Jaguar: the task ahead

It is evolution that rules when designing a Formula 1 car, not revolution and this year's machines will have begun to take shape as early as May last year. Despite changes in the rules governing the front and rear wings for 2001 and slight modifications to the obligatory crash tests, the cars will bear an uncanny similarity to each other, as Jaguar's technical director Steve Nichols will attest.

"Things don't look dramatically different in Formula 1, that's the nature of the beast. If you painted a McLaren green, it would look a lot like the R2."

The technical staff are possibly a team's greatest asset and the competition to secure the services of the top F1 boffins is rife. They may not get the star status enjoyed by the drivers, but their role is just as, if not more, important. Autosport.com's Jake Sargent caught up with the key players at Jaguar Racing to find out how the Milton Keynes-based outfit will reverse its flagging fortunes in 2001 with the all-new R2...


"The whole concept of the new engine is to maintain a degree of reliability. We didn't have any engine failiures in qualifying or races last year so we're looking forward to continuing that. Running so far has gone OK, the problem is it's all so comparitive. With testing you don't know what everybody else is doing."

"There are a lot of advantages when you open out the V-angle, but there are problems as well. Packaging is a big issue, but structure itself is also very important. At the end of the day you're not looking for revs, you're looking for power and I'm comfortable that we're where we want to be."


"We didn't actually launch the car with the new front wing because it's so early and other teams could have taken our ideas. The front wing is going to be a critical component this year."

"It is all new with seven speeds. We threw four starts last year and had various transmission problems, primarily with Johnny's [Herbert] car, so we've spent an awful lot of time and put a lot of detail into the transmission."

"I think if we function well as a team, make the right decisions and are proud of what we do, then that is an achievement in its own right. But to talk about what that translates into in terms of results would be foolish. The tyre situation is going to be very interesting and I think it will cause quite interesting results throughout the year. I can't call it and I don't think anyone can call it. Anybody who makes bold statements is either sitting on a gold nugget or very brave."


"My influence on the team will be more future oriented, in fact the concept for the new car was finished when I arrived at the beginning of December and manufacture was well on the way. There was no point me coming in and saying 'stop, lets start again'.

"The team called at around the time of the Japanese Grand Prix and the move has only been difficult in terms of the fact that I've been at McLaren in two different stints for almost 15 years, so leaving was a bit of wrench. You don't invest 15 years of your life in something and then find it easy to leave. But coming to Jaguar gave me the chance to be something more than I was at McLaren."


"I don't know really how you can exclude anybody. A team needs to have the best people - look how many Englishman there are at Ferrari. You could make a good case that the success wasn't there until Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne came on board. So if you're capable then you get a place and it doesn't really matter where you come from."

"He was hampered quite a bit [by last year's car]. Given the equipment Eddie can do extremely well. Having been a driver I know that if you don't have a good car it doesn't matter how good or bad you are. You can't carry cars anymore and if the car's bad, you can't make up the defecit."

"They're going to have the biggest single effect of any single component this year and assuming you've got reliability, the tyre issue will be the biggest determining factor. There will be times when teams have a definite advantage, so the tyre war will visibly alter the look of the grid each weekend."