Gascoyne hopeful of good step forward

The team, who unveiled their new F8-VII on Monday, will run Ferrari engines and a second wind tunnel in the hope of making a step forward after failing to score any points in 2006.

Gascoyne has joined the team after his exit from Toyota, and Spyker are hoping the Briton can be a big asset for them.

"We've started to look at areas that will give a good step forward rather than small ones," said Gascoyne of the new car.

"With Aerolab on board and a restructure, we can make some real progress. I think you'll see quite a large update to the rear suspension, and a lot of other things will change.

"The programme we have in the first half of the year is really geared towards making big progress in terms of aerodynamics and design."

The new car will be replaced later in the year, possibly by the Turkish Grand Prix in August, with a revised version.

"We're targeting Turkey (for the revised car)," Gascoyne added. "We want it to be a significant step forward, but really it will be defined by progress in the wind tunnel and where we are at the start of the season.

"We have to see where our direct opposition are, particularly Super Aguri and Toro Rosso. We're going to ensure that when we do introduce the B-spec, it will be a significant step forward."

Gascoyne reckons there hasn't been much he has been able to do since joining the team, and he is predicting the improvements will come in the second half of the season.

"When you arrive on November 1, there's very little you can do in terms of a new car, so really my role was to advise," Gascoyne said.

"I've been in all the design meetings, but the philosophy of the car was basically finished at that point. The aerodynamics are still evolving but, mechanically, the layout of the cars is fixed.

"James (Key, technical director) has done a great job with this car with the resources he had, the whole team has done a great job over the years, and if you try and change too much then there wouldn't be a car here or three cars in Melbourne.

"James' role as technical director leaves me free to concentrate on the longer term future - as my old boss said anyone can make a F1 car, the trick is to make a quick one.

"With the stable future we have got, and new owners, we can plan to be a competitive team in the longer term. I am working on that. James has done a great job to get this out."