July 19 - 21, 2002

Race Notes

No joy in Magny-Cours

The French Grand Prix proved a barren hunting ground as B.A.R went in search of more points.

For Olivier Panis it was particularly disappointing after he was struck by Takuma Sato in his Jordan.

The Frenchman was forced to pit as the team assessed the damage. He did get back out but clearly a problem remained and reluctantly the team retired the car.

"What can I say? I'm very disappointed and, to be honest, very angry with Sato's move into the first corner but I think it was very clear for everybody to see," said Olivier.

"I went back out again and despite being a lap down, I continued to push and improve my lap times. The car felt very strange though and I was very conscious of a vibration which we couldn't pinpoint."

What made it worse of course was that this was his home race. A sad end then to Panis' weekend following a gutsy qualifying performance that saw him start 11th on the grid.

Jacques Villeneuve's afternoon was little better as he suffered an engine failure on his 35th lap. He takes up his story, "We had a bad start and then with the mayhem in front of me into turn one, I ended up going wide and losing a lot of places. The car was actually quite quick but I was stuck behind McNish, who was very quick down the straights but slow in the corners.

"After I got past him, the race wasn't going too badly and the car was actually quite quick. Then the engine let go suddenly. This is the first weekend that we've raced with this engine and it hasn't been tested before.

"We knew there was a risk involved in running it but it was a risk we were prepared to take if it meant we could benefit from the extra horsepower."

David Richards was philosophical as he summed up."Races like this bring you back down to earth with a bang but with only one week before Hockenheim, there's no time to dwell on misfortune but rather consider how we can progress for next weekend."

Which is exactly right. The team now move straight to Germany for the next round of the championship, scene of a podium finish for Jacques last year.

"I'm confident that we can now improve our performance still further given the progress we've made this weekend. With Honda's new engine just around the corner, we should soon have all the ingredients we need to regularly challenge for points."

BAR

Race Results

Warm-Up Times

Qualifying Notes

Jacques Villeneuve
"Honda have provided us with two of the latest evolution engines this weekend and Olivier and I have been working to different strategies. I didn't use mine in free practice this morning so I could keep it for qualifying and the race. As usual, we should be better off tomorrow and even a little extra bhp can make a difference at this circuit. We should also benefit when tyre degradation becomes a problem for other teams."

Olivier Panis
"We had a good qualifying today. We worked with the revised engine throughout the session and improved the car quite a bit, so the team did a great job. I pushed hard on the last run and, using all my experience, I was able to put in a good lap. When we compared the times we had gained a second between the first and last run. Our tyres aren't as competitive in qualifying at this circuit but we know that the Bridgestone tyres will perform better during the race, so we will have to see what tomorrow brings."

David Richards, Team Principal
"Today's session was very much as anticipated and dominated by tyre performance. Honda provided our cars with the latest specification engine; Olivier used his just for Saturday whereas Jacques ran fewer revs so he could use his engine on Sunday as well. Both drivers noticed the benefit so this bodes well for the remaining races this season. As for tomorrow, we're getting mixed reports about the weather and, from our point of view, a shower of rain would not be unwelcome."

Saturday Practice Times

Friday Practice Notes

Jacques Villeneuve
"We've had a hard time today finding the right set-up so it hasn't been the best start to the weekend. We still need to do a lot of work with the tyre options because we haven't been able to get the best from them yet. We're basically looking for more grip so we have to come up with a solution for that but it looks like it could be tougher for us this weekend."

Olivier Panis
"Today was a typical Friday, working for the race and trying to find the right balance for the car. We haven't achieved that yet and we still have a lot of work to do with the tyres in particular. We will try a few new things tomorrow including of course a new evolution of the Honda engine, so I am looking forward to a better day."

David Richards, Team Principal
"We always anticipated Magny-Cours would be a tough circuit for us. Finding a good balance on the tyres has been exceptionally difficult, as I believe it has for other teams. We will however have the benefit of Honda's latest engine evolution tomorrow and the forecast for Sunday is currently suggesting rain. As usual, you can't read a lot into a Friday."

JV at Thursday's Press Conference

Q: Jacques, what difference has the Silverstone result made within the team and to yourself?
JV: It just made everybody happier, so it's easier to work. It's like waking up and putting some cold water on your face. It was needed, it's been a very hard season since the beginning and it looked like we weren't going to score any points until the end of the season. That was bad, it was very hard for everybody to carry so now everybody is standing a little bit straighter and it's easier to work.

Q: Do you feel they're still making progress?
JV: Yes, the progress that we've made was very useful in Silverstone, it wasn't huge but it was enough to jump a few positions in qualifying, because we're in the part of the grid where it's very close with the lap times, and it was the first time this season we managed to be in front of both Saubers, which have generally been a reference for us so that means we've made progress, and the car was competitive throughout the whole race, wet and dry. So all the work we've done worked. We had the new suspensions in the last race and they worked well and we spent a lot of time working on the electronics as well.

Q: Are there further modifications for these two races?
JV: No, not at this point, now. Actually there's something on the engine that we haven't tested yet but it looks promising so we will find out this weekend.

Q: Jacques, you said you have a contract for next year. At this moment can you say that it is 100 percent sure you will be back with BAR next year?
JV: I don't see any reason for me not being back with BAR next year. It would take something really, really extreme, so I feel at the moment I am definitely with the team next year.

Q: For the two world champions, there is a lot more to Formula One than just the championship. What would you say to fans who lose interest once the championship is settled?
JV: Well, the one thing is the championship, but it has been clear for a few races what team and what driver would be winning so I don't think people were coming to see that, it has been quite clear, so that's just people enjoying watching a good race, even when a championship is not at stake.

BAR Race Preview

It's back to business at Lucky Strike BAR Honda after the team enjoyed a well-deserved celebration following their success at the British Grand Prix. At the post-race debrief, practically everyone at the factory enjoyed a glass of champagne to toast their 5 points and both Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis visited the Brackley HQ in the days following to thank the team. However, its heads down again now in preparation for the challenging French Grand Prix this weekend...

Olivier Panis was thrilled to be part of the team's home Grand Prix success story but he'd be happier still if he could notch up another strong performance on his own home asphalt this Sunday. As the only French driver in Formula 1 at present, he's assured of a big reception and eager to reward the loyal support of his fans.

Boosted by their success at Silverstone and with five points under their belts, it's a buoyant Lucky Strike B.A.R Honda team that head to Magny-Cours this week for the 2002 French Grand Prix. Olivier Panis was thrilled to be part of the team's home Grand Prix success story but he'd be happier still if he could notch up another strong performance on his own home asphalt this Sunday. As the only French driver in Formula One at present, he's assured of a big reception and eager to reward the loyal support of his fans.

Olivier enjoyed a two-day stopover in his home town of Varces before heading to Monza, where the team have been testing in preparation for September's Italian Grand Prix. Anthony Davidson and Patrick Lemarie joined him on-track during the three-day programme, which also featured an exploration of some minor aero items for this weekend's race. The updates are designed to help the team achieve the compromise set-up required to contend with Magny-Cours' notoriously tricky track characteristics.

Despite being widely regarded as one of the least charismatic circuits on the calendar, Magny-Cours does however put driver skill to the test and provides a considerable technical challenge for both the drivers and their engineers. It's a challenge the team are eager to get their teeth into though after their last race and whilst morale has never been in short supply over the last few months, B.A.R will have an extra spring in their step this weekend. The sweet taste of champagne was richly-deserved but it hasn't distracted anyone from the fact that a great deal of hard work still lies ahead. The team go into this race more focused than ever.

The circuit is located on an open plain and the local weather effects can be difficult to predict, so the French Grand Prix is renowned for producing some impressive racing. As we saw in Silverstone, the Bridgestone-shod BAR004 laps up inclement weather and the team will once again be looking to capitalise on any opportunity which could help them score in the top 6, particularly in the event of changeable conditions.

Over the course of the last few races, B.A.R have made a considerable step forward in extracting more from the revised BAR004. Top 10 qualifying performances are well within reach and this can only put the team in a better position to engineer their own luck on race day.

Jacques Villeneuve
"The team put on a good show at the British Grand Prix and we should continue to be fairly competitive in Magny-Cours. The track has suited us in the past and the car should be quite good there."

"I've had four points finishes here in the past, most recently a 4th place two years ago with B.A.R. It's not one of my favourite tracks, although there are a couple of high-speed chicanes which are fun. There is a good overtaking opportunity at the Adelaide hairpin as well, but the rest of the circuit is quite slow."

Olivier Panis
"It was fantastic to be part of B.A.R's first points finish of the season, especially at the end of such a difficult weekend for me. It was a great team effort and it was nice to be able to thank everybody at the factory the next day.

"The French Grand Prix is my home race and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to finish in the points in Magny-Cours also. We have to be realistic though and accept that we still have a big challenge in front of us.

"Racing in front of your home crowd is always something special. The massive amount of fans cheering for you makes the atmosphere thrilling. On the other hand, for me the job is the same everywhere and wherever the race is I keep focused on the job at stake with only one target, which is to give 100%. I'm racing to win."

David Richards, Team Principal
"The British Grand Prix was a fantastic race for B.A.R. It was standing room only at our post-Silverstone debrief at the factory last week and practically everyone turned out for a glass of champagne and to hear the full story of what was a quite compelling weekend for the team. I have no doubt we can look forward to many more in the future.

"In the meantime, it's very much business as usual again and we're taking nothing for granted. No one has slowed down or lost sight of what is still a long road ahead.

"We expect the French Grand Prix to present another tough challenge but, as we have demonstrated, the right strategy and great teamwork can take us a very long way. This is of course Olivier's home race and we wish him the same success he enjoyed at the team's home race two weeks ago."

The Circuit

Race Distance - 72 Laps. 190.069 miles (305.886 km)
Circuit Length - 2.641 miles (4.251 km)

The Circuit de Nevers is located in Burgundy, the geographical heartland of France and has been home to the French Grand Prix since 1991. Although drivers and fans alike often describe the track as modern and bland, it has had its fair share of exciting races over the years - notably the wet race in 1999. The eight-turn, 2.641 mile circuit is blessed with a smooth surface and boasts generous run-off areas. However, its twisty layout means that overtaking possibilities in dry conditions tend to be limited to the slow Adelaide hairpin.
Lap times vary noticeably at Magny-Cours depending on the ambient temperature. In common with other tight circuits, Formula One cars are set up to race with high levels of downforce, without completely compromising straight-line speed.