Preview, 2007 British GP
 The
ING Renault F1 Team previews round nine of the 2007 Formula
1 World Championship
Giancarlo Fisichella: "Moving forward
all the time"
Giancarlo, you started fifth and finished sixth in
France. Was that a welcome result after two non-scores in
North America?
Absolutely! It was frustrating not to have been able to keep
the BMWs behind, or even to make up positions in the race,
but the first priority was to finish. After that, the next
positive was that we had the pace to fight very closely with
BMW in Magny-Cours. We perhaps made a mistake when it came
to our second stint, and certainly we would have preferred
to gain ground on our rivals, rather than lose six points.
Having said that, though, there are more positives than negatives
to take from the weekend.
How so?
Firstly, from qualifying. We got into the top ten quite easily
in Q2, and then were able to make it an all-Renault third
row. That is so much stronger than where we were even two
months ago, and it shows how much hard work is being done
back at the factories – and that we are on the right
track. And then in the race, I was able to keep Alonso behind
me quite comfortably in the final stint. For me, it shows
that the gap to the teams in front is coming down, slowly
but surely.
What are your thoughts about Silverstone this weekend?
They are quite positive. Firstly, for the weekend itself:
it is another home race for us after Magny-Cours, with all
the people from the factory at Enstone coming to support the
team. So of course, a good result for them would be special.
But also because we have shown in the last few races that
we are closing the gap, and we are in the fight. When you
are in a situation like that, you want to be racing every
weekend, to try and make that little bit more progress. Our
fight will be with BMW again, and the target has to be to
finish ahead of them.
And what about the circuit?
It's a fantastic track, one of the legendary circuits in Formula
1 and really selective for the cars and the drivers. The fast
corners need real commitment, a very good chassis and a stable
balance – which we have now with the R27. It is quite
bumpy, and physical with a lot of high g-loads around the
lap. A good lap at Silverstone is always satisfying, because
the car and the driver both need to be working really well
to achieve that. I finished fourth in the last two years,
so if we could repeat that result, it would be a great performance
for us.
Heikki Kovalainen: "The momentum is
building"
Heikki, a frustrating afternoon for you in Magny-Cours…
Yeah, it was. It wasn't a good day but you know, that's racing.
Sometimes you hit other cars, sometimes they hit you. Jarno
made a mistake, and it cost me the race, but that's just the
way it goes. It's ancient history now. I am still feeling
positive about the car, my driving and our prospects. It will
be nice to be back in action so soon.
What attitude do you approach the Silverstone race
with?
We can go there in a good frame of mind. The test two weeks
ago went very well, so we have a good baseline set-up for
practice on Friday. As always, we will be looking to do the
maximum, and I think we have a good opportunity to score points.
France was a tough race, but I believe that our basic performance
showed that we are gaining momentum all the time, as we improve
the car. We are still recovering from the start to the season,
and moving forwards. Hopefully that process will continue
again this weekend.
Do you expect to be racing with, and beating, BMW?
It's always hard to say before the event but if the trend
continues, then they will be the ones we are looking out for.
At the moment, it is very difficult to say if we are ahead
of them or behind in terms of pure performance, but we are
not focusing all our energy on BMW. We have to look beyond
them, to McLaren and Ferrari, because we want to beat them
too eventually. I know we will get there eventually, and keep
on pushing to make sure we do.
You have lived in the UK for many years now. Does
that make Silverstone even more special?
Of course. It's an important race for the English side of
the team, as all the mechanics have their families there,
plus the people from the factory, so we want to do well for
them. I have lived in England for a long time now as well,
and I have lots of friends there, so it will definitely be
a nice weekend.
Your track record here is pretty impressive as well…
I suppose so, yes. I won my first Formula Renault race here,
and in 2002 won the Grand Prix support meeting in F3. I had
two podiums in GP2 in 2005, but you know, none of that counts
for anything in F1. You get results through hard work, and
making sure you have the best car possible for every lap of
the race. Nothing will come for free just because I have done
well here in the past.
And finally, it's a special weekend for Renault as
well, celebrating thirty years of F1...
It's a big milestone for Renault, no doubt, but it doesn't
change our weekend too much. Scoring a good result means doing
the maximum, no matter where it is or what the occasion might
be. That's what we will be trying for again this weekend and
well, if it is another nice milestone in our recovery, then
that's all the better I suppose!
Silverstone Tech File
The arrival of the V8 engines last year, coupled with ever-rising
levels of downforce, transformed the challenge of the Silverstone
circuit. Corners previously requiring downshifts were taken
with just a lift of the throttle, and indeed the first half
of the circuit, all the way to Vale, requires very little
braking at all. The engines are under prolonged load and indeed,
the full throttle percentage per lap jumped by 12% between
2005 and 2006. While the less grippy tyres used in 2007 will
see that figure decrease, it still makes this a tough track
for every part of the car. Corners range from 180 mph sweepers
to the long, slow complex at the end of the lap – and
the car must also cope with the bumpy surface and capricious,
gusting winds. One word to describe Silverstone? Selective,
for both cars and drivers.
Aerodynamics
Downforce levels at Silverstone are medium-high – the
same as those used one week ago in Magny-Cours, when the R27
confirmed its recent progress in terms of pure performance.
The downforce is required for the quick corners in the opening
part of the lap, and the relatively short straights and short
braking zones mean that any deficit in straightline speed
is unlikely to see competitors overtaking you. The lack of
heavy braking also means we run some of the smallest brake
ducts of the year to optimise aerodynamic performance.
Ride
Ride is an important characteristic at Silverstone, where
maintaining consistent aerodynamic performance is so critical
for performance in the quick corners. The surface is quite
bumpy, and nowhere more so than under braking for turn 8,
where the uneven surface can unsettle the car. The drivers
also tend to drift out onto the kerbs exiting the quick corners
in order to take the fastest line, which can make the circuit
seem bumpier than it is.
Suspension
We run the car with a forward mechanical balance at this circuit
– essentially, with a stiff front end and softer rear
end. The stiff front gives the car a good change of direction
in the high and slow speed corners, while the softer rear
end gives better grip under traction, exiting turns 9, 11
and 16 in particular.
Tyres
Tyres are always given a hard time at a circuit including
numerous high-speed corners, and this means Silverstone, along
with Spa and Sepang, is among the toughest tracks of the season.
Bridgestone will offer the ‘medium' and ‘hard'
compounds from its 2007 range of Potenza tyres in order to
cope with these challenges.
Ambient conditions
As a former airfield, Silverstone is inevitably exposed to
the wind – and this can have a big impact on car performance.
Gusting wind alters the aerodynamic balance of the car and
makes handling unpredictable, particularly in the high-speed
corners. The driver must be able to judge the direction and
strength of the wind, and adjust his driving accordingly.
Engine
The percentage of the lap spent at full throttle has actually
decreased for 2007, with the advent of the single tyre supplier
era, decreasing from 71% to 68% for 2007. However, Silverstone
remains one of the harder circuits in terms of the demands
it places on the engine, which also needs to be responsive
at high revs as the drivers take the quick corners on either
full or partial throttle. In terms of cooling, we have already
tested at this circuit, and are well-prepared for every eventuality.
Strategy
Fuel consumption is high at Silverstone, as is the time penalty
for carrying extra fuel weight. This means that it is a circuit
where strategies rarely vary from the norm, as two extra laps
of fuel, for example, could cost nearly two tenths per lap.
Expect to see most teams running a "standard" 2007
strategy of two stops, which are generally slightly forward-biased
for the front runners in order to ensure good grid position
and clean air in which to race in the early stages. With overtaking
nearly impossible at this circuit, track position is all important.
Over at Red Bull Racing… with Fabrice Lom,
Principal Engineer, Red Bull Racing Trackside Engine Support
The engineer in charge of trackside support for the RS27
at Red Bull Racing explains the challenges of Silverstone.
Fabrice, you were disappointed on Sunday evening
in France after a tough home race…
It felt like we had raced for nothing in Magny-Cours. We didn't
score points, and we weren't on the pace. We are aiming to
put that behind us at Silverstone, which is another important
event as it is the home race for our partner Red Bull Racing,
and they will certainly be looking for a strong performance
at this track.
What is the technical approach for the weekend?
It is an important race, one of the historical events on the
calendar, and we hope to score some points. Like Spa and Monza,
this a demanding engine track because there are some very
high-speed sections, such as Becketts, where the car is under
very high lateral loads. Those are challenges we have to be
ready for. We tested here two weeks ago and made good progress,
so we have a good basis to work from on Friday morning.
What are your expectations for the weekend?
Scoring points is always our target. We approach every Grand
Prix the same way, trying to do our maximum, and this is a
race where we particularly want to succeed. Especially from
a personal point of view, I must admit: the team has organised
a charity event called ‘Wings for Life' for this weekend,
and I have the pictures of my children and parents on the
rear wing of Webber's car – so this would be a good
time to score lots of points!
Renault celebrates 30 years of F1 this week end…
16 laps, on July 16th 1977. On a weekend that saw the F1
debut of Gilles Villeneuve, and which was dominated by home
favourite James Hunt who won the race from pole, those few
short laps were a mere footnote. In the race results, the
explanation for the failure is unerringly simple: ‘turbo'.
The car had, though, done enough to earn itself a nickname:
the yellow teapot. And therein lay the secret…
Described by those who saw it and lived it, the Renault team
that arrived at Silverstone three decades ago sounds like
the antithesis of modern Formula 1. A small group of enthusiastic
young amateurs, unprepared, inexperienced, launching themselves
into the unknown on a wing, a prayer and a turbocharged engine.
Flying in the face of received wisdom, they persevered, overcame
their challenges and succeeded. It is said that imitation
is the sincerest form of flattery – and soon, everybody
was working out how to win Grands Prix with a 1.5 litre turbo.
Thirty years later, those faltering first steps have become
a collection of accomplishments that rivals with the sport's
best. In 25 seasons of F1 competition, Renault has won eight
constructors' championships – and seven drivers' titles.
Renault engines have powered their way to 113 wins, 154 pole
positions and 114 fastest laps. And this Sunday, four of the
very latest RS27 V8's will be present on the starting grid
of the 2007 British Grand Prix.
The technology may be different and the faces have undoubtedly
changed, but one thing remains the same: the spirit of competition.
It links today's ING Renault F1 Team with the group of passionate
young engineers who came to rock the world of Formula 1 three
decades ago, and continues to drive us forward to ever greater
challenges in the future.
"I wish to take this opportunity to wish a ‘happy
birthday' to all the people who have taken part in this adventure,
and who now make up Renault's F1 ‘family': technicians,
drivers, mechanics, engines, partners and suppliers. Above
and beyond technological and sporting performance, Formula
1 is a remarkable human story. And for us at Renault, our
achievements are more than a sporting heritage, they are a
source of genuine pride."
Alain Dassas, President, Renault F1 Team
Silverstone '77 remembered by those who were there
Gérard Larrousse (General Manager, Renault
Competition): When we started the Renault Formula
One campaign, we didn't have too many hopes of finishing races,
because the engine was just too fragile, but I was one hundred
percent sure that we could solve the various different problems
in some weeks or months. What I did hope was that we would
have an advantage on the atmospheric engines at three races
which were held at altitude: Kyalami, Zeltweg and Dijon, so
that was our goal. Of course, within two years we achieved
it with our win at Dijon.
Jean Sage (Team Manager): I started working
for Renault on January 1 1977, six months before the first
race. It was very short notice to race the car. Silverstone
was almost a success for us. First, we expected to race the
car before, and we had so many problems, so our aim at Silverstone
was to last as long as possible in the race. We were happy
with what we achieved in, because we knew that the car was
not so reliable and where we qualified and the laps we did
was already a success for us. It was not a disappointment.
But the team - everything - was new because six months before
we were a Formula Two team so this was quite new for us. We
had no experience of Formula One. The team was really very
inexperienced and amateur. We were not very professional but
it was quite a good atmosphere at my level. It was a very,
very long and painful entry between Silverstone ‘77
and Dijon ‘79, the first win.
Bernard Dudot: At the time, I was in charge
of the Le Mans programme, and we were all involved with that,
apart from 15 people, headed by Jean-Pierre Boudy, who were
starting the Formula One project. At the time, I would say
it was not a big priority at Viry-Châtillon but it was
a big surprise, because as a start, it was at the same time
so good and so bad. At Silverstone, we were exploring unknown
ground because when you take part in motor sport, you have
to go and fight and you have to race. Testing is good but
it is nothing compared to racing and for us it was our first
race. We were all very apprehensive about Silverstone, because
at the time we didn't know how good our engine was in terms
of performance. We knew all the problems, particularly reliability
because it wasn't just our reliability, it was the reliability
of all our suppliers: the pistons, the sleeves, the valves,
everything. We didn't know how good they were, so we knew
we had problems. And also we had a very young team and we
saw extraordinary things: air lines to air bottles being snagged
by wheels or wings coming off. At the beginning we had all
that to learn but we had something which at the time was indispensable:
we had youth, enthusiasm and a free spirit. You always need
some of that to succeed in such projects.
François Guiter (Elf Competition Director):
The yellow tea-pot. We made this engine and no one
believed it was possible to succeed but it was an engine which
revolutionised Formula One. It was a great experience. Someone
said we could get 500 bhp with our engine but all the big
engine people like Porsche and BMW, everyone said it was impossible.
So we said, OK, we try to do it, but the Renault people said
‘we won't pay. If you want to do it, you pay for it.'
We needed 500,000 francs at the time, and we called it a test
of competition engines and we paid for the first two engines
which, fortunately, gave virtually 500 bhp because we had
a lot of problems proving it afterwards. So that was it, that
was the debut. I didn't think we would get very far at Silverstone
because the first time that Jabouille drove the test car,
as he got out, he didn't dare talk to us, saying that it was
completely undriveable.
Jean-Pierre Jabouille (Driver): We arrived
at Silverstone with something that was completely different
to everything else: radial Michelin tyres which was the first
time in the world; a turbocharged engine for the first time
in Formula One; and a young driver who had been European Formula
Two champion called Jean-Pierre Jabouille! So everything was
new. I was very realistic arriving at Silverstone. I knew
that we would eventually be successful, but first of all I
wanted to finish races. The car was very difficult to drive
for two reasons: the first, the response time of the turbo,
and secondly, the Michelin tyres weren't at all progressive.
They had good grip but when they let go, it was very sudden.
The turbo lag, which gave you huge power very suddenly, plus
Michelin's tyres made it very difficult to drive. But, I remember
that Ken Tyrrell laughed at us a lot. It was he who called
us the tea pot but we made our debut, we weren't a disgrace,
we were in the middle of the pack and at the end of a number
laps, what we expected happened: the engine broke with a nice
cloud of smoke which made everyone laugh.
François Castaing (Technical Manager):
The first thing was that I was very anxious because we were
so inexperienced. I was concerned that we didn't look serious
or competent enough when compared to the big teams like Ferrari
and McLaren. And I couldn't believe that, after only starting
in 1972, we were there with a turbo engine. In 1972, Renault
Gordini and Renault Alpine were barely competing in anything,
only rallying with the A110, so already starting with the
V6, we were very inexperienced and even the old Gordini people
weren't much help. Yet five years later we had won the European
Formula Two championship, we'd won with the turbo in Mugello,
we had won in Formula Two and we were in Formula One. At the
time, we were so pumped up that we found it normal, but I
found it really unbelievable that there we were, standing
in the Silverstone paddock, and we were in Formula One.
Silverstone 1977: my first grand prix. By Simon Arron, aged
46
Silverstone '77 wasn't just an F1 first for Renault…
it was journalist Simon Arron's first ever F1 race. He explains
what he remembers from that summer's day.
In my mind Hans Stuck's wailing Brabham BT45B-Alfa is a frozen
snapshot: in reality it was travelling at quite a lick between
Abbey and Woodcote. I'd loved cars since before I could walk,
but this was the first time I'd seen their ultimate form in
three dimensions.
The trip to Silverstone was a treat in the immediate slipstream
of my O-levels and, with mates Phil and Dave, I cadged a parental
lift from Cheshire. Armed with tent, Camping Gaz stove and
some tins of ravioli, we were dropped by a gate and told to
return there three days hence.
Despite intimate familiarity with north-west England's classic
circuits (Oulton Park, Aintree and Longridge), we hadn't much
idea about Silverstone's geography. After paying £16
each for weekend admission, we simply ran towards the noise.
And there, on the other side of the first grass bank we reached,
was Stuck's Brabham. It has been lodged in my head ever since.
We pitched camp close to Club Corner, which became our main
weekend base. Of an evening, when security cleared off, we'd
roam the paddock to collect autographs and other mementos,
then return to the tent for more lukewarm ravioli.
We were by no means the only F1 newcomers: rather more significantly,
it was also the first race for Renault, turbocharged engines
and radial tyres (plus, of course, Gilles Villeneuve).
At the time it was an improbably thrilling adventure. Now,
grands prix are a matter of professional routine… but
that hasn't diluted their capacity to enthral.
Renault at Silverstone
Silverstone, the place where it all began for the Formula
1 world championship in 1950 – and for Renault's F1
adventure in 1977. During the turbo era, the British Grand
Prix alternated between Brands Hatch and Silverstone, which
meant that Renault engines raced at the old airfield just
five times from 1977 to 1986. During that period, Renault
power took three podiums – a second place for René
Arnoux in 1979, a win for Alain Prost in 1983 and a third
place for Jacques Lafitte's Ligier-Renault in 1985. The 1981
race had promised much, with an all-Renault front row and
the cars running one-two in the early stages, but failed to
deliver with Prost retiring, and Arnoux classified 9th after
retiring before the flag following a distribution problem.
The V10 era, though, was the beginning of something quite
different. In 1989, Patrese spun out of a potential podium
position, while in 1990, Thierry Boutsen finished on the second
step. But 1991 was when things really got going, as Nigel
Mansell took charge around the sweeps of Silverstone. Dominant
victories in 1991 and 1992 followed, with team-mate Riccardo
Patrese completing a one-two in 92. The run of victories then
continued unbroken until Renault retired from the sport, with
Prost taking victory in 1993, Hill in 1994, Herbert's Benetton
in 1995, Villeneuve in 1996 and the Canadian repeating the
feat in 1997 – leading home Jean Alesi and Alexander
Wurz (on his debut) for a Renault 1-2-3.
The third era of Renault's F1 participation got off to a
slower start, with an unremarkable performance in 2002. 2003
saw Jarno Trulli lead the race from P2 on the grid, but he
could manage only P6 at the finish. Not until 2005 did the
first podium come, a hard-fought second place for Fernando
Alonso, followed by a dominant weekend in 2006, during which
he set pole, took the win and clocked the fastest lap for
good measure.
In total, Renault power has taken 9 wins, 18 podiums and
10 pole positions at Silverstone since the very first start,
from a distant 21st position on the grid for the 1977 race.
An interview with Philippe Girard, Manager, Elf F1
Programme
What feelings does the RS01 from 1977 inspire today?
Amusement, or affection?
PG: It's a special sight, to see again the first F1 car to
carry the Renault diamond and the Elf logo. The technology
might seem outdated by today's standards, but it symbolises
the starting point of an incredible adventure that has seen
our partnership grow during three decades, and three different
eras: innovation with the turbo engine, the new concept of
the V10 – and the challenge of a full team, designing
both chassis and engine.
What have been the strengths of the Renault-Elf partnership
in your opinion?
PG: Thirty years of working together have built a very strong
partnership. Today, we are almost at the point that we don't
even need to talk in order to understand the needs of the
other partner! I believe our links are founded upon great
shared trust, constant communication… and a love for
motorsport at the very highest level. Renault and Elf have
also established unique working methods, which are the foundation
of our achievements. Very few partners in Formula 1 are lucky
enough to enjoy such a good collaboration.
Do you have any outstanding memories of the road
the two companies have travelled together?
PG: First of all, we must mention the efforts of François
Guiter at Elf, who was crucial to the birth of the turbo project
in 1977. The work by our chemists was already helping Renault
gain performance: in particular, I can remember the fuels
we custom-blended over a weekend to solve problems with engine
knock. In the V10 era, the things that stand out are the special,
high-performance fuels: between the start of 1992 and the
series of wins scored by Nigel Mansell, we found 40 horsepower.
And finally, I am very proud of the joint effort between Renault
and Elf to make the RS25 engine reliable at the start of that
season. A particular custom-made lubricant may well have made
the difference when it came to winning the title that year.
The theory of evolution
Thirty years may separate these two machines, but they have
more in common than you might expect.
The Renault RS01 and the Renault R27 seem an age apart. Whether
it be in terms of construction, or performance, they are from
different worlds. But both cars share a common objective:
to excel out on track. In their own way, each is an expression
of cutting-edge technology, a collection of ingenious discoveries
and solutions that have fed their way back into Renault's
road cars. What's more, the debt the R27 owes to the RS01
is unquestionable: that first car gave birth to what has now
become a true sporting culture at Renault. Every time a new
F1 car takes to the track, there's a little bit of the Yellow
Teapot lurking inside…
Chassis: Type RS01
Front track: 1425mm
Rear track: 1525mm
Wheelbase: 2500mm
Length: 4500mm
Width: 2000mm
Weight: 600kg
Construction: Aluminium monocoque
Front suspension: Double wishbones with inboard coil springs
Rear suspension: Double wishbones with outboard coil springs
Material: Steel
Brakes: Steel disc brakes and pads, 4 piston callipers
Gearbox: Manual Hewland FG 400, 5 speeds + reverse
Material: Aluminium
Tyres: Michelin, radial
Engine: Renault-Gordini (Silverstone 1977: n°76T)
Architecture: 90° V6, turbocharged
Capacity: 1492 cm3
Turbo: 1 (Garrett)
Bore x stroke 86 x 42.8mm
Power: 525 bhp at 11,400 rpm
Valves: 4 per cylinder, with valve springs
Valve timing: Belt drive
Fuel/lubricant: Elf
Life: 300km
Chassis: Type R27
Front track: 1450 mm
Rear track: 1400 mm
Wheelbase: 3100 mm
Overall length: 4800 mm
Overall width: 1800 mm
Overall weight: 605 kg, with driver, camera and ballast.
Construction: Carbon-fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque
Front suspension: Top and bottom wishbones operate an inboard
rocker via a pushrod system. This is connected to a torsion
bar and damper units which are mounted at the front of the
monocoque.
Rear suspension: Top and bottom wishbones operating vertically-mounted
torsion bars and horizontally-mounted damper units mounted
on the top of the gearbox casing.
Material: Carbon fibre
Brakes: Carbon discs and pads, 6 piston callipers
Gearbox: Semi-automatic gearbox with seven speeds and reverse
gear. ‘Instantaneous Gearchange' system to minimise
time loss during gearchanges.
Material: Titanium
Tyres: Bridgestone, radial
Engine: Type RS27
Architecture: 90° V8, normally aspirated
Capacity: 2400 cc
Turbo: No
Power Approx.: 700 bhp at 19,000 rpm
Valves: 4 per cylinder, pneumatically controlled
Valve timing: Gear driven
Weight: 95 kg
Spark plugs: Champion
Fuel + oil: Elf
Life: 2 Grand Prix weekends, around 1000 km
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