SR1 PREVIEW Spa Francorchamps plays host next weekend to the 6th round of the 2002 FIA Sportscar Championship. With both the SR1 and SR2 titles at a critical stage, champions could well be crowned in the Ardennes come next Sunday afternoon. Not only is the event at Spa sure to continue the tradition of world class Sportscar action in the two and a half hour race, but the weekend will also include the re-launch of the classic Spa 1000 kilometre event that will return to the famous 4.329 mile track for the 2003 season. In 2002 however, it has been the Racing For Holland team that has proved to be the pace setters and now the Jan Lammers fronted outfit will be striving to score a fourth consecutive victory next weekend to seal the SR1 title. They currently have a 25-point advantage over Pescarolo Sport with just Spa and another, as yet to be confirmed race, to come. Lammers though, with twenty five years worth of experience behind him is not banking on anything coming easy to him. "We are very focused on just our own performance throughout the Spa weekend," said the Dutchman. " It has always been my philosophy to concentrate on your own strengths rather than those of your competitors because that way you have total focus on your goal. Sure we are close to it but at this level you have to make 100% sure." Jan Lammers and the whole Racing For Holland team will also have the added comfort of a second Dome S101 chassis that will be raced once again by Italian Beppe Gabbiani and Bolivia's only International race driver - Felipe Ortiz. This pair scored a highly creditable second place at the last round in Dijon, in the process denying their sister cars closest rivals - Pescarolo Sport more points. "It is nice to have the second car so competitive straight away," enthused Jan,"and both Beppe and Felipe impressed me, especially after so little testing. But Spa is a lot different to Dijon and for sure it will be a lot more difficult for them here, but I am ready to be pleasantly surprised once more." Pescarolo Sport come to Spa after a successful test at Le Mans Bugatti in the week after the last race at Dijon where they were pushed back in to 3rd place by the two Dome Judd's. The 3.2 litre turbo powered Courage C60 was put through it’s paces by Franck Lagorce and the test concentrated on developing a new 'ventilation system' to cool the brakes. The new cooling system will let the Le Mans based team reduce the size of the air intakes for the brakes, so improving the aerodynamics of the bodywork. Some engineers from the Alcon company who supply the team were present along with the car's creator Andre de Cortanze who was working flat out with Claude Galopin the team's chief engineer. Team Principal Henri Pescarolo was also present at the test, fresh from his appearance at the Goodwood Festival behind the wheel of an AC Cobra with former Ferrari F1 racer Patrick Tambay. Jean Christophe Boullion, who has a small chance of taking the title, believes that the new developments will improve his chances of racing the two Dome's, which was something he was denied doing on his home turf at Dijon a month ago. "I hope that the modifications will gave us a little extra speed," said the former Sauber Grand Prix driver. "Spa is also quite a low downforce circuit so it could be that the Dome's are just as quick as they were in France, but I will fight until the end, until there is no chance of not winning this Championship." JCB will be joined at Spa by Sebastien Bourdais who is sure to be in a fast frame of mind after finishing a close runner up to newly crowned F3000 champion Tomas Enge at Monza last weekend. Both the Italian Durango Formula and R&M teams will be looking to join the above three pace setters so far this season and fight for podium places at Spa. Durango will continue to run the ever improving Alessandro Battaglin and the rapid European F3000 driver 'Gimmi' Bruni. This pair was on schedule for a fine third place finish at Magny Cours back in July before a gearbox problem intervened and the spectacular Bruni is sure to be at his spectacular and entertaining best next weekend. "I love the Spa circuit like everyone," said the 24 year old hotshoe, "I think I am going to like it just as much in a sportscar as I did in a F3000 car." R&M, although having not raced at Dijon, did test after the event and set a time that would have put them second on the grid. Aerodynamic modifications undertaken by the teams new supremo - Massimo Chiapponi appear to have transformed the car since its last appearance at Magny Cours where they finished third. Both Mauro Baldi and Vincenzo Sospiri will once again be paired together in Belgium and the Italian duo could be serious darkhorses for a strong result, should the promise of the Dijon test translate to race pace at Spa. Baldi himself has a tremendous record at Spa having won the 1000kms three times, the first of which was in 1985 at the wheel of a Lancia LC2 with the late, great Bob Wollek and former Williams F1 racer Ricardo Patrese. Lola will be well represented next weekend with a variety of the Huntingdon built chassis racing at the scenic Ardennes track. Two B98/10 cars will be entered, one each for Bob Berridge Racing and Eventus Motorsport. BBR return to the Championship after a brief break since Magny Cours which has seen the car taking part in filming for a Le Mans themed film being directed by Luc Besson. Berridge is set to announce a well known British driver to partner him in the Judd powered car for the weekend. Eventus Motorsport, run by former Thoroughbred F1 regular Ralph Moog will also be in attendance and the German outfit that run the ex Konrad six litre Ford are looking to redress the disappointment of a non start at the last race due to engine problems. Moog will yet again be joined by Swiss racer George Paulin at Spa and after a couple of tests at the venue the team will be in a good position to score their first points of the year. Sportscar stalwart Franz Konrad is also hoping to confirm a deal to get his slightly newer Lola B2K/10 out for the first time this year. Riley & Scott will be represented by the venerable Robin Smith and his Simpson Engineering team. Mated with a 5.1 Chevrolet engine, the sportscar veteran will be joined at Spa with fellow experienced sportscar enthusiast Richard Jones and the American born Dutch racer Dan Schrivers, who will be hoping for a strong race at what is effectively his home event. SR2 PREVIEW If there is lots of expectation over the SR1 outcome then the SR2 title battle is set to reach fever pitch with six drivers separated by just ten points. Tying for the lead at the top of the table is the Lucchini pairing of Mirko Savoldi and Piergiuseppe Peroni and the Team Jota duo of John Stack and Sam Hignett. With twenty points for a victory there could be a winner takes all scenario at the end of Sunday's race and the British pairing, who are complete novices compared to their Italian rivals, have been the revelation of the 2002 campaign so far. With matchless consistency and 100% reliability, their Pilbeam Nissan has crept up on the rails and is now gunning for the 3-litre title at their first attempt. Both Sam and John have experience of the arduous 4.329 mile track after competing in both the 24-hour race and the Renault Clio Eurocup event. 23 year old Sam Hignett has been the undoubted rookie of the year this season and the Kent based driver is very motivated to take the challenge to the Lucchini's. "I have always gone well at Spa and I think it will suit the Pilbeam very well," said Sam. "We have gained in confidence race by race and Spa will hopefully bring another great performance from the whole team. Lucchini Engineering return to the venue that saw their memorable outright win in the atrocious conditions two years ago when Filippo Francioni and Salvatore Ronca shocked everyone by beating the SR1 cars. Now, both of Giorgio Lucchini's chassis are gunning for a tilt at the championship as Gianni Collini and Fabio Mancini wait in the wings just ten points adrift of their team mates (Savoldi and Peroni) and the Jota pairing that tie at the top of the table. "It is going to be pretty exciting," concluded Gianni Collini who is aiming to add to his win at Brno earlier in the season. "Obviously it is important for us to win at Spa and overcome the disappointment of retirements in the last two races but the team will be flat out to try and bring the title back to Italy." Getting among the title protagonists is likely to be the Lola B2K/40 of the Stanley Dickens led SportsRacing Team Sweden outfit. The Scandinavians have by their own high standards had a troubled year and some rare chinks in their usually impeccable reliability have started to show after retirements in the last two races. For Spa, current Nordic F3000 driver Thed Bjork will continue his Lola link and partner fellow Swede Niklas Loven in the yellow Sandvik sponsored car. Fresh from finishing a creditable 8th at Monza last weekend, Bjork is looking forward to getting back in to the B2K/40. "I had a good finish at the Spa F3000 race three weeks ago," said the 22 year old, "so I would like to help Niklas and the team score their first win of the year and with the Lola's excellent handling I think Spa could see this achieved." Another Lucchini that is also likely to challenge at the front is the GP Racing entry for Massimo Saccomanno and an as yet un-named team mate. The Italian scored an unlikely win at Magny Cours in round four at the end of July, in what was the teams very first sportscar race. The team that also runs a European F3000 outfit will be out to repeat that feat on a circuit that has been kind to Saccomanno in the past. The small but always threatening SCI team of Raniere Randaccio and Leonardo Maddalena could also pose a threat and will be yearning to forget the disappointment of the last race at Dijon when a mechanical failure robbed them of third place within sight of the chequered flag. It won't just be Team Jota who will be upholding British honour at Spa next weekend as both Team Sovereign and the new JCI Developments operation are more than capable of mounting a serious challenge. Ian Flux will return to partner Mike Millard in the new look 'Silver Arrow' Rapier 6 Nissan after missing the last round. 'Fluxie' is always a threat at Spa and should the elements do their worst in the notoriously fickle Ardennes climate then look no further than the ultra experienced British racer to set the pace. JCI make their second appearance of the year with their unique Opel engined Tampolli chassis. After tests at Silverstone and Donington since their last appearance at Magny Cours, the team are more confident of a stronger result coming in to the Spa weekend. Michael Mallock will be partnered by Rob Croydon this weekend and the former GT racer, who made his FIA Sportscar Championship debut at Dijon for the PiR Competition team, is raring to go on a circuit he knows well from his Radical and Lotus Elise days. " First impressions are very good," commented Croydon," the car is well presented and I am impressed with the team as a whole. Their approach is methodical and professional, and I am pleased to be working with the experienced Team Chief John Christie, who has run many successful Group C and IMSA projects over the years." After two consecutive podium positions, Pierre Bruneau's PiR Competition outfit are looking to bag more points at Spa after a successful test at Dijon last week. Both the teams regular drivers Marc Rostan and Bruneau himself drove the car in a full days test of the Pilbeam's Sodemo Peugeot engine. " We got a lot of miles on the engine and set some very encouraging times," said Pierre. "We are confident of another strong performance and more points in Belgium." PiR will once again have a two pronged attack as Paul Daniels and Ludovico Manfredi will race the Debora that finished a creditable sixth in class at Dijon a month ago. Didier Bonnet's Debora Automobiles concern will continue to enter their turquoise Debora for Gilles Duqueine, French newcomer Xavier Bich and Bonnet himself, who makes a welcome return to the cockpit for the first time in three years. The weekend comes early at Spa next week as an action packed Media Day kicks off the 2002 Racing Festival on Thursday 19th September with passenger rides (including winners from the BBC's SportRelief initiative) in both SR1 and SR2 cars, lunch, Press Conferences and photo shoots. A full support package will also entertain with the fiercely competitive BELCAR and Toyota Yaris Trophy among others set to 'wow' the crowds. Qualifying for the 6th round of the FIA Sportscar Championship takes place on Saturday afternoon and the two and a half-hour race starts at 14.00 on Sunday afternoon.