DECEMBER 31, 2001

Let the battle commence...

The testing ban, which has kept the Formula 1 teams in check for the last 10 weeks, is over and testing can begin although it is not expected that there will be much action this week as teams decided to give their employees a break over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

THE testing ban, which has kept the Formula 1 teams in check for the last 10 weeks, is over and testing can begin although it is not expected that there will be much action this week as teams decided to give their employees a break over the Christmas and New Year holidays. The action is expected to begin in earnest in Barcelona next week. The weather in Europe is currently freezing and so there will be not much point in any shakedown runs although one or two of the teams may decide this is necessary.

The latest new F1 car will be launched at the end of the week when Jaguar Racing takes the wraps off the Jaguar-Cosworth R3.