DECEMBER 21, 2002

Jaguar plans internet launch for R4

Jaguar will launch their 2003 contender, the R4, on January 21 on their internet site, rather than at a traditional F1 party style launch.

Jaguar will launch their 2003 contender, the R4, on January 21 on their internet site, rather than at a traditional F1 party style launch. The team has recently undergone a restructuring that included 70 layoffs and the replacement of team boss Niki Lauda and does not want to portray a wasteful image during the economically tough time.

Team spokesman, Nav Sidhu commented, "With the recent restructuring programme at Jaguar Racing which resulted in around 70 redundancies, we feel that it would be grossly insensitive to be investing large amounts of resource and money at this time into a lavish launch".

"We are not trying to be clever or re-write the rulebook on F1 launches. In fact, it's quite the opposite actually. We will have less than nine weeks left until the opening race of 2003 and we are simply going about our business in a workmanship like manner aimed at maximising development time on the Jaguar R4 which is by far our single biggest priority right now."

It is not the first time a team has had a "virtual launch". A few years ago Sauber tried the idea, even sending journalists a free lunch in the post!