SEPTEMBER 29, 2000
McLaren complete "routine" test at Magny-Cours
McLaren technical director Adrian Newey said that the team were satisfied with a "routine" three-day test at the Magny-Cours circuit this week.
Test driver Olivier Panis put the McLaren-Mercedes MP4-15 through its paces at the French circuit as the team finalized their preparations for the Japanese Grand Prix on October 8.
"It was routine preparation for the Japanese Grand Prix," said Newey. "We also did some development work for the 2001 car."
McLaren were joined at Magny-Cours by French team Prost, who this week confirmed that they have already received their first mock-up Ferrari engine.
After securing a deal with Ferrari before the United States Grand Prix, Prost sent members of its drawing staff to the Italian team's Fiorano track and since then the mock-up engine has arrived at Prost's Guyancourt base.
The only teams not to test this week were Arrows, Benetton and Minardi.
Arrows had to commandeer its spare car to supplement its race chassis after Pedro de la Rosa's big crash at the Italian Grand Prix, and they have no plans to test until their new AMT engine is available.
Arrows hope that the AMT power-unit will be tested at the Circuit de Catalunya in October, before November's Formula One testing ban, but as yet nothing is confirmed.
Benetton simply decided not to test prior to the Japanese Grand Prix. Their next testing session is scheduled for October 11-13 at the Circuit de Catalunya, when Australian Mark Webber will take to the wheel.
Minardi also decided not to test as they saved their limited resources by shipping all their equipment directly from Indianapolis to Japan.