13th & 14th February 2002

The first official test of the 2002 season took place this week at the Estoril circuit in Portugal.  Apart from a private test at the circuit on Tuesday, it was the first opportunity that the team has had to test out the new Lola B2/50.  With the second car due to be delivered later this week, drivers Ricardo Sperafico and Antonio Pizzonia had to split the testing sessions between them.

Ricardo Sperafico ran in the morning session of day one and completed 42 laps, setting the sixth quickest time of the morning on his 17th lap. Antonio Pizzonia was in the car for the afternoon session and was always on the pace, finishing third quickest in the afternoon.

Antonio began the morning session on day two, but unfortunately after a couple of runs, the gear box broke and he lost the rest of the session while the car was being repaired. Antonio continued his testing during the first half of the afternoon session when the track was not at it's best, but set some very good times under the conditions.  On Ricardo's first run out on new tyres he incurred a red light and therefore lost the best out of them, but he set a time of 1:29.2 on his last set of tyres, which were un-heated.

Team Manager, Paul Jackson: "We had a bit of a frustrating test due to the fact that we lost half a day on two of the three test days.  The first day we had electrical problems and today we had a gear box problem which reduced our running time.   However I am satisfied with the progress made, we are learning all the time and hoping to continue this in Barcelona."  It has been an invaluable test for the team which is followed by a second two-day official test next week at the Barcelona circuit on the 19th and 20th.

Testing times from the two days are as follows:

Day One (Wednesday)

Driver Team Morning Time Afternoon Time
1 T. Enge Arden International 1:28.826
2 M. Haberfeld Astromega 1:29.140 1:29.500
3 S. Bourdais Super Nova Racing 1:29.470 1:29.193
4 A. Muller Durango Formula 1:29.215
5 B. Wirdheim Arden International 1:29.361
6 A. Pizzonia Petrobras Junior Team 1:29.429
7 R. Briscoe Nordic Racing 1:29.523 1:29.920
8 Rodrigo Sperafico Durango Formula 1:29.614
9 N. Kiesa PSM Racing 1:29.831
10 Ricardo Sperafico Petrobras Junior Team 1:29.970
11 P. Friesacher Red Bull Junior Team 1:30.235
12 E. Toccacelo Coloni Motorsport 1:31.433 1:30.524
13 R. Mauricio Red Bull Junior Team 1:30.677
14 T. Schmidt PSM Racing 1:32.298

Day Two (Thursday)

Driver Team Morning Time Afternoon Time
1. T. Enge Arden International 1:28.121
2. B. Wirdheim Arden International 1:28.210
3. E. Toccacelo Coloni Motorsport 1:28.703 1:28.412
4. Rodrigo Sperafico Durango Formula 1:28.678
5. P. Friesacher Red Bull Junior Team 1:28.709 1:29.414
6. A. Pizzonia Petrobras Junior Team 1:29.460 1:28.835
7. N. Kiesa PSM Racing 1:28.978
8. Z. Baumgartner Nordic Racing 1:29.048 1:29.880
9. A. Muller Durango Formula 1:29.085
10. G. Pantano Super Nova Racing 1:29.087
11. T. Schmidt PSM Racing 1:29.688
12. T. Monteiro Super Nova Racing 1:29.874
13. R. Mjuyen Astromega 1:29.330 1:30.631

Overall Times from the Two Days

Driver Team Day One Day Two
1. T. Enge Arden International 1:28.826 1:28.121
2. B. Wirdheim Arden International 1:29.361 1:28.210
3. E. Toccacelo Coloni Motorsport 1:30.524 1:28.412
4. Rodrigo Sperafico Durango Formula 1:29.614 1:28.678
5. P. Friesacher Red Bull Junior Team 1.30.235 1:28.709
6 A. Pizzonia Petrobras Junior Team 1:29.429 1:28.835
7. N. Kiesa PSM Racing 1:29.831 1:28.978
8. Z. Baumgartner Nordic Racing 1:29.048
9. A. Muller Durango Formula 1:29.215 1:29.085
10. G. Pantano Super Nova Racing 1.29.087
11. M. Haberfeld Astromega 1:29.140
12. S. Bourdais Super Nova Racing 1:29.193
13. R. Mjuyem Astromega 1:29.330
14 R. Briscoe Nordic Racing 1:29.523
15. T. Schmidt PSM Racing 1:32.298 1:29.688
16. T. Monteiro Super Nova Racing 1:29.874
17. Ricardo Sperafico Petrobras Junior Team 1:29.970
18. R. Mauricio Red Bull Junior Team 1:30.677


For further information please contact Sarah Newsum. Tel +44 1953 882954