After a positive performance from drivers Mark Webber (26) and Antonio Pizzonia (22) in Spielberg - Austria, and two more Championship points in the bag, Jaguar Racing travel to Monaco, to contest the 7th round of the Formula One World Championship. A busy interim period saw both drivers visit the factory in Milton Keynes (UK) before making time to visit engine supplier, Cosworth Racing, based just a few miles away in Northampton. With no testing since Austria, the factory instead has been concentrating on preparing the necessary parts and stock for the Monaco race, a race that is renowned for its tight street-circuit and unforgiving bends. Although having made improvements in recent weeks with reliability and pace, the team is keen to continue with its developments and will be looking to add to their points score in Monaco.
David Pitchforth - Managing Director
“Our reliability and pace over recent weeks has started to reap the rewards that the team deserves and of course, scoring points over two consecutive race weekends has been a boost to the factory and our long-standing sponsors. Our aim over the forthcoming races is to continue with our progress and to maintain the reliability that was a thorn in our sides at the start of the season. Looking ahead to Monaco, we know that this is a challenging circuit, demanding high downforce for the short straights and tight bends. Last year we struggled here with the lack of downforce on the R3, however, our Aerodynamics department has been working hard to ensure that this year it’s a different story. Turning the car around in between races is not an easy task, however, our job is made easier by the support from both Cosworth Racing and Pi Research. The motivation within our three teams has never been higher and I know that the drivers felt inspired this week when they visited Jaguar Racing and Cosworth Racing. Lets hope that we can again challenge for our third set of points this weekend at a circuit where we have as much going on off-track as we do on it.”
Mark Webber (26) “I like Monaco as a circuit, there is something special about racing on a street-circuit, and so far my track record here has been good. I have raced here three times before and I won the F3000 in 2001. It is a prestigious race that continues to challenge even the most experienced of drivers. They have made a few changes to the Rascasse this year so I am interested to see how it all works out. We have a good package in the R4 and again, the team have done a great job in pulling all the parts that we need together in time. This is one of the races that demands the skill of the driver to shine through in order to make a difference to your qualifying position. The corners are exceptionally tight and one moment of distraction can signal the end of your race. Qualifying here is so important as the opportunities to overtake are few and far between. Until Thursday we won’t know our position versus the competition, but we will be looking to Michelin to produce their usual high standard of tyre in order to complement our set-up and balance. One of my favourite parts of the track is the tunnel and the chicane just after it, as well as the entry to Casino Square. One thing is for sure, this race is never dull and that’s what makes it such good fun”.This is a 21-year+ news article, from our Jaguar archive, which dates back to the year 2000.
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