Preview, 2007 Malaysian GP - 2 APR 2007
The ING Renault F1 Team previews round two of the
2007 Formula 1 World Championship.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Giancarlo, you scored the team's first points of
the season at the last race in Australia. How was you race?
It was a tough race for me. We weren't on the pace of the
leaders, and I needed to be aggressive all the way through
to maintain my position and stay ahead of Massa, who was attacking
hard in the final laps. We knew beforehand that we weren't
fast enough, but the first race gave us a clearer picture
of where we stand – and showed us the areas we need
to focus on.
The Malaysian Grand Prix has the reputation of being
a particularly difficult race. Do you have to do any special
preparation?
Without a doubt, this is the toughest race of the season –
not just physically, but mentally too. The high temperatures
and humidity make things very tough for the drivers and the
cars too. For me personally, though, there are very good memories
from my win last year, and I am prepared for the race this
time round. I trained hard over the winter, I am in peak condition
– and ready to go.
The temperatures and humidity levels are among the
highest of the whole season, how do you take these factors
into account when setting up the car?
We tested in high temperatures in Bahrain during the winter,
and that allowed us to make good progress. The conditions
will be even more extreme in Malaysia, but we already know
what we need to do in terms of cooling the car and engine,
which is always a priority. Since then, of course, the team
has tested in Sepang as well, so I think we will be well prepared
for the race.
Do you think the R27 can perform well in Sepang?
Our aim for the second race is to have a car that is totally
reliable – and quicker than in Melbourne. Renault has
always performed well in Sepang, and I think the R27 will
be OK there too. The team has been working hard since Australia,
and I believe things are moving in the right direction, with
new developments on the car. Step by step, we are hoping to
make up ground on the leaders.
Heikki Kovalainen
Heikki, you were clearly disappointed with your first
race in Australia. How have you prepared for the race in Malaysia?
My weekend in Albert Park was one to forget, but it is in
the past now. Since Melbourne, my complete focus has been
on the race ahead – and performing to the level I know
I can reach. I worked hard with the team during testing in
Sepang to get comfortable with the car, and I have learned
the circuit: it seems very challenging, and fun to drive.
I am determined to put Melbourne behind me, and drive a good
race in Malaysia.
What areas will you concentrate on during preparations
for the race?
The temperatures are so high that the main focus is on finding
the right cooling levels for the car and engine to get the
maximum from the package. That means getting enough air to
the engine, without sacrificing more downforce than is necessary.
After that, of course we will work through the usual range
of set-ups, looking at downforce levels, suspension settings
and tyre pressures to find a good balance with the car on
new and old tyres. As always, it will be about finding the
most effective compromise between all the different factors.
Are you expecting a difficult race in Malaysia?
Yes, I think it will be a tough race, probably the most difficult
of the season because of the conditions. The air is very hot,
even on the straights, so you hardly get any cooling at all
– and that makes it very intense physically. It will
be tough, but I have trained for this race – and I am
ready.
You tested last week in Sepang, was that useful preparation
for you?
Without a doubt. We found a good basic set-up with the car,
in conditions similar to those we will have during the race
weekend. On a personal level, I have learned the circuit,
the lines and the braking points, so that gives me a solid
starting point for the race weekend.
Bob Bell, Technical Director
Bob, the Melbourne race weekend was a tough one for
the ING Renault F1 Team. What are the expectations as you
head into round two in Sepang?
Within the team, we are hoping to show that we have taken
a step forward relative to Melbourne. At this stage, it is
unrealistic to talk about catching Ferrari or McLaren –
but we need to show that progress has been made, and that
we are starting to close down the gap.
The in-season development process is now well underway.
What will it bring on-stream in Malaysia?
The main gain in Malaysia will be a new front wing package,
which will help with the performance. However, it is quite
possible that the hierarchy of relative performance will actually
be dominated by how well teams have responded to the FIA's
clarification of the bodywork regulations last week. The new
testing methods for the floor will, I am sure, have caused
some difficulty for all the teams – and how well they
respond to that change may well have a larger effect than
any other performance developments.
Historically, Malaysia is a circuit where the team has performed
strongly, with victories in the last two races. How well will
the R27 go there?
The race weekend in Melbourne, and our testing last week in
Sepang, showed that the car is well-balanced – particularly
on old tyres. That will be a definite strength. However, the
other lesson from Australia was that we are lacking in overall
grip, and this will certainly penalise us in the high speed
corners. We hope to have made progress and moved closer to
the pace-setters, but the real verdict will come out on the
track.
The team tested in Sepang last week – and were
near the bottom of the timesheets each day. Is that a cause
for concern?
I think it reflects our approach to the new testing restrictions
more than anything else. We are now only allowed to test with
a single car during the season, and there is so much development
work to be done that you have to be very disciplined in how
you run. That means putting miles on development parts and
completing reliability work – and a knock-on effect
is that there is less of an opportunity to set quick headline
times. Test times are never a reliable guide as to true competitiveness,
and that is more true than before in 2007.
Unusually, Melbourne saw a number of reliability
problems for the team. Are you confident these have been resolved?
Action has been taken to ensure they are not repeated. Especially
in our current situation, where we are not on the pace, we
cannot afford to sacrifice reliability as well. The car needs
to be absolutely bullet-proof, and we hope to see that in
Malaysia.
At this stage last year, the team was riding high.
The situation is very different in 2007. What is the mood
like within the Renault camp?
I think we all find it frustrating to be in this position,
because we're competitive people, we want to win and we don't
like it when we're not winning. We have a responsibility to
improve our performance, and that is a very strong motivation.
But there is no lack of focus or determination within the
team. We are just as focused now as we were at the same time
last year – and working hard to improve the situation.
Giancarlo drove a strong race to fifth place in Melbourne.
What will the team expect from him in Malaysia?
More of the same. It is important that we have a driver who
is getting the maximum from the car – no matter where
it is capable of finishing. He needs to take all the points
that are there to be had, not let his head drop – and
fight all the way to the finish. That is exactly what he did
in Melbourne, and what the team will be doing as well. He
certainly has the ability to lead by example in the coming
months.
Heikki endured a difficult debut in Australia. Will
the situation improve for Sepang?
I believe so. Heikki is determined to give a better account
of himself than he did last time – and he knows that
Giancarlo is setting the bar high for him in terms of getting
the most out of the car. He has had the chance to prepare
well this week, and we are looking forward to seeing him achieve
what we know he is capable of.
Finally, the key to strong performance throughout
the year will, as always, be to develop the car quickly. What
programme does the team have in place?
As always, we have an ambitious development programme in place
for the car. Given our current situation, we will be pushing
even harder to introduce new parts as quickly as possible.
In past seasons, we had to balance our aggression with a degree
of caution to avoid compromising our lead in the championship.
This year, we have got nothing to lose – and that will
allow us to be even more aggressive.
ING Renault F1 Team run special branding in Hanjin
tribute
The 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix will see the ING Renault F1
Team running special Hanjin branding in tribute to the late
Chairman and CEO of Hanjin Shipping, Mr. Sooho Cho.
For this race, the team's Hanjin logo will be replaced by
a tribute branding dedicated to Mr Cho.
Mr Cho was a long-standing supporter of Formula 1, making
his first entry into the sport in 1994, when Korean Air, then
part of the Hanjin group of companies, became a sponsor of
the Simtek F1 team.
After moving from Simtek to the Tyrell F1 team in mid-1995,
the company joined the Benetton F1 team in 1997, which marked
the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the Enstone-based
team.
Korean Air continued as a team partner until late 2001 when
the works Renault F1 Team made its debut in the sport. The
new car featured ‘Hanjin' branding, promoting Hanjin
Shipping, a major global shipping company, with operations
at 80 ports in 35 countries.
Since 2002, Hanjin has shared in a total of 18 Grand Prix
wins, 48 podium finishes and four world championship titles
with the Renault F1 Team.
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