Technical problems x2 for Arrows in Brazil

Withdrawn
By Huw Alban
April 29 2002

OrangeArrows started the Brazilian Grand Prix cleanly, with both drivers making places. Enrique Bernoldi's run lasted around 12 laps after a long pit stop. Heinz-Harald Frentzen made superb progress, making his way up to 9th place before a transmission problem retired him from the race also.

Both Arrows got away cleanly at the start of the race. It was clear to see Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Takuma Sato have a quick tussle for positions in the first few corners, and both drivers made up places by the end of the first lap with Frentzen 14th and Enrique Bernoldi 16th.

A first lap incident between Juan Pablo Montoya and Michael Schumacher resulted in a Williams front wing being destroyed and scattered amongst the pack, causing the drivers behind concern. The carbon fibre shards are prone to causing punctures, and will be an uncertainty for the first few laps.

By the end of lap 5, Enrique has progressed and made up one place to 15th just behind his team mate. At the end of lap 8, Giancarlo Fisichella had retired with an engine failure and Hienz-Harald Frentzen has progressed to 13th place. The start of the Brazilian Grand Prix is going well for the team.

By the end of lap 12 Frentzen has passed the Jaguar of Pedro de la Rosa for 12th, but Bernoldi has dropped down to 21st. Unfortunately the TV commentary doesn't tell this site why, but the FIA timing information does not indicate that he has had a pit stop. Commentary from F1-live.com indicated that Bernoldi had a long pit stop, and that the mechanics didn't appear to be expecting him. A fresh set of tyres were quickly uncovered and bolted on and Bernoldi was sent on his way. By the end of lap 15 Bernoldi had disappeared off the timing boards, we'll find out why after the race.

Meanwhile fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello has retired from the race, which promotes Frentzen up to 11th. By lap 23, 11th has become 10th. Jacques Villeneuve, ahead of Frentzen, pits at around lap 25 and it was a long stop promoting Frentzen into a clear and pressure free 9th. Unfortunately that was the best that Arrows could offer as Frentzen was seen being pushed back into the Arrows garage a lap later, with the car up on the jacks. The TV commentary suggested that the A23 must have suffered some kind of transmission drama because of the fact that the car could not be pushed without the presense of the jacks.

The OrangeArrows team will now pack up and head back to Leafield, and need to do some serious development work on the A23 ready for the next race in San Marino.