09/12/2008
NEWS STORY
While F1 recovers from the shock news that Honda is out of F1, prompting further calls for a drastic reduction in spending, Pitpass can't help but think that perhaps there are some out there who still don't get it.
Williams, which, despite its Gloria Gaynor insistence that it will survive, remains the team that most fear will suffer if things continue as they are, however, that didn't stop the Grove outfit running on Monday, one day ahead of the seven other teams due to test there this week.
There was only one car on track as Williams evaluated Spaniard Dani Clos as part of its 'Young Driver Programme'.
The team arrived on Friday, the numerous staff housed in what a witness describes as a "very expensive 4 star Hotel".
All the circuit staff were on duty, timers... security people... marshals... firemen etc, who all have to be paid extra wages as Monday was a holiday - the Immaculate Conception - the first time in 20 years that it has fallen alongside another holiday (Constitution Day) making it a 4-day weekend. Though they were paid, staff at the circuit were said to be well and truly "p****d off" at having to miss the holiday.
And all this to test young Spanish F3 driver, who, despite his obvious talent, will not get a seat in F1 just yet because he doesn't have the money.
He ran for a total of 79 laps split into a series of runs, each run necessitating a set of tyres.
No press were allowed as it was a private test so therefore no advertising advantages.
Maybe we're wrong, but this doesn't sound like a good way of saving money.