News from the Paddock - Belgian GP

Jean Alesi tested for Prost at Monza last week and found a revised circuit. The main changes are at the first corner, where the chicane is now a right-left rather than a left-right, while a new all-weather surface has also been laid in places. Alesi describes the changes which will be used by all teams at the major pre-Italian Grand Prix test next week.

"Braking is a lot easier now," said the Prost-Peugeot driver, "because the straight is straight, rather than having a little kink to the right as there was before. Before, you had to break for the first chicane and then go flat out across the kerbs. But now its completely straight, you brake until 80 meters before the corner and then you go right and then left as opposed to left and right as before. The speed is very similar to that of the Suzuka chicane, and you take it in first gear.

"But you don't jump the kerbs any longer," continued Jean. "You go up the kerb a little but not over it. And if, for any reason, you have a technical problem and you can't take the chicane, if you go straight on and you find yourself on the old Curva Grande track, so it’s absolutely safe. It's much more safe than in the past, which is important when you're doing 360 km/h.

"The second chicane isn't so different but the exit speed is slower. They have increased the distance between the left and right so you have to slow the car more, and there's no point in jumping the chicane. There's no change to the third chicane.

"They have changed the surface to the new ENI all-weather surface, made by AGIP. They tested it about two years ago at Monza and it’s very good in the wet. It's much better for braking and there’s very little spray. Spray is awful for us, and bad for TV because you can only see one car. So this is safer and better for TV.

"It's better for overtaking too. In the past, there was one line through the chicane, but now you can go through side-by-side. Unfortunately, the kerbs aren't the same in each corner, but if you go too high on some of the kerbs in some of the chicanes, the plank will just throw you back onto the track again when it bottoms.

"They wanted to check this asphalt under acceleration and braking to see whether the power of a Formula One car would destroy the surface, and it's been perfect. They have done 200 meters before the first and second chicanes, and 200 meters afterwards. Charlie Whiting was very impressed with it. He wants to hand over this information to all the circuits. The tyre noise is different, the grip is perfect in dry conditions. Now they are waiting to see how it stands up to next week's test, but I’m sure they will resurface all tracks with this."

When will Mike Gascoyne join Benetton? The former McLaren, Tyrrell and latterly Jordan technical director is currently on "gardening leave" at home, still contracted to Jordan but not working for them, prior to moving to Benetton next July. He was sent home recently, apparently because Honda didn't want to share their secrets with him when he was moving to the Renault-owned team. However, a team member also confided that "he didn't really have his heart in it any more."

It was announced earlier this year that Gascoyne would move to Benetton once his contract with Jordan expired next July but now there is a stand-off between Eddie Jordan and Benettons Flavio Briatore. Jordan doesn't want to continue paying Gascoyne to do nothing, but doesn't see why he should release Gascoyne to work for Briatore without some compensation for the remaining period of his contract. Briatore, however, doesn't want to pay. Gascoyne is due at the Jordan factory next week but at the moment, there is no solution in sight.

Where will Ricardo Zonta go next year? He has been replaced by Olivier Panis at BAR and would appear to have two options: either become a McLaren test driver replacing Panis or move to Sauber to replace Mika Salo who has been confirmed as Toyotas test driver. Geraldo Rodrigues, Zonta's manager, says that the driver is currently considering his options but he would expect him to be racing in Formula One next year, which suggests that he might accept the Sauber option.

Alexander Wurz is likely to become test driver for McLaren next year, although no official announcement has been made. The Austrian is definitely out of the Benetton team next year, already replaced by Jenson Button and his options seem to be either with Sauber, Arrows, Prost or Minardi or to become a test driver. He has been respected as a test driver for some time, and having seen Olivier Panis kick-start his career by working with McLaren, it seems that the Austrian is eager to do the same thing.

BAR chief executive Craig Pollock returned home to Switzerland on the Saturday of the Belgian Grand Prix after falling ill with an intestinal complaint. He preferred to be examined by his own doctor, than be seen by Formula One doctors. His absence reinforced rumours that he may be replaced as boss of the BAR team by Barry Green who runs Team Kool Green in ChampCar racing in the States.

A surprise announcement came from Porsche on the Friday evening saying that due to tyre wear and deterioration, the Porsche Pirelli SuperCup race wouldn't take place in Belgium. The Porsches support many Grand Prix in Europe during the season, and have also travelled to Melbourne for their opening race. They are due at Indianapolis for their final two rounds. Porsche said that consideration was given to the fact that the Spa circuit features high cornering speeds and extreme compression in the Eau Rouge.

What is happening at Circuit Paul Ricard? The circuit was bought by Bernie Ecclestone a couple of years ago and has recently been closed for re-development. It is unlikely to become host of the French Grand Prix in the near future, as Magny-Cours has that contract. Rumour has it that Ecclestone wants every team to test at the circuit rather than consistently go to Barcelona and Jerez. Several new circuit configurations are planned, although work has yet to go ahead. It is rumoured that the plan may discussed at the meeting being held for team principals in London this Wednesday.

Weekend milestones: This was Mika Hakkinen's 26th pole position of his career. Second was also Jarno Trulli's equal best grid position, and third was Jenson Button's best placing by three places - his previous best at Silverstone. The race would be Heinz-Harald Frentzen's 110th Grand Prix; Giancarlo Fisichella's and Jos Verstappen's 70th. It would also be Minardi's 250th Grand Prix, and Arrows's 350th. Furthermore, it will be the 78th race that Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard have driven together as teammates, beating the previous record of 77 by Gerhard Berger and Jean Alesi at Ferrari and Benetton.