Unlucky
Car balance plagues Arrows in Canada
Unlucky
By Huw Alban
June 9 2002
OrangeArrows had a difficult Canadian Grand Prix today, bringing only one car home in 13th place. Enrique Bernoldi retired with a vibration causing concern at the rear of his car, and Heinz-Harald struggled with an unbalanced car to claim the 13th placed finish.
Unlucky
June 9 2002
OrangeArrows had a difficult Canadian Grand Prix today, bringing only one car home in 13th place. Enrique Bernoldi retired with a vibration causing concern at the rear of his car, and Heinz-Harald struggled with an unbalanced car to claim the 13th placed finish.
OrangeArrows’ claims that their car was better in race trim got an enormous thumbs up today in the warm-up for the Canadian Grand Prix. Enrique Bernoldi posted the fifth fastest time of the field - a far cry from his qualifying position of 17th !
The race proper got under way in dry conditions, although the weather forecasters were predicting a 40% chance of a rain shower at some point during the race. Enrique Bernoldi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen made reasonable starts, with Heinz maintaining his 19th place and Enrique making a place to 16th by the end of lap three.
On lap 11, local hero Jacques Villeneuve slowed to a halt promoting everyone behind him up a place. Enrique Bernoldi had also managed to get past the Canadian’s team-mate Olivier Panis to take 14th place. Villeneuve’s BAR was causing an issue for the track marshals to recover bringing out the safety car for three laps. The team decided to use the opportunity to bring Enrique in for an early stop, demoting him down the order to 20th. On his very next lap he came back into the pit lane, and the team paid a lot of attention to the right rear tyre area of his car before sending him out again. Enrique came back in once more and again the team seemed to be working on the rear right hand side of his car. After a long stop the Brazilian went out again, only to return and retire. Later in the race it transpired that his car had broken suspension.
The safety car pulled in with 53 laps of the race to go, with Heinz-Harald still on track and running in 16th place. By lap 26 the Toyota of Allan McNish had made a pit stop promoting Frentzen one place to 15th.
On lap 30 Frentzen made a pit stop. Although it looked a scheduled stop it was of a long duration - the fuel hose staying attached to his car for a very long time. After the long stop he had dropped back down the order, but a series of retirements promoted him back up to 15th by lap 44.
Frentzen finished the Canadian Grand Prix a disappointing 13th, his position being affected by the retirement of Juan Pablo Montoya with a blown engine and Jenson Button’s Renault pulling off the circuit.
Although 13th is not a lot to show for three days work, the team can take two positive things away with them this weekend. They got one car home on a circuit that is known to be a car breaker, and a good sign for the next race. In addition both Jaguar cars retired from the race, despite their better qualifying performances. If the team can just get on top of this car balance issue then I’m sure that more points are in the offing.
The race proper got under way in dry conditions, although the weather forecasters were predicting a 40% chance of a rain shower at some point during the race. Enrique Bernoldi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen made reasonable starts, with Heinz maintaining his 19th place and Enrique making a place to 16th by the end of lap three.
On lap 11, local hero Jacques Villeneuve slowed to a halt promoting everyone behind him up a place. Enrique Bernoldi had also managed to get past the Canadian’s team-mate Olivier Panis to take 14th place. Villeneuve’s BAR was causing an issue for the track marshals to recover bringing out the safety car for three laps. The team decided to use the opportunity to bring Enrique in for an early stop, demoting him down the order to 20th. On his very next lap he came back into the pit lane, and the team paid a lot of attention to the right rear tyre area of his car before sending him out again. Enrique came back in once more and again the team seemed to be working on the rear right hand side of his car. After a long stop the Brazilian went out again, only to return and retire. Later in the race it transpired that his car had broken suspension.
The safety car pulled in with 53 laps of the race to go, with Heinz-Harald still on track and running in 16th place. By lap 26 the Toyota of Allan McNish had made a pit stop promoting Frentzen one place to 15th.
On lap 30 Frentzen made a pit stop. Although it looked a scheduled stop it was of a long duration - the fuel hose staying attached to his car for a very long time. After the long stop he had dropped back down the order, but a series of retirements promoted him back up to 15th by lap 44.
Frentzen finished the Canadian Grand Prix a disappointing 13th, his position being affected by the retirement of Juan Pablo Montoya with a blown engine and Jenson Button’s Renault pulling off the circuit.
Although 13th is not a lot to show for three days work, the team can take two positive things away with them this weekend. They got one car home on a circuit that is known to be a car breaker, and a good sign for the next race. In addition both Jaguar cars retired from the race, despite their better qualifying performances. If the team can just get on top of this car balance issue then I’m sure that more points are in the offing.
Bookmark or share this story with:
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
More Arrows headlines
- Smaller teams to benefit from Arrows demise
- Arrows is wound up for good (sob)
- Arrows noticeably absent from Autosport
- Arrows attracts interest say receivers
- A bleak end to 2002 for Arrows
- A Merry Christmas to all Arrows fans
- Arrows appeal cancelled & Behring deal off
- Arrows website off the air; Minardi targeted
- Arrows in trouble if appeal unsuccessful