Schumy : On The Pace At Fiorano And Mugello!
If Michael Schumacher keeps a diary then the entry for Saturday February 26th 2000 may read something like this: 'Got to Fiorano in the morning, ran last year's car so I could practice my starts and put in 30 laps just to get the feel of it. Then in the afternoon, popped up to Mugello where my team-mate is testing, grabbed the nearest Ferrari F1-2000, rattled off just 6 laps but still went quicker than my team-mate who had been running all day.'
If Michael Schumacher keeps a diary then the entry for Saturday February 26th 2000 may read something like this: 'Got to Fiorano in the morning, ran last year's car so I could practice my starts and put in 30 laps just to get the feel of it. Then in the afternoon, popped up to Mugello where my team-mate is testing, grabbed the nearest Ferrari F1-2000, rattled off just 6 laps but still went quicker than my team-mate who had been running all day.'
Saturday was certainly not just another day for the double world champion who chose to run a modified F399 at Fiorano, preferring to save his new F1-2000 for the afternoon's running at Mugello. Schumacher Snr took a fastest lap of 1:01.188 at Fiorano before taking his place alongside Rubens Barrichello at the Tuscany circuit where time restrictions meant he was only able to get 6 laps under his belt. However one of those, a 1:25.554, was good enough to beat Barrichello's best effort of 1:25.680.
Despite what had to be a demoralising situation, Rubens said he was happy with the progress he and the team have made. He ran for 83 laps, his second long run in the car and was pleased with the F1-2000's pace and set up. Both drivers are in a confident mood in the build up to Melbourne.
