MARCH 1, 1999

Ferrari testing down to the wire

WHILE most of the Grand Prix teams did only short shakedown tests last week at Silverstone before sending their cars out to Australia, Ferrari embarked on a full-scale week of testing at Mugello, in Italy.

WHILE most of the Grand Prix teams did only short shakedown tests last week at Silverstone before sending their cars out to Australia, Ferrari embarked on a full-scale week of testing at Mugello, in Italy. The week began with the arrival of a second F399 chassis but once again this was monopolized by Michael Schumacher, who did 150 miles of running before finally handing it over to Eddie Irvine who was able to do 200 miles in the car.

The team went to Mugello with Schumacher doing 52 laps of the track on Tuesday and another 60 on Thursday. Irvine was given the car on Wednesday and completed 72 laps of the track. The testing meant that the team will have to fly out at least one chassis separately from the main freight, which departed in the middle of the week and arrived at Melbourne over the weekend.

Luca Badoer gave the car a final shakedown test at Fiorano on Sunday before it was rushed to Milan to be freighted to Australia.