Preview, 2007 Brazilian GP
The ING Renault F1 Team previews round seventeen
of the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship.
Heikki Kovalainen
Heikki, your run of points-scoring finishes ended
in China…
I know, and it couldn't have been closer: Coulthard was right
in front of me, but I couldn't get past him in the dry! It
was a tough afternoon for the whole team, and disappointing
not to score points because we had the pace to do it. But
I made a mistake in qualifying, our strategy didn't work out
in the early laps, and that was enough to mean we didn't score.
But as always, you have to find the positives: the car was
actually pretty quick on Sunday, we made the right choices
in reacting to the conditions, and the reliability was perfect
once again. I have finished every race this year, and that's
something we are all proud of.
Tell us about Interlagos…
It is a very physical circuit for the drivers: the surface
is bumpy, and it runs anti-clockwise which means it is hard
for the whole body but especially the neck. So I have been
training hard to prepare for it, and I will be in peak condition
for the final race.
In terms of set-up, what will your priorities be
when working with the engineers?
I think the suspension is one of the most important factors.
The cars needs to ride the bumps well, and also the kerbs
in the slow middle sector, which we use quite a lot. If you
can find a good suspension compromise to give smooth ride
and good mechanical grip, then it is a big plus in terms of
lap-time.
Does the fact that this is the last race of the year
change anything in your approach?
It gives me extra determination. This is our last chance of
the year to show what we can do. You are only as good as your
last race in Formula 1, so it is important to score a good
result to take into the winter, and hopefully give the team
some momentum too. This has been a tough year for everybody
at Renault, but we have made progress in the last few weeks
and not been able to show it in dry race conditions. Brazil
is a circuit where the team has had a lot of success in recent
years and while that doesn't mean anything for 2007, maybe
it can bring us a bit of luck. I hope we can have a normal
race, take the fight to BMW and finish the season with a strong,
aggressive drive.
Giancarlo Fisichella
Giancarlo, how does it feel to be racing in Interlagos
once again?
This is one of the special circuits in Formula 1, and I am
really excited to be going back there again. We have won championships
there in the past two years, and for me it was the venue for
my first ever F1 win in 2003. I enjoy the country, I enjoy
the city and I like the circuit: it is challenging, and there
is always an amazing atmosphere there. Hopefully, we can have
another good experience there in 2007.
You had a tough afternoon in China…
Yes, it started on Saturday really: we only found a problem
with the car at the end of morning practice, then I made a
small mistake on my timed lap in qualifying, and it was so
close that we didn't even get through Q1. After that, we knew
it would be a hard race, but I drove to the limit, passed
a lot of cars and showed that the car was actually pretty
competitive by setting fourth-fastest lap. But we ran very
heavy at the start of the race, expecting heavier rain, and
that put us on the back foot from the first stint. It was
a shame because the potential was there for much more.
What is the Interlagos circuit like to drive?
It is a very challenging circuit. It is twisty, with a good
mix of slow and medium speed corners. There is a lot of gradient
change as well, and of course the anti-clockwise direction
that makes it hard physically. It is never easy to find the
right set-up, because the two halves of the circuit need opposite
things from the car: you want good speed on the long main
straight, but lots of grip in the slow-speed infield section
with the hairpins. Add in the bumpy surface as well, and you
have a real challenge for the engineers to find the best compromise.
We tend to run with quite light wing levels, and then work
hard to get good mechanical grip, especially under traction.
Flavio Briatore
Flavio, what's your verdict on Renault's 2007 season?
It has been a disappointment, but it has been a lesson for
next season, when we will come back even stronger. In many
ways, our lack of performance was the result of the year we
had in 2006: we had to push even harder in 2006 when the mass
damper was banned, we started late with our 2007 car and we
had trouble adjusting to the Bridgestone tyres. That left
us on the back foot, and we haven't caught up during the season.
Were you surprised that the team didn't catch BMW
during the season?
Honestly, not really. From early on, we knew it would be a
big challenge to catch them in the championship. We had to
take time and understand our problems before moving forward.
In the meantime, they were doing an excellent job: improving
the car at every race, and taking steps forward each week.
We should congratulate them on their season. Once we knew
the championship position was gone, we put all our resources
into 2008. That has been our focus for two months now.
What has been the reaction of Renault President Carlos
Ghosn to this year's results?
Mr Ghosn understands Formula 1, he understands that you cannot
win every year and the team has his total support. He wants
to see Renault fighting at the front again, like all of us,
and we are working to achieve that.
Can the 2008 Renault be a winning car again?
There is no point making big claims at this stage, five months
before the first race. But I see no logical reason why not.
We know how to make a car for these tyres now, which we didn't
a year ago. The wind tunnel results for the R28 look very
promising. And the team is the same on, they haven't forgotten
how to make a quick car. I have a good feeling that we can
climb back to our normal position next year.
Talk about the performance of your drivers this season,
Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen…
Giancarlo has done a very solid, very good job for us this
year. His asset is his experience, and that was very important
to us in the early races when the car was not performing well.
Look at races like Monaco: he took everything from the package
there. He knows what a title-winning car is like to drive,
and he helped guide our development. I am very pleased with
him. As for Heikki, it was a difficult start – but since
the middle of the year, people have seen the talent we knew
was there all along. As a rookie, it is difficult to shine
if you are not in a top car, but for me he has been one of
the revelations of the season. He is getting better with every
race.
About the team's drivers for 2008, when will you
be making an announcement?
There is no rush to make an announcement at this stage. When
we are ready and we have made our decision, we will announce
it. But we are in a strong position with good options.
Is Fernando Alonso among those options?
There has been a lot of talk but Fernando has a contract with
another team for 2008. At the moment, he is focused on the
championship battle, trying to win a third consecutive title.
I have said before that if he was free we would be happy to
have him back at Renault.
The team has been supplying engines to Red Bull Racing
during 2007. Has it been a success?
I believe so, yes. Our engine is reliable and competitive,
and our approach has been open and fair. We have given Red
Bull Racing the same equipment and support as the works team
has received, and that is a unique situation in the paddock.
Their performances have been further proof of the quality
of Renault's technology.
Rumours have surfaced that Renault might be talking
to Prodrive about supplying cars for 2008?
I don't know where this has come from. We have had zero contact
with Prodrive, and we are not in a position to supply another
team at this point.
This time last year, the Renault team was involved
in a championship decider. Twelve months on, who do you think
will take the crown?
This is the big pressure moment for all three drivers, and
the guy at the front has the most pressure of all. For me,
the favourite is still Fernando. He has the experience, he
has been there before and he has always been fast in Brazil,
which is a difficult and unusual circuit. I think he will
be given fair treatment, and he has the mental strength to
do the job. But many factors can still intervene and play
a role: the weather, Massa, even some other teams as well.
It will be a dramatic weekend, and a fantastic showcase for
Formula 1.
Finally, the ING Renault F1 Team put on its own show
in Mexico City last weekend. Tell us about that…
We held one of our biggest ever Roadshow events on Saturday
and Sunday in Mexico City. Everybody knows how strong the
passion for racing is in Mexico, and Renault was proud to
be able to bring F1 to the streets of the capital. It was
a spectacular show, and this is just the kind of thing the
sport should be doing to attract new fans: it is free for
the people, they can get close to the team and drivers, and
it is a big celebration of everything that is good about our
sport. I am very proud that Renault leads the way in these
events.
Over at Red Bull Racing with Fabrice Lom
Fabrice, what are your thoughts on the last two races?
I've got mixed feelings. On the one hand we made a definite
step forward in terms of performance in the past few weeks,
but we missed a number of opportunities to score points. We're
still behind Williams in the championship and really we should
be in front.
Presumably this strong end of year performance bodes
well for 2008?
We are being cautious about 2008. There are a lot of changes
on the technical front, and teams like Renault and BMW are
now focusing on next year while we are still developing the
2007 car. I think these different approaches have distorted
the field a little, but Red Bull Racing has a clear development
strategy and we are confident.
Both drivers have new engines for Brazil. Are you
able to get extra performance from them, as they must only
do one race?
That's what we would do in an ideal world, but it's no longer
really possible. The engine specification is frozen and maximum
revs are capped, so it is difficult to increase performance.
The only thing we can say is that a brand new engine is always
a little more powerful than a V8 doing its second event, and
every little bit extra is welcome under the current rules.
What are the technical demands of Interlagos?
Engine power is critical at this circuit because of the long
main straight. But the circuit is also at altitude, which
costs the engines around 7% of their power and makes life
easier for the pistons. The other important area to work on
is driveability: smooth power delivery through the infield
can bring real benefits in terms of maintaining a stable car
balance, and thus in lap time.
Tech File: Interlagos
Interlagos is a circuit of contrasting extremes, combining
slow hairpins with one of the longest straights of the season.
Sitting in a natural bowl, it undulates throughout its 4.309
km length, and is notorious for its bumpy surface –
although this was improved by resurfacing in 2004, and the
circuit has apparently been resurfaced again for 2007. The
physical demands of the bumpy circuit are intensified by the
fact that it runs anti-clockwise, subjecting the drivers'
necks to the opposite loadings as at a normal track. It is
a circuit where overtaking is possible, particularly on the
entry to turn 1, and the set-up compromise therefore tends
to favour straightline speed over optimum lap-time, to ensure
the drivers can make up positions, and defend them, during
the 71-lap race.
Chassis
Aerodynamics: The contrasting nature of
the Interlagos circuit makes very different demands on the
cars. The first and last sectors are made up primarily of
long straights, where good top speed is necessary to maintain
competitiveness and protect position; this means a low level
of downforce are required. However, the middle sector requires
the opposite: high downforce to ensure good grip under acceleration,
braking and cornering through the twisting series of hairpins.
Balancing these requirements gives an optimum downforce setting
for achieving the fastest possible lap-time. However, this
optimum is then skewed by the demands of racing with other
cars. To do so successfully requires competitive end of straight
speeds – and achieving these may drag us away from our
optimum downforce to a slightly lower setting which allows
the drivers to overtake and defend their position into turn
1. This means we use downforce levels similar to a circuit
such as Bahrain.
Mechanical: The combination of high and
low speed corners means it is hard to find a suitable mechanical
compromise at Interlagos. Just as with our choice of aero
level, we priorities certain sectors of the circuit over others.
The most important corner at Interlagos is turn 12, as it
determines your speed along the uphill main straight –
a full throttle period lasting over 15 seconds. We therefore
pay special attention ensuring the car gets a good exit from
this corner, even though this can generate some slow-speed
understeer in the middle sector. However, any losses incurred
with this understeer are outweighed by the benefits in lap-time
and competitiveness achieved in sector 3. The second important
factor for the mechanical set-up is the track surface. This
was traditionally very bumpy, but the resurfacing in 2004
allowed teams to run lower ride heights, and the situation
may have improved once again for this year. The circuit is
relatively easy on the brakes, with just three major braking
events, and the overall braking energy is similar to Barcelona.
Tyres: Interlagos includes relatively few
high-speed corners with high lateral loadings on the tyres.
Coupled with a track surface that is not particularly abrasive,
this means we can use relatively soft tyres. Consequently,
Bridgestone has made available the soft and super-soft compounds
from its 2007 Potenza range for this final race of the year.
Engine
Performance: The long main straight at Interlagos
means engine power is a critical factor at this circuit, and
the longest single period at full throttle is over 16 seconds.
All the engines, though, must contend with the effects of
running at altitude, as the circuit is situation around 800m
above sea level. The reduced atmospheric pressure costs the
engines around 7% of their power output; as a result, the
61% of the lap spent at full throttle is equivalent to 57%
at sea level (comparable to Budapest). While this reduces
the demands on some components such as the pistons, other
parts of the engine such as the crankshaft are still subjected
to significant loadings. Driveability is also an important
factor, especially through the winding middle sector. The
drivers run in the lowest gears at this point on the circuit,
with sudden changes of direction and significant brake and
throttle inputs. Smooth power delivery can make a real and
significant contribution to maintaining a stable balance,
and optimum driving lines, in this part of the circuit.
Magic Moments: 30 Years of Renault in F1
Renault at the Brazilian GP
Brazil holds a special place in Renault's Formula 1 history,
as the country where the French manufacturer secured three
of its four world championship won as a 100% Renault team,
in 2005 and 2006. But the company's successful track record
stretches all the way back to 1980, on the old Interlagos
layout.
After a disappointing first Brazilian Grand Prix in 1979,
the duo of Jabouille and Arnoux returned in 1980 and took
pole (Jabouille) and the race win (Arnoux). For the following
year, the race moved to Rio de Janeiro but both Renaults retired
in that race; however, Alain Prost redressed the balance in
1982 with a rare "triple crown" of pole, race win
and fastest lap. Renault power continued to compete at the
Jacarepagua until 1986, and while the works cars did not enjoy
success, the customer teams did: Elio de Angelis finished
P3 in both 1984 and 1985 (also taking pole in 84) while in
1986 Ayrton Senna snatched pole and second place in the race,
followed home by Jacques Laffite's Ligier-Renault for a double
podium finish in the Renault turbo's final season of competition.
The first Brazilian podium of the V10 era was won at Interlagos
by Riccardo Patrese in 1991 (the race having returned to Sao
Paulo in 1990). The following year, as the Williams-Renault
team began its march to the title, team-mate Mansell and Patrese
locked out the front row (beginning a series of 6 consecutive
Interlagos poles for Renault power) and scored a 1-2 finish.
The front row was all Renault again in 1993, with Alain Prost
taking the 75th F1 pole position for a Renault engine (Hill
went on to finish second in the race) while in 1994, Ayrton
Senna secured pole position for what was to be his final race
in his home country – but spun out of the lead under
pressure from Schumacher's Benetton. Renault-powered in 1995,
the German took second in qualifying (behind Hill's Williams-Renault)
and the race win, but he was docked constructors points for
fuel irregularities, as was second placed David Coulthard
in the Williams-Renault. 1996 saw Damon Hill take pole and
the race win on the way to the title, while in 1997, Villeneuve's
championship season saw him take pole and the win, with Gerhard
Berger's Benetton-Renault on the podium in P2.
The era of the Renault F1 Team has always seen the cars perform
strongly at Interlagos: Jenson Button took fourth position
in 2002, Fernando Alonso finished third in 2003 after his
large accident caused the race to be stopped, while in 2004
the Spaniard fought an heroic rearguard action on worn tyres
to finish P4 and hold off much faster competitors. In 2005,
the Spaniard took pole and third place, enough to bring him
his first world championship, while his second place in 2006
saw him repeat the feat – and with Giancarlo Fisichella
finishing fifth, Renault also secured its second consecutive
constructors' championship.
In total, Renault power has taken 6 wins (1980, 82, 92, 95,
96, 97) in Brazil, finished on the podium 20 times and secured
11 pole positions.
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