11-Oct: At the Friday press conference for the Japanese GP,
Mario Theissen has indicated that BMW will be replacing Werner Laurenz
internally and said "It is always a loss if a key figure leaves a
team and Werner Laurenz has been instrumental in getting the team up and
running and part of the success we have had so far certainly goes to him
and his work. On the other hand, he has been leading a very strong and
stable team as well, so we are able to fill the role internally and will
not appoint anyone from outside. Heinz Paschen, who used to be chief
designer of the engine, will succeed him and his role as chief designer
will be filled by people who are in this department already. So it will
not be a big change."
Mario Theissen refused to confirm the rumours that Laurenz is going over
to Mercedes.
David Richards praised the team for fixing Jacques'
car in record time and said "They got it back together again
exceedingly quickly. They did an exceptional job to do that, it wasn't
easy. They were out 15 minutes before the end of the session. They
obviously didn't get it back in until well into the period between the two
sessions, so they did an excellent job. It was actually... although it
looked comprehensive the tub took it very well, there wasn't anything
substantial about it."
David Richards was asked about the deal where Villeneuve would go to CART.
He said "It was some months ago and it has become public knowledge
now. It was to drive in the Players Team. We clearly needed a replacement
for Jacques and when the time drifted on, and when Olivier had the offer
from Toyota, without the replacement driver, it wasn't practical for the
team. I think Jacques was not particularly enthusiastic. He was willing to
work with the team on it, if that was to the benefit of the team, but he
wanted to stay in Formula One. He is a Formula One driver and he is
committed to Formula One and he wants to be here and I am very pleased he
will be with the team here next year."
When asked to confirm that Jacques will be driving for the teams, he said
"From my position there is no question about it. He's driving with us
next year. He has a contract with us."
Otmar Szafnauer indicated the Honda are bring a new
spec engine for qualifying and said "For the race on Sunday we will
be racing the engine that we used in qualifying at Indianapolis, so we
have done some work in improving its longevity and reliability and we will
be racing that engine for the first time, so it is a bit special. And for
qualifying tomorrow we were able to find a step on Indianapolis and a bit
better engine, a slightly higher step."
When asked about next year and the fact that Honda will only be supplying
one team, Otmar said "It's much easier just supplying one team. The
chassis collaboration will also increase with British American Racing. As
you saw in some of the Grands Prix this year, we treated both teams
equally and sometimes we only had four engines that we could bring with
the latest advancement so each team had perhaps two in a weekend. Next
year it will be much easier with just BAR."
Ove Andersson believes that next year will not be
easy for Toyota and said "Well, I don't know, we have no experience of
the second year yet, but for sure we have learned this year that the pressure
of running a season, the pressure of trying to improve the car and also to
look at what we're going to do for next year, for sure it will not be easier
than this year, I'm sure of that."
Ove Andersson indicated that Toyota will be making their decision soon with
regards to their second driver but refused to comment on the rumours that Cristiano da Matta
will be their second driver.
Hirohide Hamashima described the Suzuka track as
'very complicated' for tyres and said "This circuit is a very
complicated circuit because the first sector until before the S-corner is
very very serious for lateral force but each side is high speed course, so
in that case, tyre degradation is very severe in the first sector. Then
other sectors demand good traction and braking so I hope that the tyre
which we brought here is working well for braking and handling and
traction."
Hirohide indicated that they have a logistical advantage at this track and
said "These (tyres) were made on Friday because we prepared five
proposed specifications for Suzuka then the final test was on Friday.
After that we decided two specifications for this weekend. Everything
arrived here on Wednesday morning. This is the only circuit where we have
a logistical advantage."
The team bosses had a negative response to the radical
changes proposed.
Mario Thiessen said "To do one engine per weekend for next year is
already just not possible any more. It requires a change, maybe in the engine
concept, at least a significant change in the engine layout and this can only
be done for 2004. Under normal conditions with stable regulations we would
start engine design for the coming season in January or February. Now we are
about to start before the end of the year, because of the regulation change
and so you see there is no chance to do it for next year already."
David Richards said "Well, you know they are so comprehensive; to go
through them one by one would take us all afternoon. But I think you've got to
start with the principal that I hope everyone acknowledges now... clearly the
FIA acknowledges, Bernie Ecclestone acknowledges, we need the teams and the
manufacturers all to acknowledge that we can't just sit on our hands and do
nothing. We do need to do something. But in doing that, we also need to be
very careful what we do. A sport steeped in heritage with great success to
date; you can't do radical changes overnight without thinking about the
consequences very carefully. And that's really about spicing it all up for the
audience. I think that must be the number one priority about how we improve
the show. As for cost-cutting and cost-saving, that's a tricky one because the
reality is that if we save the budget in one particular area, it will be spent
somewhere else, because I'm sure that BMW and Williams have decided how much
it is worth to win the World Championship, as have Ferrari. We just move
budgets around if we're not careful, so when you look at cost-savings, you
have to look at them in a very different way."
Otmar Szafnauer said "From Honda's perspective, some of the proposals
were to penalise some of the technological advances of some of the teams and
that's really not what we hoped to have done in Formula One. We would hate to
see proposals that penalise technological superiority and hope that those
types of things wouldn't come to fruition here. As for cost-cutting, like
David said, that's a tricky one. Budgets just move around and you develop
something else if you're not allowed to develop another part of your
technology. I think that one has to be studied a bit before it comes."
Ove Andersson said "Well, I think most of it has been said. I agree with
David about the cost-cuttings. It's very very difficult to make radical
changes overnight. We might, as easily as we improve the show, we might
destroy the show, so I think it has to be very careful. Generally speaking we
are completely against penalising the people who are doing a good job. We
believe Formula One is the pinnacle of the sport, it's to show technical
excellence and it would be a big mistake to penalise the people who have done
a good job."
Horihide Hamashima said "I'm of the same opinion. Penalty for the
advantage is not so good, or to develop parts for the same reason. I think if
everybody agreed to the same money, in that case we would have to go in that
direction."
11-Oct: What the teams and
drivers said following Friday practice at Suzuka ... Report
11-Oct: Japanese GP -
2nd Friday Practice Session: Kimi Raikkonen sets the fastest time
ahead of David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello. Juan Pablo Montoya, Ralf
Schumacher and Michael Schumacher make the top 6 ... Timed Results
... Report ... Notes.
11-Oct: Japanese GP -
1st Friday Practice Session: Michael Schumacher sets the fastest time
ahead of Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard. Kimi Raikkonen, Juan
Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher make the top 6 ... Timed Results
... Report ... Notes
11-Oct:
"As
the season is over, will we see a real race?"is the title of the 28th issue from the
Diagnosis and Prognosis Series for the 2002 season. In this issue, the Heretic
looks at the aftermath of the US Grand Prix and the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix -
Issue 28
Friday
Practice Session 1
Friday Practice Session 2
Saturday Practice Session 1
Saturday Practice Session 2 Qualifying Session
Warm-up Session Race
11
AM Suzuka Time / 2 AM GMT
1 PM Suzuka Time / 4 AM GMT
9:00 AM Suzuka Time / 1 2:00 AM GMT
10:15 AM Suzuka Time /
1:15 AM GMT 1:00 PM Suzuka Time /
4:00 AM GMT 10:00 AM Suzuka Time /
1:00 AM GMT 2:30 PM Suzuka Time /
5:30 AM GMT
