Tyrrell has completed its pre-season testing programme ...

Published on 20 February 1997 by Verstappen Info Page

Tyrrell has completed its pre-season testing programme today at Silverstone. Tyrrell was further encouraged by another constructive session on the track and confident for the new season. During the past month the Tyrrell-Ford 025 has completed over 4,000 Km on three different race-tracks.

Jos has driven a total of 76 laps these three days and this afternoon he was able to post a best time of 1:27.1. Afterwards Jos told: "I am comfortable with the handling of the car, the engine seems to be strong and we have had no problems, so I am looking forward to the season. The weather was a little frustrating this week, but it should be better in Australia."

Jos testing at Jerez
copyright Peter van Egmond

Salo, originally scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday only, also drove today, because of the bad weather conditions yesterday. He has experimented with the set-up of the car and did a total of 97 laps. This morning, when he drove 35 laps, he clocked a best time of 1:27.4 (0.3 seconds slower than Jos). Last year's pole position at Silverstone was set by Damon Hill in a Williams with 1:26.875, but the circuit has been revised since last year and grown a bit longer (5.14 compared to 5.057 Km). Salo commented afterwards: "The car is very easy to set up and is sensitive to the changes we make. The performance of the engine has been excellent and the team is in good shape."

This afternoon the settings on Salo's car were changed to accomodate the team's official test driver Toranosuke Takagi. Takagi, the Formula Nippon star who will continue to race in Japan this season is quickly adapting to the demands of driving a Formula One car. Mike Gascoyne, Deputy Technical Director at Tyrrell commented that "Tiger did well today. The circuit was wet all afternoon but he did not make any mistakes and he is learning the car all the time." Takagi completed 25 laps this afternoon without difficulties.

Harvey Postlethwaite, Managing Director of Engineering, commented afterwards that he is delighted with the progress the team has mad since the launch. "The chassis and the engine have worked out of the box, as we hoped they would, and this has been our most productive pre-season for many years. The cars are well balanced and the engines have been extremely consistent. Above all, the drivers like the car and are happy and that's a good indication." The third chassis is currently being completed and will be shaken down together with the other two cars at Silverstone next week (February 26) before leaving to Melbourne.

Take a look at our new picture page of Jos testing the new Tyrrell at Silverstone and Jerez.