MF1 RACING
2006 Spanish GP - Preview
Encouraged by a strong performance at the European GP that
saw both cars demonstrate flawless reliability and improved
pace on their way to taking the chequered flag in 12th and
13th positions, MF1 Racing arrives in the familiar environs
of Barcelona ready to compete in the Spanish Grand Prix.
With more than its fair share of quick corners - four at
over 230 km/h - as well as a long straight section, the Circuit
de Catalunya is one of the more popular tracks among MF1's
drivers.
Tiago Monteiro (POR), Car #18: "We
had a good weekend in terms of pace at the Nürburgring
and I would love it if we could be same or better in Barcelona,
but I think it will be tricky. All the teams do a lot of testing
there and are very familiar with the track and the set-ups
it requires. You won't see too many of the top teams' cars
going out for Friday practice, as they already have an extensive
amount of data. But we will have to make the most of every
opportunity we get, so expect to see us out there quite a
bit. It's a good, challenging track - fun to drive, really
- and it will be more physical than ever, with the higher
G forces the cars are now capable of pulling. I'm looking
forward to this weekend, and bringing home another good result."
Christijan Albers (NED), Car #19: "I'm
looking forward to Barcelona, because it's a track I know
quite well and we had a good series of tests there over the
winter. Granted, it's going to be bit different under race
conditions and the warmer temperatures will affect tyre choice,
but I don't see that as being a disadvantage for us. The team
is coming off a strong weekend at the Nürburgring and
I'm hoping we can match the pace we had there in practice
and qualifying. I had a bit of bad luck in that race, in that
I got held up by slower traffic at various points, but overall,
I still think it was a step forward for us. If we can continue
to make progress the way we have been lately, we should be
in good shape to reach our goals before the end of the season."
Giorgio Mondini (SUI), Test and Reserve Driver: "Now
that I have had two Fridays to become more confident with
the team and the car, I am really looking forward to this
weekend, knowing that the car is constantly improving. The
team is putting a great effort into raising the level of the
M16's performance and that has inspired me to make a similar
commitment. I have been training hard over the past few weeks
in order to be able to get the most out of the car. I will
be driving at the next three Friday practices in a row, as
well as one full day of testing in England, so I need to be
in top physical and mental condition. It's always exciting
to be heading into a race weekend, particularly when the people
surrounding you are as motivated and hungry for success as
MF1 is. Barcelona is a beautiful track, but frankly speaking,
when you're behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car, all the tracks
are beautiful!"
Dominic Harlow, Chief Race and Test Engineer: "Barcelona
is a circuit where we all test frequently, and as such, we
will have a good baseline from which to start our weekend.
In aero set-up terms, it will be very similar to the Nürburgring.
The track is not particularly hard on brakes and rewards engine
power in a similar manner to a lot of other circuits - basically,
a tenth a lap for every 10bhp. Despite the one-week turnaround
following the European GP, the factory has worked extremely
hard to supply some updates for this event, specifically,
a couple of changes to the front suspension geometry and a
new damper specification. Our aim, as always, is to improve
on the last event and do our best to avoid early elimination
from the qualifying session. We will also be concentrating
on race tyre choice for the conditions that present themselves."
|
