Preview, 2007 Turkish GP - 20 AUG 2007
The ING Renault F1 Team previews round twelve of the 2007
Formula 1 World Championship.
Giancarlo Fisichella: "Focused on the weekend ahead"
Giancarlo, you endured a frustrating weekend in Hungary,
with a tough race stuck in traffic and a penalty after qualifying…
Yes, it's true. My race was decided there and then on Saturday
afternoon because as everybody knows, it is very hard to overtake
in Budapest. What's more, my strategy had been calculated
for a top ten starting spot. But the race is now in the past,
and I am focused on the weekend ahead. We will be trying to
have a strong race, it's important for me and for the team's
championship position as well.
After a three-week break, you will be returning to
action at Istanbul Park, the newest F1 venue. Do you enjoy
this circuit?
Very much. It is a new generation circuit, everything is still
very new and it is a properly challenging circuit. I have
always raced well here in the past, and I hope it will be
the case again this year.
There is also the small matter of the circuit's "signature
corner", the impressive turn 8…
It is probably the most difficult corner in the whole championship.
A long-left hander, with an apex speed of around 250 kph,
for about 6.5 seconds. There are some high g-forces to contend
with, on your body but especially on the neck, and it can
be very difficult, especially at the end of the race. It is
demanding for the drivers, but that is the attraction for
us!
On the technical front, what areas will you focus
on in order to get the maximum from the car?
Just like at every other circuit, the most important thing
is to find a good handling balance. We need to find the correct
compromise in terms of downforce, set the suspension quite
stiff – and to work hard to get a good level of traction.
Our work during practice on Friday will focus on trying out
some different set-ups, to give us a competitive car for qualifying
and the race on Sunday.
Heikki Kovalainen: "I can't wait to get back on track
this weekend"
Heikki, what is your opinion of the Istanbul Park
circuit?
I actually drove an F1 car here last year when we did a demonstration
run as part of the World Series by Renault race weekend, so
I have some idea of how the circuit feels in an F1 car. It
is a very tough circuit and I must say, one of my favourites.
Everything has been really well thought-out, they did a fantastic
job to bring F1 to Turkey and the atmosphere is always special,
because the Turkish fans seem to really enjoy the race weekend.
I can't wait to race in Istanbul.
What are the keys to a good performance in Istanbul?
There are a number of high-speed corners, and that means we
have to focus most of all on the aero balance of the car,
because aerodynamic grip is crucial. The surface is still
very new, so it's smooth and that makes life a bit easier
on the mechanical side, helping keep the car stable. The other
important parameter will be getting good traction. These are
all areas we will be working on during our three hours of
practice on Friday, and I think we can find a good set-up
compromise, as we managed at the last race in Budapest.
Does a big corner like turn 8 make the circuit more
difficult?
I don't know about more difficult, but certainly more exciting!
The conditions can be very hot as well, which makes the job
tougher for the teams and the drivers. But in terms of turn
8, it is a fantastic corner, and one of the most enjoyable
of the whole year!
You are returning after the summer break. Was it
useful to be able to recharge your batteries for the final
part of the season?
It was nice to have a short break, but I think it was most
important for the race and test teams to have a break, especially
after the difficult start to the season that we experienced.
On my side, I went back to Finland to see my friends and family,
and to do some training ahead of the next races – and
so I am ready for 58 laps through turn 8! It is always good
to have some time off, but it has only made me more impatient
to get back in the car. I can't wait to start driving again.
Bob Bell: "Continue our hard work"
The ING Renault F1 Team Technical Director evaluates the
season so far, as the team prepares for the final six races.
Bob, how would you summarise the 2007 season so far?
It's no surprise to hear me say that this year has been a
big disappointment. Our level of performance so far has been
well below our expectations at the start of the season. But
having said that, there have been a number of positives too,
most importantly the way in which the team has handled, and
responded to, what was a tough situation for all concerned.
So what is the situation now, approaching race twelve
in Turkey?
We are not taking our foot off the pedal, and we are still
working very hard for the final six races in the 2007 championship
– and beyond.
Does that mean you will still have major developments
to come this year?
We will have some minor aerodynamic upgrades in Turkey, and
a new aero package in Monza adapted to the very low drag set-up
we require there. We will also be working hard to extract
more performance at the track from our most recent developments.
Back at the factory, though, the moment has come to focus
our energies on 2008. We have always said that our problems
this year would not compromise next year's programme, and
that remains the case.
What are your expectations for the race weekend in
Turkey after the summer break?
No team has been allowed to test, but everybody will have
been working hard back at the factory. We have made progress,
and I am sure other people have too. I think that the overall
picture will be similar to recent races, and indeed should
stay relatively stable until the end of the season in my opinion.
Turkey is not a race that presents any extreme challenges,
apart from the high temperatures we will have to face. And
our objective will, as always, be to get the most out of our
package.
In terms of your direct competitors, how would you
evaluate the situation at this stage of the season?
The top two teams are clearly still a step ahead, and it will
be difficult for anybody to race with them. Looking at BMW,
they have taken a definite step forward in the last few races
and they remain, at this stage of the year, quicker than us.
Williams and Toyota have moved forward too. I think that it
we continue to work well and to get the most from the car,
then we are capable of beating BMW on a number of occasions
before the end of the year. That remains our target.
You hinted that 2008 is already a priority for the
team. How is the R28 project progressing?
Our design and development resources are already focusing
intently on 2008. We began work on the car early, and our
approach has been quite different to recent years. First and
foremost, we had to be certain that our development tools
were working correctly. Once this was confirmed, we began
putting a lot of energy into the design of the new car. The
project is on time, and we have been exploring some very interesting
new development paths.
Turkish GP Tech File
The Turkish GP will mark the start of the final third of
the 2007 championship. Round 12 of the season is likely to
be held in extremely high temperatures on the newest circuit
on the calendar. It's a track that drivers and engineers enjoy,
thanks to a challenging layout that combines slow corners,
long straights, changes in gradient and turn 8, among the
most difficult corners of the entire season.
Chassis
The 14-turn Istanbul Park circuit is typical of the modern
layouts, typified by the circuits in Bahrain and Shanghai,
in that it features an extremely long straight which means
top speed is a critical performance factor in determining
a good race set-up. Ideally, teams would run more downforce
than they are able to, in order to gain time through the high-
and medium-speed corners, but the long straight after turn
10 shifts the compromise towards a low-medium set-up in order
to achieve competitive top speeds – and to allow the
drivers either to overtake, or defend their position against
rivals.
The circuit is the newest on the calendar, and still in good
condition. The surface is generally smooth and the kerbs are
not particularly aggressive. This allows the engineers to
use relatively stiff suspension settings and low ride heights
to optimise aerodynamic performance, to achieve a good change
of direction in the technical portions and to give good stability
in the high-speed corners. The only exception to this is in
turn 8, where several large bumps can disrupt the car and
cause oversteer. Generally, the drivers adjust their line
to avoid the bumps, rather than compromising the car set-up
to cope with them.
The braking demands of the circuit are not particularly severe
in overall terms, but the braking zone into turn 12 is critical
as this is the main overtaking opportunity. The drivers must
be able to attack this braking event with confidence when
battling wheel-to-wheel, while overshooting the corner can
be very costly on a timed lap.
The overall energy put through the tyres in Istanbul is close
to that seen in Silverstone, and Bridgestone will make available
the same combination of medium and hard compound tyres as
it did for the British Grand Prix. We pay particular attention
to the front tyres, and the right-front in particular, as
they have a very hard time in the long, high-speed turn 8.
Engine
In common with the more modern circuits, Istanbul Park is
a demanding and varied challenge for the engine. Approximately
67% of the lap is spent at full throttle, a figure that is
well above average, and the circuit also includes a long period
of around 16 seconds spent at full throttle, between turns
10 and 12. The engine must be tractable, pulling strongly
from low revs all the way to its 19,000 rpm limit, while power
delivery at high revs is also fine-tuned to avoid upsetting
the car balance in turn 8.
It is important to ensure the power train is well-cooled,
but we are familiar with the engine's needs at this stage
of the season. The circuit features no prolonged, slow-speed
sections which might cause overheating, and the long straights
mean that the car is well cooled.
Magic Moments: 30 Years of Renault in F1
As the newest Grand Prix on the current F1 calendar, the
Turkish Grand Prix has hosted relatively few magic moments
in Renault's F1 history; but this year's Turkish GP weekend
marks a special milestone in the team's track record even
so…
Renault at the Turkish GP
First run in 2005, the Turkish Grand Prix has seen Renault
on the podium in both years in which it has been held. On
both occasions, Fernando Alonso finished the race in second
place, benefiting from misfortunes to cars in front. In 2005,
the victim was Juan-Pablo Montoya, whose damaged McLaren ran
wide in turn 8 on lap 57, allowing Alonso to pass; while in
2006, the Spaniard held off Michael Schumacher's Ferrari in
a stirring battle reminiscent of their duel at Imola in 2005.
With a total of 24 points scored in the past two races, Renault
has scored more points in Turkey than any other manufacturer
during the race's short history.
Other anniversaries
24 August represents a major milestone in Renault's F1 history,
as it was on this day in 2003 that Fernando Alonso took the
Renault F1 Team's first victory at the Hungaroring, lapping
world champion Michael Schumacher in the process. This was
the first of the 18 race wins (and counting) that the Renault
F1 Team has scored since the company returned to F1 in 2002.
Back in 1996, the same date saw an all-Renault front row at
Spa-Francorchamps, with the V10 engines powering Williams
team-mates Villeneuve and Hill; the Canadian managed second
position the next day, behind Michael Schumacher's Ferrari.
On 25 August 1979, René Arnoux took his second career
pole position at Zandvoort, and the 5th for the Renault team,
at the wheel of his Renault RS10.
Over at Red Bull Racing… with Fabrice Lom
Fabrice, how did you prepare for the forthcoming
race during the summer break?
Unlike many of the other teams, we have been running during
the summer break, with an aero test and a shakedown before
sending the cars to Istanbul. That allowed us to calibrate
some components ahead of the weekend, and to be in a position
to get the most out of our package this weekend.
Turkey is a challenging circuit for the drivers,
particularly through turn 8. Is that also true for the engine?
We are preparing for three very demanding races for the engines,
with Istanbul, Monza and Spa. Each circuit is challenging
in its own way. In Turkey, there are a number of long straights,
which means long periods spent at full throttle – which
is always a challenge. Secondly, there is a fine dust all
round the circuit, and that can pollute the engine unless
precautions are taken. And finally the temperatures are generally
very high, which must be taken into account when planning
how to run the engine. All of that makes the Turkish Grand
Prix an interesting challenge for our engine team!
How do you think the RS27 will respond to the different
challenges this weekend?
We don't have any particular worries. At this stage of the
season, we know the engine well, and its reliability has already
been well tested. The drivers want a tractable, powerful and
reliable engine at Istanbul, and the RS27 meets those criteria.
So we should be able to perform strongly this weekend and,
of course, will be doing our maximum to achieve that.
|
