SEPTEMBER 7, 2001

Mugello testing continued

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER took over the reins at Ferrari to continue the team's presence at the top of the timing screens during the Bridgestone testing at Mugello, some 1.4s ahead of Olivier Panis in the BAR.

Panis launched a verbal assault in Bridgestone's direction, as he is expecting another dominant weekend for the Michelin-shod Williams team at the next event, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Monza is a high speed circuit with long straights broken up by chicanes, much like Montreal in Canada and Hockenheim in Germany, where Ralf Schumacher has took victory on each occasion as the Williams and Michelin combination dominated.

"It's just that we know on the tires we are going to use that there will be 0.8s between the Michelins and Michael, the same as at Hockenheim, which is a lot," said Panis, who claimed that Bridgestone has done little to tackle the perceived gap.

Panis's attack also further strengthens rumors that BAR is switching to Michelin rubber next year. The second of the team's cars was again in the hands of British Formula 3 champion Takuma Sato, who had a quieter day's running 0.7s off the Jordan on Jean Alesi.