European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday. February 28. 1990 the stars and stripes Page 25 racing Roundup test sessions Mclaren Ferrari tops the formula one teams have now completed their pc season testing programs in France. Portugal and Spain and it comes As no Surprise that Mclaren Honda and Ferrari cars have proved the class of the Field. With these two learns leading the charge every thing appears set for the 1990 formula one world championship opener now less than two weeks away. This is the . Grand prix scheduled for March 11 at Phoenix. Ariz. The defending world Champion Alain Prost of France already feeling at Home in his first year with the italian Ferrari team has carried out Rnest of his testing with the regular 640 Ferrari while his British partner Nigel Mansill has been checking out the latest Ferrari the 641 version which was just introduced this month. It is due to make its race debut in Phoenix. Like last year s 640 car. The new Ferrari also has the electronic Semi automatic gear Box arrangement. Prost. Who quit Mclaren last year after winning his third world driving title was fastest at Estoril. Portugal last december although rain marred those sessions. In january. Prost was fastest again at the Paul Ricard circuit and this month the Frenchman was tops during a second Estoril testing session this one run during Ideal weather conditions. In turning the Best time Al Estoril. Prost set an unofficial Lap record. But his teammate Mansill had various technical problems with the new Ferrari 641 and was not Able to put in much time on the Portu Guese track. Last week Many of the formula one teams moved to Jerez de la Frontera. Spain where the austrian Gerhard bar Ger dominated things in the Mclaren Honda the Ferrari team was not present. Like Prosl with Ferrari this is bar Ger s first year with Mclaren. The brazilian Ace Ayrton Senna did not participate in any of Mclaren Honda s testing programs. While pre season testing is not the final indication on everything it docs give a Good idea of a team s Progress and strength. So using test ing As an indicator. Mclaren Honda and Ferrari will be the main contenders. At the moment. Ferrari Randy Barnett appears to be gaining rapidly on Mclaren and Prosl has been the lop Driver throughout the Winter testing programs. The Williams Renault team has also done Well at the various test outings and Williams May also figure into the 1990 equation. Just fractionally off Prosl s Best time in the recent portuguese testing was Pic Luigi Martini Italy in a Minardi Ford car while Riccardo Patress of Italy was third in a Williams Renault. In the Jerez testing. Burger bettered Martini by about half a second while Philippe allot of France came third in a Ligier Ford. I he Young italian Driver Martini placing second in both Estoril and Jerez sessions is obviously a Man to watch. His Minardi team is not among the  but he s always up there giving it his Best. The Minardi team tied with Onyx for 10th in last year s world championship mainly through Martini s Fine efforts behind the wheel. Of the team s six Point total. Martini scored five. And he was Only in his first full season of formula one racing. So again using practice results As a guide. Martini should do Well this season and the fledgling italian Minardi Ford team should move up a few pegs on the world championship Board. The porsche Kremer racing team of Cologne has announced the signing of the Young German Driver Bernd Schneider a move that will prove highly popular where German racing fans Are concerned. Schneider is rated As a talented Driver who never really has had a Chance to show that Talent at least in formula one racing. He drove the past two sea sons for the Zakss cd team which announced ear Lier this month that it is pulling out of formula one racing after five years of frustration and failure. Schneider s Best result last season was in touring car racing where he did one race Between grand prix weekends. It was the 24 hours of spa Franco champs. Where he brought the Eggenburger Ford Sierra to Victory along with Gianfranco Branca Tylli of Italy and win Percy of England. The porsche Krcmar item one of the top Pri-1 Vale entry sports car out fits in the world is owned by the Brothers Erwin and Manfred Krcmar. The say Schneider will have i three new Carbon fiber Chassis 962-ck6/2 cars at bed Schneider his disposal for the 1990 world sports prototype championship series. Regarding his new sports car career with the Kremer team. Schneider says i m very Happy about it and now i can finally forget All of the frustrations i suffered in formula  Harlan Thompson the american drag Rac ing Star who entertains fans with his  car and top fuel dragster will be Back on the drag strips this season to make appearances Al major events. As in past years he will also be appearing at the Var ious bases with both cars. His Dodge Dayonna funny car and top fuel dragster Are both powered Vul 5ni i cubic Inch Chrysler Hemi engines that develop mime 2,51x1 horsepower. The engines Burn Nirom Chanc fuel. Here is Thompson s schedule for april. In England it goes like this Alconbury. April 10 Lakenheath. April ii Mildenhall. April 12 Clink Sands. April 13. In Germany Frankfurt main shopping cent i. April 19 Hanau main l a Hanycz. April 21 Giese m. April 21 Fulda. April 22 sch Cut in. April 23 As Schaffenburg. April 24 had Kreuz Nach. April 2x Wien Baden Haine Berg. April 26 main Kasiel. April ?7 Thompson is an extremely personable Man Lioen Joys his work so if you want 10 talk Amii thai rating and look Over his cars Check out one of these dates. The Start and Stripe Prost trying to put fourth title into the books by Piero  Cervin a. Italy a Alain Prost. Known As the professor be cause of his driving skill May earn a new nickname As he defends his for Mula one world driving championship this season. The Campaign May turn Prost into the  the .15-year-old Frenchman who has won a record 39 grand prix races said during a ski vacation in this italian Al Pine resort that he will make a count of Points rather than victories As he goes after a fourth world title in his first sea son with Ferrari. Certainly. I can gel Over 40 wins this season but this is not what really counts for  Prost said. What counts will be placing among the lop six and earn Points for the world championship i really want the fourth  my brain must work like a com Puter. Ii will be important to be precise and efficient in any  Prost added. A fourth world title would make Prosl second to retired Argentine Driver Juan Manuel Fangio who captured five championships Between 1951 and 1957 with three titles Prost is tied wit brazilian Nelson Piquet austrian Niki Luda. Australian Jack Brabham and briton Jackie Stewart. Although talking of cold numbers. Prosl could not hide the emotional Sid of his Transfer to Ferrari and his parting from Mclaren where he drove for six French Driver Alain Prost believes his brain must work like a  years. Prosl. Who built up most of his for Mula one prestige with the British team decided to quit Mclaren last year because of tense relations with team officials and brazilian teammate Ayrton Senna. Al one moment during the last sea son i also thought of  he said. Transfer to Ferrari gave me new and Strong motivations. 1 am excited about the Start of the new championship. 1 feel like on my Fust Day of school. Yet the experience grown in 10 years of formula one is my real strength in the forthcoming  Prost made his formula one debut in the 1980 Argentine grand prix driving a Mclaren Ford. He had three seasons with the French Renault team before rejoining Mclarnin 1984. Pros does not like talking about his relations with Senna or Mclaren Man Ager Ron  is one of my rivals. He s very Strong very difficult to  i rom Eurit Short lie also has a lot of respect for austrian Gerhard Burger. A former Ferrari Driver who has replaced i Rost Al  world Champion conceded that Mclaren Honda will be the team to beat Al least in the initial races of the season in an Ona Anil Hrail. Hut he said he also was pleased with the Prog Ress of his new  believe that Ferrari can revive its past  Prosl , once one of the most successful formula one teams signed the world Champion to learn with Britain s Nigel Mansell in an Effort to capture it first world manufacturers title since 1983 and earn the first world title for a Ferrari Driver since 1979. Prost said that Ferrari s electronic automatic Gearbox could give the ital Ian team a decisive Lead in this year s  was a major problem at Mclaren last season. Recent tests proved that Ferrari s automatic gear is highly reliable. Power of the car Nas also been improved and the 641 Model at presents at least 1.30 seconds Fasler than the Ferrari which contested the last 1989 . In  Prost  said he has worked a lot since december to test the new Mode and gel used to the automatic gear. It has been very demanding but i am not  he said. I am looking Forward to the the championship opener which should give us useful Indica