NEWS - Premier1 Grand Prix car design revealed by Reynard

Please find attached the latest Premier1 Grand Prix news release detailing
some of the technical aspects of the new race car. A low resolution scan
of a scale wind-tunnel model is also attached . For a high resolution
version please request by e-mail.

For a hard copy of the following news story please open the attached PDF
file with Acrobat Reader and select print from the file menu.


Premier1 Grand Prix car design revealed by Reynard

Zurich, 22 November 2001: As Premier1 Grand Prix gears up for its first
race in July 2002, Reynard Motorsport is preparing to design and build the
50 Formula 1-style single-seater race cars that will contest the
eagerly-anticipated new series representing many of the world’s top
football clubs. Robert Synge of Reynard Motorsport, answers questions on
the technical and logistical challenges ahead and explains why he believes
the new Premier1 Grand Prix formula will provide spectacular on-track
action.  

Question 1: What does the Premier1 Grand Prix contract mean to Reynard?
Answer: As a company, we're very excited about the concept of Premier1
Grand Prix as a way of presenting exciting, high-powered motorsport to a
new audience so we worked hard to land this contract. Linking the worlds
of football and motor racing is an idea that deserves to succeed and we
wanted to support the idea as far as we could. Clearly an order for as
many as fifty cars is highly significant to any race-car manufacturer and
the Championship fits in very well with our current products in ChampCar,
Formula Nippon and 675 SportsCar.

Question 2: Will the Premier1 Grand Prix car be based on either your
current ChampCar or Formula 1 chassis? 
Answer: No. The Premier1 Grand Prix car will be a brand new design with a
new monocoque and aerodynamic package designed to deliver the type of
performance required.

Question 3: Who will be designing the Premier1 Grand Prix car?
Answer: James Bolton is our designer in day to day charge of the project,
answering directly to John Thompson , our Chief Designer, and Nick Wirth,
our Technical Director - both of whom are very involved in the design
concepts for the car at this stage.

Question 4: What will be the main technical features of the Premier1 Grand
Prix racer and what kind of performance levels are expected from it?
Answer: The car will feature a six-speed gearbox with a
pneumatically-operated, paddle gearshift and will run with carbon brakes.
The performance we expect from the car - dependant obviously on driver
skill, engine and tyre performance - will be as close to Formula 1 as we
can make it. The regulations have banned the use of electronic aids so
there will be a performance deficit in that area but the overall objective
is to design a car that produces close, exciting racing where overtaking
is possible and driver skill is paramount.

Question 5: How far advanced are you with the project and what are your
future timings and plans for design sign-off, testing and delivery of cars?
Answer: The design processes have already begun and we will shortly be
starting to wind tunnel test a scale model (photo available) of the 2002
Premier1 Grand Prix car. We are on target to have two cars testing in
early April. Thereafter we will produce cars at the rate of six per week
in order to deliver all 50 cars to Premier1 Grand Prix by the end of June
2002.

Question 6: We are promised close and exciting on-track racing, how will
your design encourage this?
Answer: The significant fact here is that, unlike Formula One, all the
drivers will be using an identical car, engine and tyres. The car will be
very powerful with a 750 horsepower engine and the races will be short,
sprint-type events with a pitstop purely to change tyres. The lack of
driver aids will reward driver skill and encourage overtaking.

Question 7: Will the Premier1 Grand Prix car meet all F1 safety standards?
Answer: Yes, Reynard prides itself on producing cars that meet, and where
possible, exceed the statutory safety regulations and this product will be
no exception.

Question 8: Premier1 Grand Prix has said that it might also consider to
race on ovals, how will this affect your design?
Answer: The car will be built with safety very strongly in mind and our
ChampCar experience will be very useful when Premier1 Grand Prix takes to
the ovals in future years.

Question 9: What kind of technical support will you provide at race
circuits?
Answer: Reynard will provide a full technical and spare parts support
package at all the races and tests. Our engineers will be on hand to
assist the teams wherever necessary but we don't envisage getting directly
involved with engineering the cars on behalf of the teams - our role is
that of supporting the teams and advising them on operating the car
whenever our help is requested.

Question 10: We understand you have received many interesting phone calls
since signing the Premier1 Grand Prix partnership?
Answer: Yes. There are many teams and drivers who have expressed an
interest in getting involved with and supporting the Championship. There
is certainly no lack of teams or credible drivers available to race in
Premier1 Grand Prix and we've been very pleasantly surprised by the
quality of both teams and drivers who wish to be involved.

-Ends-

-------------------------------------------------------------
John Sharp,  MPA Media, 19 Heathmans Road,  London, SW6 4TJ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7384 2121   Fax: +44 (0)20 7371 0178   Mobile: +44 (0)7887
758 938

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