FERRARI AT MUGELLO AND FIORANO

Ferrari began testing on Tuesday at Mugello where Michael Schumacher tried
set-ups for both Nurburgring and Suzuka. The team had two cars available,
both having been spare chassis for Monza now back to standard wheelbase in
preparation for Nurburgring. It is believed that Goodyear already had tyres
at this test prepared specially for the Japanese race and that as many as
15 different types were evaluated.

On Tuesday Michael covered 80 laps for a best of 1m 27.749s with Irvine
doing 56 laps for a best of 1m 27.626s. On Wednesday Michael experienced
slight gearbox problems but managed a 1m 26.586s after 31 laps while Eddie
Irvine completed 107 laps for a best of 1m 27.553s. While Irvine continued
at Mugello, now in rainy conditions, on Thursday, Schumacher switched to
Fiorano where the weather was fine. On the programme there were tyre tests
for the Nurburgring as the tarmac at Fiorano is similar to that at the
German circuit. After a spin Michael experienced an engine problem which
required a fresh V10 to be installed. In the afternoon a programme of
practice starts were scheduled; Ferrari has worked on the clutch actuation
system to make its function more progressive and predictable. Irvine did 69
laps at Mugello for a best of 1m 29.139s while Schumacher completed 46 laps
at Fiorano.

In all, the Ferrari F300 has so far completed 32,000km of testing (during
the season) and the team has been extremely satisfied with these recent
tests. "We have worked on aerodynamics, set-up and something
else," said Schumacher who was due to start testing again on Friday at
7.30am.


McLAREN AT MAGNY-COURS

Following David Coulthard's retirement with an engine failure and Mika
Hakkinen's brake problems during the Italian Grand Prix, the McLaren team
has been undertaking an intensive test programme at the Circuit de Nevers
this week. The main priority has been checking out engine and tyre
developments in preparation for the Luxembourg Grand Prix. David Coulthard
and test driver Ricardo Zonta started the programme on Wednesday with David
covering 86 laps for a best of 1m 17.35 and Zonta did 42 laps for a best of
1m 18.543s. The team continued its programme on Thursday with Ricardo Zonta
setting fastest time on 1m 16.26s ahead of Coulthard on 1m 16.75s.


WILLIAMS USE BOTH TEST DRIVERS

The Williams team began a three day test at Magny-Cours on Wednesday,
regular drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen no longer
carrying out test and development work as they will be leaving the team at
the end of the season. Instead the two test drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and
Max Wilson drove the Williams-Mecachrome FW20s on this circuit which, out
of the designated test circuits, is regarded by the team as the ideal track
on which to prepare for the Luxembourg GP as its corner types and downforce
requirements bear some similarity to the Nurburgring. Montoya covered 64
laps to set second fastest time of the day on 1m 17.619s while Wilson did
34 laps for best of 1m 18.654s.

Commented Senior Operations Engineer James Robinson; "It is still very
important for us to continue developing the FW20 in order to retain our
third position in the Constructors' Championship, but at the same time we
are working on longer term development items for the FW21." Williams
continued its tyre test programme on Thursday with Montoya completing a
total of 69 laps for a best time of 1m 16.86s with Wilson covering 81 laps
with a best of 1m 17.81s.


BENETTON START ON TYRE PROGRAMME

The Benetton-Playlife team began a tyre development programme at
Magny-Cours on Wednesday where two B198 chassis were on hand for Alexander
Wurz and Giancarlo Fisichella. Wurz completed 48 laps to record a best time
of 1m 18.438s while Fisichella managed only 12 laps, the fastest being 1m
19.139s. On Thursday the team concentrated on tyre evaluation and set-up
work for the Luxembourg GP, Fisichella covering 40 laps for a best of 1m
17.691s. Wurz lost time with an engine failure during the morning, covering
32 laps during the course of the day with a fastest of 1m 18.127s.


DE LA ROSA IN FRANCE FOR JORDAN

Test driver Pedro de la Rosa began the Jordan Mugen-Honda team's
development programme at Magny-Cours on Wednesday where the track was wet
for most of the day, drying only for the last couple of hours. De la Rosa
completed 51 laps, trying the revised bodywork which was used at Monza in
back-to-back aerodynamic testing as well as tyre assessment. His best time
was 1m 18.12s, third fastest on the day. On his 38th birthday (Thursday)
Damon Hill took over, completing 56 laps with a best of 1m 17.75s before
stopping early with an unspecified technical problem. The team evaluated
suspension and aerodynamic components but did not have as much time as
required to complete back to back tyre testing. The team will continue its
programme today (Friday).


PROMISING SAUBER TESTS FOR MULLER

Sauber-Petronas test driver Jorg Muller began the team's programme in
Magny-Cours on Tuesday with some promising times. On Tuesday he was fastest
after 70 laps with a best of 1m 17.31s and on Wednesday, despite
interruptions because of rain, he managed a 1m 18.12s after 38 laps which
equalled de la Rosa's best in the Jordan. The German driver concentrated on
tyre development and chassis set-up work for the Nurburgring in addition to
trying new components for the cooling system. On Thursday Jean Alesi took
over, covering 66 laps for a best of 1m 17.55s.


PROST TRIES SARAZIN

The Apomatox F3000 driver Stephane Sarazin has been driving the Prost AP01
with good results at Magny-Cours. He did 50 laps on Thursday recording a 1m
18.78s best. Meanwhile Jarno Trulli could only do 24 laps as he was
awaiting new components from Peugeot to carry on the engine development
programme. They finally arrived but unfortunately one of them failed after
five laps on Thursday, but a new batch is expected for Trulli to resume
testing today (Friday). Olivier Panis also ran on Thursday and completed 68
laps for a fastest of 1m 18.264s testing tyres and a revised front
suspension. At the end of the day he also practised some starts.


NO TESTING FOR ARROWS

The Arrows team has not tested this week, scheduling a shakedown at Santa
Pod next Monday prior to despatching three cars to Nurburgring. It has yet
to be decided which driver will conduct this test. The team hopes to use
the latest Spec D version of its V10 engine in qualifying for the
Luxembourg race.


STEWART ALSO STAYS AT HOME

Another team which refrained from testing this week the Stewart-Ford squad
which is already paying special attention to its 1999 car. Control systems
of next year's car are expected to be tried at Santa Pod on Saturday
(tomorrow) by one of the Paul Stewart Racing F3 drivers, Mario Haberfield
or Luciano Burti. The system, developed in conjunction with Visteon, has
already undergone static tests at the Stewart factory. Rubens Barrichello
will be using a new SF2 chassis, the fifth to be built, at Nurburgring.


MINARDI BACK AT BASE

Minardi continued work on its 1999 car back at its base. The chassis
mock-up has been completed and the team has also received a mock-up of the
Stewart team's current Ford V10 for installational purposes.

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