From: comptec92070@camins.camosun.bc.ca
Subject: Re: F1 Tests at Le Castellet
Organization: Camosun College
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 23:12:18 GMT

marti@nugget.inf.ethz.ch (Robert Marti) writes:

> The sports section of todays daily newspaper here in Zurich reported
> some times from F1 testing at Le Castellet.  I'll quote from memory:
> 
> 1. Damon Hill, Williams, 1:14.32
> 2. Alain Prost, Williams, 1:14.43  (just +0.11)
> 3. Karl Wendlinger, Sauber, 1:14.52  (+0.20 on Hill, +0.09 on Prost!)
> 4. Blundell, McLaren, 1:06.02 (??)
> 5. Aliot (?!), McLaren, 1:06.??
> 6. Zanardi, Benetton, 1:06.??
> 7. Schumacher, Benetton, 1:06.72 (??)
> 
> Sorry, I don't remember the exact times of the last four.  They
> were all in the 1:06-bracket and in the order given.

    Michael Andretti was 8th.  I don't know what his time was.  Okay, it
    was grizzly, but I don't know any specific numbers. Tee hee hee, more
    on Mikey later.  Bang!!!
 
> A couple of comments seem in order:
> 
> - It starts to look as if Sauber could be ahead of both McLaren and
>   Benetton, at least in practice.  If they will be ahead of them at
>   the end of the races is quite another matter, of course.  Benetton
>   in particular has had a very impressive reliability record in 92.

    It's their first year.  Who cares about reliability?  Just get out
    front and stay there as long as possible.  Better to lead for a few
    laps and then blow up than to tour around for 90 nminutes and finish
    in third or fourth place through attrition.  Anyway, I think they'll
    be okay reliability-wise: de Cesaris had a few points-scoring 
    finishes this past year with motori Ilmor and the Sauber will be 
    two seconds per lap faster than the Tyrrell was.  The worrying thing
    for Sauber is their new automatic-clutch gearbox.  Pieces have been
    breaking and the team doesn't know why.  Oh, well.  They still have
    three months to find out.

> - Isn't it surprising to see Williams test at Le Castellet in light
>   of the recent cigarette advertising hoopla in France, including the
>   threat of a multi-million $$ fine against them?!

    I have read that the French Grand Prix is back on for 1993.  Can
    anyone confirm this?

> - The paper didn't name the engines used by McLaren, but I would
>   assume they have still been using Honda-power.

    McLaren was using end-of-season spec MP4/7-Honda V12s.  Indicating
    that there are apparently no hard feelings between ex-partners
    McLaren and Honda, Honda has allowed McLaren to borrow a supply 
    of V12s for some post-season testing.  However, this test at Ricard
    was to be the last appearance of Honda powered McLarens.

> - Why should Aliot, who has driven for Peugeot in sports cars this
>   year, test for McLaren?!  Happenstance?  Peugeot engines for
>   McLaren??  (Let's start a new rumor ;-)  Or just a journalist who
>   confused Aliot with Andretti?  (After all, ther names both start
>   with the same letter! ;-)

    Was Alliot not testing for Larousse?  With Lamborghini power?  Hmm,
    can't remember.  I stand to be corrected while thinking that it was not
    McLaren.  Definately testing for McLaren, in any case, was Super-Yank
    Michael Andretti.  Mikey didn't set a good time, nor did he have a 
    good time.  What he did have was a gigantic crash, pitching his 
    McLaren-Honda into a fence and rooting the tub.  Oops, sorry Ron.
    Andretti was not injured and mentioned once again that he hopes to be
    competitive by mid-season 1993.  What he plans to do in the first
    eight races of the year is anybody's guess...
   
> Robert Marti                    |  Phone:    +41 1 254 72 60
> Informationssysteme             |  FAX:      +41 1 262 39 73
> ETH-Zentrum                     |  E-Mail:   marti@inf.ethz.ch
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