News Article

Source: IRS News
Date: March 7
Subject: Sobering start for Stewart and Prost


Former world champions Jackie Stewart and Alain Prost suffered sobering baptisms as Formula One team owners on Friday when their cars struggled in the rear in practice for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Stewart, who won the drivers' title three times between 1969 and 1973, was beset with mechanical problems as he prepared for the race at the Albert Park street circuit on Sunday. "Today produced exactly what you would expect, first race for new team, first-day glitches," said the meticulous Scot.

Frenchman Prost, a four-time world champion who has bought absolute control of the former Ligier team, also struggled in his new role, watching his number one driver and compatriot Olivier Panis lose control and spin off the track. Prost said: "This job is very tiring and the pressure is incredible. When the cars went out of the garage, it was an amazing feeling and when they went off the track it was much worse." Panis' car came to a halt in a cloud of dust at turn three. At the end of a disrupted session, Panis was 12th fastest, eight places ahead of team-mate Shinji Nakano of Japan.

But it was Stewart who faced a more nervous wait until the qualifying session on Saturday. Unless his team's lap times improve in comparison to the rest of the field, Stewart may not even be represented in the race. Formula One rules say cars which are not competitive during during qualifying are barred from joining the grid. Based on his performance in practice, Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, the number one Stewart driver, would be in danger of missing out.

Barrichello was 21st fastest with a quickest lap time more than seven seconds slower than the Ferrari of former world champion Michael Schumacher of Germany, who recorded the fastest time of one minute, 32.496 seconds. Dane Jan Magnussen did little to lift Stewart's spirits, finishing 18th fastest out of a field of 24. Barrichello completed only six laps during practice because of a gearbox problems and an engine fault that mystified team mechanics.

Magnussen's session was interrupted because of a turned wheel and an enforced change of engine. He briefly lost control and skidded off the circuit when his wheels locked under braking. "We are unhappy that both drivers didn't simply get more laps in," said Stewart, who launched his team from scratch to compete this season. "The exact source of Rubens' problem is still being checked out."