nationals two weeks ago. The win ties Millican with Rickie Smith for the most career IHRA wins at 32.

Millican led the all-time quick field with the quickest pass in IHRA history at 4.550s, and took a 4.63/310 single in the final when Danny Dunn broke.

Mike Janis drove his Eaton Automotive '63 Corvette to the Pro Mod crown when his 6.27/227 n stopped the 6.36/223 of Al BilleP. In a rematch of the San Antonio Pro Stock final, John Montecalvo defeated John Nobile. Montecalvo cut a 0.011 reaction time, and stretched his lead all the way to the finish line to take a 6.52/212 to 6.55/212 victory.

Mark Thomas topk his second straight win at the 'Rock' and second of the season with a 6.04/233 finalround win over Chris Foster. n Troy Critchley qualified for his first IHRA show of 2004 at Rockingham. Critchley put his beautiful '41 Wlllys into the tight field with a 6.270 pass at 224mph to end f up 15th. Tyre shake slowed Critchley n in the opening round against Rick Distefano's 6.17s at 228mph. n On the NHRA/AMS staff Leasing side, Critchley has been unable to crack into the quick 8-car shows thus fai. in Gainesville, a 6.34 left him 22nd. At the following event in Houston, a 6.23 left him ninth, just shy of the 6,19 bump. This past weekend at Bristol, a 6.31 left him outside the field in the 12th spot.

f^l^ffhsiaszewski]

THE fourth annual O'Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals presented

by Quaker State was postponed until Monday as rain washed out all of Sunday's action at Bristol Dragway last weekend.

Vice President of Racing Operations, Graham Light, and Director of Racing Ray Alley, determined that weather conditions would not be conducive to

RAG RACING

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NINETEEN-time Top Fuel Harley-Davidson champion Jim McClure, above, lost his struggle to sustain heart replacement surgery the afternoon of April 2 when liver and pancreas failure complicated McClure's recovery.

McClure, known as'Da Judge', was at the forefront of the current nitro-fueled, HarleyDavidson powered motorcycles.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI

n Following the Rockingham event, the IHRA has made some changes to the Pro Modified rulebook. The supercharger overdrive limit has now been lowered to 20% overdrive. The nitrous combination will now be permitted to run the MSD 7531 ignition, a system previously disallowed in Pro Stock for its ability to be used as a traction control device. n Terry Haddock, driver of the Barrett EnterprIses/VF Trucking Camaro, has hired Terry Manzer as the new crew chief for his racing operation. n Oildowns by teams in the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes are at a two-year low, according to the statistics for the 2004 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series season through the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston.

The NHRA attributes the low numbers to extra preparations by the teams and stiffer penalties imposed by the sanctioning body.

- DAVID OSTASZEWSKI 69

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Repeat Winners Double-Ups the new trend at CIK Championships THE second round of the Sparco Australian CIK Championships was held over last weekend at

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Potential Plus: Ashley Walsh, above, came to the fore at Adelaide in Intercontinental A.

Super-8 is Rotax World Final qualifier

THE Dunlop Super 8 Series will be the official qualification event for Australia’s senior entrant in the next Rotax MAX Challenge World Final.

In the past, the Australian Rotax Nationals has been used to select drivers for the World Final, but now, in alignment with Rotax’s preference, a qualification series will be used ,to determine the starters in the selection final. Therefore, the winner of Rotax Light at the Australian Super 8 Final at Todd

Rumours regarding KartStars had been circulating for over a month and DPE confirmed the situation last week. The announcement follows Ford's decision to no longer back tire program.

DPE General Manager George Turton confirmed that a large sponsor was in the wings for 2004, but wasn't able to commit to the program in time.

"Wlrile the 2004 series is not going ahead,it by no mi-;ans indicates tliat the 70

him at the end of the main straight, having succombed to brake problems, but Burns was able to restart to recover for fifth. Birel enjoyed a 1-3 podium result with Nick Lowe claiming a lonely but consistent third.

Road in December will head to the Canary Islands in January '05 to race drivers from 34 other countries aboard identical Rotax RM1 karts.

For the first time, Australia will be sending a junior driver to the World Final. At the moment.

Junior Rotax is not promoted in Australia, so the winner of the Junior Clubman support class at the Rotax Nationals at Ipswich in September will get the gig.

- MARK WICKS

Karts, but no Stars THE Ford KartStars series has been axed for 2004.

Adelaide's Bolivar Raceway, with three of the four classes being won by the respective round one victors.

Birel driver Daniel Elliott,just as he did last year, made it back-to-back wins with a commanding victory in the premier Formula A class.

Defending Champion Barclay Holden had an outstanding tactical battle with Elliott all weekend, but despite starting the final from pole, he could not maintain Elliott's pace.

Holden gradually fell back into a battle for third with Jason Burns and Glenn Powles,but was able to maintain second. Burns' progress was slowed when Powles collected

series has been lost forever," he said.

"We are confident all the necessary pieces will be in place within the next few months and this will allow drivers to start planning for the 2005 KartStars series well in advance."

It had been known for some time that Ford, who have supported the program since its inception in 2000, would not be renewing their association.

The KartStars concept was part of Ford's long-term plan that was set up by the late Howard Marsden.

-MARK WICKS

FORMER National Champion Josh Arandt won Rotax Light at the second round of the Victorian Super 8 series at Albury-Wodonga last month.

Arandt (Arrow), who competed in the World Finals in South Africa last year, beat home Troy Woolston and Aaron Rintoul.

Junior National Light Australian Champion Leigh Nicolaou (Arrow) made his Junior Clubman debut and promptly won the class. South Australia's Scott Pye took second. At this round

Bart Price dominated Intercontinental C,the Arrow pilot came to grips with the standing starts and cleared out in the Final to leave Matthew Sofi and New Zealander Karl Wilson to take the remaining steps on the podium.

Ashley Walsh outlined his potential by winning Intercontinental A. Walsh, when the track was dry, could not be touched. When the skies cleared for the final, the attention turned to the race for second. James Mann made it a TruUi Kart quinella. Paul Laskazeski drove well to finish third after starting the final last, due to a PreFinal crash with Chris Ensbey.

Kristian Lindbom was the only driver to buck the trend of performing a repeat victory, taking out Junior Intercontinental A. The Top Kart driver steered his title defence back on track after a tough Round 1, withstanding pressure from Jake Williams and Round One winner Josh Scott to lead from start to finish.

- CHRIS JORDAN

Clubman Heavy took over from the Formula 100 category, Chad Sullivan (Monaco) taking the win.

Dean Foster took his Monaco to victory in Formula Australia Light ahead of Matt Wall and Nick Lacey. Daniel McLeod wrapped up Rookies by winning every race and Jordan Ford won Midgets. The other winners were Joshua Hughes (Junior National Light), Lincoln Benns (Junior National Heavy) and Jason Stania (Rotax Heavy).

- MARK WICKS moiorsoort news

J

NATIOMAI.SCEliE pTTT

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NEW Zealand will have a new openwheel category from 2005 onwards.

Formula Toyota, already competing in Japan, pictured, was approved by Motorsport New Zealand after the governing body reached an agreement recently with Toyota New Zealand.

The category sees the return to 'wings and slicks' racing in NZ after the demise of Formula Holden.

Toyota New Zealand have promised at least 10 years of support for the new formula and it is expected that local Toyota dealerships will sponsor teams.

The single-seater class will use a purpose-built control chassis, engine, tyres and parts. Ail 1.8 litre engines, which produce close to ZOObhp, wilt be leased from Toyota NZ. it is the same engine that's used in Toyota Ceiica and Corolla GT production models. The cars will feature six-speed gearboxes and the monocoque carbon fibre chassis will be built by Italian company Tatuus.

Toyota motorsport spokesman n 1 £ Steve Boyce said the n lM| category will fill a large void in NZ motorsport.

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"The aim of the class is to provide good, even competition while at the same time helping talented young drivers to gain experience in open-wheel racing without them having to go overseas prematurely.

Motorsport NZ remains adamant that the national Formula Ford championship will not be affected by the new series.

Toyota and MotorSport NZ are hoping the series kicks off by January 2005, with an aim to gain full MotorSport NZ championship status from 2006 onv /f

Peter Bury

New Sport Sedan Era

Trans Tasman GT ready to kick off at MallaSa

AUSTRALIA'S fastest tin-tops will debut in a new championship this year, which kicks off at Mallala this weekend.

; f !

'■ '

ROUND Two of the Vietorian State Series saw huge fields gather at Sandown Raeeway in mixed conditions.

The Sports Car grid was bolstered by a handful of Nations Cup machines.

Porsche men Brett Bedggood and James Dutton staged a lengthy weekend war, above. Bedggood finished on top. in the Porsche 944s, Ojars Balodis had the wood on his rivals on Saturday, until Kane Ross came to the fore on Sunday.

A huge field of Formula Fords gathered. James Davison qualified fastest, but Cade Southall and Mark McNally ensured the wins went to the experienced.

Alfa Romeo GTV driver Paul Thomson won the final Under 2-litre Sports n Sedans race ahead of Lee Uhlhorn's Mazda RX 7. Bryce Peter-Budge dominated the first two races in his ex-Super Touring Peugeot 406.

The 'Andy and Tony Show' continued in Formula Vee. Nethercote and Boequet took a win a piece in the first two races, until Boequet broke the deadlock in the third.

Both Fords and Holdens claimed H istoric Touring Car victories. Chris Ralph steered his Ford Mustang took Race 1, while Alistair Maclean won Race 2 in his Torana XU1. Drew Marget picked up the third race spoils.

Dean Camm did his best to embarrass the Sport Sedan field and Gavin Ross tried the same in HQs, until Kevin Stoopman collected the final win.

Mort Fitzgerald dominated the MGs, but was pressured in the last race

by Graham Thomas and quick pole man Rob Whitwell Leanne Ferrier, Adam Macrow and.Cameron vanden Dungen were the best of the Improved Production field. Ferrier took the final heat win.

2oas

Having stepped away from CAMS championship status and joined the Premier Race Series, the Trans Tasman GTs will feature more TransAm cars at the front of the field, although there will be some early notable absentees. However, a class field is expected at the South Australian venue, where for the first time, a roUing start will be used.

Reigning Champion Kerry Baily will miss the first round due to extensive damage his Supra Chev sustained in New Zealand over Christmas. Baily indicated though that he might be back for Round 2 at Winton,but he'll certainly be on the grid at Oran Park in July.

Darren Hossack and Tony Ricciardello, below, are expected to pick up where Baily left off and will take the fight to each other for the crown. Both 'll

K-

men are former winners of the title, and the battle between them alone should be well worth the entry fee.

Hossack will continue in his trusty Saab Chev, while Ricciardello will campaign Iris fully-rebuilt Alfa Chev.

Challenges to the front pair should come thick and fast from New Zealander Bernie Gillon, who will debut a new Mustang. Fellow Kiwi Andrew Fawcett will join the series later in a Jaguar XKR. Des Wall has taken reign of the exKayne Scott Chev Corvette. Wall's son, David will step up to the Supra once gearbox parts arrive from America.

Others due to start at Mallala are Phil Crompton, Mick Monterosso, David Brenssel, Dean Randle and Rodney Woods.

Formula 4000 will also headline the Premier Racing Series while Supertrucks, Superkarts, FlQs and Formula Vee will be the supporting acts.

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'GoiiJi^lie^ull niidie: Alajujian ffot through practice ,and some of ^"qU'ij^i^r^un.til^etting stung at Oran Park's dog-leg.

-Alaiaiian on his futureaspi^ions OH h'lymmith

dedicated to the categories, drivers and cars that don't have the following that Formula .1 or V8 Supercar enjoy, but none the less, are vitally important to Australasian racing.

Some people, through choice or circumstance, will stay in the National Scene for most of their racing career. On the flip side, some steerers spend little or no time in 'The Scene' and are fortunate enough to make it towards the front half of this quality publication. Drivers like Craig Lowndes, Garth Tander. Will

popular pages before the staples.

17-year-old Chris Alajajian doesn't want to spend much time in the National Scene.

For the Sydney kid, the 'International Scene' is his priority.

The schoolboy is this year's leading contender in the Australian Production Car Championship after finishing sixth outright last year. Now in his second season of sedan racing, all the indications pointed towards a career in tin-tops, but Alajajian considers this a second option.

I'd like to focus more on open-wheelers," he said.

I really like how much G forces they have got. It's more

NATIONAL SCENE

FSOOOs make Glorious comeback COMMODORES and Falcons were not the only 5-litre monsters roaring around Pukekohe last weekend.

In what was a pretty startling sight- and that was before the heavens opened - Formula 5000 returned to headline motor racing in Auckland, with a number of the 1079s beasties turning on a show for the soggy masses. The well-known Elfin and Lola brands may have been in evidence but,in this part of the world, all eyes feU to the locally developed Begg chassis and the McRaes, designed, built and raced by local legend Graham McRae. One of the McRae GM2s was even watched by former V8 Supercar team owner Garry Dumbrell, on hand to watch son Paul steer the Castrol VY around.

The cars may have lacked the pace of the old days - heck, Brighty went quicker in the PWR car - but they looked and sounded the past. Can we have some more FSOOOs at the races please, Mr Cochrane? ; - PHIL BRANAGAN

^ John Marris/Mipx

Historic Winton THE 28th Historic Winton meeting, Australia's secondlongest continuous running motor racing event after Bathurst, will take place on the weekend of May 29-30.

It's also one of Australia's largest all-historic meetings, with more than 400 vintage and historic racing cars and motorcycles taking part.

Forty-four events have been scheduled, and will cater for vehicles from 1921 to 1977,ranging from Sunbeams to Formula 5000s.

American visitor Dean Butler has entered tv\'o priceless cars - the first of the famous ERAs built in 1934 and his 1951 Jim Robbins Special, the car that achieved pole position for the 1955 Indianapolis 500. A second ERA, the R12C car built in 1936 and raced originally by Prince Bira of Siam has bem entered by British enthusiast Bill Morris.

More than 40 rare cars will be seen in action in the regularity events, and over 100 veteran, vintage, classic and post classic bikes and sidecars will add another exciting dimension to the meeting.

The pre-war cars will be out in force -some 80 of them in races and regularity events, and the Group N 'tintops'from the 1960s will again prove crowd favourites with Minis, Mustangs, Monaros and Alfa Romeos well to the fore.

Off the track there will be the usual car park displays of collectable cars and bikes which have been driven or ridden to the meeting by spectators.

They are now an established feature of the meeting.

The Historic Winton is organised by the Austin 7 Club Inc. with assistance from the Historic Motorcycle Racing Association Vic. -BRIAN REED

CBR Photographic

Priceless treasures: American Dean Butler will enter his 1951 Jim Robbins Special, as well as one of his famous ERAs, example above.

Riley still holds Le Mans record

Joy to the British: Every Riley which entered the 1934 Le Mans race finished.

74

BRITISH success at Le Mans is usually associated with great marques such as Bentiey, Aston Martin and Jaguar, but others have also achieved great things, even if not to the same extent.

Take for instance the Riley. In 1933, a Brooklands model scored an impressive fourth place outright and won the Index of Performance. It was a sign of things to come.

The following year, Riley made a serious challenge. Entering six cars, they achieved a 100 percent finishing record. More importantly, they finished second, third, fifth, sixth, 12th and 13th - the only marque, according to Victor Riley, grandson of the company’s

founder, where all cars entered have completed the race. To add to the achievement, the cars were driven from the factory in Coventry and back home after the race!

As well as their outstanding results, Riley also won the Rudge Whitworth Cup, the teams prize, and were class winners in the IIOOcc and ISOOcc categories.

Victor Riley’s mother and Kay Petre won the ladies prize.

2004 is the 70th anniversary of this remarkable performance, and Victor, president of the Riley Motor Club in England says (not surprisingly) “there will be a considerable Riley presence at Le Mans this year."

- BRIAN REED lotors;

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INDUSTRY NEWS

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The Motorsport Shop has opened a new store in Ringwood.

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greatest friends and rivals including Alain Prost, Gerhard Berger, Damon Hill, Frank Williams and Murray Walker.

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Porsche Carrera Cup Car 2003, RACED IN CARRERA CUP SERIES 2003.

NUMBER 51 CROCKER. THE LEAST DAMAGED CAR OF THE SERIES WITH ABSOLUTELY NIL MAJOR DAMAGE. NEW CLUTCH. 8 SPARE WHEELS AND 4 NEW SLICKS AVAILABLE. $235,000 ONO. jack Crocker 07 32753122. 283 www.myl05.com/28284.

Sunday Drivers Winter Clearance Sale

Saleen Mustang S351 k Ex nations cup/sports car, immaculate build quality, 560HP 1 supercharged 351 V8, proflex shocks, ideal for targa/tarmac Hi rally or to add to the collection, priced to sell at a fraction of Ft the build cost of $240,000 - Sell $50,000. Various spares available including, engines, gearboxes, diffs, panels, suspension componenets etc. $50,000. Kevin Heffernan 0413 733 407.

”

Much Loved Car, Stock engine (nothing modified), 17 inch Gold 5 spoke wheels, lowered with Peddars Sports Ryder Springs, Hi-Tech Sports exhaust. Baby Pivot Automatic Turbo Timer, Quick-Trak Monitoring Alarm system, WRX floor mats, 6 stacker CD player, Muched Loved car, hesitant to sell, going overseas. Never raced or abused. $30,000. Israel 0402872083.

283 www.my105.com/42395 .

www.myl05.com/67684

HQ GTS Holden Monaro tuniima

Group NC #28, Ex Jackson car, no expense I spared, numerous race wins, fastest laps and I lap records. Tyre smoking Mega HP 350 t chev, proflex shocks. Scare yourself for $60,000.Various spares available including, 3 engines, gearboxes, diffs, panels, suspension 1 components etc. $60,000. Kevin Heffernan 0413 733 407.

World of Outlaws Sprintcars, As raced at World of Outlaws. Tim Kaeding car (7T): - 2003 40/86 Standard Eagle Chassis Winters Rear End - Latest lightweight components Jason Meyers car (1M): 2003 40/86 Standard Maxim Chassis Sanders Front end and Winters rear end (near new) - Lee Steering Box Complete rolling chassis ready to race (minus motors). $20,000 ea Or Best Offer. Steven 283 96370411.

02 www.my105.com/21118 .

www.myl05.com/89543

LJ XU1 Holden Torana Group NC #74, Sister car to #90, , \ 'W| immaculately prepared, numerous race \ wins, fastest laps. Race winning top HP l ; J 202, koni shocks. Ready to race fjr .s: $38,000. Various spares available including, engines, gearboxes, diffs, panels, suspension components etc. , $38,000, Kevin Heffernan 0413 733 407.

nr

Sedans/Sports Cars I

www.myl05.com/29225

Toyota Corolla AE82 Improved Prod, 3rd 1600CC QLD 2003, 20 valve, Autronlc, FIA cage, TRD cage, TRD GPA gearbox + diff, all VGC/fresh, easy to drive, prof built.

284 $9,600. Justin 0417 703 773, www.my105.com/70676

LJ XU1 Holden Torana immaculately prepared, numerous race n Group NC #90,,Ex Jackson/Heffernan, : wins, fastest laps and lap records. Race i*5 winning top HP 202 engine, koni/proflex shocks. Ready to win $40,000. Various spares available including, engines, gearboxes, diffs, panels, suspension components etc. $40,000. Kevin Heffernan 0413 733 407.

www.myl05.com/85246 5 May 2004

SELL YOUR EQUIPMENT!

Falcon GT (replica), Russel Jones Race Engine with Rev Limiter, shift lite combo.

Race Brakes and suspension. New paint and Interior, New wheels and Tyres, New disc brake LSD, very quick and compeitive car, car just completed and not yet raced.

Registered, safety certificate. Can email photos. 17,500 Neg. Steve 0414 397609.

283 www.my105.com/97234

Mitsubishi Evo 6 Race car, Improved Model National Late Production Championship winning car. Big horse power engine, autronic ECU and CDI, brembo 8 pot brakes, cusco diffs, proflex suspension.

Brand new brakes.clutch, driveshafts, turbo and exhaust manifold. Holds lap record at Barbagallo, heaps of spares. Can be raced in GT Performance/ Improved Production. $45,000 Or Best Offer. Aaron 0409 298 108. 283 www.my105.com/74684

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VH Comodore, Comodore VH Improved production 355 Holden, super T10 TexMex Gearbox, Harrop rear end. fresh engine complete o/haul since last season. Excellent condition Eastern Cr 1.48.0 - Oran Pk. 1.19.1 - Wakefield Pk. 1.08.9. David 0409 319 349. 283 www.my105.com/81552

FORD FALCON NC XY GT, Strong 530 HP Steel Crank Motor. Close ratio gear box. 31 spline gold track diff. Mustang 4 spot front.

HO Rear etc.eto. Most parts new o near new. Very fast car in excellent condition. $50,000 Col Higgins 0401 213 808 or 02 9875 3500 ah, Colin Higgins 0401 213 808 / 283 02 9875 3500. www.myl05.com/49645

SuperSports 1300, Suzuki G13B Engine, Corolla C/R 4 speed G/Box (Nedham Gears),Pushrod suspension, Konis, Alloy 3 piece wheels, 1 season new, includes single axle trailer. $28000. Phone 02 6288 8179.

283 $28 000. 02 6288 8179, www.myl05.com/2241

V

Open Wheelers EVO 7, Race winning car, many spares, .

Garry 0413 879 879 / (02) 9688 3003. 283 www.myl05.eom/28980

Mitsubishi Mirage, 4th outright 2003, quick and tidy car, very reliable, podium finishes, ready to race, some spares, may deliver. $18,000 ONO. Adam 0438 541 972 283 www.my105.com/26642 Mazda RX-7 Race Car/Parts, Mazda RX-7 roller with new Roll Cage, paint, flairs and rear spoiler. 13B Bridgeport Engine in pieces. Racing Beat Carbon apex seals and springs. Racing Beat Pulley, 2 sets of alloy wheels, Sparco race seat. Series 3 Diff Assembly, 4 pot callipers, hubs, discs, turbo gearbox, 48mm.Webber and Manifold. 8500 Neg. 0732694134 / 0754967848 282 www.my105.com/12923

Formula Vee 1998 Mantis, Fresh John Dean Engine, rollon long and short gearboxes, 3 piece wheels, spares including nose cone and mould, log book, ready to race. Fully enclosed trailer also available almost new $2,800. $7,500 ONO, Jim (03) 5967 2288. 281 www.my105.com/39084

Formula Ford, Chassis/engine for sale/lease. Maintained by Troy Dunstan Racing, Speedtech engine. 4x3 way Penske shocks, MoTec Dash, large inventory of spares. Package can be adjusted to meet your budget, lincludes delivery to lOOOkIms. Great opportunity to get a FF with all the 'bits’ that makes a front mnning car. . $47,500 Neg. 0419 777 977.

283 www.my105.com/79793

RX7 Series VI, Imported, cannot be compiled. Suitable for race car, parts etc Complete running/driving. $18,500 ONO. 0407244542. 282 www.my105.com/91219

dSmutmm J

Mallock U2 MK21 1300cc, Completed 2002 current CAMS logbook Del Luca Corrolla motor on 45DCOEs. Comes with MSD ignition and adjustable rev limiter, 6 point FIA current harness, 4 wheel d/brakes, cockpit adj. brake bias. Ford diff, new AVO shockers, w/bone Jigs and spares. $10,000 281 ONO. Ian (08) 8322 1029. www.my105.com/20218

TIGA FA82 Formula Atlantic, Complete car in perfect condition. Recent full restoration. Engine dismantled for inspection. Will consider an interesting trade. $48,000 Not Neg, David 0409 603 749, 283 www.my105.com/49988

Formula Ford Spectrum 06, Great 1st car, competitive in all state and National events, great history with many poles, fastest laps and wins, finished 4th Bathurst 02, 5th AGP 04, Penske shockers ail round, dash and logger, set up equip, full set ratios, 3 sets wheels and tyres, ready to race. $29,000.

Daniel (03) 9725 5366 / 0411 029 561. 263 www.mylO5.com/18142

m TURBO ROTARY RALT, Dowled, ported, lllanetti ceramic seals. Bail bearing turbo, external w/gate,multi plate clutch,alloy flywheel, microtech,duai bosch pumps,4 stage dry sump, huge spares, pi dash, 8 wheels, ratios, tyres, arms, mouids, d/shafts,discs,pads,wings. 600hp awesome to drive. $75,000 Or Best Offer.

Michael 0411 676 429.

280 www.myl05.com/52281

Open wheeler, Westfield Clubman, Booth prepared, Toyota3SGE, Motec, Hollinger 5Spd with Loveday remote Quickshift, Ford Motorsport LSD + more. Spare race wheels & gearbox components. Giant killer which is ready for 2004 Sportscar Championship.

CA/V enciosed trailer. $25,000 Neg. Adrian 327 0417 988.

283 www.myl05.com/77394

Bowin P6F, $25,000 ONO. Keith 0401-704401 283 www.my105.com/24538

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CLASSIFIEDS Engines

Race Wheels, Race Wheels,BBS Snake Tongue Rims centre look Super Touring 1 piece light weight 19*8s good condition$900ono John 02 65695781. $900 ONO 263 www.my105.com/34580 Gearbox Transaxle, special Lola Hewland Penske new c/pinion, all gears new, fully rebuild, ready to race, with on board jacks.

284 $14,000. Issy (03) 9401 1155. www.my105.com/29140

Trailer, modular lounge .dbl bed .bunk .microwave, annexe ,240v power ,winch , carpet .fits falcon ute .too many features to list .trailer is in brisbane . . $20,000. Shane 283 0403 571 351 / (08) 9399 5412. www.myl05.com/42418

Speedway Porsche 3.4 Litre Boxster Engine Complete NEW, Built by Chellingworth Porsche Perth. Includes flowed heads, Porsche Sport cams and Pfitzner flywheel.

285 $25,000 ONO. Kim 0417 917 189. www.myl05.com/88381 Chev, 5lt 302 engine, 010 block, 4 bolt, steel capped mains, 23 alloy brownfield, heads, big stainless valves, Isky valve springs collets and retainers, roller cam shaft, rev kit, crow push rods, crane roller rockers with stud girdle kit, 6lnch carillo rods, steel crank shaft, 12.5.1 comp brc forged pistons king high performance bearings, dry sumped with pump / tank and lines, 780 holley, victor jnr manifold, flex plate wih 7 1/4inch plate clutch, reduction starter, alloy water pump, Peterson belt drive system this engine has 550 plus hp.

Ideal improved production race engine can be heard going price $15,000 ono. 0407 943 062 / 0408 343 062.

284 www.myl05.com/6557 Chev V8 Supercar Engine, Benson built, 612 HP complete with wiring harness motor, latest flow heads, run in Konica only, low kms. VS Front Strutts, complete with Koni adjustable shocks and King springs plust assortment springs, rear shocks complete.

Supercar BBS Rims 12, $350 each, gary 08 2B3 9397 0317 / 0419 935 107. www.myl05.com/36060

Nissan FJ20, Quad throttle forged pistons Ported, Polished head all new parts throughout. Suit sports sedan etc. Cost over $7000. Only used twice. Offers over $4000.

281 $4,000. Michael 0407 668 835. www.myl05.com/32181

Parts Torsen Limited Slip Diff, Torsen LSD with 3.9 Mazda ratio - suit 28 spline axels. Hardly used. /\s new $990 neg, $990 Neg, chris 283 0419847102, www.myl05.com/74040 Repco F5000 engine plus many parts, rare fiat planecrankshaft, camshafts, flywheels heads etc, ex. Elfin factory. The lot special price. Ex Elfin factory schocker coil sping stock too many to list, $1,500.

Wheels original and composite new and secondhand. F/2 parts Golf engine parts.

283 Roger 0417 097 188. www.myl05.com/27224 205x60x15 Yoko Competition tyres, A32R ex Targa. Call Bradley or Steve 03 9583 4493. $80 each. 0419 381 270. 284 www.myl05.eom/30425

5 May 2004

Race ready Super Sedan, Super Sedan Pontiac Firbird complete car, race ready, engine very strong, Q-Change diff wide five all round.new coil over chassis to go with car.easy to set-up $15,000.00 ono Ph 0413 226 771 REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE .

15.000.00 ONO. 0413 226 771.

283 www.myl05.com/27300

Race Transporter, International T2670, 1982, 28ft pan, 2000kg Tienen lifter, 14Ut Cummins, 9sp road ranger, 28 x 15ft marquee, compressor, generator, electricity, storage boxes, and much more. $35,000.

Druggan Family Racing 0416 104 582 /(02) 9636 4432.

282 www.myl05.eom/26017

Transporters/Trailers

2 Car Transporter, 2 stage Hydrolic tailgate, Bench's, tyre racks, suit open wheelers, CD, tow bar, stored inside workshop. $38,500 ONO. Peter (03) 9761 4510. 280 www.myl05.com/86618

Collectable/Memorabilia Transporter, Bedford turbo 6spd isuzu diesel bus. Fast comfortable & reliable. Big enough for commodore in back, 10 RX7 recliner bucket seats in front. Elec winch, bbq, fridge, gen/welder, 240v wiring, new steel radials, radio etc. Spent $33k Bargain at $22K ph 0419847102. 22000. Chris 283 0419847102/(08)83707011, www.myl05.com/53879

Gokart Replica of 1st Gold Coast Indy in excellent condition in car Winner, garage since 1992 never driven. $7,500 283 ONO. Brett 0412 495 467. www.myl05.com/52231

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Fully Enclosed Trailer, 21ft X 8ft X 6ft, Tyre racks. Work Bench, 12v/240v lights.

Rear roller door, 4 Wheel disc brakes, 6000 283 Neg. 0418 175 435. www.myl05.com/1366

Trailer Fully Enclosed, brand new, alum clad, internal size, L3600 hi 900 w1950 electric brakes 240v sink, water tank, fridge, lighting, alum ramps, storage box, 1/t truck, tyres, removable winch fitting suit formular or sports car. $7,500. Brian 9726 6749 / 283 0417 501 818. www.myl05.com/52165

I

Race Transporter, 45 gooseneck fully lined, full fit out for race car, SBR Isuzu Twin Cab, 235 horsepower turbo, 5.5 KBA generator, compressor, aluminium lockup boxes over wheel arch. CD player, CB radio, radial tyres, RWC. $85,000. BH 03 283 5940 2034/AH 0418 109 976. www.mylO5.com/17216

Cigarette Dispenser - Marlboro Maclaren Honda, in mint condition still in box. $375.

283 Brett 0412 495 467. www.myl05.eom/66074

For Lease F3 Drive Available, Team BRM have one of their front running Dallara 301 Spiess Opel cars available for Round 2 of the Australian F3 Championship at Oran Park 16-18 April. Bronte Rundle (08)8254 8444 / 281 0412 846 997. www.myl05.com/6120 Drive Available - Formula Ford, Qld Championship, Bathurst and Indy Championship winning Team. Greg (07) 281 5446 7611 / 0411 052 944. www.myl05.eom/60813

/ am very happy with the service I received. All three of the enquiries you forwarded were firm buyers and it was sold on a first come first served basis.

Again thanks. /. Hills

Get it seen Get it sold!

81

-5

OPINION

motorsport

news

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor: Phil Branagan l editor®mnews.com.au Deputy Editor: Mark Glendenning l mark@mnews.com.au News Editor: Aaron Noonan l noonz@mnews.com.au National Editor: Grant Rowley l grant@mnews.com.au

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CONTRIDUTORS FI; Joe Saward, Adam Cooper, Paolo Filisetti Europe; Quentin Spurring, Gary Watkins, David Addison US; Phil Morris, Martin D. Clark Speedway; Brett Swanson, Julie Pearce, Geoff Rounds, Wade Aunger, Tony Millard (UK), Greg Boscato Rally; Jon Thomson Histories; Brian Reed Drag Racing; Greg Ward, Jon Asher (USA), Dave Ostaszewski (USA), Nick Nicholas, Steven White, Ken Ferguson National; Mark Wicks, Sean Henshelwood, Mark Jones, Dave Conole, Chris Jordan Photographers; Sutton Motorsport Images, Dirk Klynsmith, Bothwell Photographic, Marshall Cass, Nigel Snowdon & Diana Burnett,/API Images, Neil Hammond, Slipstrearfi Photographic, Allsport, John Morris/Mpix, Frank Midgley, Peter Bury, Mike Patrick (UK), Chris Carter, James Smith, Paris Charles, Bob Potts Motorsport News is published by Australasian Motorsport News - ABN 55 125 120 702 Publisher: C Lambden Printed by: Offset Alpine Printing Pty Ltd, Lidcombe, NSW. 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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■a

82

Your kidding yourself if you think that the racing on Channel 10 will start around 10:30 on Grand Prix nights after their program reshuffle.

Big Brother started this week, and if it's anything like last year, it's bound to run a minimum 30 minutes over each week. Plus the 30 minutes of repeated RPM guff Cromly and Co. go on with before the start of the race, leaving a race start time of about 11.30.

Good thing those VCRs! Rod & Louise Wright r_lwright@ozemail.com.au

Thexton’s public eye

ADMINISTRATION

believed. Defeat should hurt- yet the 31 losers on the weekend showed no sign of pain...

Pukekohe was the best

Are we still on Nine?

Isn't it great to see David Thexton sell his cars, license and hardware.

But no, it's not a good thing for his hard working team who surely weren't to know that he was going to be that far off the pace.

You have to admire the guy for giving it his all, but the harsh facts are that this is a sport for the elite, and unfortunately for David he learnt just how hard it is - and he did it in a public arena.

Here's hoping not all of his guys are left unemployed. Hopefully,some or all of them will be retained for his mooted Carrera Cup campaign.

Josh Evans Coorparoo Qld ED: Paragraph by paragraph ... Yes, it is.

Yes, it is. No, you do not.

Change into Sequential

This V8 gearbox issue has really given me the browns.

If the performance of the 'box is identical to its predessesor, than why is it determined illegal? Why would they want to charge the teams even more money for no logical reason at all. It's amazing.

Anyway, I hope there is an overhaul of the gearbox rules soon.

Why can't they introduce sequential shifters? It would be cheaper in the long run (with the chance of an over rev minimised and the maintence is less as well) but not only that. The Europeans who come across to Australia for one or two races a year

converter Send us your thoughts: mail: PO Box 7072, Gardenvale, VIC 3186 fax: 03 9596 5030 email: mnews@mnews.com.au

could adapt far quicker than what they have been able to with the old dog box. Most of them have driven right-hand drive cars, so stepping into one with sequential shift will be a hell of a lot easier.

Andrew Durst via email ED: It's a tricky issue, please look at the nexu pages and see if it makes sense.

Joy to the ... Loser?

Three different round winners and not a fist-pump in sight. Not even a big overseas race, a big parochial crowd and a big career win could excite Jason Bright.

He climbed out of the car after the final race in NZ, shook some hands, gave the crowd a quick wave (after prompting from a team-mate) and told a worldwide television audience that "it was just good to get a good points haul" or some such.

Marcos Ambrose was marginally more excited - he was just happy to finish. They're the sort of stockstandard, apathetic responses we've come to expect from V8 winners.

Not that you could blame them. So blinkered on the championship trophy are they, the wins along the way don't seem to matter. A flawed points system makes sure of it. They're not playing to win - for now, the top 10 wiU do.

Drivers who insist otherwise can't be

advertisement yet for a new points system. One that doesn't encourage processional racing and passionless drivers. It's one thing for AVESCO to rig the points to keep the championship alive to the death, it's another to rob sport of its heart and soulthe joy of winning.

Jason Whittaker jasonwhitt@iprimus.com.au

10 Years On ...

It was with some sadness that I mentioned to my better half that the latest MNews was full of Ayrton Senna, 10 years on,and similar sorts of stories. But I had read no mention whatsoever of Roland Ratzenberger.

To Phil Branagan and MNews, thank you. Apparently, not everyone remembers, but some of us do.

Gilles Villeneuve, Senna, Ratzenberger, Mike Burgmann, Demry Hubne - the list goes on - are all champions, and they all had one thing in common,despite the different times, classes of racing or machinery,they did the best they could with what they had.

Gentleman,I stand to, a Bundy at the ready...

Andy & Sue McMurricb sh.am.hm@westnet.com.au

Times needed change

I have to say congratulations to the Max Mosley and the FIA. It's really about time they put their foot down and brought the FI world back from beyond reality.

I'm glad to see these reductions put in place. Hopefully it stops the spiralling costs and boring racing. We get to watch the FI at crap hours of the evening and the racing is so dull, I fall asleep in my coffee.

But why do we have to wait until 2008 to see these changes? Why can't they be introduced for '06, maybe '07?

David Renee Paddington NSW ED: The changes can only start in '07 because that is when the Concorde Agreement expires.

- - M

.«|fi£ATHCAFE$j,

1

r John Morris/Mpix

No emotion? Should Jason Bright start doing back flips and hand stands after a round win, or will he save the acrobatics for Round 13?

motorsport news

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