Fan reaction & Frentzen's 1st A23 run

By Huw Alban
April 27 2002

After the shock announcment this morning that Heinz-Harald Frentzen would be partnering Enrique Bernoldi for the 2002 season, and the initial reaction from Jos and his management, new news has been sparse. The fans have reacted though and this sites message board demonstrates their feelings clearly.

Most have been scathing about team boss Tom Walkinshaw and the decision to throw out the teams most experienced driver. The rest are just sad that Jos is now without a drive, especially after the optimism from his management earlier in the year. Some are drawing likenesses to Mika Salo's situation in 1999, where the Finn was replaced by Tora Takagi at the last moment.

Since the initial reaction from Jos Verstappen and his management there has been no further comment from any party on the events that have unfolded today. No doubt comment will emerge as the newspaper and magazine journalists start getting their interviews in.

The ITV-F1 website claim to have the reasons for Jos Verstappen's departure from the team. They claim that despite OrangeArrows taking the Dutchman's option for 2002, his poor form in the later half of the 2001 season made him a less attractive proposition in comparison to Frentzen who completely re-energised the Prost team when he replaced Jean Alesi.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen took to the track at Valencia shortly after the driver announcement went public. He was unable to complete his installation lap, as his A23 was seen to stall at one of the last corners of the track. Once recovered to the team garage, the shutters were quickly drawn down whilst the team checked the car over. He was back out on the track after a brief period of time.

Unfortunately, this site still does not have access to pictures from Valencia but the every resourceful Sutton Images have some thumbnails that can be viewed from this link.

Lastly, one Verstappen fan reacted with dismay today as he and his friends had all paid out 1,000 euros to see Jos race for Arrows at the Belgian Grand Prix. Unless a current driver is injured it seems unlikely that Jos will be driving for any team in Belgium. The message board post sums it all up very well, "I know I will have a great day anyway, but the main purpose was to see Jos in the Arrows. Any chance Tom Walkinshaw will compensate me for this ? ;)"