Preview, 2006 Italian GP
The Renault F1 Team previews the 2006 Italian GP.
Fernando Alonso
Fernando, two weeks on from the race in Istanbul,
what are your thoughts on the Turkish Grand Prix from Renault's
perspective?
I think the team did a fantastic job in Turkey. We have had
a strange summer, with the mass damper decision and some poor
results, so it was good to prove to everybody that the car
is competitive regardless. We really fought hard in that race,
and it shows we are ready to fight with Ferrari all the way
to the end of the championship.
You kept Michael behind you for fifteen laps –
was it revenge for Imola earlier this year?
You try and finish ahead of your competitors in every race.
It is always difficult to overtake in F1, and we had the luck
to do it in the pits. From that point, I knew it wouldn't
be easy for Michael to get back past, so I defended my position
in the normal way. It was an important result.
Monza is one of the mythical F1 tracks. What would
it mean to win there?
This year I have won in Silverstone, in Monaco, in Spain –
and for sure, I want to win Monza too. It is one of the legendary
circuits, so it would be special to win there, and even more
so to beat Ferrari at their home race. We know how important
the championship is, but this is a big race as well.
You run with the lowest downforce levels of the season
– how does it feel to drive?
It feels like a different car when you drive in Monza. You
have such low downforce that by the time you get to the end
of the straight, it feels like you could fly! The steering
feels light, the movements are a bit lazy, and you don't quite
feel like you have everything under control. It's not a nice
feeling for the driver, but it's what you need at Monza to
be quick on the straights.
So is straightline speed what you focus on in practice?
No, it's more than that. You need the speed but when you are
running low downforce, it's hard to get good braking stability
and ride over the kerbs. That's what we are always asking
the engineers for – better ride on the kerbs, and more
stable braking.
What are your goals for the race weekend?
There is only one target for the Renault team at the moment:
to finish in front of Ferrari. They have been quite dominant
in the last races, so beating them means winning races. That
is our focus.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Giancarlo, you finished sixth in Turkey after a strong
race – but Renault lost ground in the championship.
What are your feelings two weeks later?
Turkey was a difficult race. I lost control of the car at
the first car because I was very close to Fernando and wanted
to avoid an accident. After that, we changed strategy and
the race pace was very good – with the help of the Safety
Car, I went from 17th to 6th. They were important points for
the team, and I did my best. But we know it is important to
be fighting for the podium at every race now.
Tell us about Monza...
Well, it's my home race, so obviously special for that reason.
I have a good feeling with the track: I won there in Formula
3, and got on the podium last year, being the first Italian
to do it since Alboreto 17 years earlier. That was a great
result, but a win would be even more special.
Can you describe the good feeling you have there?
We run with very low downforce, the grip level is low and
it's not easy to slow the car down from 350 kph to 60 kph
for Turn 1, the slowest chicane. When the grip conditions
are poor, I generally have a good level of confidence, like
in Canada, and I am able to be consistent. That will be especially
important for the race.
This year, you go to Monza locked in a battle with
Ferrari. As an Italian driver, fighting an Italian team at
the Italian Grand Prix, will it be a strange feeling?
It is going to be interesting! There will be lots of tifosi
pushing Ferrari along, but as an Italian, I know I will have
support as well. I am looking forward to the weekend!
You are fourth in the championship, ten points behind
Massa. Is your target for the season to finish third?
Yes, absolutely, and I know I can do it. I lost ground to
Massa at the last race, so now I have to do the maximum and
catch up the ten points I am missing at the moment. I have
really high motivation to do it.
And what will be your main assets in that battle?
Number one, the team, the car and the tyres. We have a really
strong package and it is being developed all the way to the
end of the year. After that, I need to score the maximum points,
try to get four podiums – and win at least one of the
races. If I can do that, then it can help Renault take the
championship at the end of the year.
Bob Bell, Technical Director
The Renault F1 Team's Technical Director discusses the championship
ahead of the season's final phase.
Bob, the Renault F1 Team went into the test ban with
a 21 point lead in the Constructors' Championship –
and leaves it two points ahead. Have you lost momentum?
It is a mathematical fact that the constructors' championship
has closed up significantly during August. Clearly, the team
suffered from the fact that the loss of the Tuned Mass Damper
(TMD) coincided with the summer test ban. We have now had
the chance to reoptimize the R26, and the events of the summer
have made us hungrier to prove we can do the job. Our points-scoring
momentum might have dipped, but importantly there is no loss
of momentum in the team's effort to put out a winning car
at each race. We will be working as hard as humanly possible
to come out on top of what will be a very close battle, as
the advantage swings back and forth between us and Ferrari.
In some senses, one might suggest that 2006 is simply
a four-race world championship…
That's certainly one way to look at it. After fourteen races,
we are essentially all square with Ferrari. We have four races
left, where we can be very aggressive because the titles are
there to be won – and we have to seize that opportunity.
Renault built a big lead in the first four races of the year,
and although it will be a lot tougher now, there is no reason
why we cannot do it again.
Starting in Monza?
Monza is going to be a hard race, there's no doubt about it.
We are in the heart of Ferrari territory. But you can look
at it two ways: as a boost for them, or an added incentive
for us to get the upper hand. Certainly, we are very motivated
to return them the favour after they won on our home turf
in Magny-Cours… I think Monza will suit the strengths
of their package, but last week's test was very close and
there is no reason to believe our package is weaker than theirs.
We have the special Monza aero items on the car, and a good
engine upgrade for Fernando who will use a D-spec engine.
I believe we are in strong shape.
Flavio said in Turkey that the team will be concentrating
on the drivers' championship first and foremost in the final
races…
I think we have to be aiming to win both championships, in
the knowledge that if we do our maximum to get the constructors,
then that will bring the drivers' title with it. The drivers'
championship has great public cachet, but the constructors'
title means a huge amount to everybody involved with the team.
There are developments for the car and engine in the pipeline
until the very last race, and notably we will be bringing
some ideas from next year's car out of the wind tunnel and
onto the R26.
It has been said that the championship will essentially
come down to tyres. Do you agree?
I certainly think that the advantage will swing back and forth
according to who gets their tyre selection right, and who
gets it wrong. Michelin are working flat out to develop new
products and the results from testing were certainly promising.
Our expectation is to see a very even situation between the
two tyre manufacturers until the end of the year, and we hope
that our partnership with Michelin can bring us a decisive
advantage.
So what will be the secret to winning the 2006 championships?
As ever, there's no secret – just hard work, creativity
and professionalism. Neither team can afford mistakes, or
unreliability. At this stage, a DNF would be fatal. But we
also have to be resolute in our approach. Pressure can sometimes
cause unusual responses, but at Renault we will be keeping
our natural rhythm, our working processes and our conviction
that going racing our way can bring success. The easiest thing
to do would be to react in a knee-jerk fashion, and trip ourselves
up. The championships are there to be won in 2006, and we
are completely focused on doing just that.
Italy Tech File
One of the legendary F1 circuits, Monza is among the most
important races of the year – and demands special preparation,
both for the chassis and the engine. Here's a guide to the
unique features of the Italian circuit that the Renault F1
Team will be coping with this weekend.
Chassis
Aerodynamics: Monza is easily the fastest circuit on the
calendar. In order to obtain competitive top speeds, the team
develops a special low downforce aero package. While low downforce
is often the term used, the critical thing at this circuit
is achieving low levels of drag, which is achieved with particularly
efficient wing designs.
Suspension: Monza is an old circuit with
bumpy braking area into turns 4 (Roggia) and 11 (Parabolica),
although recent resurfacing work may have improved this a
little. Given the low levels of downforce and the aggressive
kerbs in the first two chicanes, mechanical grip and stability
are major set-up areas. In general, the front of the car will
be set up stiffer than the rear, to get a reactive change
of direction at the front while ensuring good traction at
the rear. Ride heights are generally quite low, but to avoid
touching at the fastest points of the circuit, we use bump
rubbers on which the car ‘sits' at high loads.
Braking: Monza is not just a power circuit, because the cars
spend nearly 15% of the lap on the brakes. The braking system
is worked very hard on this circuit, particularly on the entry
to turn 1 where the cars shed about 300 kph. We pay close
attention to brake cooling to ensure optimum performance.
Engine
Performance: Monza is the engine circuit par excellence.
With 79% of the lap spent at full throttle, the Italian circuit
is without any doubt the most demanding challenge the RS26
engine will meet all season. There are slow corners and an
average lap speed of 260 kph – meaning that at Monza
even more than other circuits, teams need a versatile, powerful
engine. This is the goal for the D spec engine that Fernando
Alonso will use this weekend.
Reliability: The cars require good braking
stability, but also a good balance in the fast and slow chicanes
portions where the driver often use a lot of kerb. That means
there is a real risk of hitting the rev limiter or damaging
the transmission when the rear wheels ‘land'. The team
also pays special attention to potential damage to ancillary
components such as water or oil pumps, which can be affected
by the severe demands of the Monza layout.
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