August 16 - 18, 2002

Race Notes

Richards sees the positive

B.A.R. team principal David Richards tried to look on the bright side after a disappointing Hungarian Grand Prix.

Olivier Panis came home 12th while Jacques Villeneuve retired after 20 laps with a transmission problem.

But it was not all bad news for the team who learnt on Sunday morning that they will be the only outfit receiving Honda engines from 2003.

Richards said: "This has been one of those weekends where things haven't gone at all smoothly. We didn't get the best from the car here and, given our disappointing grid positions and the track characteristics, this was always going to be a difficult race for us.

"The high temperatures made it very tough on all the drivers and inevitably, the race became a test of endurance. Olivier recovered from a bad start and made the best of things to finish 12th, while Jacques' car suffered a transmission failure.

"We didn't achieve our target of finishing both cars and this is something we must continue to address.

"On a much more positive note, the announcement today that B.A.R will be the sole Honda-powered team from 2003 is excellent news and underlines the potential of our partnership for the future."

Olivier said his hopes of a good result had been undone when he made a sluggish start.

He said: "Unfortunately, the start didn't work as I expected and I lost a few places. When I reached the first corner, the car in front of me braked heavily which forced me to do the same and I ended up on the dirty part of the track. Because of this, it was impossible for me to stop the other cars passing me and I got stuck behind slower cars.

"Due to the nature of this circuit, I had to wait for the first pitstops to get clear laps, but then my lap times were very quick and, in fact, I managed to post the sixth fastest lap of the race. After my second stop, the car was running OK but then, close to the end of the race, the team asked me to slow down because they were worried about an oil pressure problem and that's why Montoya pulled away from me.

"We're going to work very hard this week in order to solve the different problems we have encountered and generally make sure we are ready for Spa."

Jacques said he was hoping for a better performance at the Belgian Grand Prix in a fortnight's time.

He said: "I got a good start and was running 12th on what would have been the right strategy. It was a typically hard race because of the heat and the nature of the Hungaroring circuit but I just kept pushing until, at the end of the pit straight, the car just seized with a transmission problem.

"It was too bad because the car was going much better in the race than it had been on Friday and Saturday. It's a disappointing end to a difficult weekend so I guess we just put it behind us and move on to the next one.

"Spa is one of my favourite races and one where we expect to do better than we have here in Hungary."

BAR

Race Results

Warm-Up Times

Qualifying Notes

Jacques Villeneuve
"I'm not happy with 13th because we could have done much better today. We had a mechanical problem this morning, which we only found out about at the end of free practice so we didn't have a set-up ready for qualifying. We had to go with what we had and work on improving it during the session. We salvaged it a little bit but obviously not enough. In the quickest corner Sato slowed me down so I tried to compensate by pushing hard into the next corner and ended up spinning off. The Hungarian Grand Prix is a very physical race; it's very hot and there are only a couple of straight lines so you're mainly driving corners which is very demanding over 77 laps. Generally we've got a tough race ahead of us tomorrow."

Olivier Panis
"My qualifying session today was frustrating and annoying. We had a car to definitely be in the top 7 and not where we are right now. For the last two days we have had a number of electronic problems and it happened again in qualifying. The frustration is that all weekend, I have been working hard with the team to find the right technical direction but one of the problems still remains and it is difficult to accept. It shows we still have more work to do on the detail of a race weekend before the team can think about competing with the front-runners. Nevertheless, I will roll up my sleeves tomorrow and fight hard in order to pick up any opportunity for points. On the other hand, I would like to say that Geoff Willis and his people at the factory have done a good job of improving the car for this weekend and the proof of that was shown in this morning's session. I would at least like to thank them for that."

David Richards, Team Principal
"The contrast between this morning and this afternoon demonstrated that the team and Honda have made a lot of progress in the fundamental performance of the car, but at the same time, we're not always getting the best out of it when the pressure is really on. From our position on the grid, and the difficulty of passing at this track, we are going to have to rely on the combination of a great strategy and a better level of reliability than the others in the race tomorrow, but we will certainly push hard to pick up some points. On behalf of the whole team, I would like to congratulate our test driver Anthony Davidson on making the grid with Minardi at his first Grand Prix. We are all delighted for him."

Saturday Practice Times

Friday Practice Notes

Jacques Villeneuve
"Today got off to a good start and we were going well on old tyres considering the track conditions. It was quite slippery as is usually the case on a Friday here but generally we were improving throughout the morning session. We used the new tyres this afternoon and had a harder time trying to get them to work. Then, I made a mistake by braking late into turn 4 and ended up spinning off. The problem with the gravel traps here is that they're more like 'rock' traps and can cause a lot of damage to the car, as we saw. We had to replace the floor and the bargeboards and I lost over 30 minutes in the second session, so I wasn't able to work with the tyres very much at all. We haven't made enough progress today and we have a lot of work to do with the data now to prepare us for tomorrow's session."

Olivier Panis
"Today didn't go at all how we expected. Things had been looking quite good in the morning session but this afternoon I had a gearbox oil leak and a problem with the throttle. This meant that I spent more time in the garage than on the track so we were unable to make any further progress. The Hungaroring is always very dirty for the first day's running so today has been quite frustrating overall. It's difficult to know where we stand compared with the other teams but that's always the case on a Friday. All I can do now is work with the engineers to find a solution that will help us to achieve the maximum preparation for qualifying. I'm still feeling positive that we can turn things around but we have a lot of work ahead this afternoon."

David Richards, Team Principal
"Things didn't quite go according to plan for us today. We had a very good morning session and were obviously hoping to consolidate that progress during the afternoon. However, we developed a series of problems and spent most of the second session in the garage, so we have been unable to improve further today. Clearly, we have some work ahead of us this evening to make sure we are better prepared going into qualifying tomorrow because, as everyone knows, grid position here is so critical."

JV at Thursday's Press Conference

Q: Jacques, in spite of being in Croatia there were lots of stories going on about you during the break. What truth is there in these rumours about CART?
JV: Well, there is very little. I just read it today because I didn't get any papers when I was away and I just read today a bit of what has been written and that apparently I have to make a decision. You only make a decision when you have choices available.

Q: And you don't feel you have choices available?
JV: Unless there is a proposition made you cannot make a decision on an imaginary proposition. I have a good contract for next year and I have no reason to change it. The only way I could start thinking of doing anything else is if there was something very special

Q: So have you not been in contact with David Richards at all during the break?
JV: I have been in contact with nobody during the break. That is what breaks are for.

Q: With Anthony being a test driver for BAR, you probably have a little more insight into how he might do in Formula One. Can you give us some indication of how you think he might fare?
JV: He has done a lot of mileage and he has done a solid job as a test driver. This is one of the most physical tracks so I guess it will be good for him to find out how physical it can be and how much training is needed. But he can do a good job. It is a little difficult to judge testing because when we go testing and we work on the car we are not trying to do the ultimate qualifying lap in testing whereas a test driver will, so then it is always difficult to know really how quick they are.

Q: Jacques, I know you have been quite critical of Champ Cars since the Championship was divided. Do you see anything in open wheel racing in America that might tempt you or interest you, or anything a Formula One driver might want to go and do?
JV: At the moment, apart from a golden contract, I don't see any reason to go racing in the States.

Q: Sorry to give you a hard time on this, but when we ask you about your contract you always say you have a firm contract for next year, but David Richards has made it plain to everybody that he wants a longer term commitment from you and he feels that you're absorbing too much of the team's budget...
JV: I would be open to a longer term if there was any proposition made to think about it, but I have been asked this question for the last six months so I guess the purpose of saying things like that has had an affect because then for six months there has been a lot of hassle about it with no reason. But there is no proposition anywhere so what should I think about? I am just happy to go on with my contract. It's very simple.

Q: You mean to say that David Richards has not actually proposed a longer term contract?
Jacques Villeneuve: There hasn't been any proposition from anywhere - from the States or from longer terms. So it is easy to put the ball in my camp when actually there is no ball to be played.

BAR Race Preview

The FIA Formula One World Championship returns from a 3-week break this weekend to make its one and only visit to Eastern Europe for the 2002 Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest. Since the start of the season, F1's world tour has taken in 11 rounds and 5 continents and Lucky Strike B.A.R Honda's 71 race team members have been on the road for some 98 days. The test team alone have clocked up 20 tests in 67 days and covered more than 25,000 testing kms. The August break provides a well-earned breather for B.A.R's trackside personnel and means they are able to attack the remaining five races and nine tests with renewed vigour.

Back in Brackley, B.A.R's HQ has been a hive of activity and with development work for 2003 now well underway, the factory-based team have been working overtime on next year's all-new car. At this stage of the season, the design programme really moves up a gear and it will be six and seven-day working weeks for them from now right through until the launch. At the same time, the team remain focused on the remainder of the 2002 season and boosting their current points tally.

B.A.R drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis arrive in Budapest refreshed after 3 weeks of rest and relaxation. Jacques spent some time with fiancée Elly around the Mediterranean, revelling in plenty of watersports - one of his favourite pastimes. Olivier enjoyed the sunshine back home in France with his family and also squeezed in a couple of personal appearances. First, he visited Alain Ducasse's restaurant in Monaco to learn the latest culinary techniques in French cuisine. Then he travelled to Munich to attend the ISPO sports clothing exhibition with team sponsor Brunotti, where the lifestyle sportswear company presented him with a wakeboard specially designed in the colours of his race helmet.

It's back to work this weekend but Jacques and Olivier are both fond of the magnificent capital city of Budapest. Its Hungaroring circuit has been the scene of some very enjoyable racing moments earlier in their respective F1 careers and both drivers finished in the points in their first three Hungarian Grands Prix. For Jacques, they were all podium places.

This weekend, B.A.R are confident that top-10 qualifying places are well within reach for both cars. Since overtaking opportunities are few and far between at this circuit, the team will be relying on a solid strategy and excellent pit work to maximise their chances of translating a positive grid position into a points finish.

Jacques Villeneuve
"The Hungaroring is a tough circuit because the heat is so intense, so I've continued with my physical preparation over the last couple of weeks as well as enjoying the break. I went on holiday with Elly and my race engineer Jock Clear for a few days. We just chilled out and enjoyed the hot weather when I wasn't working with my trainer Erwin."

"I'm looking forward to the next race. It's a track I've won at so I have some great memories of Hungary. We had two DNFs in two races before the break so naturally we're looking for better things this weekend but of course the testing ban makes it difficult to fully prepare. It's difficult to overtake here; turn one is probably the only place where you have a realistic chance. The circuit is very tight and twisty and it's always really dirty because it's hardly ever used for the rest of the year."

"Budapest is a fantastic city and a great Grand Prix venue. I've always enjoyed racing there so I'm quite happy to be going."

Olivier Panis
"I've had a very good break so I'm ready for the next five races. I spent a few days with my family at home and then we headed down to the South of France to spend some time by the sea, do some watersports and try out my new speedboat - all the things you don't get much time for during the rest of the season. It wasn't all rest though. I did some PR work and, of course, it's important to keep up the physical programme because the season is a long way from over and Hungary in particular is a very demanding race because of the heat and the nature of the circuit."

"I'm looking forward to getting back in the car though. It was disappointing not to finish in France and Germany but we saw excellent progress in those two races. I've finished in the points three times at the Hungaroring - 5th in '96 and 6th in '94 and '95 - and it's a track I feel very comfortable with. It's good fun to drive but there's very little chance of overtaking there. The track is always very dirty so you feel you're taking a big risk if you go offline. It's also quite bumpy so it's easy to make a mistake if you're not 100% focused."

"A good qualifying position is vital here but I think we can feel more confident now about a top-10 grid position - especially after Germany. Then you have to make your moves where you can in the race and do a good job in the pitlane - something the team are exceptionally good at."

David Richards, Team Principal
"The race team have enjoyed a well-earned rest and I'm sure we will see the benefit of that when we return to Hungary this weekend. The last two races ended disappointingly for B.A.R but, at the same time, we saw a significant step forward in terms of performance and, therefore, our potential for the rest of the season. A great deal of work has been taking place back at the factory over the last three weeks - and at Honda's R&D base in Tochigi - to ensure we maintain that momentum and are able to turn it into a points-scoring performance during the remaining five races."

The Circuit

Race Distance - 77 Laps. 190.190 miles (306.075 km)
Circuit Length - 2.470 miles (3.975 km)

The Hungaroring has been a regular fixture on the GP calendar since 1986 when it became the first Formula One event to take place in Eastern Europe. The circuit layout has remained the same since 1989, when an unplanned kink around an underground spring was removed, shortening the track from 4.988 km to 3.975 km and in doing so making it the second shortest lap on the current F1 calendar.

Track conditions are always very dusty as the circuit sees very little action throughout the rest of the year. This not only leaves the track surface desperately short of grip, particularly offline, but also combines with the August heat to increase tyre wear. The dusty surface also discourages overtaking. Turn 1 is the only realistic passing place but the short length of the preceding straight makes even this more difficult, as does the slippery surface off the racing line.

The twisty layout also makes this the slowest circuit bar Monaco, and three corners - the Turn 2 and 13 hairpins, plus the Turn 6/7 chicane - are all 90 km/h turns. The fastest corner is the relatively modest 170 km/h left-hand kink at Turn 4.