APRIL 21, 2001

Hayes confident of Jaguar traction control success

COSWORTH chief engineer Nick Hayes is confident that Jaguar will be one of the main beneficiaries of the re-introduction of traction control and said that the driver aid will have a variable effect on all the teams within Formula One.

Hayes has been working hard in preparation for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona on April 29 and he said that the level of impact would depend on how much each teams relies on electronic help.

"The impacts it will have depends from team to team," admitted Hayes. "All use specialist electronics and the degree of influence varies. It runs from a toolbox of electronics and an engine company will work out the strategies to software written by an electronics company."

"We are in a good situation because we have a specialist electronic company. Traction control just frees up the regulations. We have restrictions at the moment that are not allowed on Formula One cars but are on normal road cars, particularly in transient conditions. It just means that we can tidy things up and make it a bit easier."