10/09/2004
NEWS STORY
Jaguar Racing returned to the Monza circuit (Italy) today for Friday testing at what is the last of the European races on the Formula One calendar. After having already conducted a three-day test last week, all three drivers were still keen to get back on track at what is one of Europe’s fastest and most spectacular circuits. All three drivers enjoyed a productive morning and afternoon session as they completed over 100 laps between them during the sessions. Mark Webber, Christian Klien and Bjorn Wirdheim secured positions of 17th, 20th and 19th respectively by the end of the second session. The team will now be focusing on their tyre decisions tonight and with that in mind will be working closely with tyre partner Michelin reviewing the day’s data.
Mark Webber: Today has been good for us and overall very productive. Having been here last week for three days has really helped us too and we came here very prepared. The car is feeling good and has been reliable today throughout my sessions. I spent a lot of my time working on tyres with Michelin and we have some good data for the rest of the weekend and to help with our decision tonight. The balance out there is good, but this is where our test data has come into play. I am looking forward to the rest of the weekend, it promises to be a closely fought battle for position both in qualifying tomorrow and in the race.
Christian Klien: Today has gone as planned for us and we have come away with some really good information on our tyres and the R5. I did a good number of laps today and we have been working on our balance and general race set-up. I had a bit of understeer at one stage but we have been looking into this and I am pleased with our progress. We still have some work to do between now and qualifying but I am keen to qualify well and add to our points tally on Sunday.
Björn Wirdheim: I have had a successful day today and I am really pleased with how the R5 feels. It’s well-balanced and I am enjoying driving here in Monza. I really like this track and I am pleased that we have completed our test programme completely. The team has really prepared well for this weekend and I think the test last week also really helped. Lets see if we can now score some more points.
Dr Mark Gillan - Head of Vehicle Performance: All three cars have been reliable today and this is reflected in the number of laps that we have completed. We have been working on our tyre programme with all three drivers and we have some very detailed feedback from them. We have also been looking at a comprehensive aerodynamic performance and tyre management programme based on our previous test work. The circuit continues to change however and we have made continuous developments to ensure that the balance remains good for all three drivers. I am pleased with the job that the team has done over the last few weeks and we are now looking to reap the benefits over the next two-days.