Webber hopes to test again

MARK Webber hopes to get back behind the wheel of a Formula One Arrows A20 later this week for further testing with the team. The Yellow Pages-backed star had his first taste of F1 late last week but completed only 33 laps of mainly systems checks for the team.

Webber said on Monday that the Arrows team was expected to return to Barcelona, Spain, for further tests late this week and he was hoping to get a call to be there from team boss Tom Walkinshaw.

Although his times last week hardly set the world alight, Webber was quick to point out he had a job to do and that both he and the team were very happy with the way he performed.

Arrows has completely replaced its electronic control system in preparation for swapping to Supertec V10 engines next year, so going for quick times was not on the agenda.

In fact, Webber completed very few flying laps, spending most of his time driving in and out of the pits while the crew checked and altered the electronics.

His fastest lap was set on Friday, when he was only 1.5 seconds slower than team leader Pedro de la Rosa, who was driving on his home track with a year of F1 experience behind him.

On the first day of testing Webber was 3.5 seconds slower than de la Rosa but when the two cars were set-up similarly the difference was just 0.4 seconds.

McLaren drivers David Coulthard and Oliver Panis set the fastest times of the week from Jarno Trulli, who made a very impressive debut with Jordan.

Webber said he was surprised by the performance of the F1 cars - even after two years driving the potent Mercedes-Benz GT cars - and he now has even greater admiration for Grand Prix drivers.

"The acceleration is just unbelievable and the brakes are incredible," enthused Webber after arriving back in England.

"The top speed is not so daunting but with more power and half the weight (of the GT car), the car just rockets through the gears. You have just eight-tenths of a second between changes in the lower gears." "There was plenty to take in. Everything about a Formula One car is so precise. It was 10 times everything I've done previously. It was a steep learning curve." Webber's new F3000 team boss, Paul Stoddart, who arranged the F1 test, said he was thrilled with the way his young charge performed.

"Mark was absolutely brilliant," said the expatriate Australian businessman.

"He's done everything that was expected of him by everyone. He's done himself a lot of good today.

"If you'd written the script you couldn't have got any better than this. All the teams were here except Ferrari, Minardi and Jaguar, and Mark fitted in like a glove. He was sensible and intelligent.

"He's really done himself - and Australia, I might add - proud. He's certainly got a future."