FPR still off the pace

[manwell]

Seton and Lowndes claim the cars werent as quick as they would have liked or expected.
When are FPR going to sort themselves out!?!?!

From the V8 Supercars Website.

http://www.v8supercars.com.au/news/l...nd=M&gid=11993

Ford Performance Racing (FPR) has completed a comprehensive two day test at Victoria's Winton Raceway. Venue of the 7th round of the 2004 Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series (being held in ten days time), weather conditions at the regional Victorian circuit were dry and cool for both FPR test days, enabling the team to carry out a number of detailed technical changes to both FPR Falcons.

Craig Lowndes, Glenn Seton, Alain Menu and 2003 FPR endurance race driver Adam Macrow took part in this detailed two day test programme, Menu gaining his first laps in a V8 Supercar since his last enduro co-driver role with Ford's Mark Larkham in 2000.

Lowndes was kept very busy throughout the two days, FPR's race engineers making the most of this first test of the season to try a number of set-up modifications to his CAT FPR Falcon.

Seton completed a detailed shakedown of his new 2004 Ford Credit FPV Falcon chassis and he also participated in a number of back to back comparison runs with Lowndes.

The team reported consistent performance from the engines of both FPR Falcons throughout the test, enabling FPR's engineers to concentrate on various suspension configurations and settings at this highly technical circuit.

FPR was also able to compare the team's performance with a number of other leading V8 Supercar teams present at Winton raceway over the two days that included Castrol Perkins Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Holden Racing Team, Garry Rogers Motorsport and Paul Weel Racing.

FPR endurance race driver and double British Touring Car Champion Alain Menu enjoyed a solid run at Winton over the two days, with 2003 FPR enduro driver Adam Macrow also gaining some valuable V8 Supercar mileage on Tuesday.

#6 Craig Lowndes - "I am pleased with the depth of changes that we were able to test over the two days at Winton as we badly needed to do this. While our lap times weren't as fast as we would have liked, the main aim of the test was to understand the car much better than we have to this point. We now have to look at all of the data we have gained and translate that into stronger performances for our forthcoming races. It was also good to be able to swap cars with Glenn and compare our thoughts for the first time with identical cars."

#5 Glenn Seton -"I didn't get as many miles completed during the test as I would have liked, as the team carried out a great deal of work on the new car during the first day. I think the race at Winton could be a bit of a struggle for us because the cars weren't as quick as we expected them to be during the test. On the positive side we have gained a lot of data from which we can no doubt improve in the remainder of the season. We are suffering a bit from starting our testing programme too late into the season."

Alain Menu -"I'm fairly pleased with my first FPR test. It was very interesting to drive and trying to understand the characteristics of the car, as it is very different to what I am used to. It took a while to get up to speed and even now I am not completely up to speed with these cars as I struggled a bit with the brakes - that was my main problem. There is definitely a few tricks to driving these cars and you certainly need to be very sensitive with throttle and steering input. Overall I had a very good test, I am very pleased with the team and while some more laps would have been great, the team had some important testing to carry out and that was their primary goal.

Adam Macrow -"It was good to get back up to speed with FPR, the car feels good and the more race miles I do in it the better I will be, so all in all it was a positive first V8 Supercar run for this season."

FPR Chief Engineer, John Russell - "It was certainly good to be able to get on the track and try a number of different things and answer a few questions that have escaped us so far this season. We now hope that the hard work we have done over the past two days helps us in the forthcoming races."

[silvervsix]

They should be happy that the engines lasted for the whole of testing

[aj_308]

at least they are testing. cant be a bad thing.

[Joe5619]

Originally posted by silvervsix
They should be happy that the engines lasted for the whole of testing

I think everyone would agree FPR's BIGGEST problem all year as been getting the engines to last a race distance.. So, for them to get the engines to last 2 whole days testing without stuffing up has got to be good news...

I'd say engine DNF's aside, both FPR's would be inside the top ten(or very close)... To win, first you must finish!!! So I'd say the test was a great success.. Lets just hope those pommies finally have the engines sorted!!

[jaytor]

The fact that they are off the pace is one thing,but the fact the engines are lasting is the main point. Even as a Holden fan, it's good to see them finaly making progress with these dodgy engines!

[SRabbit]

In AA today Craig said they were really only trying to find out what the car does and doesn't like, so they have at least half a clue which direction to take come race weekend

[GTRMagic]

Originally posted by SRabbit
In AA today Craig said they were really only trying to find out what the car does and doesn't like, so they have at least half a clue which direction to take come race weekend

The car doesnt like the drivers, and in terms of direction, it doesnt like going left, right or in a astraight line with any degree of grace, decorum or speed

[rdmdog]

And the engines dont like being in the cars either!

[Mattracer]

Going by that series of remarks, I'm feeling sorry for the two cars. Nobody wants to be in them, around them or near them

Great that they had a first test and everythng went OK for a starting point at least.

[pete55]

The old saying 'Rome wasn't built in a day' doesn't apply at FPR. Where they went wrong was when they pulled down 'Rome' before they even had the new building plans commissioned.

[Mattracer]

Which "building" are we speaking of? The one with palm trees and coffee machines or the metaphoric one?

[aj_308]

they had more than one 10k coffee machine??

[Micklegend]

Nice to see testing full stop! I suppose the proof will be in the on track results now, they will have no where to run once the old "lack of testing" excuse is erased.

Good luck to 'em, hope it is all positive results now.

[jimmycourier]

Hopefully FPR have realised that the major thing along with performance thats be peeing off the fans is themselves talking up their chances up. CL and GS didn't seem overly confindent after the test, which is a first because normally they say the car was sensational bla bla, bla which normally leads to capow boom crash in a following session.

[GTRMagic]

Originally posted by aj_308
they had more than one 10k coffee machine??

Only $10k??? The last Ford team Ford propped up was buying $17k machines.... has there been a tightening of the belt, or is VAT more expensive than GST? :confused:

[Grimace]

Originally posted by SRabbit
In AA today Craig said they were really only trying to find out what the car does and doesn't like, so they have at least half a clue which direction to take come race weekend

what the car does and doesnt like

what i like is Craig Lowndes put in an SBR or even a 888 Falcon

[aj_308]

Originally posted by GTRMagic
Only $10k??? The last Ford team Ford propped up was buying $17k machines.... has there been a tightening of the belt, or is VAT more expensive than GST? :confused:

that would want to be a very good or very big cup of coffee!

[Techo]

The coffee machine at the Palace makes the former ford teams much talked about coffee machine look like a kettle.
Then again they might not have got ripped off/or been stupid enough to pay large for a cabient to sit it on.