May 23, 2004
Location - well, Daniel Wilkinson was on the line from Australia and the F1VWC News team had called him from a Bar on the Mirabeau corner in Monaco!!

After making his first appearance for the Phoenix F1 team in the last race in Spain, and in the process helping the team along with Irisarri to score 12 points towards the Constructors Championship, we had a few questions to ask him about his current situation.

F1VWC News - "Andy Graydon has been wanting to get you into a race seat at his team for a long time now. How did it feel to be actually racing a Phoenix F1, and also then producing such a great result for the team ? its best ever in the GPVWC / F1VWC?"

Daniel ? "It's great to be racing for Phoenix F1, the comment "bout bloody time" was overused in the garage! Phoenix is a very strong team and its great to be teamed up with such great and fast drivers. Rather different from last year where I was on my own for most of the season."

F1VWC News ? "Now that the no. 2 seat is being filled by yourself, Consiglio, Nieuwlaar and a yet to be announced driver, expectations have risen over gaining that elusive first victory for the team since its inception in Oct 2002. Do you feel driven to achieve this before Irisarri or the others?"

Daniel ? "That's not important. If any of us win then it'll feel like i've won. Its a team effort to win the Constructors and thats what I'm racing for."

F1VWC News ? "We know you?ve known team boss Andy Graydon for quite a while now, having raced together for BSR way back in 2001, but how does it feel to be driving for a team owned by someone you used to race with (and against)?"

Daniel ? "Never thought of Andy as my boss. Racing with or against him he's still a mate."

F1VWC News ? "Who?s your favourite for the Drivers title, and the Constructors Title? And why? What do you think Phoenix F1 can achieve in 2004 with their potentially strong driver line up for the remainder of the season?"

Daniel ? "For the Drivers title, it's going to be Scott, Mikko or Steve. Hard to go past Scott, but he's no chance if EIRE don't fix their reliability issues. Poor reliability may have lost last years Championship for Mikko so EIRE better not forget that. Mikko will do his best every race (as usual) and I won't be surprised if he takes the title. And it goes without saying that Steve has to improve his race pace if he wants the title. Then there's Shiro! If he gets it right he's damn hard to beat!! So long as he turns up to enough races.

Going on the performance of the teams in the first 5 races, Phoenix F1 are gonna challenge Mapes-VO for the Constructors. With the drivers we have, I reckon Mapes-VO are the only team who can beat us."

F1VWC News - "So, when can we next see you in the race car again?"

Daniel - "Very soon - and for a few races in succession. If you want more details you'll need to speak to "the Boss".

So, Phoenix F1 to challenge Mapes-VO for the Constructors Championship? In Spain the team scored the 2nd highest tally - 12, behind Mapes-VO on 16. But a deficit of 35 points now exists between them, with EIRE and FinOz still in front of the Phoenix outfit.

But testing in France has led to the Renault engine and PF1-02 chassis with a rumoured best reliability package in the league, although slightly down on BHP. And reliability could be the key, with the next test not due for another 4 races. Michelin are improving all the time, but need to make that step come race day.

Here in Monaco Irisarri is being partnered by Mark Nieuwlaar (making his race debut). As if to throw down the gauntlet, Nieuwlaar posted the overall fastest time in the recent test in Magny Cours, but how will he fare in race conditions?

With Jan Kelder helping out both drivers in his 'Race Engineer' role (although conentrating more with his fellow Dutch driver), the team believe they have the right strategy and performance level to challenge for serious points again this weekend.

And with the likes of Wilkinson, Consiglio - and that "mystery" fast driver - due to appear as either partners to Irisarri (or to each other in Antonio's absence), things are definitely looking up for the British team!