PooZ

Belgian Grand Prix - preview quotes

September 2nd, 2008 at 10:58pm Under Racing

Spa-Francorchamps, with its long straights and epic corners, is one of the calendar’s toughest prospects and a firm favourite with most of the field. It’s also one of Formula One’s most historic venues. The drivers, and some senior team personnel, reveal why they find the Belgian track such a special place to visit…

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
2007 Qualifying - 1st, 2007 Race - 1st
“The Belgian Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the season and I usually obtain a good result at Spa. I need it more than ever after the results of the last races. The last race for example was one of those one should forget as fast as possible. I’ve only good memories of this race. Obviously it would be fantastic to win it for the fourth time in a row: considering that I haven’t won a race in several months, a success would help me to get back in the race for the title after the disappointment at Valencia.

“At this circuit a good aero package is very important to face the numerous fast corners. The lap is very long and to have a good time you have to keep the right rhythm. I have to try to find a good set up during the Free Practice sessions on Friday and on Saturday morning and then I have to give it all in the Qualifying on Saturday afternoon. Whatever the outcome will be, it’s nice to race at Spa. It’s a very special feeling when you’re driving on this track. And it’s fantastic to drive here with a modern Formula One car with a really special atmosphere.”

Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2007 Qualifying - 2nd, 2007 Race - 2nd
“Like most of the drivers, I think this is the best circuit on the current calendar and I love the track. It’s always nice to be at Spa and I have good memories of last year, when we had a competitive car and the team got a one-two finish. I hope we can repeat that performance and have a car that is good enough to keep ahead of the McLarens, which of course is our main target at the moment.

“Spa is not a circuit where you can do so many laps in practice, because it’s such a long track and apart from the time restriction of the length of the practice sessions, you also have to think about the mileage on the engine, at least after Friday. This also means you have to plan your work on the track very efficiently and make any changes to the set-up very quickly, so as not to waste too much time in the pits. The track length also complicates race strategy as a fuel difference of one lap could end up costing you a lot of time, which means that strategy is even more important than usual.

“On top of that, because driving the track is in itself so challenging, you really need a good car to be competitive; one that gives you plenty of downforce for the changes of direction and the many quick corners. The car really needs to be very well balanced. If we can put all these elements together from Friday morning through to this coming Sunday afternoon, then I believe we can have a really good weekend in Spa. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jenson Button, Honda
2007 Qualifying - 12th, 2007 Race - DNF
“All the drivers love going to Spa, and for me, it is one of the most beautiful circuits that we race on with fantastically green and lush surroundings. For a driver, the circuit has one of those layouts which has everything and gives you a real buzz to drive, just like Suzuka and Silverstone. Eau Rouge is a legendary corner and the feeling when you hit the bottom of the hill, the car touches the ground and you shoot straight back up again is amazing. It’s a crazy corner in the dry and even more so in the wet. The weather can play a big part in the race weekend which is great for us as the car goes well in the wet. It can be raining at one end of the lap but completely dry at the other so you have to be ready and react quickly to whatever the weather throws at you.”

Rubens Barrichello, Honda
2007 Qualifying - 17th, 2007 Race - 13th
“Our test in Monza last week was positive and we expect to have resolved the braking problems which affected my weekend in Valencia. Spa is without doubt one of the best circuits on the calendar, and with the unpredictable weather and the opportunities for overtaking, you always expect an entertaining race. The lap gives you a fantastic feeling in a Formula One car as it is very fast and flowing with some great corners. It’s easy on the tyres, brakes and engine as there are an unusually low number of stops from top speed down to a low gear and you have a long time between those corners to cool the brakes. The car is set-up with a medium downforce package, similar to Montreal specification, but you have to keep your options open if the weather turns when you will need to go to higher downforce. Spa is also the longest lap on the calendar so you need to be precise on your timing in practice and qualifying to make the most of your track time.”

Ross Brawn, Honda team principal
“Spa is one of the great classic racing circuits and certainly one of my favourites. The lap features some of the most interesting, fast and challenging corners on the racing calendar which make it a great favourite for the drivers, and also with the engineers because when you get the car right, you can really pick up a lot of time. To stand at Eau Rouge and watch a car go through that very fast corner, right on the limit, can still make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. The weather frequently plays a role at Spa and there is a great opportunity when bad weather strikes to achieve a surprise result. We have seen already this season that our car can perform rather better in the wet than the dry and I for one would certainly not object to an inclement weekend.

“We made a significant step forward with the RA108 over the summer break, however we were not able to convert that potential into a strong qualifying and race performance in Valencia which was disappointing. Our priority for the Belgian Grand Prix weekend will be to optimise those performance steps and improve our qualifying performance to give Jenson and Rubens the best possible chance of a good race result. Following last week’s test in Monza, we will have developments to our braking system which should resolve the issues which Rubens faced in Valencia, in addition to a specific aerodynamic package for the medium downforce levels required at Spa.”

Jarno Trulli, Toyota
2007 Qualifying - 8th, 2007 Race - 11th
“In my opinion Spa is simply the best circuit in the world and I love driving there. Every part of the circuit is challenging for a driver and that is fantastic because you have to really push in every corner to get the best lap time; it gives you a special feeling. I really enjoy driving at Spa and even after the changes they made to the track for last year’s race it still has a unique character; it has everything you want as a driver. Eau Rouge is still one of the best corners in the world but now it is flat-out so it’s not as challenging as it used to be. I’m optimistic for this weekend because I believe we can have another strong result. Spa is my favourite track and it is also quite close to the factory so I want to score points there to make it a perfect weekend.”

Timo Glock, Toyota
2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA
“Spa is one of my favourite tracks so I can’t wait to race there for the first time in Formula One. It’s a fantastic experience in a GP2 car so I am expecting it to be amazing in the TF108. I am going to Belgium with a lot of confidence because our performance in the last few races has been very impressive and we have proved we can fight at the front. Personally it is very satisfying to have scored points in the last two races despite feeling unwell both times and I really believe we have made a lot of progress. It’s really good for the team to be scoring points regularly and challenging for the podium. We hope we will be strong again in Spa but we will see how it goes with the harder compound Bridgestone tyres. I am confident we can finish in the points again.”

Pascal Vasselon, Toyota’s senior general manager chassis
“Spa is really my home race now because I live close to the track and I love the place. It’s just one of those places where you feel the enthusiasm in the drivers and everyone connected to the team. To see Formula One cars through Eau Rouge is fabulous - it is so quick, although now it is flat-out so you know that the cars are not at the limit. Spa is a fantastic place to race, even when it rains. In terms of layout, Spa is very specific. The high-speed corners would normally require high downforce but the long straights mean it is really a medium-low downforce track. Nowhere else do we have this combination of high-speed corners and still the need for aero efficiency; it is really unique in Formula One. Spa is also severe on the engine, tyres and suspension; the brakes are the only item which has an easy time of it.”

Nelson Piquet, Renault
2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA
“Spa is one of the circuits that I enjoy above all - it’s probably my favourite of the championship, along with Silverstone. In terms of driving, it’s a demanding place and I will have to do lots of work with my engineers so that we can adapt the car as much as possible to the requirements of the track. It’s an undulating circuit and very long. There are lots of fast corners, as well as one of the slowest of the championship. In terms of the feeling from inside the cockpit, it feels amazing and there is nothing like it anywhere else. I think that’s why most of the drivers really enjoy this circuit.

“I think that Valencia did not reflect our true performance. As we have shown in the last few races, we are capable of scoring points and this is what we must keep in mind so that we can remain focussed as we approach this race. My objective will be to reach Q3 in qualifying and hope for a good start in the race to try and finish in the points. I have to admit that I would prefer a dry race, but in Belgium you never know!”

Fernando Alonso, Renault
2007 Qualifying - 3rd, 2007 Race - 3rd
“Spa is one of those exceptional circuits on the Formula One calendar. Like all the older circuits, there is always a very special and warm atmosphere. For the drivers, Spa is an unbelievable challenge and is a very enjoyable place to drive a Formula One car. I have never won at Spa and hope that one day I can add a win here to my list of achievements.

“It’s a very long circuit, which generally emphasises the gaps between the cars. It requires a very complete car and so we will have to work hard on the set-up to make sure we are competitive in the quick sections as well as in the slower corners. The compression in Eau Rouge is still an impressive part of the circuit.”

Pat Symonds, Renault director of engineering
“Spa’s such a contrast with where we’ve just been. Valencia was a circuit where we were quite restricted with what we could do to gain performance and I don’t think the drivers found it particularly challenging, except maybe the final sector. Spa is the complete opposite: it’s very much a drivers’ circuit and requires a car that has good stability through the quick corners. We’ll be running with medium downforce, but overall you need good aerodynamic efficiency because you have to find the right trade off between straight-line speed and downforce through the quick corners. So the more aerodynamically efficient your car is, the more it pays you back.”

Fabrice Lom, responsible for Renault’s engines at Red Bull Racing
“Our preparation for Spa will involve trying to understand what did not work in Valencia. We feel there is certainly some more performance in the car and we need to develop that as much as possible. In theory, our cars should be more competitive on this more flowing type of circuit. We will use two new V8s, which is not ideal for such demanding back-to- back races as Spa and Monza. It will be tough.

“What is certain is that this combination of circuits will be a difficult challenge for the drivers who will be using new engines this weekend. In comparison with the last races at Budapest and Valencia, the two tracks to come are much more demanding. We must try and look after the engine whenever possible, without compromising performance in Belgium. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some retirements towards the end of the race, especially if some of our competitors, who are unlikely to score points in Spa, prefer to race in Monza with a fresh V8.”

Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren
2007 Qualifying - 9th, 2007 Race - 8th
“When you talk about Spa, everybody thinks about Eau Rouge - but the bigger challenge is Pouhon; it’s a sweeping, downhill left-hander and is very fast indeed. It’s almost flat, but not quite, so it’s quite tricky to find a balance that allows you to attack without going off. Drivers love corners like this - high-speed turns that are not quite flat: that’s where the real excitement lies because it’s up to the driver to make the difference.

“Spa is a big, fast circuit and still feels a little bit dangerous. For a driver, that always gives you an added element of excitement - it’s fast and narrow, almost like a street circuit between the trees. And it’s long, so it’s very difficult to string a good lap together. The most important thing you need here is bravery: you really need to attack the corners faster than your brain is telling you to. You’ve got to keep the throttle flat even if it doesn’t look possible, you have to trust your instincts and just put the danger out of your mind. It’s a real driver’s circuit.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2007 Qualifying - 4th, 2007 Race - 4th
“Spa’s one of my all-time favourites. Even before I first came here, which was back in 2002 for a Formula Renault race, I played it on my computer - it was always one of the best tracks. It has probably the most exciting corner in Formula One, Eau Rouge, and it’s one of the few circuits where you really feel like you’re actually going somewhere; you blast off into the forest and get to the top of the hill and can feel the whole circuit beneath you. It’s one of the best challenges in Formula One.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Formula One CEO
“There’s always an element of risk whenever you come to two fast and demanding circuits (Spa followed by Monza) but we have the additional security of knowing both our drivers can each still suffer an engine failure without receiving a 10-place grid penalty. The reality is that we have tremendous faith in our colleagues at Mercedes-Benz and feel comfortable with both our engine’s performance and reliability. The recent engine failures suffered by Ferrari in Hungary and Valencia clearly demonstrate that even a homologated engine can break, so we take nothing for granted.

“We’ve got a number of smaller aero developments in the pipeline - there’s nothing on the car that will be visually very startling, but there’s plenty of detail-work. We’re also focusing on further mistake-proofing our systems: the championship is going to be a hard-fought slog until the end of the year and we need to leave no stone unturned in our quest for additional performance and improved reliability. From a human and physical perspective, these two races (Belgium and Italy) are also pivotal to our title challenge - it’s vital that every member of the team pulls together to make sure these races pass without undue incident and set us up nicely for the final flyaway races.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“The track of Spa-Francorchamps is the longest on the Formula One calendar at over seven kilometres, and, after Monza, where we will race one week later, the one with the second highest average speed of all Grand Prix circuits: in qualifying last year, this was 238 km/h. At both of those circuits, the engines are put under the highest strain of the season. The longest full-throttle part starts at Eau Rouge and leads all the way up to Les Combes; it is 1,900 metres long and takes almost 24 seconds. In addition, there is another, 1,600-metre-long full-throttle section between corners 14 and 18 which lasts 21 seconds.

“Apart from long straights where the cars reach speeds of up to about 320 km/h, Spa has every element to make a circuit interesting and challenging, from long and demanding corners like Pouhon and Stavelot to the tight hairpin La Source which can be taken at a speed of 70km/h. Drivers and engineers have to consider these completely different sections when they work on the set-up. The weather often plays tricks here on the teams and when it rains then not necessarily everywhere around the track. If there were to be a poll among the drivers as to which is the most demanding track, Spa would certainly be the circuit with the most votes.”

Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
2007 Qualifying - 6th, 2007 Race - 5th
“Spa is a fantastic race track with unique corners and a very special character. Although these days with the V8 engines it is no problem taking the Eau Rouge combination in the hollow at full throttle, it remains a standout feature. Compression is absolutely no problem physically, but it’s nevertheless a very special sensation. For the spectators too, I can well recommend this section. It’s very impressive the way the cars come roaring along downhill and then accelerate uphill again. In the current race calendar, Spa is the nearest GP circuit to my home town of Monchengladbach, and that’s another reason for me to look forward to the Belgian Grand Prix, where I’ll be aiming to achieve a good result.”

Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
2007 Qualifying - 14th, 2007 Race - 9th
“From my point of view the race in Spa is one of the best Grands Prix in the calendar. It is a very unique track with high-speed corners you can approach with different racing lines. The most famous corners in Spa-Francorchamps are definitely Eau Rouge and the Bus Stop chicane, which was modified before last year’s race. The circuit is very long and very tricky. You have to find the right balance and the right configuration of the car in order not to lose any lap time. Another crucial factor is the weather in Belgium. It can rain in one sector and it can be dry in another sector. I am really looking forward to the race”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director
“Spa-Francorchamps is one of the specialities in the Formula One calendar. We look forward to the only course in the calendar that can still be described as a natural circuit since it follows the features of the landscape. In the Ardennes, steep inclines are as much a feature as the unpredictable weather.

“Spa may not be the track with the highest speeds - that accolade belongs to Monza - but in Spa we have the longest stretch taken at full throttle. Since the modification of the famous Eau Rouge corner and the introduction of V8 engines, drivers can go flat-out through the section from the hairpin shortly after the start, through the hollow and then uphill again. In last year’s race we calculated that our drivers held the pedal to the floor for more than 1,865 metres, or 24 seconds. Engine power and stability are key requirements here.

“Nick’s F1.08 is scheduled to take on a new BMW P86/8 engine with a new transmission, while Robert will be driving with the same engine and gear box as in Valencia. In the first two thirds of the season we didn’t have a single retirement caused by any technical fault. We aim to maintain this high level of reliability. On the sporting side, we plan to improve further and see both cars finish solidly in the points at Spa.”

Willy Rampf, BMW Sauber technical director
“Spa is one of the last natural circuits remaining in the calendar and therefore ranks among the classics. Most drivers love it, and for good reason. Eau Rouge is one of the most spectacular corners in Formula One, even though the V8 engines now allow it to be taken flat-out in dry conditions. Spa demands medium downforce, comparable to Montreal. High aerodynamic efficiency is very important as you need a lot of downforce in the fast corners of the middle sector while at the same time requiring plenty of top speed for overtaking at the end of the long straights.

“A crucial factor will be how to exploit the tyre potential. In Spa we use the two hardest compounds, which is a challenge particularly if air temperatures are low. The weather in Spa is always a big unknown as it can turn from one moment to the next, sometimes even within individual sections of the track.”

Nico Rosberg, Williams
2007 Qualifying - 5th, 2007 Race - 6th
“We had a great race at Spa last year. I finished sixth, which was one of my best results of the season. The important thing for the team at the moment is that we’ve identified where improvements can be made with the FW30 and are making the necessary adjustments to take us into the final few races. The work everyone at the factory is putting in should help us out in Spa. We’re not going to make a huge jump, but we’ll definitely be heading in the right direction. I’m really looking forward to the Belgian Grand Prix because Spa is an amazing race track. It will be difficult to score points there, but you can never predict what will happen somewhere like Spa, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

Kazuki Nakajima, Williams
2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA
“It’s going to be the first time I’ve driven a Formula One car around Spa, so my first priority will be to learn the circuit and to find out how the car behaves on this track. I have, of course, driven Spa while racing in GP2 so know what a great racing track it is. In fact, it’s probably one of the greatest tracks on the calendar so I’m really looking forward to taking my FW30 out and doing that first lap!”

Sam Michael, Williams technical director
“Spa is one of the greatest tracks we visit. The circuit is steeped in history, with one of its most prolific characteristics being its fantastic corners, created by some significant undulations over the course of the lap. It’s a real challenge for the drivers to put in a perfect lap, on what is the longest on the calendar at seven kilometres.

“Spa is a fairly fluid track, with the corners flowing smoothly from one to another. As they are either medium or high speed, good car stability is a pre-requisite, and mistakes made in the early part of the lap are difficult to recover from. A car that can withstand some kerb-riding is also important to get through the Bus Stop chicane quickly.

“Weather is at its most unpredictable in Spa. The mountains in the area create their own micro-climate and small bursts of rain can appear on one part of the circuit and not on the others, which makes tyre choice an additional challenge! Strategists usually adopt a one or two stop approach for Belgium and Bridgestone will take the medium and hard tyre compounds.”

By admin Add comment

Massa remains the pacesetter at Italian test

August 28th, 2008 at 08:48pm Under Racing

European Grand Prix winner Felipe Massa continued where he’d left off in Valencia on Wednesday, as he topped the timesheets in this week’s first day of testing at Monza. Massa took his Ferrari around the Italian circuit in 1m 23.428s to edge McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen into second.

Massa covered 101 laps over the course of the day, carrying out three long runs in the afternoon. The Brazilian was charged with finding the best set-up for the F2008 and will continue to test on Thursday. Kovalainen was only slightly less productive completing 78 laps, in the McLaren, as he carried out an evaluation of the British team’s Monza-specific low downforce aero package.

The third fastest driver of the day was Williams’ Nico Rosberg, who covered 60 laps in the FW30. Rosberg concentrated on set-up and finished less a tenth down on the two leaders and over two-tenths ahead of Sebastian Vettel for Toro Rosso. Alongside preparations for the Italian Grand Prix, which will be held at the circuit next month, Vettel also tested new front suspension and aero components.

Honda’s Rubens Barrichello, meanwhile, took up fifth slot. Barrichello completed 85 laps in the RA108, focusing on tyre and set-up evaluations. Over two-tenths adrift of the Brazilian was Red Bull’s Mark Webber, who finished the day sixth. Webber assessed the team’s low-downforce aero package and completed 96 trouble-free laps. The Australian will continue to test on Thursday.

Seventh quickest runner was Nick Heidfeld in the BMW Sauber. With a programme focusing on preparations for the forthcoming Belgian and Italian races, Heidfeld carried out set-up, gearbox ratio and brake balance tests, covering 77 laps in the F1.08. Less than two-tenths down on the German was Force India tester Vitantonio Liuzzi in eighth.

“Today we tried to get a good set-up and I think we can be happy with how it went today,” said Liuzzi. “This morning the grip levels were very low and it was quite difficult with the tyres we had, and especially as I had not been in the car for some time for a real test. We did make some good progress though, almost 100 laps with no problems and we are not too far from the others in the times either.”

In comparison, fellow Italian Jarno Trulli endured a more trying time for Toyota, with mechanical issues delaying his start to the day. Once the TF108’s difficulties were solved, however, Trulli managed to complete 92 laps and finished the day ninth.

“It was not the ideal start this morning due to a short delay but when we started running everything went well,” explained Toyota test team manager, Gerd Pfeiffer. “We had to make some mechanical alterations which we have to analyse back in Cologne. In the afternoon we caught up with our programme with the emphasis on suspension data collection and other test items. We were not aiming to set fast lap times but we are in a good position to make further progress with Jarno tomorrow.”

Completing the day’s line-up was Renault’s Nelson Piquet in tenth. Piquet completed 117 laps as he evaluated the team’s Monza aero package and carried out tyre testing. Team mate Fernando Alonso will take over the car on Thursday.

“A solid day’s work with good reliability,” explained Christian Silk, Renault’s chief test engineer. “We did plenty of laps to give Nelson as much running as possible with the car in low downforce trim. It’s always quite a challenge here to set the car up as it is such a unique circuit, but we’ve collected lots of data from the first day’s running, which will give us a good base to work on from here.”

Testing continues at Monza on Thursday.

Unofficial Wednesday times from Monza:
1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:23.428
2. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 1:23.439
3. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 1:23.461
4. Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso, 1:23.691
5. Rubens Barrichello, Honda, 1:23.827
6. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:24.005
7. Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber, 1:24.075
8. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 1:24.239
9. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 1:24.510
10. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 1:24.540

By admin Add comment

Testing to resume at Monza this week

August 26th, 2008 at 11:08pm Under Racing

With the summer ban now lifted, the Formula One fraternity is expected to be out in force testing at Monza this week. All 10 teams are scheduled to make the journey to the Italian track, as they begin preparations for September’s Belgian and Italian Grands Prix.

While the rest of the field will test from Wednesday, Ferrari will be in action a day earlier, with GT driver Andrea Bertolini in charge of the F2008’s cockpit on Tuesday. Bertolini will then hand the car over to Ferrari race regular Felipe Massa for Wednesday and Thursday. World champion Kimi Raikkonen, meanwhile, will test on Friday.

Ferrari’s title rivals, McLaren, will begin their three-day test on Wednesday. Both Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton will get behind the wheel of the MP4-23 during the test, with Kovalainen taking charge on the opening two days and Hamilton driving on the concluding day.

BMW Sauber are also expected to start work on Wednesday, with Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica scheduled to be in attendance. Toyota, meanwhile, kick off their session with veteran driver Jarno Trulli behind the wheel of the TF108. Team mate Timo Glock is scheduled to take over the car on the final day.

After his strong showing at the European Grand Prix, Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel is scheduled to share driving duties with team mate Sebastian Bourdais over the three days. Honda, Renault, Williams, Red Bull and Force India will also be in action from Wednesday. And in light of their disappointing Valencia race, Honda will be out to make the most of the available track time. Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello will both be in action during the test, as the Japanese team strive to improve the RA108.

“Our first priority will be to understand where we failed and make sure we have a more robust approach for Spa and beyond,” explained Honda team principal Ross Brawn after the European event. “We have a three-day test in Monza where we will focus on getting the most out of our recent developments.”

As always, Formula1.com will bring you daily reports on the teams’ progress, as well as all the latest pictures from Monza. Note - all schedules are provisional and subject to change.

By admin Add comment

Europe race analysis - Ferrari and McLaren both winners

August 25th, 2008 at 05:10pm Under Racing

As in Hungary, Felipe Massa controlled the European Grand Prix from the front. But this time he stayed there to win - despite that controversial pit stop - as Ferrari’s technical gremlins chose to pick on team mate Kimi Raikkonen instead.

The world champions had the pace, but not the reliability. Their second engine failure in as many races left McLaren victorious in the numbers game. Lewis Hamilton extended his advantage atop the drivers’ standings, while Ferrari’s constructors’ lead diminished into single figures.

Further down the grid, Toyota proved their Hungaroring form was no fluke with another excellent performance, while Toro Rosso’s superb showing throughout the weekend put their supposedly ‘senior’ sister squad, Red Bull Racing, firmly in the shade. We take a team-by-team look at the European Grand Prix…

Ferrari
Felipe Massa, 1m 38.708s, P1
Kimi Raikkonen, 1m 39.424s, retired lap 46, engine
Massa and Ferrari owned this one right from the start, and once it became clear that Hamilton and McLaren were on a similar fuel strategy it also became clear that a victory for the latter was going to be unlikely. The win gave Massa the same number of outright successes this year as Hamilton (four), but there are still serious concerns over reliability within the Scuderia after Raikkonen’s engine blew asunder like Massa’s had in Hungary, shortly after the Finn botched his second pit stop and ran over refueller Pietro Timpini.

McLaren
Lewis Hamilton, 1m 38.884s, P2
Heikki Kovalainen, 1m 39.112s, P4
Hamilton revealed that a serious neck spasm on Saturday had almost kept him out of the race, but once he had won the drag race over Kubica to the first corner he settled down to chase Massa. The MP4-23 didn’t quite have the pace of the F2008 towards the end, but eight points in the circumstances were a healthy haul. Kovalainen struggled in his first two stints on the Bridgestone prime tyres, and only found his car coming alive on the super-softs late in the race, by which time it was too late to challenge Kubica for third.

BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica, 1m 39.330s, P3
Nick Heidfeld, 1m 39.526s, P9
Once worries had receded about inability to steer because a plastic bag had become lodged beneath the front of his F1.08, Kubica was able to maintain a strong third place throughout the race, and to take his first podium finish since Canada. Heidfeld, however, struggled with low grip and described his race as one of the worst of his career en route to ninth.

Toyota
Jarno Trulli, 1m 39.657s, P5
Timo Glock, 1m 39.535s, P7
Toyota are the consistently most improved team in recent weeks, and a great run from Trulli to fifth and Glock to seventh, despite feeling unwell, endorsed the strength of the TF108. Six points now place them 10 ahead of Renault in the fight for fourth place overall.

Toro Rosso
Sebastian Vettel, 1m 39.485s, P6
Sebastien Bourdais, 1m 39.639s, P10
A great race for Toros Rosso saw Vettel take an excellent sixth place, which might have been fifth until Trulli and Toyota slipped ahead during the opening pit stops. Bourdais could have been a points contender too but for an early clash with Heidfeld which obliged him to run 17 laps to his first stop with a damaged front wing.

Williams
Nico Rosberg, 1m 39.577s, P8
Kazuki Nakajima, 1m 39.803s, P15
Rosberg was happy and relieved to win a point for eighth after a competitive showing, but Nakajima’s first-lap clash under braking with Alonso won’t have done him any favours.

Red Bull
Mark Webber, 1m 40.264s, P12
David Coulthard, 1m 40.978s, P17
Red Bull never got on the pace this weekend, and fingers were pointed at their Renault engines since the near identical Toro Rossos were flying with their Ferrari V8s. Coulthard’s case wasn’t helped when he got taken off on the first lap, and later spun trying to make up ground. He raced throughout with a damaged bargeboard.

Renault
Fernando Alonso, no time, retired lap one, hit by Nakajima
Nelson Piquet, 1m 39.544s, P11
Renault will want to forget this one in a hurry. Alonso got taken out on the opening lap courtesy of Nakajima removing his rear wing, while Piquet also damaged his front wing in the early race traffic and couldn’t better 11th place by the finish on a day when arch rivals Toyota bagged another six points.

Honda
Jenson Button, 1m 40.763s, P13
Rubens Barrichello, 1m 40.593s, P16
A horrible race for Honda, as Button and Barrichello both ran one-stop strategies. The former found overheating rear brakes having a deleterious effect on his option tyres in the second stint, while the latter also struggled with braking problems after starting from the pit lane with revised gearing.

Force India
Giancarlo Fisichella, 1m 40.353s, P14
Adrian Sutil, 1m 40.661s, retired lap 42, accident
One-stopping Fisichella challenged Button for much of the race on his way to 14th, running the team’s new seamless-shift transmission for the first time in a race. Sutil started from the pit lane on a two-stop strategy after unscheduled suspension set-up changes, had a spat in the pit lane with Massa on the 37th lap, then became the only Formula One driver to hit the wall all weekend when he lost it under braking in Turn Two five laps later.

By admin Add comment

European Grand Prix - selected driver quotes

August 24th, 2008 at 10:40pm Under Racing

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on his controversial win in Valencia; Force India’s Adrian Sutil on narrowly avoiding the Brazilian in the pit lane before ending his race in the barriers; and Renault’s Fernando Alonso on exiting his second home race of the season on the first lap. All 20 drivers report back on Sunday’s action…

Felipe Massa, Ferrari (1st):
“It’s fantastic having won this race, especially after the disappointment of Budapest. The team did an amazing job in preparing for this Grand Prix and the benefits of that could be seen right from the very first day. Yesterday, I got pole and today the win, with the race fastest lap as the icing on the cake. You cannot ask for more especially at my one hundredth grand prix with every single one of them powered by a Ferrari engine. I got a good start and I pushed to the maximum right from the early laps. In the second part of the race, the car was exceptional, but also in the final stint, when I had the softer tyres, I could do the lap times easily. This is an important moment in my career and I must continue to work in this way. I am sorry for what happened to Kimi: we have to look very carefully at our reliability. I am confident the team knows which countermeasures to take to react to this issue, as it has always done in the past.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren (2nd):
“I can’t complain with second place today. This was a strong weekend for us despite my having a few problems health-wise, but we pulled through. The track was pretty difficult to overtake on, but I maintained the gap - our lap times showed that our overall pace was good, which was encouraging. Heikki (Kovalainen) and I scored 13 points today, which is very positive for the team, so I’d describe it as a satisfactory weekend for us.”

Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber (3rd):
“I started pretty well but in corner one I went over the kerb and Lewis was closing. In the second corner I was going to overtake Lewis, but I saw Felipe braking quite early. It would have been too much of a risk, as I could end up overshooting the braking point and crashing into him. Over the next few laps I was consistently a bit slower than Lewis. Suddenly I saw a white plastic bag flying across the track, but could not avoid it and it went under the car. I couldn’t steer for two corners, which was extremely dangerous. Fortunately most of the bag soon flew away, but my confidence was very low over the next sector, and I lost around three seconds. In the end I finished third. Eventually I think my good qualifying result yesterday was crucial for today’s result.”

Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren (4th):
“My start was good, and I was consequently able to overtake Kimi (Raikkonen) before the first corner. However, I’m not really happy with how the race went for me after that, because I had grip problems with the prime tyres in the first and second stints - whereas with the option tyres in the last stint I had much better grip and traction. As a result I could close the gap to Robert Kubica a little. At least I scored five points, but a podium would have been much nicer. Having said that, it’s good that the team scored a lot of points with Lewis’s second place and my fourth place.”

Jarno Trulli, Toyota (5th):
“That was a good result and a great performance by the team. The weekend started badly for me but it has finished really well today so I’m happy. I could drive a strong race without attacking much. I pushed very hard when I needed to while paying attention to taking care of my tyres and my brakes throughout. This shows how good we are getting and how nice it is to race with a competitive car every weekend. Toyota is doing a very good job this year and looking strong and more competitive at every circuit. The team is still pushing with the development work so I’m confident that we can maintain the form in the coming races and keep the points coming.”

Sebastian Vettel, Toro Rosso (6th):
“Incredible! A perfect day. It was fun but tough and hot out there. It’s a nice race track. My start was not so good on the dirty side and going into Turn One I was right on the limit and very close to Kimi (Raikkonen) and could defend my position against Jarno for the first stint, but he had a bit more fuel on board and stayed out an extra lap and he overtook me in the pits. But we can be very very happy with this result. We made no mistakes, no mistakes all weekend and maximised our performance. The whole team can be very proud of what it has achieved and hopefully, for the next races we can be in the top ten again.”

Timo Glock, Toyota (7th):
“That was one of my hardest races ever because I have had a bad cold for the last two days. But I had a good car and the right strategy and I think P7 was the best result we could have achieved today so I’m really happy. I made up some places at the start and then just tried to do my race. It was tough in the middle of the race and in the last 10 laps I pushed as hard as I could to stay concentrated. Considering our qualifying and my condition, I am happy. It’s a great result for the team to get both cars into the points for the constructors’ championship.”

Nico Rosberg, Williams (8th):
“I’m pretty happy with that. It’s good to be going home with a point today as it’s been a long time since it happened. The race went quite well for me and I was giving it my all, driving what felt like qualifying laps one after the other. The result is also good for the team as it shows we are getting back on track. Once again, I would like to say that Valencia has done a great job here and the race was good fun.”

Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber (9th):
“This was one of the worst races ever for me. To finish ninth in a car which is obviously good enough for third is a disaster. After qualifying I was pretty confident because we realised we could go well. But in the race I had big problems with the harder tyres during the first two stints, and it was only better at the end with the softer compound. I lost one position after the start and later in the race I couldn’t gain any. The pace wasn’t there.”

Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso (10th):
“That was a very nice race, apart from the fact that I touched with Heidfeld which broke my wing, which was a real shame, as I had to do 17 laps like that, losing around 20 seconds to the group I was in. The next two stints were good quality and I had a good pace. But I am happy with the result and I think we had the right strategy. It’s my best result since Australia and especially from the second stint onwards I felt much more comfortable and confident with the car and felt I could push as the track rubbered in. As for the next races, I continue to tackle them one at a time and hope that next time out in Spa I can make it into the points.”

Nelson Piquet, Renault (11th):
“The first lap was rough as I was in the middle of the pack and lost several positions. After that I tried to fight back, but my front wing was damaged and it was difficult to overtake. It’s a shame that we couldn’t get into the top ten, but I hope we can have a better race in Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix in a couple of weeks time.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull (12th):
“We just weren’t quick enough. We were hoping for a few safety cars to come out during the race, so ran a one stop strategy, but it didn’t happen. It was a difficult race pace wise and we’ve got a lot of analysis to do.”

Jenson Button, Honda (13th):
“I had a good start to the race and gained three places to 13th but that was the highlight of my race really. We made things difficult for ourselves by qualifying so far back on the grid after we had expected to perform a lot better. I was heavily fuelled compared to most others and running long on a one-stop strategy, but I was stuck behind Heidfeld when he had already pitted which cost me some time as I didn’t have the pace to overtake him. We ran the option tyre for the second stint, which was initially fine but then the rears went away quite badly due to the rear brakes overheating.”

Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India (14th):
“It was a difficult race with the very hot conditions, but overall I think it was a good performance. The strategy wasn’t bad, but we did expect a safety car after seeing the other support races, but there weren’t any incidents so it didn’t come. Our pace was good, it wasn’t far off the others, and we made a step forward with the gearbox. We now have to keep focussed and keep moving forward.”

Kazuki Nakajima, Williams (15th):
“I had a bad start and we have to find the reason for that. On lap one, going into turns four and five, I was just behind Alonso, but there was a bit of a battle going on in front and I couldn’t avoid him going into the corner. After that, I just tried to be consistent. My pace was ok, but I was behind Barrichello and it was really difficult to overtake. Eventually I made it past him and my pace improved, but it was too late.”

Rubens Barrichello, Honda (16th):
“After qualifying, we took the opportunity to start from the pit lane and work on the car to try and resolve the issues that we had yesterday. We changed the brakes completely so the car was very different to drive but it did improve a little bit during the race. We need to get to the bottom of the brake problems that we have had all weekend as these cost me a lot of time and positions. It was a poor weekend overall.”

David Coulthard, Red Bull (17th):
“I was hit from behind on the first lap. I came back and passed a couple of cars, but when I tried to pass one of the Force India’s, I aborted the manoeuvre and made contact with them, so sorry to them for that. That damaged my barge board and the side of the car, so after that the balance and downforce were very poor.”

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (DNF):
“Not much to say after a day like this. It was definitely not the weekend I was hoping for but I do not believe that, despite this negative result, I am now out of the running for the title. There are still six races to go and sixty points up for grabs. We have seen that the situation change really quickly, even if I realize things are now more complicated. Today, I lost a place at the start and I was stuck in traffic for all of the first stint. Then, when I had a clear track ahead of me, I was able to push and was doing good lap times. At the second pit stop, I made a mistake and left before I should have done. Fortunately, Pietro (Timpini) is not too badly hurt. I wish him all the best and hope he gets better soon. In any case, it would not have changed anything as then the engine broke. Now we must concentrate on preparing for the next rounds and on improving our qualifying performance.”

Adrian Sutil, Force India (DNF):
“The first stint was okay as I was closing the gap to the rest of the field and then I could pass a few cars in the hairpin. It was a shame that I couldn’t pass Giancarlo quickly enough to take full advantage of the two stop strategy and lost a little time. Once I passed him it was getting better but it was still difficult to pass more cars. Then under braking I lost the rear and tried to avoid a crash, but the barrier was too close and that was it.”

Fernando Alonso, Renault (DNF):
“After qualifying yesterday, I knew that me weekend was going to be difficult. At the start I was touched by Nakajima and I lost my rear wing. My mechanics did everything to try and allow me to continue, but my race was already compromised. I am extremely disappointed because I was hoping to have a special race in my second home Grand Prix and for the supporters who came here this weekend to support me. I now want to concentrate on the rest to the season and the next race in Spa.”

By admin Add comment

RENAULT REVEALS SANDERO STEPWAY

August 24th, 2008 at 06:21pm Under Cars

While Renault Sandero Stepway is a natural in the “urban jungle”, it also features all

the fundamental qualities of Sandero, such as roominess and robustness. Renault

Sandero Stepway has an immense cabin for the segment, seating five adults in

complete comfort and boasting a 320-litre trunk. Build quality and robustness are

underlined by a three-year/100,000-km warranty in Brazil. Renault Sandero Stepway is

also set for launch in Argentina with a dCi engine.

Built at the Curitiba plant, Renault Sandero Stepway is the fifth of six models to be

launched in Brazil under Renault Commitment 2009. Renault is investing one billion

reals (400 million euros) in Brazil as part of the plan. Driven by the product offensive

kicked off in 2006 with Mégane Sedan and Mégane Grand Tour and continued by

Logan in 2007 and Sandero in 2008, Renault do Brasil’s sales attained record levels in

first-half 2008. It sold a total 58,800 units – twice as many as in first-half 2007. This

92.4% increase took Renault’s market share in Brazil from 3% to 4.4% in one year,

placing the brand among the top five best-selling carmakers in the country. With sales

of nearly 18,500 vehicles in first-half 2008, Renault Sandero has made a significant

contribution to this success.

By admin Add comment

Qualifying analysis - everything to play for in Valencia

August 24th, 2008 at 01:15pm Under Racing

As at the last round in Hungary, changing track conditions kept teams on their mettle in maximising grip and balance throughout practice and qualifying for the European Grand Prix. The first three runners set their times by sticking with Bridgestone’s super-soft option tyre, while the fourth fastest used the soft prime.

Overtaking remains an unknown quantity on the new Valencia Street Circuit, so by virtue of pole position Ferrari’s Felipe Massa starts as favourite for the race, but expect Lewis Hamilton and McLaren to push him all the way. Toro Rosso will be aiming for their best-ever result after a sensational qualifying, and with a high probability of one or more safety-car periods there may well be other surprises on Sunday. We take a team-by-team look at how they line up…

Ferrari
Felipe Massa, 1m 38.989s, P1
Kimi Raikkonen, 1m 39.488s, P4
Massa was very happy with his Ferrari, putting his fourth pole position of the season down to a fantastic performance through the first sector in Q3 which really cemented the result. He reported how slippery the track still was after the overnight torrential rain, but coped admirably. Raikkonen opted to stay on the harder prime tyre, but said that P4 was not what he had been looking for. He locked up on his last run in Q3 and wasted valuable time.

McLaren
Lewis Hamilton, 1m 39.199s, P2
Heikki Kovalainen, 1m 39.937s, P5
Hamilton seemed quite unruffled that Massa eventually pipped him to pole, and agreed that most of the damage was done by the first corner where he was already a couple of tenths down. Otherwise he had little to complain of, and believed he is in good shape to challenge for the win. Kovalainen liked his MP4-23’s balance, so was disappointed to be only fifth, especially as his lap was devoid of mistakes.

BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica, 1m 39.392s, P3
Nick Heidfeld, 1m 40.631s, P8
With the right tyre pressures correcting the errors of the Hungaroring, Kubica said he was pretty happy overall after a smooth run, and believed that starting third, on the cleaner side of the grid, would give him an advantage over Hamilton. Heidfeld was blocked again by Glock in Q1, quick in Q2, but while he was generally happier with his car than he had been on Friday, he was disappointed with eighth overall.

Toro Rosso
Sebastian Vettel, 1m 40.142s, P6
Sebastien Bourdais, 1m 40.750s, P10
To the surprise of many, Toro Rosso’s amazing practice form continued in qualifying, with Vettel sixth and Bourdais 10th. Their speed raised many eyebrows, especially as the Red Bulls did not look impressive. The former said all the set-up changes they made overnight were positive, and that he would have been quicker but for a mistake in Turn 12 on his last run. Bourdais struggled for grip on the super-soft tyre, so was surprised to make it through to Q3 for the first time in his career.

Toyota
Jarno Trulli, 1m 40.309s, P7
Timo Glock, 1m 38.499s, P13
Toyota might have expected better than seventh given Trulli’s fastest lap in Q2. The Italian was delighted that set-up changes transformed his TF108, less impressed that a gearbox oil pump problem kept him in the garage all morning in practice. Flying blind in qualifying, he made a mistake on his final run, but was delighted with P7. Glock said he didn’t know why, but he just didn’t get the lap together when it mattered.

Williams
Nico Rosberg, 1m 40.721s, P9
Kazuki Nakajima, 1m 38.428s, P11
Back in the top 10, Williams looked stronger than of late, to the delight of Patrick Head who came out to Spain in place of Sam Michael. Neither Rosberg nor Nakajima had any problems on their way to ninth and 11th respectively.

Renault
Fernando Alonso, 1m 38.435s, P12
Nelson Piquet, 1m 38.744s, P15
Alonso was on target for the top 10 until he ran wide and over a kerb and spoiled his last run, and Piquet was also disappointed with 15th. Not a great afternoon for the Regie.

Red Bull
Mark Webber, 1m 38.515s, P14
David Coulthard, 1m 39.235s, P17
In contrast to the Ferrari-engined Toro Rossos, the Renault-motored Red Bulls struggled badly with Webber 14th and Coulthard 17th. They just weren’t quick enough.

Honda
Jenson Button, 1m 38.880s, P16
Rubens Barrichello, 1m 39.811, P19
Button was very disappointed with 16th after showing so strongly earlier in the weekend, for where Toro Rosso upheld they speed, Honda could not. Quick on the prime tyre in Q1, he found the switch to the option tyre disastrous and failed to get through. Barrichello just couldn’t get his RA108 balanced, and struggled round to 19th.

Force India
Giancarlo Fisichella, 1m 39.268s, P18
Adrian Sutil, 1m 39.943s, P20
Both cars ran their seamless-shift transmissions, and Fisichella reckoned he squeezed everything out of his VJM01 that it had to offer on his way to 18th. Sutil was seven-tenths slower, blaming traffic for his inability to warm up his tyres sufficiently.

By admin Add comment

Piquet Q&A - Valencia ‘relatively easy’

August 23rd, 2008 at 04:33pm Under Racing

Saturday’s qualifying session for the European Grand Prix will show which teams and drivers have done their homework better than the rest. With three practice sessions available to optimize the car before it gets serious, Renault’s Nelson Piquet is convinced that he will be amongst those who have acclimatized to the Valencia track quickest. But Piquet isn’t only certain he can rise to the challenge of the new street circuit, he is also confident that he will stay with Renault for 2009, despite the team’s reluctance to confirm their plans until September…

Q: What is your impression of the track?
Nelson Piquet: The conditions and the location of the track are very good. It’s got a bit of the famous Monaco flair, but it is not very challenging, so I would say it’s a relatively easy circuit. It is quite easy to push and not so easy to make mistakes. The shape of the track - the combination of corners and straights - is even better than some original circuits. There were only some issues with the kerbs, to move them a little bit back, but other than that it’s in perfect condition. There are maybe only two points where you have to be careful and try not to hit the wall.

Q: So is the track to your liking?
NP: Well, I must say I really like the track and it’s quite fun to move the car around. The level of grip was understandably poor, but we are used to this sort of thing on street circuits. I will work with my engineers to further optimize the set-up so that we can have a good final free practice session and approach qualifying in good shape.

Q: At the end of last week Renault suggested that there will be a fixed date in September when they decide whether you will be with the team next year. What’s your feeling about that?
NP: I am really confidant that I will stay with the Renault team, because my impression is that the team is really happy with me. I work very well with all the engineers.

Q: How did your recent results contribute to that feeling?
NP: Well, any good result helps in these situations, especially when you are able to finish on the podium. I have been unlucky at some races and also have been in a bad shape at some others. But overall I have a very good feeling and I am not worried about not being with Renault next year.

Q: Do you think the team is concentrating on Fernando Alonso as the lead driver?
NP: Well, he has been around in F1 for several years, but in general both cars have the same chances. Maybe only if Fernando is positive about something and I am negative, then the team will go deeper into the issue. But it is a fact that any team would rather concentrate on the more experienced driver.

Q: So are you also talking to other teams?
NP: No, I am not.

By admin Add comment

Ferrari lead Valencia learning curve

August 23rd, 2008 at 12:24pm Under Racing

The first day of running on Valencia’s new track was a matter of letting conditions improve as more rubber went down, tuning the set-ups, and avoiding the offline dust as everyone developed baselines to compare against their simulations. At the end of it all, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen led the way, but only by a whisker from Renault’s Fernando Alonso and Honda’s Jenson Button. We take a team-by-team look at progress…

Ferrari
Kimi Raikkonen, 1m 41.317s, P7/1m 39.477s, P1
Felipe Massa, 1m 40.654s, P2/1m 39.678s, P4
Both drivers loved the track, and said they were completely happy with what they achieved in terms of set-up and balance as a baseline for Saturday.

Renault
Fernando Alonso, 1m 41.385s, P9/1m 39.497s, P2
Nelson Piquet, 1m 42.107s, P15/1m 40.439s, P9
On the face of it, not a bad day for Renault, with Alonso second and Piquet ninth in the second session. They had no significant problems, but the duff note for Alonso was being reprimanded and fined €10,000 for crossing the white line on the entrance to the pits during the afternoon session.

Honda
Jenson Button, 1m 42.460s, P17/1m 39.546s, P3
Rubens Barrichello, 1m 41.830s, P11/1m 41.377s, P20
Button had his best start to a Grand Prix weekend this year with third fastest time in the afternoon, when he reported that major set-up changes had made his Honda really good to drive. Barrichello had a better morning, but went backwards on set-up and found his car much worse later on.

McLaren
Lewis Hamilton, 1m 40.822s, P3/1m 39.712s, P5
Heikki Kovalainen, 1m 41.163s, P5/1m 39.954s, P6
Hamilton was very happy with the baseline McLaren established very quickly in the morning, but said that heavy traffic on his afternoon runs prevented him from confirming it fully. Kovalainen reported similar sentiments after starting with a great front end on his MP4-23 and gradually dialling in the rear. Both drivers, like their Ferrari rivals, are feeling very confident.

Toyota
Timo Glock, 1m 42.036s, P14/1m 39.967s, P7
Jarno Trulli, 1m 41.930s, P12/1m 40.877s, P15
Toyota got off to a great start, courtesy of Glock in the morning, and the young German set the seventh fastest time in the afternoon. He relied on his Champ Car experience of fast street courses and said he had a productive day. In contrast, Trulli struggled to get his TF108 well balanced and was much less happy with the consistency of his car.

BMW Sauber
Robert Kubica, 1m 41.281s, P6/1m 40.149s, P8
Nick Heidfeld, 1m 42.453s, P16/1m 41.084s, P18
As usual, BMW Sauber focused on tyre evaluation and set-up work rather than lap times. Kubica was relatively happy, but Heidfeld had little explanation for his slow lap times.

Force India
Giancarlo Fisichella, 1m 43.075s, P18/1m 40.500s, P10
Adrian Sutil, 1m 41.951s, P13/1m 40.999s, P17
Both Force Indias were running their seamless-shift transmissions again, and they will be retained for the whole weekend this time. Fisichella had a small brake problem which was quickly sorted, otherwise both drivers completed their programmes without interruption.

Red Bull
Mark Webber, 1m 43.524s, P20/1m 40.585s, P11
David Coulthard, 1m 43.312s, P19/1m 40.696s, P13
Webber had what he described as a ‘testing’ morning, but got going better in the afternoon. He was lucky to avoid being clobbered at one stage by a spinning Nico Rosberg in Turn 25, and wound up 11th. Coulthard likewise improved in that session.

Williams
Nico Rosberg, 1m 41.706s, P10/1m 40.607s, P12
Kazuki Nakajima, 1m 41.329s, P8/1m 40.742s, P14
Rosberg nearly picked up Webber after losing control braking into Turn 25 in the afternoon, but had an otherwise undramatic day. Both he and Nakajima completed their planned programmes with any significant problems.

Toro Rosso
Sebastian Vettel, 1m 40.496s, P1/40.982s, P16
Sebastien Bourdais, 1m 41.099s, P4/1m 41.246s, P19
Vettel was very happy with his fastest time in the morning, but predictably lost ground in the afternoon. Bourdais had traction problems and struggled with rear-end stability under braking.

By admin Add comment

European Grand Prix - preview quotes

August 21st, 2008 at 03:08pm Under Racing

Formula One racing is about to re-group in Spain after its three-week summer break to visit the first all-new venue on the 2008 calendar - the impressive street circuit in the port city of Valencia. Organisers have created a unique and demanding 25-corner track that winds around the Juan Carlos I Marina. However, unlike traditional street circuits, whose tight and twisting configurations place a premium on qualifying at the front, Valencia is fast, sweeping and wide, offering plenty of potential for passing - and excitement…

Adrian Sutil, Force India
“As the new events in Valencia and Singapore are street events, and we’ve had some good races on this type of circuit, I think we have a good chance of getting some good finishes. Looking to the next race in Valencia, we will be using the seamless shift gearbox for the first time at a race and hopefully that will give us a few tenths to be able to qualify a bit better. This has got to be the goal for the second half of the year.”

Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India
“Valencia is a completely new track for everyone and a good challenge. It looks very fast, particularly for a street circuit, and I’ve heard it is sold out so the atmosphere will be good. I am pleased we will be able to actually race the new seamless shift gearbox now. We’ve been having some good fights so far, particularly with Honda, and with the gearbox worth a couple of tenths per lap this may just move us in front - the field is so close now that any new developments will move us closer.”

Colin Kolles, Force India, team principal
“I think I won’t be alone in saying everyone loves street races as they are much more immediate. Seeing how fast the cars can get on the streets you drive every day really puts the speed and the accuracy needed into perspective. The races are also much more unpredictable as the guardrails are so close so anything could happen. I think Valencia could become a real classic.”

Mike Gascoyne, Force India, chief technical officer
“Going to new circuits presents a different challenge for the team, but it’s an interesting challenge for the engineers as well as the drivers and Valencia in itself will be a fascinating and unique event. In terms of preparation, we obviously look at the track layout and put this into our computer simulations so we have a fair idea of the nature of the circuit. There are some things you can’t understand from the computers however, specifically the nature of the tarmac, how the tyres are going to react, whether you can use the kerbs or not, and so on are all unknown quantities until we get to the track. It’s a good challenge though and will keep us busy!”

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
“I know Valencia, because we’ve done several tests here last winter, but now we’re racing in the city on a new track: I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere. I’ve seen the new track only from the position of an on-board camera and it seems to be very fast for a street circuit. I always love to drive on new tracks and I am always very quick to know them. I can’t wait to race at Valencia.

“We have to start well at Valencia, where it’s more important than in other places to drive with continuity from Friday on: I hope I’ll have a trouble-free weekend to try to set up the car the best way possible, especially for the qualifying lap. The qualifying will be extremely important, although I think that there are some possibilities on the track to overtake. If it’s hot that will help Ferrari. Like at Montreal you also need a bit of luck and I hope that it will not end for me as it did in Canada: anyway, there’s no need to worry until we race. We just have to fight until the end and try to win.”

Aldo Costa, Ferrari, technical director
“The track looks very interesting, combining a variety of different corner types, as well as some sections with a high top speed, maybe slightly lower than those seen at the Montreal circuit in Canada. We can expect high temperatures this weekend, which should not present us with any problems. After the high downforce configuration we ran at the last race in Budapest, we now return to a medium to low downforce configuration with some updates to the package that were already tested at Jerez in the week prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix.”

Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone Motorsport, director of tyre development
“”The Valencia street course is new to Formula One so this will present many challenges for the teams. For Bridgestone, we have evaluated the track layout and surface and we will bring the softest tyres in our compound range, the soft and super soft. This is a street course with many corners, although we expect quite high speeds to be attained over the course of a lap. As with any street course we expect the grip levels from the circuit to improve over the course of the weekend. In Valencia in August we should see quite high temperatures so teams will have to be vigilant with their tyre management. As we have not raced here previously this should be a learning process for everyone involved, and strategy decisions over the race weekend will be interesting.”

Nico Rosberg, Williams
“I’ve had a nice, but not particularly, relaxing couple of weeks in the Alps during the break. I’ve spent some time with family and friends but mostly I’ve been training. Valencia is a Grand Prix I’ve been looking forward to as it’s not only a new circuit, but a new street circuit. From what I’ve seen and read about it, I think it’ll be a great track to race on so I can’t wait for the weekend to start. The atmosphere will no doubt be fantastic as well because the Spanish have a real passion for Formula One. Valencia should be a track that suits our car, so I’m hoping we’ll have a good race and take something positive away from Spain.”

Kazuki Nakajima, Williams
“I’m looking forward to a good race in Valencia. The new track looks great, and should be really interesting to race on. As at Monaco and Montreal, our car goes well at these kinds of tracks, so I’m hoping we’ll put in a good performance there. It shouldn’t take too long for the drivers to get used to the circuit, and for the first time the rest of the grid will be learning it with me! I’ve had a nice two week break, during which I returned home to Japan to catch up with family and friends, but now I’m looking forward to the last few rounds of the season.”

Sam Michael, Williams, technical director
“Valencia’s street circuit is a new addition to the calendar. It looks like a great track with some interesting sections for drivers and engineers alike. With 25 corners around the lap, it will be busy work for the drivers to maintain concentration and put together a perfect lap, particularly in qualifying. Because the circuit’s a new entity for the drivers, and because it will be green when they first go out of the garage, having a trouble-free run on Friday will be essential for a successful race weekend. The cars will run a lower than normal rear wing drag level in Valencia due to the five long straight sections, and the long, sweeping corners will all be taken at full throttle. Bridgestone will bring the soft and super-soft tyres, both suited to street circuits. Teams will, most likely, opt for a one or two stop strategy on the basis that overtaking on a twisty street circuit is always fairly restricted. We will, however, review strategy on Friday night after we have some more accurate data regarding tyre degradation and fuel consumption.”

Nelson Piquet, Renault
“This season I have already learned several new circuits, but the difference this time is that all the drivers will be in the same position and having to learn the circuit. I think that from the point of view of the championship it’s interesting to visit new tracks: it’s an extra challenge for the drivers as well as the teams. I have worked hard with the team to approach this race in the best shape possible and I will try to get on the pace quickly and maximise every lap in practice. It’s a street circuit so it will be quite tricky, but also very interesting. It’s never easy to learn a new circuit, but, as I have said, this time all the teams and drivers will be in the same position. It will be interesting to see who can get comfortable fastest. I would like to have another solid weekend, starting off with a good day of practice on Friday, qualifying in the top 10 and showing good race pace to hopefully finish in the points. That’s how I will approach this race. After the summer break, I am well rested and motivated to have a great end to the season.”

Fernando Alonso, Renault
“I’m very happy to be driving at home for a second time: it’s always a special feeling to race in front of my countrymen and I’m really looking forward to it. In Barcelona we were having a strong race when I had to retire, but I hope this time I can get a good result as the circuit will be new for all the drivers. It will be interesting for me and also for the team, who have been working hard in preparation for this race for the last couple of months. As a new circuit, I think it gives the drivers a chance to show what they can do, but I am not under any illusions as I expect all the drivers to be quick. We must do our best to find our reference points quicker than the others in order to spring a surprise.”

Pat Symonds, Renault, director of engineering
“We look forward to every race and I think we like the challenge of a new circuit. We enjoy the ambiance of visiting new places and the race team have had a short break so they will head there raring to go. It certainly looks like a fabulous venue. The teams are all well used to going to new circuits so I think the playing field is pretty level anyway. However, I would say that going to a new track is much more a test of a team’s ability to adapt to new circumstances and manage change, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy the challenge of a new circuit.”

Timo Glock, Toyota
“I’m still smiling after Hungary. That was an incredible result and a fantastic feeling; I hope it will be the first of many podiums in Formula One. The important thing was that we showed just how competitive we are at the moment and moved further ahead in fourth place in the constructors’ championship. There is a great atmosphere in the team and we are all working hard together to move forward, which is why it was so satisfying to get on the podium in Hungary. But Valencia is a new race and we must start again. I did plenty of street races when I was racing in Champ Cars and in that season almost all the tracks were new to me so I have learnt to adapt quickly. It looks like an interesting circuit and it’s quite long so it should be a good show. We will have plenty of work to do on Friday to adjust the car to the track but we are in good form at the moment so I am optimistic for this weekend.”

Jarno Trulli, Toyota
“The track looks amazing and the location is fantastic so I am really looking forward to this Grand Prix. The team has worked hard to prepare for this race because it is a new track for all of us but from a driver’s point of view the important thing is to drive it for the first time and then you can start to understand more about the circuit. I enjoy going to new venues because they are a new challenge and there is always something to discover; every race is unique and I like that. Even though this is a new track for us, I know Valencia pretty well from all the testing we have done at the other circuit there. It is a lively city and there always seems to be something going on so it should be a fun weekend. I am expecting a competitive weekend as well because at the moment we are looking quite strong. Scoring more points is our target and if we challenge for the podium again, that would be great.”

Pascal Vasselon, Toyota, senior general manager chassis
“We are well prepared for Valencia. Of course, we started our preparations for this new track by looking at the FIA information and that allowed us to put forward some speed profiles in order to estimate downforce and braking requirements, for example. We also sent staff to look at the inaugural race meeting there at the end of July and that gave us additional data with regards to speed profiles, driving lines and track surface. We expect the track to be in the mid range of downforce and quite severe on brakes. At the beginning we anticipate grip will be quite low but that should improve throughout the weekend. In terms of performance, we clearly want to build on the competitiveness shown in Hungary. We are genuinely challenging to be the third quickest car based on the last few races. Valencia will also show how well teams can react to new conditions so it will be an interesting weekend and we have every reason to be feeling very positive.”

Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
“I’m always pleased when a new race track turns up in the calendar, and I’m particularly keen to experience Valencia. It will be an authentic street circuit in the sense that it runs through the town centre, unlike the Melbourne or Montreal tracks. In terms of its charms and challenges, the Valencia race will probably come closest to the Monaco Grand Prix. I really like Valencia, which I’ve visited many times, of course. We do a lot of testing on the permanent race track in Cheste and we’ve rolled out our new Formula One car in Valencia on several occasions. The first few metres in a brand-new car are always a very special experience.

“Early this year I spent a few days in Valencia with my family between the rollout and the next test. We had a great time, went to the beach, and in town there’s a dried-out riverbed that has nature parks and playgrounds. That was very nice, especially for the children. Valencia is also a great place for shopping and eating out, needless to say, and I love the contrast between its historic and futuristic architecture. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
“I am very much looking forward to Valencia as I am a big fan of street circuits in general. They are very demanding as they are often bumpy and the street surface changes. When you make a mistake you easily run into barriers. Anyway, Valencia will not be a complete street circuit. There will be lots of run-off areas for safety reasons. The FIA puts a lot of effort into safety, which is good.

“On a street circuit it is of major importance to have a good basic set-up which is easy to drive. The lap time improvement has to be gained step by step, you cannot drive in too wild a style. Also, in terms of the racing line you have to approach this gradually. It is very important to walk the track before driving it the first time to get a feeling for the surface and the layout.”

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director
“We are very much looking forward to the race and the city, particularly as BMW has some close associations with Valencia. The Formula BMW Racing Centre there serves as the training site for our up-and-coming young talent in the Formula BMW series around the world. Valencia is by tradition the venue for rolling out our new F1 car, and beyond that city races always make for a unique atmosphere. We await the new circuit with keen anticipation.”

Willy Rampf, BMW Sauber, technical director
“Valencia is a new venue in the calendar and as such poses a particular challenge, not least because it’s a street circuit. Not that it’s a slow one - the drivers will be exceeding the 300 km/h mark on the fastest section. With the help of our simulation programs we are in a position to reliably calculate the required downforce levels in advance as well as brake wear and gear ratios. That means we will start out with a good basic set-up. If you compare Valencia with Monaco, you’re talking about two street circuits but with very distinctive characters and very different challenges for the cars. In Valencia we will be racing with a lot of downforce, but not with the maximum that Monaco demands.”

Jenson Button, Honda
“My first thoughts are that it’s a circuit that we haven’t raced at before and it’s got barriers all around it! I think the whole of Formula One is very excited about going to Valencia. It’s a beautiful city and it will be great to be racing around the streets there. We have a simulator at our UK base, as do most teams, and spending a lot of time on that has been vital in terms of learning the circuit. With a simulator, you’re not getting the complete feeling of the car but you are gaining understanding of the distances and the braking points, so it’s very useful. We have some very fast circuits like Monza, Spa and Silverstone on the calendar and then the slower circuits like Monaco and Hungary, and we’re expecting Valencia to be somewhere in the middle. It’s also got the added excitement of being surrounded by barriers which really focuses your mind and demands that you give full concentration around every single lap.”

Rubens Barrichello, Honda
“The challenge of learning a new circuit is always exciting, particularly when it is an unusual venue such as the new street circuit in Valencia. Despite preparing as much as we can in advance of the race, our track walk with the engineers on Thursday and the practice sessions on Friday will be absolutely key to learning the track and assessing the grip levels. A new track always opens up the field and gives an opportunity for the driver to make an impact as our feedback will be very important in achieving the correct set-up. We have prepared well and I am looking forward to the weekend and the potential to score some points. We can expect the race weekend to be very hot which will add to the physical challenge for the drivers, car and team. I’m a big fan of Valencia as a city; it’s a beautiful location, and hopefully the race will bring a lot of new fans to Formula One.”

Ross Brawn, Honda, team principal
“Valencia is often thought of as a temporary race venue, however it is actually a permanent street circuit which is quite fast and flowing; it’s not like the type of street circuit that we have been used to racing around in Monaco. There has been some racing around the track already with sportscars and Spanish F3, so we have been gathering information from those races to see what we can learn in advance of the race weekend.

“Valencia is going to be a medium to low-downforce track with a couple of quick corners which will present a very challenging circuit in an exciting environment. One of the key aspects is that it is going to be very windy. The America’s Cup is held in Valencia for this very reason, however, such conditions could make achieving a good balance on the cars quite tricky. The Valencia weekend is going to be a fascinating engineering challenge for the team and we are all looking forward to it.”

Alex Wurz, Honda, test driver
“I remember the first Formula One test that I did in Valencia in 2000. Back then it was the tiniest town and it has grown like mad to become a very cool city. There are good places to go out and it’s very fast moving. The city is really into sport, with football and the America’s Cup, and they will put on a good show for Formula One. I think Valencia will very quickly establish itself as one of our favourite Grands Prix.

“Being a street track, it will have that extra bit of flair and it will be a real buzz for the drivers to learn a new track. It will be dusty to start with, so they will need to increase their speed steadily because the barriers will be very unforgiving. I really like street circuits and it would be cool to be racing this weekend!”

Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren
“It looks pretty fast, to be honest. You get used to street circuits being quite slow, with lots of slow- to medium-speed corners and very short straights, but this is almost the opposite. There are a lot of fast kinks and esses, a couple of decent straights and lots of high-speed stuff. It’s too early to say yet whether there will be opportunities to overtake around here, but there are a couple of hairpins where it might be possible.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
“We launched the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team in (Valencia) at the start of 2007, and I’ve tested at the Ricardo Tormo circuit so the city isn’t unfamiliar to me. Anyway, going to a new circuit doesn’t really change my preparations: everybody’s in the same situation so I don’t treat things very differently. Of course, we’ve done some preparation back at the McLaren Technology Centre ahead of this race, but our main focus will still be the three free practice sessions ahead of qualifying. I’ll be working closely with my engineers to make sure we start the weekend with a good baseline and work hard to strengthen it as we go through the weekend. I enjoy visiting new racetracks and I’m looking forward to getting into the cockpit on Friday morning. It looks like being an amazing track.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren, Formula One CEO
“In terms of car set-up, we need to remember that, like Monaco, the track will be both green and dusty on the opening day of practice. That sometimes tempts you into playing with set-up more than you would like, so you need to resist that temptation and let the track come to the car. Our simulations suggest we’ll employ a downforce level similar to that of Hockenheim, but the individual demands of the track may push that window up or down. Finally, anybody who’s studied any onboard footage of the circuit will be mindful of the proximity of the concrete barriers in certain areas - clearly, we’ll be packing plenty of spares, but hoping we won’t need to use them!

“The most important thing is to be thorough, methodical and iterative. Although we arrive at a new racetrack having undertaken a huge amount of research and armed with an enormous amount of data, the reality is that it’s really only the starting point for our engineering team. We begin Friday practice the way we would at any other circuit, but in this instance, we need to pay particular attention both to driver feedback and the data generated from the car. The important thing is not to react too hastily - it’s vital that you don’t end up going down the wrong path, because you only have a limited amount of time to tune the set-up before qualifying.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“When you think about temporary street races in Formula One, you mainly think about Monaco. However, Valencia does not have very much in common with this classic race; just that both cities are located on the Mediterranean coast and that both circuits lead along the harbour front. While the Monte Carlo race is the slowest of the year with an average speed of about 156 km/h for the fastest lap, and is also the shortest with a race distance of almost 254 kilometres, we face a race distance of 310 kilometres in Valencia and a track on which the cars will reach 300 km/h or more five times per lap. Three times per lap the drivers also have to brake to about 80 km/h which will be as extremely demanding for the brakes as the Montreal circuit. The longest full throttle section will be along the harbour where the drivers will drive at full throttle for 13 seconds. The front straight is 185 metres long and the shortest of all Formula One circuits this year. We calculated an average speed per lap of 225 km/h which will be the eighth fastest of all Grand Prix tracks. This is not typical for a street race; it is more like a version of Silverstone or Monza but located in a city.

“Our technicians at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines in Brixworth and Stuttgart work out the circuit simulation data together with our partner McLaren Racing and use them for the engine dyno simulation. The work on the dyno is based on calculated gear ratios, revs and gear changes. According to that we find the optimum engine response and we also optimise the calibration accordingly to match the demands of the Valencia circuit as well as requirements of our drivers. This preparation is particularly important for a new circuit, for which we don’t have data from testing or races - in the end, it can be crucial to tackle qualifying and race in the best possible shape.”

By admin Add comment