News
***FOR INFORMATION ON THE SF-3 GO TO "FEATURE ARTICLES"***
Engine:
Ford V10
Chassie:
SF-3
Tyres:
Bridgestone
Drivers:
Rubens Barrichello
Johnny Herbert
Team founded:
1996
Team principal:
Jackie Stewart
Technical director:
Alan Jenkins
Team base:
Milton Keynes, England
Workforce:
150+
The 1998 season ended disappointingly for the Stewart team with both drivers having to retire from the Japanese Grand Prix. Jos' race ended with a gearbox problem on lap 21 while Rubens retired his car with hydraulic failure on lap 25.
Paul Stewart showed admirable stoicism regarding the team's rise and fall in fortunes this year. "What we have to do now is put the disappointment of this year behind us and put to good use all that we have learned in what has been a difficult season," he said. "We now realize that we have an awful lot to do over the winter - a few tweaks here and there are not going to be enough to lift our level of competitiveness for next season. We were warned that the second year in Formula One was always going to be the hardest and that certainly rang true for us. We have five months before the start of the 1999 season, so it's our job to throw all our energy and resources into ensuring we make a strong debut with the SF-3." SGP's 1999 challenger, due to be finished before Christmas, is "a step forwards in every department", according to new signing Johnny Herbert. He will have his first test for his new team in one of this year's SF-2s in Barcelona on December 2, but he expects to be driving the SF-3 in early January. "Getting the car out so early can only help us," he said. The 34-year old Briton believes the team has a solid partnership in Gary Anderson and SF-3 designer Alan Jenkins. "They are both very experienced and they will develop the car as the season goes on, which means Stewart will be able to progress more than it has in the past. Ford has made a major push too, and the purchase of Cosworth is good news." It is believed the SF-3 will not feature the SF-2's controversial carbon-fibre gearbox, and will revert to a more conventional set-up.
News