FEBRUARY 24, 1997

Ferrari blitzes Mugello record

EDDIE IRVINE set a new lap record at Mugello last Thursday at the wheel of a Ferrari F310B, fitted the 046/2 engine.

EDDIE IRVINE set a new lap record at Mugello last Thursday at the wheel of a Ferrari F310B, fitted the 046/2 engine. The Ferrari team was at the Florence circuit for three days with Michael Schumacher quitting the test on Wednesday to fly off to be with his wife Corinna as she gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter. Prior to his departure Schumacher had completed nearly 100 laps of the track with a best of 1m25.57s on the first day. Irvine did not take part in the first day of the test but on Thursday beat Schumacher's new record with a lap of 1m25.43s. The team's test driver Gianni Morbidelli also ran on Thursday.

The test is the last scheduled one for Ferrari although the three cars which are going to Melbourne will be shaken down at Fiorano on Wednesday. The F310B has now completed nearly 3500 miles of testing. The team is remaining cautious and will race old 046/1 V10 engines in Australia rather than risk using the new, but less reliable 046/2s.