Monza Test Times

[Gerard]

Monza Test Times:
Tuesday, 6 June

1. Rubens Barrichello - Ferrari - 1:24.78
2. Olivier Panis - McLaren - 1:25.03
3. Gaston Mazzacane - Minardi - 1:25.48
4. Jarno Trulli - Jordan - 1:25.62
5. Ricardo Zonta - BAR - 1:25.78
6. Luciano Burti - Jaguar - 1:25.78
7. Mika Salo - Sauber - 1:25.99
8. Jenson Button - Williams - 1:26.16
9. Pedro de la Rosa - Arrows - 1:26.33
10.Darren Manning - BAR - 1:26.61
11.Giancarlo Fisichella - Benetton - 1:26.75
12.Bruno Junqueira - Williams - 1:26.87
13.Nick Heidfeld - Prost - 1:27.45
14.Patrick Lemarie - BAR - 1:27.60
15.Antonio Pizzionia - Benetton - 1:28.07

Hey Minardi fan, look who's at number 3!
I know it's just testing but they sure are not just driving around, are they now?
Good news or not?

[Tristan]

WAHEEEEY! Gowon moiii saaan!! But then again, didn't PDLR set the fastest time EVER at Barcelona in pre-season to secure that Orange deal? I think our little Minardi chums MAY be running underweight here in order to clinch something. Ho hum. Still looks great though!

[Schume]

Rubino the "Prancing Tortoise" strikes again.

Why doesn't his car go so fast on race days.

[renniesmill]

Minardi in 3rd?
I think this shows the 98 ford engine isn't that bad afterall??? whereas in monaco, minardi qualified last!
so i think minardi's chassis are not as good as people think they are...

sorry Minardi Fan!

[Minardi fan]

Like last year's car, it would seem the Minardi is, ironically, better suited to the high-speed circuits - Gene qualified 15th at Hockenheim last year. Here's to Canada...!

Marvellous. GO GASTON!

[Minardi fan]

perhaps the chassis is better than anyone gives them credit for????

[Red]

To defend Minardi's chassis: from St. Devote to Casino they climb a hill (quite steep). Without a good engine, you lose time no matter what aerodynamics you have. (I think)
Is Sector 1, they had the slowest times. But in sector 2 (the twisty and descending part), Gene and Mazzacane were 13 and 14, ahead 2 BARs, 2 Arrows and 2 Saubers, plus a Prost and Williams (Button)! In sector 3 (harbour and Start-Stop lane) they were again last.

Let's see what's happening today.

[renniesmill]

1. P. Diniz (Sauber) 1m25.098s (52 laps)
2. J. Trulli (Jordan) 1m25.245s (45)
3. G. Fisichella (Benetton) 1m25.643s (33)
4. D. Coulthard (McLaren) 1m25.706s (17)
5. R. Barrichello (Ferrari) 1m25.837s (31)
6. R. Zonta (BAR) 1m26.078s (37)
7. L. Burti (Jaguar) 1m26.145s (20)
8. G. Mazzacane (Minardi) 1m26.279s (40)
9. B. Junqueira (Williams) 1m26.434s (21)
10. P. de la Rosa (Arrows) 1m26.726s (30)
11. A. Pizzonia (Benetton) 1m27.186s (6)
12. J. Button (Williams) 1m27.265s (8)
13. P. Lemarie (BAR) 1m27.330s (46)
14. J. Alesi (Prost) 1m27.401s (42)
15. D. Manning (BAR) 1m28.055s (21)
16. M. Hakkinen (McLaren) no time

hmmmm... looks like Minardi got lots of support here!
well, its just my feeling thats all, I could be wrong.

[renniesmill]

I think you will find the second sector includes the tunnel part...

[Red]

Yes, but also Mirabeau, Grand Hotel and Portier. And in Tunnel they're going down!
Anyway, they recorded 13 and 14 times, but also the lowest speeds (192 km/h vs 205 COulthard)

[Edited by Red on 7th June 2000 at 20:42]

[renniesmill]

i see, the lowest speed, now thats more convincing than the sector times...

dont get the wrong idea, i do want Minardi to go back up!

[Mr.S]

Minardi's problem, i think, is the aero pakage. Most of the mid-fielders complained about trouble on high-downforce tracks at the end of last season, just a guess though.

[Gt_R]

Minardi's chassis is no doubt as good as, if not better, than those of the midfielder, ie BAR, Sauber, Prost! Damn the engine they have!!! Ferrari ought to provide them with their engines (instead of Sauber, thus renaming the engine Maserati!) and we can see what the minardi's can do...surely they can beat the Arrows current form...
Minardi-Maserati...M'nMs....hmmm sounds good!

[Tristan]

Minardi: you rock!

The other interesting thing about the first set of Monza times was "Jenson Button's answer to the critics". Now look at the second set. Oh dear.

[Liz]

Well perhaps now Button Spice believes it. Or perhaps he has seen that he will be going to BAR and he realises that nobody will buy a signature line of clothing that looks like those race suits ...

[Ed-f1]

I've just found Thursday's times:

1 BUTTON Williams BMW 1m24.056s
2 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes 1m24.667s
3 PANIS McLaren Mercedes 1m25.109s
4 VERSTAPPEN Arrows Supertec 1m25.212s
5 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda 1m25.284s
6 FRENTZEN Jordan Mugen-Honda 1m25.317s
7 DINIZ Sauber Petronas 1m25.560s
8 JUNQUEIRA Williams BMW 1m25.614s
9 IRVINE Jaguar 1m26.043s
10 ZONTA BAR Honda 1m26.255s
11 PANTANO Benetton Playlife 1m26.726s

Are some people selectively only psting the times that back up their arguments? I think that makes Button the fastest guy of the week. As for the second set of times, take a look at how many laps Button did.