Czapski to Ferrari

OCTOBER 13, 1997

Czapski to Ferrari

BENETTON's controversial head of electronics Tad Czapski is to follow Ross Brawn to Ferrari. The 39-year-old Briton joined Benetton from the aerospace industry five years ago and worked on the team's active suspension, automatic gearbox, ABS and traction control systems. During 1994 Czapski hit the headlines when it was discovered that Michael Schumacher's Benetton was running a system called "launch control", which could be activated with a lap-top computer using a mysterious "option 13" on a list of 10 options. The FIA investigation was unable to prove that the system had been used but Benetton was fined $100,000 for delaying access to its systems. The major worry for Benetton is that Czapski has a detailed knowledge of the Renault V10 engine which will no doubt be very useful to Ferrari as it struggles to be competitive.

Benetton engineers were trying to play down Czapski's departure. "It is the best thing that could happen," said Nick Wirth.

Other stories for OCTOBER 13, 1997

VILLENEUVE IN TROUBLE

JUNIOR TEAM FEVER

NISSAN VERSUS YAMAHA

KATAYAMA QUITS F1

MOSLEY GETS ANOTHER FOUR YEARS

THE F1 CALENDAR AND OTHER DECISIONS

TYRRELL CLIMBS DOWN BUT FUTURE LOOKS UP

MOSLEY HINTS AT CONCORDE CANCELLATION

BAT PUTS BACK LAUNCH DATE AGAIN

...BUT MINARDI GETS FORD

NO CHANGE AT STEWART

CZAPSKI TO FERRARI

HIS TO FORD?