F1: Portugues GP Tyrrell preview

• michael.cosgrove@westonia.com (Michael Cosgrove)
• Westonia Computer Systems of Canada
• Sat Sep 14 23:31:01 EDT 1996

               KATAYAMA AND SALO FLY AT SILVERSTONE
               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
     The  Tyrrell-Yamaha team was delighted with its  performance 
at Silverstone this week as Ukyo Katayama and Mika Salo set their 
best lap times of the year at the Northamptonshire track during a 
two-day  test  program in preparation for  the  Portuguese  Grand 
Prix, the penultimate race of the 1996 Formula One World  Champi-
onship.
     Mike  drove  38  laps on Wednesday and set a  best  time  of 
1:28.07  while Ukyo did 36 laps on Thursday with a best  time  of 
1:28.07.  The  team test and reserve  driver,  Emmanuel  Collard, 
drove  53 laps over the two days and in race trim set a best  lap 
of 1:29.65.
     Harvey Postlethwaite - Managing Director - Engineering said: 
"We had two productive days of testing. Emmanuel undertook  aero-
dynamic tests on the first day and suspension developments on the 
second day. He gave us good feedback and we are pleased with  the 
progress made in terms of information for next year's car.
     "Mika  tested different suspension geometries which we  also 
tried  with  Ukyo to validate the results. We definitely  made  a 
step  forward  with the car. We also ran a  programme  on  starts 
which has been extremely successful. We will stay at Estoril  the 
week  following the Grand Prix to continue our test and  develop-
ment programme."
     Ukyo Katayama said: We had a good test and checked different 
suspension geometries which were better for my driving style." On 
the Portuguese Grand Prix, Ukyo said: "Estoril? I can't  remember 
anything! Did I have a small accident there last year?"
     Katayama  continues: "It is a difficult track and very  hard 
physically, especially on the neck with a succession of very fast 
corners from the Senna curve to curve three, and we will do  this 
70  times during the race. After finishing the last three  Grands 
Prix  I am in good spirits and look forward to putting in a  good 
performance."
     Mika  Salo said: "We had a good day of testing on  Wednesday 
and  made  positive  progress with the chassis  and  the  engine. 
Estoril should suit us because we were quick there when we tested 
last  winter. I like the circuit, it is a challenging layout  and 
it is hard physically; you need to be at your best to be competi-
tive in the race."
     Mike Gascoyne, Deputy Technical Director: "Estoril is one of 
the most interesting tracks we race at during the year. It has  a 
mixture  of long, medium and fast corners which means  that  cars 
will be running in medium to high downforce configuration.
     "But  there  is also the long straight where  top  speed  is 
crucial  for overtaking. The tarmac is bumpy and is very hard  on 
the  cars  and the drivers; the 024 should go well  there  as  we 
tested a lot over last winter and went very well."
     The  Portuguese  Grand  Prix  will be  held  at  the  4.360-
kilometres  Estoril  circuit near Lisbon.  The  70-lap,  305.200-
kilometre  race  will start at 1400 hours local  time  on  Sunday 
September 22nd and is expected to last around one-hour and  forty  
Šminutes.

Marmet & Schmidt - Second up Mt Everest

 * 1st 2.00 #8604 * Prestidigitation is not my strong point.