MAY 15, 2001

Hakkinen receives Valencia boost

AFTER his disastrous Austrian Grand Prix performance last Sunday at the A1-Ring, Mika Hakkinen gave himself a welcome confidence boost on Tuesday by setting the fastest time of the day in testing at Valencia.

The previously-struggling Finn was more than one and a half seconds faster than Nick Heidfeld who clocked Sauber's fastest recorded lap of Valencia to set the second fastest time.

Mark Gene had no problems as he worked on Monaco Grand Prix modifications and traction control to set third fastest time with Williams.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who also had starting problems like Hakkinen in the Styrian Alps, undertook some much-needed launch control testing and completed 81 laps while working on suspension geometry and tire testing.

Test driver Ricardo Zonta, a spectator in the Styrian Alps, was back in action for the team to post fifth fastest time.

Alexander Wurz set sixth fastest time in the second McLaren, while Johnny Herbert and Enrique Bernoldi both worked hard on the Arrows cars.

Luciano Burti was also present for Prost, but ran only 37 laps and finished bottom of the time sheets.

VALENCIA TEST - TUESDAY, 15 MAY 2001

POS

DRIVER ENTRANT TIME

1.

MIKA HAKKINEN McLaren-Mercedes 1:13.306

2.

NICK HEIDFELD Sauber-Petronas 1:14.852

3.

MARC GENE Williams-BMW 1:14.887

4.

HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN Jordan-Honda 1:15.037

5.

RICARDO ZONTA Jordan-Honda 1:15.598

6.

ALEXANDER WURZ McLaren-Mercedes 1:15.808

7.

JOHNNY HERBERT Arrows-Asiatech 1:16.247

8.

ENRIQUE BERNOLDI Arrows-Asiatech 1:16.571

9.

LUCIANO BURTI Prost-Acer 1:16.605