FIA INTERNATIONAL FORMULA 3000
OFFICIAL TEST AT SILVERSTONE ENGLAND

Wednesday 13th March 2002

Day two of the test started much the same as day one with extremely cold weather and a wet track.  The quickest times of the morning were again set towards the end of the session when the track had dried out.  Sebastien Bourdais was on the pace and finished quickest at the end of the three hour session.  Tiago Monteiro who had his first experience of the circuit yesterday was improving all the time, he finished tenth in the morning.  Both drivers had their two sets of new tyres to use in the afternoon session and Sebastien set the quickest time but dropped to third by the end of the session behind Tomas Enge and Bjorn Wirdheim.  Unfortunately whilst Tiago was using his first set of new sets of tyres he was hit with two red flags and on the second set was surprised by the level of grip that they gave the car.  He finished the session seventeenth position but he has gained a lot of knowledge and information from this two-day test.

Sebastien Bourdais 1:35.293

"Once more we could only work properly in the afternoon because of the weather.  It was not easy for us as we had limited time to find a solution to our problem but I do believe that we've done it, so currently we have a good direction and we have sorted out some of the problems that we had.  The car improved quite a lot today and we did the same time as the best one yesterday so I am happy with this."

Tiago Monteiro 1:36.961

"This morning we bedded in the new gear box and everything was ok on the wet track and then half an hour before the break we put on slick tyres and we had a good grip and I actually finished with the tenth quickest time.  This afternoon we tested several different things but on my first set of new tyres there were two successive red flags, which totally destroyed the tyres.  I couldn't get the feel of the grip on new tyres until my second set and I was really surprised by the grip.  I tried to push harder than before but I was still quite far away from the limits.  We have definitely improved the car during these two days and I am getting more and more confident but I still have to get to know the car on new tyres.  Now we go straight into the first qualifying session in Brazil, but I'm not worried, I am feeling confident.  The team have done a great job and were up to 4.30am to get the car ready so at least I can do is a good qualifying session in Brazil to thank them."

Team Manager - David Sears

"Sebastien was the fastest driver of the two day test here at Silverstone until the last ten minutes when both Arden cars went quicker and so Sebastien ended up third fastest overall, but the Super Nova engineers have now found the right direction for the optimum set-up.

Tiago Monteiro was looking strong on used tyres but he has still not yet found the grip limits on new tyres.  However Sebastien can help Tiago on his development curve and both drivers work well together and are team players."

FIA INTERNATIONAL FORMULA 3000
OFFICIAL TEST AT SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND   

13th March 2002


Pos.
Driver
Team
Morning Time
Afternoon Time
1.
T. Enge
Arden International
-
1:34.413

2.
B. Wirdheim
Arden International
1:38.728
1:35.054

3.
S. Bourdais
Super Nova Racing
1:37.590
1:35.293

4.
G. Pantano
Coloni F3000
1:39.135
1:35.602

5.
P. Friesacher
Red Bull Junior Team
1:28.824
1:35.660

6
Rodrigo Sperafico
Durango Formula
1:57.166
1:35.699

7.
N. Kiesa
PSM Racing Line
-
1:35.765

8.
E. Toccacelo
Coloni F3000
1:38.109
1:35.926

9.
A. Pizzonia
Petrobras Junior Team
1:38.105
1:35.940

10.
A. Muller
Durango Formula
1:39.401
1:36.000

11.
R. Mauricio
Red Bull Junior Team
1:38.508
1:36.120

12.
Z. Baumgartner
Nordic Racing
1:39.296
1:36.149

13.
R. Sperafico
Petrobras Junior Team
1:37.896
1:36.156

14.
R. Briscoe
Nordic Racing
1:39.646
1:36.159

15.
M. Haberfeld
Team Astromega
1:39.538
1:36.496

16.
R. Nguyen
Team Astromega
1:38.809
1:36.648

17.
T. Monteiro
Super Nova Racing
1:39.171
1:36.961

18.
T. Schmidt
PSM Racing Line
2:01.343
1:38.234

FIA INTERNATIONAL FORMULA 3000
OFFICIAL TEST AT SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND   

Overall times from both days - 12th & 13th March 2002


Pos.
Driver
Team
Day One
Day Two

1.
T. Enge
Arden International
1:35.183
1:34.413

2.
B. Wirdheim
Arden International
1:36.022
1:35.054

3.
S. Bourdais
Super Nova Racing
1:36.074
1:35.293

4.
G. Pantano
Coloni F3000
1:35.962
1:35.602

5.
P. Friesacher
Red Bull Junior Team
1:36.953
1:35.660

6.
Rodrigo Sperafico
Durango Formula
1:35.662
1:35.699

7.
N. Kiesa
PSM Racing Line
1:36.646
1:35.765

8.
E. Toccacelo
Coloni F3000
1:36.742
1:35.926

9.
A. Pizzonia
Petrobras Junior Team
1:36.214
1:35.940

10.
A. Muller
Durango Formula
1:36.190
1:36.000

11.
R. Maurcio
Red Bull Junior Team
1:36.397
1:36.120

12.
Z. Baumgartner
Nordic Racing
1:38.066
1:36.149

13.
Ricardo Sperafico
Petrobras Junior Team
1:36.841
1:36.156

14.
R. Briscoe
Nordic Racing
1:37.043
1:36.159

15.
M. Haberfeld
Team Astromega
1:36.684
1:36.496

16.
R. Nguyen
Team Astromega
1:37.331
1:36.648

17.
T. Monteiro
Super Nova Racing
1:37.497
1:36.961

18.
T. Schmidt
PSM Racing Line
1:36.836
1:38.234


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