Jeddah Corniche Circuit

SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX

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February 24, 2002
DPI Racing launched their 2002 GPVWC contender late this afternoon. Present at the launch were Dan Prescott, Team Manager, & his two drivers - Dan Lawrence & Paul Wallace. The launch was one of the better prepared so far this season. The livery of the new car is an update of Pierre Luc Denis original DPI car [for DPMRA] and altered for the GPVWC by our very own 'Max Downforce'.

DAN PRESCOTT

Welcome to DPI Racing. I am incredibly delighted and enthusiastic about competing in the Grand Prix Virtual World Championship. It may take weeks, months or years to get DPI competitive in this formulae but that's why we've hired the best team we can to get the job done. I am confident in the skills and abilities of every single DPI Racing employee, partner and associate and with them I hope that DPI Racing can soon establish itself as a leading simulation racing organisation as it has already done elsewhere throughout our many years of highly successful racing.

OUR PERSONNEL

Ensuring that our bank balance is forever in the black is top British girl Carlie Shaw. She has impressed us with her negotiating power and commercial expertise and we welcome her in furthering her career with DPI.

Responsible for the design of the 2002 car is another Brit Mathew Smith. We have given him a strong supply of staff in order to help him focus on producing the best car possible from the resources available. Mathew has an extraordinary ability to get the maximum out of something and we hope this is reflected in our results later in the year.

Meanwhile down at engineering Andrew West is the man in charge. Again another Briton Andrew and his team have been working very hard to ensure preperations are top notch prior to the first race in Melbourne next weekend. His attention to detail and work rate are admirable and he is a worthy part of the team.

Italian Paulo Di Lengthio is in charge of the mechanical side to our operations. His English is rather good for an Italian and he shows immesense depth of mind in being able to overcome any of the mechanical difficulties that DPI encounter. We hope he'll be around for a while.

OUR SPONSORS

Mastercard - Not recommended for buying Formula 1 cars but I use mine all the time for pretty much everything else. Good interest rates and up to 6 weeks credit on advance purchases.

Universal - We like a good film now and again and playing soon is 'A Beautiful Mind' which tracks the life of mathematician (and schizophrenic sufferer) John Nash. He's played by Ozzie Russel Crowe and the film is directed by former Happy Days frontman Ron Howard.

Autosport - Available on weekly UK subscription is your source of international, national and local motor sport news. It is primarily UK based but covers many other formulae in Europe and the rest of the world.

Kickers - Highly groovy, very fashionable and incredibly wanted French shoes.

Tommy Hilfiger - Impress females with this reasonably smelly (in a nice way) perfume.

Our Suppliers

Engineered to last is our Ford engines. We have strong associations with them in another sim racing leagues so they were the logical engine supplier to go for. I think it is fair to say that both DPI and Ford hold a long term view of wishing to establish a strong relationship that will bring consistent results to the race track.

Providing essential lubricants are Total whose track record in the production of top quality fuels will almost certainly help us on race days.

The neccessary grip comes from Bridgestone. The Japanese manufacturer joined Formula 1 in 1998 and has won every title since.

OUR DRIVERS

Joining us this season is the British superstar Dan Lawrence on a 2 year contract...

"I am pleased to be racing for DPI for the 2002 season. But I am going to say now, to fans of the team and followers of the GPVWC, 'don't expect much'. I say this because we have one of the weakest engines on the grid, some 120 bhp less than BMW! which will account for a defecit of maybe 3-4 seconds per lap around some ciruits this year."

"I still feel hugely positive though. I have raised my speed further still than the France testing session, and feel that I can still improve. This year will give me some much needed experience, as up until now I have only taken part in 4 Grand Prix's in my career"

"I have enormous confidence in Dan Prescott, and his Team Management abilities. Infact, it was this factor that made me decide between DPI and the other offers I had. I believe DPI can offer me success in the long term. I am not really worried about what results will come in the short term, as I don't expect us to figure in the points in any of the races in the 1st half of 2002....maybe towards the second half of the season though we can start scoring a few points. My contract actually states that I will drive for DPI in 2003 aswell, a season in which I expect us to figure quite highly in the Championship. We have a very 'Patriotic' feeling in our team, with the majority of our staff being British & that only adds to my own enthusiasm to do well...and hopefully hear the British National Anthem being played for myself and DPI on the podium in the years to come."

"I am very pleased to have Paul Wallace in the number 2 seat. He is my cousin, which means we already know each other extremely well! He isn't the fastest of drivers at the moment, but he'll learn through the season....and being in a car that is not expected to perform will be a good way for him to learn his skills out of the spotlight."

As Dan has mentioned joining us for the 2002 season is Paul Wallace...

"I am proud to have been signed by DPI because I know that my true pace has not been shown yet. I am not experienced in simracing, but feel DPI have given me the chance to prove that I can do something in an F1 car. I will improve through the season as I gain more experience".

"Knowing that DPI are an experienced F1 team gives me great hope and with Dan Prescott's managerial skills we should be in great shape toward the second half of 2002. It'll be great driving alongside Dan Lawrence, simply because he introduced me to GP3 and has helped me get this far in simracing. Dan has more experience than me and I can confidently say that my lap times will be to the same standard as Dan's by the end of the season".