Blundell's view: 2002 F1 season review - part 3.

In Mark Blundell's final look at 2002, MB discusses the chaos at Jaguar, the loss of Prost and Arrows and also reveals which team and team-mate he would like for 2003! Just as good as part one, even better than part two, MB sees out the 2002 season brilliantly... roll on Australia.

Q:
Mark, as things stand at the moment it looks like we have lost two teams during 2002, with Arrows joining Prost on the list of former F1 teams. How do you feel about this? And do you think the FIA made the right decision not to allow Arrows entry into the 2003 World Championship?

Robert Wilkins_1

02 Jan 2003

Mark Blundell:
I don't think they can afford to keep going through a season like they had this year, with teams coming and going. It doesn't look good for the sport. In some respects then it is better off not to have them there, but at the same point it leaves the grid a little bit thin and that is a worry.

Q:
What do you make of all the 'recent' changes at Jaguar, most noticeably Niki Lauda being sacked?

MB:
It's an interesting situation really I don't think Jaguar will produce any results until they have got complete stability and a rounded structure and that hasn't been in place since they put Jaguar's name to it [Stewart Grand Prix] - still lots to be done.

Q:
Did Lauda's sacking surprise you? Is it a good decision?

MB:
I wasn't surprised by it. Whether it is the right decision I don't know - only time will tell...

Q:
For those people that are new to the sport, what do the teams and drivers do during the off-season? Why do they do so much testing?

MB:
It's all about development and making sure things are right for the new car. The main aims are to find more speed and work on reliability, there is not much down time. The season doesn't really have an off-season any more. It's quite busy throughout.

Q:
Commercial considerations aside and from a sporting point of view - which circuits would you like to see F1 visit that it doesn't at present, and which of the current ones should it never go near again?

MB:
I would like to see it [F1] visit maybe a street circuit in the USA, somewhere like Long Beach or maybe somewhere along those lines - it would be a big draw for spectators and an outstanding spectacle. Somewhere we don't really want to go? I don't know, that is a difficult question... I don't think there is anywhere where I wouldn't want to have a go. Although I think there are some tracks that are not quite as rewarding as others. If I had an option of going to Spa or somewhere like Hungary to drive, I would say Spa any day of the week, but that is purely from a selfish drivers point of view.

Q:
If you had the choice of teams - and team mates - for 2003 - who would you choose and why?

MB:
I think my choice of team and team-mate, would be Ferrari and Michael Schumacher. He has the strongest group of people around him and they have got the legs of everybody else at the moment. If you play second fiddle to him, you will still, pretty much be guaranteed having the best chance of results available because you are in the best operation. So I think that would be the best choice.

Q:
How do you think you would compare to him, if you could turn back the clock a few years?

MB:
I wouldn't have any issues of going in there. There are plenty of guys that I have driven against, and driven against him, and he's had as team-mates that I have driven against and I don't think I would have any issues at all. But it is all hypothetical isn't it?

Q:
Ok, some final quick questions... is Mark for or against... refuelling?

MB:
Against.

Q:
Grooved tyres?

MB:
Against.

Q:
Cars with more aero grip than mechanical...

MB:
Against.

Q:
The new 2003 points structure...

MB:
For.

Q:
Traction control...

MB:
Against.

Q:
Launch control...

MB:
Against.