2007 EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX PREVIEW
Formula 1 arrives in Germany next week for round 10 of the
enthralling and ultra competitive 2007 World Championship.
The European Grand Prix, which takes place at the Nürburgring,
is Mercedes-Benz’s home race.
Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton’s second and third
positions in the Santander British Grand Prix last weekend
have seen the team retain the lead of the Constructors’
title, now with a total of 128 points. Lewis and Fernando
also kept their positions in the Drivers’ standings,
with 70 and 58 points respectively.
FAST FACTS
How is Mercedes-Benz celebrating the 80th anniversary
of its first win at the Nürburgring?
In every year since 1995 Mercedes-Benz has presented a special
programme to entertain the visitors of the Mercedes-Benz grandstand
between the practice and qualifying sessions. This creates
additional value at no extra cost to the spectators. In Safety
Driving Centre One close to the racetrack the visitors can
experience driving lessons onboard the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class
with a professional driving instructor. The Mercedes-Benz
vending area next to the paddock entrance is a meeting point
for the fans of all teams: live music will be performed; pit
stop contests will be held; interviews and autograph sessions,
which will be announced well in advance, will be held with
the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 drivers; Mercedes-Benz
DTM drivers and members of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team
management.
Why is the Nürburgring synonymous with Mercedes-Benz?
The track is located alongside the legendary Nordschleife.
The now 20km drive through the Eifel mountains, which was
built in 1927, was used as a test track for the German automotive
industry and soon began to host the German Grand Prix. The
first race, which took place 80 years ago on 19 June 1927,
was won by Rudolf Caracciola in the Mercedes S sportscar.
The Nürburgring was also the birth place of the Silver
Arrow, when in June 1934 Manfred von Brauchitsch won the Eifel
race in a Mercedes W25. In order to meet the weight limit
of 750kg, the car's white paint work had to be stripped the
night before the race exposing its silver aluminium body.
Where is the best overtaking opportunity?
Whilst there are a number of opportunities to overtake at
the Nürburgring, the track is relatively tight so precision
is key. Moves can be made into the downhill hairpin at turn
seven and through the final chicane. In addition, the downward
right hander of turn one that takes you into the Mercedes
Arena often sees some action, with the wide entry funnelling
the field into the tighter turn.
TEAM QUOTES
Fernando Alonso
"We had a positive test at Spa this week, with a lot
of dedication from everyone within the team. This season is
very competitive and we all have to push hard to find more
performance from every part of the car, particularly for the
Nürburgring. It is not a track that depends on a particular
part of the car and it is difficult to get the maximum performance
here. The layout of the track, with the range of corners,
means that you have to have a consistent balance for the different
speeds, so there will be a lot of hard work with my engineers
to get a competitive set-up. As with Silverstone there are
some bumps here on the track, that you have to watch out for,
and you have to use the kerbs very aggressively to be fast.
You can overtake here. The changes to the track a couple of
years ago have added another chance, under braking into the
Mercedes Arena at the first corner. This will be my first
time as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver racing in front
of all the Mercedes-Benz employees from Stuttgart, who, I
have been told, mostly sit in this section of the track. I
am really looking forward to it and hope we can give them
a good race. I’ve had a positive couple of races here
over the past two years and I hope to continue that into the
race next weekend."
Lewis Hamilton
"Despite having a mixed weekend at Silverstone, we still
came away from the track with a good haul of points and I
am now really looking forward to getting back to the Nürburgring.
I had a great weekend there last year, taking my first double
win of the year and I enjoy driving the track. In 2005 I also
won one race there in F3; my team ASM was powered by Mercedes-Benz,
and as a result the support from the crowd was fantastic.
It will be great to race in front of them again, this time
in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car. I am sure
the grandstands are going to be packed. The track has a very
mixed layout, probably with more slow corners than anything
else, so you need good traction for the acceleration on the
exit. Through the first sector of the track you can really
make up time, the corners are very slow so with good balance
and under braking you can find the time."
Martin Whitmarsh, CEO Formula 1, Vodafone McLaren
Mercedes
"Whilst we left Silverstone satisfied with the points
Fernando and Lewis took from the race, the Vodafone McLaren
Mercedes team exists to win. The team is approaching the race
at the Nürburgring looking to win; the motivation is
there, as is the performance with Fernando, Lewis, the MP4-22
and the team. We had a constructive test in Belgium, as I
am sure have the other teams, and we now need to translate
that onto the race track. We have to raise the bar internally
with regards our performance and continue to ensure that if
the win doesn’t happen, then we take the maximum points
total possible."
Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"We arrive at our home Grand Prix at the Nürburgring
with a positive balance from the first half of the season.
In the first nine of the 17 Grands Prix this year, Fernando
and Lewis have achieved 15 out of 18 possible podium finishes,
and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is the only team to score points
in every race with both drivers. However, the most recent
races in Magny-Cours and Silverstone showed that we have to
improve further, and everybody in the team works to achieve
this in a disciplined manner and with all their power. The
Nürburgring and its history is synonymous with the brand
and Mercedes-Benz’s motor sport history, after Rudolf
Caracciola won the opening race here 80 years ago, and the
Silver Arrow was born at the Eifel race 73 years ago. With
an attractive and popular entertainment programme next to
the track at our home Grand Prix, we traditionally create
additional value at no extra cost to our fans, as well as
to those of the other teams who want to visit us. However
we also do not forget that the most important part happens
not next to, but on the track, and we will try to be at the
very front at the Nürburgring."
EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX INFORMATION
Circuit length 5.148km / 3.199 miles
Race distance 308.863km / 191.938 miles
Laps 60
Number of corners 15
Inaugural European Grand Prix 1983
VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES STATISTICS
Fernando Lewis Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Race Starts 97 9 623
Race Wins 17 2 152
Pole Positions 16 3 129
Points 439 70 3297.5
Podiums 42 9 408
Fastest Laps 10 1 133
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