Arrows hard at work, practising and developing

Frentzen 5th
By Huw Alban
April 29 2002

Heinz-Harald Frentzen continued the OrangeArrows team's test programme today, and helped the race team undergo pit stop practice during the morning session. Testing proper resumed in earnest in the afternoon with the team working, amongst other things, on a new front wing assembly.

Early rumours before todays test suggested that at least 8 teams had booked in to participate. It was also expected that Minardi were going to be present with both the race drivers in attendance. The paddock was a bustle of activity at 09:00 with Jordan's Takuma Sato was already busy signing some autographs for the fans. In complete contrast to the March test today the paddock was full of lorries. Each team had between 2 and 4 lorries parked up behind the put garages, and there were the same for the tyre and engine manufacturers present also. The teams present today were Williams (Marc Gene, and Ralf Schumacher), Jordan (Giancarlo Fisichella, and Takuma Sato), Renault (Jenson Button), BAR (Olivier Panis, Jacques Villeneuve, and Anthony Davidson), Jaguar (Eddie Irvine), Sauber (Nick Heidfeld), Arrows (Heinz-Harald Frentzen), and Minardi (Alex Yoong).

A quick visit to the pit lane, before the action started found the OrangeArrows team busy setting up airlines and a dummy refuelling rig. A quick chat with an Arrows mechanic revealed that the race team were at the circuit today in order to practice pit stops. The impression given was that the test team weren't too happy about it - in the team's post San Marino Grand Prix press release it was indicated that they intended to complete many race distances in order to get on top of reliability. Not today it seems…

Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jenson Button's Renault were out first once the morning session got started. Frentzen came back in immediately for a check and then went out again to complete 1 lap and a practice pit stop to change the front wing. The German was then out for another lap and then in for a rear wing change. For the rear wing, two mechanics had to manually unscrew at least 3 bolts, one mechanic one each side, and then redo them up again once the new wing was in place - it seemed to take ages.

Once back in the garage, the team made an adjustment under the engine cover around the area of the radiators and then prepared for another run. The only problem was that Heinz-Harald Frentzen hadn't got the car out of gear as the team tried start the car. The A23 leap forward on the jacks and there was some delay in the team having another go at it. Heinz-Harald Frentzen waved his hands a number of tmes as if to say 'no' during the delay time.

The morning session was red flagged around 11:00. Arrows used the opportunity for one more pit stop practice, Heinz-Harald Frentzen pulling away after the stop and then stopping quickly before the end of the pit lane.

It was possible to overhear the Renault mechanics talking to Jenson, asking him to switch off the engine. Some circuit marshals walked up the startfinish straight picking up bits of metal off the track, possibly from Jenson's Renault car. Session restarted a few minutes later, with Jenson's car being brought back to the Renault garage on a flat back lorry. Heinz-Harald Frentzen and a BAR were immediately straight out onto the circuit.

It appears that Arrows are definately testing a new wing. At the start of the test the front wing on the car had all sorts of shiny metal additions, whilst the 'new' wing, put on during the first practice pit stop, had none of these new bits. Heinz-Harald Frentzen was sat on the pit wall talking to the mechanics when, "Tell me about the new wing Mr Heinz" was heard being asked. Heinz-Harald talked about mid corner balance and the car under braking, and the mechanic mentioned that Heinz-Harald had put in some good times during the morning. The garage mechanics, meanwhile, were discussing whether to change the floor of the car or leave it until later. Having left the pit lane after this point, and taken to the trackside, it was possible to witness Heinz-Harald doing at least two more runs with about 3-5 laps each, but from the trackside he didn't look to be pushing that much.

Jaguar and Renault started the afternoon, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen soon joining in. Heinz-Harald Frentzen only did about 3 timed laps before pitting.Fisichella and Heinz-Harald Frentzen out next. Both men did slow out laps and then really got on it, with Fisi looking the more committed of the two. Frentzen's car looked happier and more committed on his second flying lap though. Both runs only last for about 3 timed laps.

Frentzen came out a number of times throughout the afternoon, completing short runs of laps and not the race distances promised by Technical Director, Mike Coughlan, after the San Marino Grand Prix. The team finished the day 5th fastest, and testing will continue tomorrow with rain forecast.