Timing RPCs in FOPI

The status of our development of strip anode MRPCs in the framework of the FOPI-ToF upgrade project is reviewed. For the counter readout we have developed a fast FEE (front-end-electronics) offering a high gain ( α ∼ 200 ) at high bandwidth ( δ f ∼ 1000 MHz ) and a new TAC-digitization system with an internal resolution of σ t ⩽ 15 ps . In order to optimize the signal shape variations, strip/pitch configurations and number of gaps have been investigated.