2002 Minardi PS02

Minardi first debuted its 2002 Formula One challenger at the historic Circuit Enzo e Dino Ferrari, near the team's Faenza base, in eastern Italy. Less than a month later the team launched the PS02 for the second time in Malaysia. The new car is significantly different from its predecessor, the PS01, the most obvious external change being the shape. The PS02 benefits from the extensive experience of the team's chief aerodynamicist, Loic Bigois, and his technical staff, plus considerable time spent in wind tunnels at Casumaro, Italy, and Southampton, England. Compared with the 2001 car, the Minardi PS02 features a more raised nose section, reshaped and extended engine cover, and higher sidepods with different inlets. Beneath the curvaceous bodywork, there is an all-new 'floor', optimised to work in conjunction with the latest slim-line version of Minardi's unique, titanium-cased gearbox. In terms of mechanical layout, the most notable alteration to the 2002 car is the use of pushrod rather than pullrod-operated front suspension.

Also new for the 2002 season is the Asiatech AT02 V10 engine. Aside from being more powerful, it is also lighter and more compact than the unit it replaces, making it easier for the team's designers to accommodate all the necessary ancillaries around the engine. Additionally, it is more efficient in terms of cooling requirements.

Source - Minardi