Preview, 2006 Monaco GP - 22 MAY 2006
The official Renault F1 Team Preview for the 2006
Monaco GP.
Fernando Alonso: "Monaco is a fantastic show
for the people"
Fernando, Monaco is often called the ultimate drivers'
circuit. Is it your favourite track of the year?
Monaco is different to anywhere else, completely different.
First of all, we run a special set-up to cope with the bumps
and tight corners, so the car feels very different and is
quite hard to drive. The circuit is so tight, that it is hard
to get the car and tyres to the maximum, or to use maximum
power on this track. At the end of the day, from the point
of view of getting maximum performance from a Formula 1 car,
this is not my favourite circuit.
So what do you enjoy about the race weekend in Monte-Carlo?
For me, Monaco is a show for the people. As drivers, I think
we have to help make that show we provide, enjoy it and try
to be as spectacular as possible for the fans.
You mentioned a special set-up on the car. How easy
is it to find the sweet spot of the handling in Monaco?
It is nearly impossible and in Monaco, sometimes you have
to guess a little bit with set-up, and make changes thinking
about qualifying and the race, not the immediate moment. The
circuit starts the weekend very dirty and cleans up with every
lap, getting better and better all the time. So you have to
have some guesses, and put a set-up on the car, then work
from there.
People often say that the only important thing is
to qualify well in Monaco, because overtaking is so hard.
Do you agree?
For sure, we set-up the car for qualifying, and work all weekend
to get that perfect lap. If you are on the front row, then
if you finish the race, it is almost 100% certain you will
be on the podium. If you are not in the top five in qualifying,
then you can forget the podium. So qualifying is where you
need to take a lot of risks, but necessary risks. It is the
key to the race.
A lot of people have expressed worries about how
the 2006 qualifying format will work at such a tight circuit.
What do you think?
I think everybody will be a little bit worried about qualifying.
Already in Monaco, you normally have a lot of traffic in every
session, and this year qualifying will be very tough. I think
the first 15 minutes will be hardest because one yellow flag,
or if the guy in front has problems, then you could be out.
So we need to be careful, and for sure we will have a different
strategy to make sure we get into the top ten.
You won the last race in Barcelona, a circuit that
shows the quality of the overall package. What are the chances
for the R26 in Monaco?
I think the car will be quick there. You need good traction
at this circuit, and that has been a strong point for the
R26 all the way through the season so far. Michelin did a
fantastic job in Spain, and they have always been very strong
in Monaco, so they should be there as well. This has been
a good Renault track in the past but more than ever, we will
need a perfect, mistake-free weekend to fight for the win.
That will be what we are focusing on.
Giancarlo Fisichella: "I am very confident the
R26 will be quick in Monaco"
Giancarlo, you have always been known as something of a Monaco
specialist. What do you enjoy about driving in the Principality?
It has always been a great circuit for me, and I have always
been quick there. It is a very difficult circuit, but I have
always enjoyed it and, more importantly, felt very comfortable
driving there. I think that the race is going to be very tough
physically and mentally, but I am really looking forward to
it.
What does it feel like on Thursday when you do the
first laps?
It is really unusual! The feeling is very different compared
to the first laps of the weekend at a normal circuit. You
know, you go round the first few times and you're telling
yourself that it's impossible to drive on the limit at this
track. Then, after ten or fifteen laps, you get more confidence,
you feel more comfortable, you start braking later, and you
find the limit.
How important is it to have a driveable car there?
You have to feel comfortable with everything. The R26 is a
really easy car to drive – you can trust it when you
are on the limit. As we build up the speed during the weekend,
we will be getting closer and closer to the kerbs and the
barriers, as we push to go flat out for qualifying. You need
a car that is going to react how you want, and I think the
Renault will do that.
So you are feeling confident for the performance
in Monaco?
I am sure the R26 will be quick there, yes. The last race
in Barcelona was good for me: after some difficult times,
I had a weekend without problems and got to the podium, so
I was pleased with that. We know that the battle is very tough
at the moment, and a lot will depend on the Michelin tyres
this weekend. The test team worked hard to find the right
choices last week at Paul Ricard, so I think we can be optimistic.
I am very confident I can have a very good weekend in Monaco.
Flavio Briatore, Managing Director, Renault F1 Team
Flavio, at the last race in Barcelona, the Renault
F1 Team committed to Formula 1 beyond 2008. How important
was that act?
It sent out the message that Renault is strong and is staying
in Formula 1. That was important for our people in the company,
and those outside too. Ever since Mr Ghosn arrived last year,
he has said that if the results we get are in proportion to
the investment, then we will stay. But there had been a lot
of rumours that there were doubts for the future. So it was
important to send a strong sign, that Renault is committed.
You have been outspoken on the need for cost-cutting
in Formula 1 from 2008 onwards. Can you explain your vision?
Everybody needs to be more cost-efficient. Whether it is Honda,
Toyota, Renault or Ferrari, we are here to make a good show,
and race. Not to have a development competition between the
manufacturers. I think we can put on the same show, for much
less money.
You talk a lot about the show, and the need for cost-cutting.
What makes you think this would work?
I look at the race weekends. We have Formula 1 and GP2, both
putting on a fantastic show. From the fastest guy in GP2 to
the slowest in Formula 1, you have maybe seven or eight seconds
per lap. But one team is spending $2 million, the other half
a billion. There's something not right there, don't you think?
So what is the solution?
We need to look at Formula 1 in a different way. We have to
take care of the event, respect the public, and give them
the product they want – not just what the engineers
think we should have.
You talk about drastic cost reductions. Where can
the money be saved?
The big issue for the costs is the technical side of the sport.
There is potential for a drastic reduction of costs on the
engine side, and in other areas like testing. But what people
don't seem to realise is that time is running out. We talk,
and talk, but the 2008 rules are already done. They can only
be changed with unanimous agreement, and people don't seem
to realise that. We have one month to sort out the technical
situation.
Of course, there has been speculation that your concern
for the future of F1 is also self-interested: namely, that
there is financial pressure from Renault to reduce spending…
Renault wants a team that is healthy, and competitive. There
are these rumours that Renault doesn't have the money, or
Renault won't spend the money. Just pick up the balance sheet
for Renault-Nissan, and you will see that there are no money
problems. That is not the issue. What we have is a vision
for Formula 1: to be more efficient, and to have the results
and investment in proportion. We don't see the point in going
racing with a blank chequebook, the challenge is to win with
efficiency.
The other concept that is often mentioned is "technology"
and that it must be maintained at a high level. What do you
think?
If somebody should complain about cutting technology, it is
Renault. We are winning, which means we have winning technology.
So why throw away our advantage? All these other people are
talking about technology, but some have never won a race,
others have not won a championship for years. The fact is
that the teams who have dominated in Formula 1 in the past
six years, are in agreement. Renault is in line with Ferrari,
on wanting the same show for less cost. It is a simple vision:
to make Formula 1 a centre of profit, not a centre of loss.
But people say technology is a key part of the appeal
of Formula 1…
For sure, they are right, and even with lower costs, we will
still have the high level of technology. But what do you think
gets more interest: developing a twin clutch that you then
hide away from the people, or having Sylvester Stallone on
the grid in front of the TV cameras? We need to entertain
people, and understand that Formula 1 is an event. With the
manufacturers, we are there to build their image and help
their communications. We want to discover new markets, and
to be ambassadors to help sell a product. I think Formula
1 needs to start to look at the big picture, not just worrying
about technology.
Have you decided on your own plans for the future?
That is not relevant for me at the moment. Whatever I do in
the future, I need to be doing the best thing now for the
company I represent, Renault. I need to make sure that we
have a healthy, competitive team for the future. That is the
priority.
Next year's Renault F1 Team will be without Fernando
Alonso. Will it be a big loss?
Of course. But he is young, he has won a lot with the team,
and he has been here for five years. So he wanted a new challenge
and motivation. If he had talked to me, I would have given
him a different opinion on what he should have done for his
future. In the end, though, maybe this change is good for
the team as well. You get into a cycle, and if you don't change,
the winning ends. It happened to Benetton ten years ago, with
Ferrari last year, and maybe it could have happened to Renault
as well. Now, we have a fresh motivation for 2007: to make
sure Renault is beating McLaren and Alonso.
When will you announce your driver line-up for 2007?
The situation has not changed. In our car, today, there are
three or four drivers who could win races. Michael Schumacher,
Alonso, Raikkonen and Fisichella, who has shown he can win
races with us. For the future, there are drivers like Hamilton,
or Kovalainen who could possibly win championships. Our job
is to make sure we have the car to attract those drivers,
and to do that, we need to be quicker than the opposition.
That is the priority and at the moment, we are delivering.
Now we arrive in Monaco, the jewel in the crown of
Formula 1. What are your expectations?
Monaco is what Formula 1 is all about: putting on a fantastic
show for the fans, for the TV, for everybody. Renault will
be strong, and we want to win there – like we did two
years ago with Trulli. But the important thing is that people
are excited by this season, and we are having a fantastic
battle with Ferrari. We need to look at everything in a simple
way: what matters is the show on the track, not the talking.
So far, I think we are entertaining our public, and we want
to continue doing that in Monaco.
Monaco Tech File
Monaco is a unique circuit in the Formula 1 season. It is
often talked about as THE race of the year, and the tight,
twisting street circuit needs a special approach to get the
best from the R26.
Chassis
Ride heights: Monaco is not only a very
twisty circuit, but it is also extremely bumpy, sharply cambered
and slippery, particularly early in the weekend when little
rubber has been put down on the racing line. We therefore
raise ride heights by between 5 and 7 mm relative to normal
in order to cope with the surface variations on the circuit.
\ In order to obtain the best possible level of grip, we
use soft suspension settings, which also help the car ride
the bumps and cope with the sharp cambers. The bumpy surface
means the wheels must be able to move independently to ride
the bumps, and we soften the anti-roll bars to achieve this.
Camber angles are also a focus of special attention, and we
run them fairly high – but not so much as to make the
car unstable in the bumpy, high-speed braking zones.
Aerodynamics: Monaco sees us run the highest
downforce level of the year, and the cars often sprout extra
appendages for this race to claw back even more aerodynamic
advantage. The downforce brings benefits not just in the corners,
but under braking and acceleration. Straight-line speed is
of little importance at this circuit, and we sometimes runs
higher drag levels than normal in order to get more downforce.
Steering angle: The Grand Hotel hairpin
is the tightest of the season, and demands the highest steering
angle of the year. It is, for example, two times more than
anything required at the last race in Barcelona. We also calibrate
the traction control system and differential to help the car
turn on the throttle.
Engine
Performance: Monaco does not initially seem a demanding engine
circuit, as the drivers spend just 50% of the lap at full
throttle – the lowest value of the year. However, that
is something of an urban myth, and numerous challenges must
be tackled to get the maximum from the RS26. The bumpy surface
means there is a real risk of over-revving. In terms of performance,
it is important to have a driveable engine with good torque,
even from very low revs, in order to launch out of the slow
corners.
Gearbox: We use closely-spaced gear ratios
at this circuit in order to optimise acceleration, and get
the most from the engine at slow speeds.
Cooling: The absence of significant straights
makes cooling the engine difficult, especially as the short
gear ratios mean the engine is often running at high revs
even though the car is moving relatively slowly through the
air. This presents a challenge for cooling the car effectively,
and we sometimes have to open up the bodywork to ensure the
engine does not overheat. However, with aerodynamic efficiency
less of a priority here than elsewhere, this does bring its
usual lap-time penalty, should it be required.
Renault F1 Team Collection launched in Monte-Carlo
The Renault F1 Team and Racing Blue are delighted to announce
the launch of the Renault F1 Team Collection, a unique range
of bespoke furniture and objets d'art.
The Renault F1 Team Collection was born from an idea by David
Ambrose, a successful property developer and avid F1 enthusiast.
He spotted a niche in the Formula 1 team memorabilia market
for highly-engineered, elegant objects that reflect the sport's
high-tech image. "There was nothing on the market that
reflected the brilliant engineering, and beauty, of Formula
1 cars. That's what we wanted to create," explains David
Ambrose.
Having discussed his idea with long-time friend Rod Vickery,
a former F1 marketing specialist who still works in sponsorship
acquisition, they formed Racing Blue, and then approached
the world champion Renault F1 Team with a licence programme
that would allow them to enter the market with a unique product,
and the prestige of Formula 1 success.
Graphic design company d.vision create developed the initial
concepts, working with original equipment from the world championship-winning
R25 F1 car under creative director Jonathan Davis. "We
had to create products people wanted to use, with real aesthetic
qualities," he explains. "And it was imperative
to achieve the same level of quality that the Renault F1 Team
achieves."
The pieces are manufactured by Interart, a Buckinghamshire,
UK-based company well-known for making film props. Their brief
was to transform the initial designs into reality, with a
minimum of changes to the original components.
The results are an impressive collection of intriguing functional
and beautiful objects. They remain true to the spirit of F1
by maintaining the integrity of each component, yet transform
the components completely. Transmission gears have metamorphosed
into handsome candlesticks, the intricate exhaust pipes have
become a dramatic lamp, and the delicate wishbone suspension
is a silver and titanium-rimmed vase.
"Form follows function in the world of Formula 1, but
the objects that make up our racing car are beautifully-crafted
objects in their own right," explained Renault F1 Team
Operations Director John Mardle. "The Renault F1 Team
Collection has met every expectation we had in terms of producing
unique, high-quality products that capture the values of Formula
1. They highlight the skill and craftsmanship involved in
winning at the highest level."
Every item in the launch range is from the 2005 Renault F1
R25 world championship-winning car, and a true limited edition.
New items from the R25 and R26 will be introduced through
the year and, just as a Formula 1 car evolves through its
life, so too will the Renault F1 Team Collection.
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