Red Bull Junior Team with great expectations for Brazil:
Patrick Friesacher and Ricardo Mauricio fighting for top positions!
Patrick F.: “We’re very well prepared for Sao Paolo. I'm hoping for some points in the first race!”

For Patrick Friesacher – Austria’s most promising young driver – next weekend is the start of the most important racing season in his young career.

The young man from Carinthia/Southern Austria is driving for the Red Bull 3000 Junior team in the international F3000 Championship for the second year running.
After his apprenticeship in 2001 the coming season will be of vital importance for the young man from Wolfsberg. In 2002 Friesacher wants to build on last year's experience and to achieve results where he can gather championship points. It seems realistic to hope for an overall placement among the first three.

Patrick F.: "I think we can feel extremely confident when we fly to Brazil. The preparations and tests have all been very satisfactory. In Barcelona I was actually the fastest. And both Ricardo and I were always among the leaders. After the disaster of last year - only one lap in the 90-minute qualifying round and the collision with team-mate Garcia in the race itself - I am hoping for a successful start in Sao Paolo!“

There is also a lot at stake for Ricardo Mauricio. The young Brazilian is already in his third F3000 season and is one of the most experienced and also fastest drivers.

"The tests were very encouraging - we really didn't have any problems and were always up with the front runners. I think we have all we need for one or two victories as well as for a top overall placement in the class. As always, the qualifying rounds and a good start will be extremely important. Then anything is possible!"

Team boss Dr. Helmut Marko: "In 2001 we didn't exactly have the best of luck and we couldn't achieve our full potential. If things are not quite as much against us in 2002 it should be a really successful year for the Red Bull Junior Team! Our drivers should also be mature enough to be right up at the front in the fight for the championship!"

The new Lola B2/50 will bring the Formula 3000 Championship a step nearer to Formula 1 - at least as regards the outward appearance of the car. The dimensions of the Lola F3000 have been increased overall and now totally correspond to Formula 1 - for example as regards cockpit and chassis. The minimum overall weight has been increased to 660 kg and the tyre size also now corresponds to the Formula 1 format. Only the performance of the standard Zytek engine still clearly falls short of the Formula 1 level - 470 instead of the much trumpeted 900 bhp used in Formula 1!

After the official F3000 FIA Tests in Estoril, Barcelona, Imola and Silverstone, the following teams are favourites alongside the Red Bull Juniors:

Team Arden                Tomas Enge, Björn Wirdheim
Team Durango            Rodrigo Sperafico
Team Petrobras          Antonio Pizzonia, Ricardo Sperafico

There have also been some changes to the schedule compared with last year. The F3000 qualifying session will in future take place immediately after the Formula 1 session on Friday.

Friday, 29.3.2001                   Qualifying Session 1,              14:30 h            –         15:15 h
                                             Qualifying Session 2,               15:45 h            –         16:30 h
Saturday, 30.3.2001               Race - 35 laps                        15:00 h            –         16:30 h

More: www.redbull-juniorteam.com, www.redbull-f3000.com
Red Bull Junior Team F3000 – Media, Thomas Blazek, beta Communications,
Enzersdorferstrasse 6/2/2, A-2340 Mödling.
Tel.: +43 2236 24744, +43 664 300 50 40, Fax: +43 2236 893 628, E-Mail: blazek@betacom.at