This week's Grapevine brings you information fresh from the paddock on: It's time for a break Silly Season Update

It's time for a break

With August deemed "break time," and an enforced period away from test tracks and competition, the general idea was that the teams would finally have some sort of holiday period during the season. Naturally, this idea is shown to be significantly out of kilter in comparison to reality for most of those involved.

At the front, Ferrari are relatively comfortable, but far from complacent. Even as they consolidate their claims to this year's Championships, effort is being diverted into next year's car, in order to defend against the rapidly improving BMW-Williams-Michelin combination. The powers that be at Ferrari consider it better to give up ground to Williams now, in order to keep new ideas under wraps for the new season, when their return to the track can be accompanied by a big step forward. Make no mistake: any ground Ferrari appear to lose over the remaining races is no indicator of their form for 2002.

With a handful of races remaining, the fight for fourth place is very hot indeed, as BAR have finally passed Jordan in the standings. Sauber have done very well to get into fourth place, let alone defend that position all season, but they are now struggling to find the budget and resources required to keep developing this car, whilst working on the details of their 2002 model. Three points advantage over BAR, and four over Jordan, is no cushion at all: a single podium finish can change everything. The Honda-powered outfits, of course, are flat out trying to beat each other, and nothing, short of dissolution of the sport, is going to slow their efforts to find advantages.

Even at the back of the field, things are busy. Benetton have a whole new aero package due for Hungary, whilst Arrows are intent on staying ahead of Minardi – there is a lot of Concorde agreement money involved in finishing off the bottom. Prost, however, are strapped for cash, and it appears many workers have taken the chance at holidays.

The test and race teams are getting the best of this deal. Many play a significant role in the factory, but the modern sport requires these mechanics and engineers to spend increasing amounts of time around GP weekends working away from base. Accordingly, they are largely benefiting from this chance to take time at home with families...

Some of the drivers are getting to take time off; Villeneuve, as usual, is making the most of his time, and Irvine is always game for a holiday. Michael Schumacher, forced away from the track, is hoping to spend time with his family ahead of what should be the Championship decider. Most, however, are only getting a short break, with a concentration of sponsor commitments eating a huge chunk out of the three week period. Indeed, without the concept of making sponsors happier by freeing up the drivers for promotional work, the August break idea would have died a death when Eddie Jordan first voiced it.

Silly Season Update