JUNE 29, 1998

Gascoyne leaves Tyrrell

AS predicted, Tyrrell's deputy technical director Mike Gascoyne has left the team and is having a couple of weeks of vacation before he starts work with Jordan - possibly at the forthcoming British GP.

AS predicted, Tyrrell's deputy technical director Mike Gascoyne has left the team and is having a couple of weeks of vacation before he starts work with Jordan - possibly at the forthcoming British GP. Gascoyne's chief role this year will be to design a new car for the 1999 season. It remain to be seen how he will fit in at Jordan with technical director GaryÊAnderson but we understand that he left Tyrrell because he feels it is time that he becomes a technical director and that this will never happen if he continues to work with Postlethwaite. If this is Gascoyne's aim it is difficult to see how Anderson can remain at Jordan.

There is considerable uncertainty at Jordan for next year although there is a deal in place for the team to use MugenÊHondaÊV10 engines. Ralf Schumacher is tipped to be moving elsewhere when his contract runs out - his performances not having impressed the team greatly in the last two seasons - and we have heard stories that Damon Hill may also be on the move with rumors of an offer from British American Racing if it cannot sign up Jacques Villeneuve. We have also heard the name Jeff Gordon being linked to a possible drive with BAR and a Hill-Gordon pairing would make a lot of sense with a team that is named British American. No announcement is expected for a while but negotiations are beginning as the Magny-Cours paddock featured a number of legal types one only normally sees at contract time.

Schumacher Jr. incidentally has been linked to a drive at Sauber and to talks with Prost Grand Prix.