19th & 20th February 2002

After the first official test of 2002 last week at Estoril, the team moved to Barcelona to continue developing the new Lola.  Giorgio Pantano set the quickest time of the day on his first set of new tyres, just under an hour into the session.  Unfortunately later on in the session a gear broke on the car and he lost a bit of running time.  However the car was fixed for the afternoon session which was generally slower.  Giorgio got up to third quickest on his final set of tyres but had dropped to fifth by the end of the session.

Weather conditions for the start of day two were similar to those of yesterday; cool and sunny.  Again the best times of the morning were set during the first half of the session. Sebastien Bourdais was in the car at the start of the day but he had a few problems with the balance of the car and could only go sixth quickest.  Portuguese driver Tiago Monteiro tested with the team for the three-hour afternoon session.  He has never driven at this circuit before so he had to use the time to learn the track.  He completed 48 laps and finished ninth at the end of the afternoon.

Giorgio Pantano 1:29.941 (day 1)

"I think we had a good test and set a good time for yesterday morning (Tuesday). We were the first out and the track was not very clean, but I think the time that we set was very good considering the conditions.  After this we worked on lots of different set-ups and tried many changes to get to know more about the car.  Overall I am quite happy and would like to thank the guys for making me a new seat which is much more comfortable than the last one."

Sebastien Bourdais 1:30.266 (day 2)

"It was a fairly difficult test.  With only this morning's session available to test, it was important to get a good set-up for the car as quickly as possible, but when the other drivers who tested yesterday went quick it was difficult for us to make a time as quick as them.  After the quickest times were set, we tried to improve the balance of the car, but there was still quite a lot of understeer and we couldn't use the new tyres correctly because as the track was beginning to get more grip the problem was getting more difficult at the rear.  With just three hours it was very difficult and under the pressure it was important to make a quick time, I gave my best, but it wasn't good enough."

Tiago Monteiro 1:32.287 (day 2)

"It was interesting for me today because I didn't know the track, so the main priority for me was to get to know the track and the car as well because it is was only the second time I have driven in a 3000 car.  I am quite happy with today's test."

Team Manager - David Sears

"All drivers performed well during this test.  I am particularly pleased that Giorgio Pantano was quickest on the first day with a time of 1:29.941.  Sebastien Bourdais and Tiago Monteiro tested on the second day, both of them did a good job and a decision will be made this weekend on our final 2002 line up."

Testing times follow.

The team continues testing at Imola on the 6th and 7th March.  For further information please contact Sarah Newsum.  Tel. +44 1953 881188


FIA INTERNATIONAL FORMULA 3000 OFFICIAL TEST AT BARCELONA, SPAIN
19th & 20th February 2002
Day One (Tuesday)

Driver Team Morning Time Afternoon Time
1 Giorgio Pantano Super Nova Racing 1:29.941 1:31.469
2 Ricardo Sperafico Petrobras Junior Team 1:30.224
3 Enrico Toccacelo Coloni Motorsport 1:30.606 1:30.444
4 Patrick Friesacher Red Bull Junior Team 1:30.505
5 Tony Schmidt PSM Racing Line 1:30.531
6 Alex Muller Durango 1:30.803 1:30.780
7 Thomas Enge Arden 1:30.955
8 Zsolt Baumgartner Nordic Racing 1:30.984
9 Bjorn Wirdheim Arden 1:31.159
10 Ricardo Mauricio Red Bull Junior Team 1:31.287
11 Rob Nguyen Astromega 1:31.565
12 Antonio Pizzonia Petrobras Junior Team 1:31.607
13 Ryan Briscoe Nordic Racing 1:31.719
14 Nicholas Kiesa PSM Racing Line 1:31.912
15 Mario Haberfeld Astromega 1:31.972

Day Two (Wednesday)
Driver Team Morning Time Afternoon Time
1 Patrick Friesacher Red Bull Junior Team 1:29.388
2 Rodrigo Sperafico Durango 1:29.474 1:31.500
3 Tomas Enge Arden 1:29.562
4 Antonio Pizzonia Petrobras Junior Team 1:29.621
5 Enrico Toccacelo Coloni Motorsport 1:29.845 1:31.920
6 Sebastien Bourdais Super Nova Racing 1:30.266
7 Nicholas Kiesa PSM Racing Line 1:30.381
8 Ricardo Mauricio Red Bull Junior Team 1:30.402
9 Mario Haberfeld Astromegaq 1:30.477
10 Ryan Briscoe Nordic Racing 1:30.492
11 Bjorn Wirdheim Arden 1:30.641
12 Ricardo Sperafico Petrobras Junior Team 1:30.895
13 Zsolt Baumgartner Nordic Racing 1:31.572
14 Rob Nguyen Astromega 1:31.722
15 Tony Schmidt PSM Racing Line 1:32.236
16 Tiago Monteiro Super Nova Racing 1:32.287

Overall Quickest from Tuesday & Wednesday
Driver Team Day One Time Day Two Time

1 Patrick Friesacher Red Bull Junior Team 1:30.505 1:29.388
2 Rodrigo Sperafico Durango 1:29.474
3 Thomas Enge Arden 1:30.955 1:29.562
4 Antonio Pizzonia Petrobras Junior Team 1:31.607 1:29.621
5 Enrico Toccacelo Coloni Motorsport 1:30.444 1:29.845
6 Giorgio Pantano Super Nova Racing 1:29.941 -
7 Ricardo Sperafico Petrobras Junior Team 1:30.224 1:30.895
8 Sebastien Bourdais Super Nova Racing - 1:30.266
9 Nicholas Kiesa PSM Racing Line 1:31.912 1:30.381
10 Ricardo Mauricio Red Bull Junior Team 1:31.287 1:30.402
11 Mario Haberfeld Astromega 1:31.972 1:30.477
12 Ryan Briscoe Nordic Racing 1:31.719 1:30.492
13 Tony Schmidt PSM Racing Line 1:30.531 1:32.236
14 Bjorn Wirdheim Arden 1:31.159 1:30.641
15 Alex Muller Durango 1:30.780 -
16 Zsolt Baumgartner Nordic Racing 1:30.984 1:31.572
17 Rob Nguyen Astromega 1:31.565 1:31.722
18 Tiago Monteiro Super Nova Racing - 1:32.287


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