The message from Monday’s Spyker launch at Silverstone was clear — don’t expect the ‘F8-VII’ to shine at Albert Park.
Widespread observers present in Northamptonshire noted that the newly-named car is actually only a minor development – chiefly to accommodate a new Ferrari engine – of the 2006 model, which was designed by the Dutch squad’s former owners, Midland.
Monocoque aside, a totally new ‘B’ car, overseen by Mike Gascoyne, is to replace the launched version around the time of late August’s Turkish grand prix.
Team figures at Silverstone admitted that Spyker expects to finish possibly dead last in Melbourne next month; the first race of 2007.
Gascoyne said: “(Technical director) James (Key) has done a great job to get this car out, and hopefully later in the year we’ll make it more and more competitive.”
GMMF1
DailyF1News.com
