The Week at RF1
The next testing session in Barcelona, an exclusive interview
with Pat Symonds... The Week of the Renault F1 Team.
After a five week break since the season-ending Brazilian
Grand Prix, the world champion Renault F1 Team will be back
on track next week in Barcelona, for the first of three test
sessions before Christmas.
These sessions will have two primary objectives: accumulating
reliability mileage on components destined for the 2007 car,
but first and foremost learning the characteristics of the
Bridgestone tyres that the team will be using throughout next
season.
The team's current testing plans are as follows:
28/11 – 30/11, BARCELONA
KOVALAINEN
PIQUET JR.
06/12 – 08/12, JEREZ
FISICHELLA
KOVALAINEN
13/12 – 15/12, JEREZ
FISICHELLA
KOVALAINEN
We caught up with the team's Executive Director of
Engineering Pat Symonds to discuss the objectives for the
nine days of testing between now and Christmas:
Pat, the team will be running for nine days between
now and Christmas, weather permitting. What will be the objectives
for these test sessions?
Pat Symonds: The team's goals are two-fold. To a very large
extent, our running will deal with learning and adapting to
the true characteristics of the Bridgestone tyres. However,
the fact we will be using the same engine architecture next
year means it is also cost-effective to run components from
next year's car during these sessions, for reliability testing.
We will be taking full advantage of that opportunity.
How much do you already know about the Bridgestone
tyres?
PS: We have received a lot of data from Bridgestone, which
has been applied to our computer modelling in order to understand
the basics of how the car set-up need to be altered to get
the best out of the tyres. Factors such as weight distribution
and the aerodynamic characteristics of the car need to be
re-assessed to determine how to best use the Bridgestone tyres.
Presumably, though, computer modelling can only take
you so far in that process…
PS: Exactly. No amount of mathematical data can explain the
subtleties of the tyres, and especially of the tyre compounds.
We need to run on track in order to understand how to best
use the tyres over a stint, what driving style they require,
and their general strengths and weaknesses. The majority of
our nine days will be spent trying to get a handle on these
characteristics.
So will the priority be long runs, or performance
evaluation?
PS: Initially, the engineers will be working with the drivers
to get the basic balance of the car comfortable. That will
involve relatively short runs. Subsequently, we will look
to being working on how the tyres react over the length of
a race stint. It will be important to do plenty of mileage.
A change of tyre supplier is a major transition for
an F1 team. How big an impact will it have on the team over
the winter?
PS: I don't think the move to Bridgestone can be understated,
but it is also important not to overstate its importance.
The last time we changed tyre supplier was between 2000 and
2001. Since then, we have become a lot more knowledgeable
about the tyres, and we can apply a lot more intelligence
to the problem. On a technical level, the transition is one
of the normal engineering challenges an F1 team faces. The
other important factor is building strong working relationships
with our new partner, and establishing good communications.
That plays an important role in any partnership, and it is
something we will be working hard on.
Bridgestone have stated that the tyres used for testing
in Barcelona next week, will be the ones you are using at
the first race in Melbourne. Is that a help?
PS: It is a massive help. Had we been switching suppliers
in the middle of a tyre war, it would have been an order of
magnitude more difficult. The fact we are working with a stable
product will assist us greatly in understanding the tyres.
Our aim will be to get to Australia on an equal footing with
the teams that have been using them for a while already. That
will not be easy, but it is achievable.
How easy do you think it will be for the drivers
to make the transition?
PS: I am very confident in the drivers' ability to adapt.
Giancarlo already has experience of the Bridgestone tyres
from 2004; equally, when he changed tyre supplier at the start
of 2005, he had no problem adapting. I am sure he can do the
same again. As for Heikki, we already know that he has the
versatility and intelligence to make the change without any
difficulties. I am sure both drivers will feel at ease quite
quickly.
Finally, you mentioned the team will also be conducting
reliability testing on components for the 2007 car…
PS: It is something we do every winter, according to which
parts can be fitted to the car in a cost-effective way. In
recent seasons, we have negotiated major changes in engine
architecture that limited our scope for running major mechanical
items. However, the regulations for next season are stable
and this means that we will begin running the 2007 gearbox
in Barcelona, in order to make the unit fully reliable before
the start of next season. It has already completed several
race distances on the dyno, and we are confident that this
programme will run smoothly alongside our tyre work.
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