2008 Turkish Grand Prix, Preview
The ING Renault F1 Team prepares for the fifth round of the
2008 Formula 1 World Championship: the Turkish Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso: "Our objective is
to keep improving."
Fernando, it was a bittersweet weekend in Spain.
But you were keen to focus on the progress the team made in
time for the race…
We undoubtedly lost an opportunity to score some important
points, which would have been very good for team morale. Both
cars retired from the race, but the performance was there;
we showed good pace and I believe that this is what we should
take from the weekend. As it was my home race I would have
liked to finish and I think that fifth place was achievable.
Do you think that the team will have the same level
of performance in Turkey?
It was clear from the beginning of the weekend that we had
made progress in Barcelona and I said that this was thanks
to the efforts of the whole team who have worked very hard
in the last few weeks to get us closer to the leading pace.
This is only the first step and we will have an aggressive
approach for the races to come with further new developments.
I know it will not be easy, but I am sure that we will now
be able to have some exciting races, and as a driver I want
this more than anything.
Do you enjoy Istanbul Park?
Yes, and it reminds me of racing at other circuits, such as
Spa, for example. The circuit is very wide and gives a good
opportunity to overtake. There are also some special corners
where you cannot see the exit and that makes Istanbul quite
unusual. Turn 8 is especially interesting as it is a very
long left hander where we experience more than 4g. It's a
fun circuit and I hope I can take the most from it.
The Turkish Grand Prix has previously been held during
the summer, but this year it takes place earlier. Do you think
that the track will be any different as a result?
The conditions will probably be slightly different, especially
in terms of the temperatures, but they will be the same for
all the teams and so it will be important to make the most
of the practice sessions on Friday to make sure we are happy
with the set-up. This is not something that worries me, and
we can work well on hot or cool tracks and this aspect will
make the weekend interesting.
Nelson Piquet: "We must continue moving
forward"
The last Grand Prix was a bit disappointing…
Yes, it's always disappointing to retire from a race, especially
as a result of contact. The car was performing well and we
were aiming to score points, which I think would have been
possible. But we should not dwell on this, we must continue
moving forward and I will keep learning. I will now try to
put those lessons to good use in Istanbul so that I don't
make the same mistakes again.
You already know the Istanbul Park circuit and have
some good memories there…
I won there in GP2 and also took pole position and the fastest
lap. It is therefore a circuit where I have some happy memories.
So it will certainly be easier for me to attack this weekend
and to get my car working well.
Do you think that Turn 8 will be a lot more impressive
behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car?
Turn 8 is certainly one of the more interesting on the calendar.
It is extremely fast and a tough test for the driver. I don't
know if it will be more difficult in a Formula 1 car; maybe
on the contrary because of the superior performance of the
car, especially with the aerodynamic grip available. To be
honest I cannot wait to see what it is like from my cockpit.
The team seemed to have made good progress in Spain.
What will be the objective for Turkey?
We have progressed well, but there is still a lot to do and
the whole team is working hard. I hope the weekend will allow
me to keep learning and reaching Q3 will once again be my
goal. I will need to work well with my engineers during Friday
practice in order to get the most from my car so that we can
approach the Grand Prix calmly.
Pat Symonds: "It's disappointing to
have the promise unfulfilled, but it's better than not having
any promise at all."
Pat, ultimately the Spanish Grand Prix was a case
of unrealised potential, but the team took a big step forward
in terms of performance. How do you look back on the weekend?
When we went testing in Barcelona before the Grand Prix, we
only knew what improvements we had made to our own vehicle,
and we had to keep in mind that all the other teams would
have new upgrades coming for the first European race. So although
we were confident that we had improved, all that really mattered
was how much we had improved compared to the others. It was
still not until Saturday afternoon and qualifying that we
had a true idea of where we stood. So to get both cars into
the top ten in qualifying was a big relief; we now know that
the pace really is there relative to the others.
Fernando's home race ended prematurely – how
did he feel after the race?
Fernando was pretty upbeat after the race, which is a good
attitude to have because although it's terribly disappointing
to have the promise unfulfilled, it's better than not having
any promise at all. That's the attitude the whole team has
taken to the result because we were racing a lot closer towards
the front than we have been for a considerable period of time.
But we need to start scoring points again and if we had not
shown the potential we did in Spain, then I don't think we
would know how we were going to get those points. The fact
is that we have shown the potential and therefore we can go
out and race for the points.
As you say Nelson had another short lived race after
a midfield collision, but how was his weekend overall?
It was very nearly a perfect weekend, spoiled by one mistake,
which is a great shame because on Friday, when the track conditions
were poor, he dealt with the car exceptionally well. He was
quick on Saturday and his qualifying time in Q2 was very impressive
and right up there with Fernando's time. So it was great to
see him reach Q3, where his fuel-corrected time was still
impressive and was not far behind Fernando. And let's remember
that we are comparing a rookie with a double world champion,
and so to be close to Fernando is a great credit. It's just
a pity that the race was spoiled by one silly mistake, which
ultimately led to the collision with Bourdais.
Can the team deliver an equally strong performance
in Istanbul?
Aerodynamic efficiency pays dividends at nearly every track,
and so there is no reason to believe that we will not be in
a similar position in Istanbul. I firmly believe that we are
within 1% of the leading team now, which is a big improvement
from where we were at the beginning of the season. But we
must not be complacent because there is still a lot to do
and so we will introduce further aero upgrades in time for
Istanbul.
What about the mood in the team at the moment?
There is a great deal more confidence at the moment, although
I think it's fair to say that the belief that we would progress
has always been there because nearly all the guys in the team
have been through the winning experience of a couple of years
ago. The last few weeks have been very hard for the team and
so there is no better reward than seeing the evidence on the
track of all the work that has gone on. It makes everybody
upbeat and ready to put a lot more in for the coming weeks.
Istanbul: Tech File
The purpose-built anti-clockwise circuit on the outskirts
of Istanbul offers a mix of challenging low and high-speed
corners. Overtaking is difficult, especially in the first
half of the lap, but the long back straight leading into the
tight hairpin of Turn 12 offers the ideal opportunity for
outbraking. Combine this with the challenge of Turn 8, which
is one of the most demanding of the year, and you have all
the ingredients for an exciting Grand Prix.
Suspension
As a new facility the track surface at Istanbul is in good
condition and the kerbs are not especially aggressive making
it relatively straightforward to find a stable car balance.
The team will seek a compromise between stiffer settings for
the high-speed part of the lap to give a good change of direction,
and softer settings for the low-speed section of the lap to
ensure good mechanical grip.
Aerodynamics
There are few critical high-speed corners at Istanbul Park,
but the team will still run with medium downforce settings
in order to carry good speed through Turn 8. However, between
Turns 3 to 5 and Turns 12 to 14, it is mechanical grip that
predominates, rather than aero-generated grip.
Brakes
The braking zone into Turn 12 after the long back straight
is the most significant on the circuit. It also represents
the best overtaking opportunity and will normally see plenty
of action during the Grand Prix. Overall the circuit is not
particularly demanding on the brakes, although with medium
downforce settings the drivers may struggle with locking of
the rear brakes, which will be further complicated by the
new electronic regulations this year.
Tyres
The Turkish Grand Prix is quite a demanding track on the tyres,
especially with Turn 8 which puts high loadings through the
tyres, particularly the front right. Bridgestone will therefore
supply the hard and medium compounds from their range, as
was the case for the Spanish Grand Prix. The timing of the
race will also have a noticeable impact on tyre wear, as in
previous years the race was held in the middle of the summer.
The May date should result in cooler conditions, giving a
track surface that is slightly less demanding on the tyres.
Engine
Istanbul presents a varied workout for the engine, requiring
both good top speed and low end performance. Turn 8 remains
a constant concern where the engine is concerned as it is
important to ensure effective power delivery at high revs
for good performance in this high-speed corner. Overall around
65% of the lap is spent on full throttle, which is about average
for the circuits on the calendar.
Renault at the Turkish Grand Prix
The Turkish Grand Prix is one of the most recent additions
to the Formula 1 World Championship having been held since
2005 at Istanbul Park. However, the anti-clockwise circuit
has already established itself as one of the most exciting
in the world and has been well received by the drivers. As
a purpose-built facility, the circuit follows the layout of
the land and features the daunting Turn 8, which is already
acknowledged as one of the finest in the sport.
The first Turkish Grand Prix in 2005 coincided with Renault
and Fernando Alonso's fight to secure the constructors' and
drivers' world titles. The Renault cars were well suited to
the new circuit, although on race day it was the McLaren of
Kimi Raikkonen which held the upper-hand and secured victory.
But there was excitement in the closing stages as Fernando
Alonso stole second place from Raikkonen's teammate, Juan
Pablo Montoya, on the final lap as the Columbian lost grip
in the middle of the Turn 8, allowing the Spaniard through
to strengthen his grip on the world championship.
A year later and this time Renault was up against Ferrari
in the battle for the constructors' championship with Alonso
contesting the drivers' title with Michael Schumacher. The
Italian squad may have held the advantage, but they were denied
a one-two as Fernando Alonso managed to jump ahead of Schumacher
after an early safety car period. While the other Ferrari
of Felipe Massa went on to win the race, the main interest
centred on the epic battle between Alonso and Schumacher for
second. After waging battle in the closing stages, Alonso
took second place as the pair crossed the line almost side-by-side.
In last year's race the Renault team was unable to challenge
for a podium, but Heikki Kovalainen delivered a convincing
drive to earn sixth place. Points remain the goal for the
team this year with both Fernando and Nelson keen to make
the most of their experience at Istanbul Park.
Istanbul: Over at Red Bull Racing
Fabrice Lom, who looks after the activities of Renault F1
with Red Bull Racing, looks ahead to this weekend in Turkey.
Fabrice, what did you take from the first European
race of the season?
We saw that the engines suffered in Spain as several drivers
retired from the race. For us, despite a difficult race with
David being affected by the safety car and the contact with
Glock, it was overall a positive weekend. We have strengthened
our position in the championship thanks to the four points
scored by Mark and in the current climate, where the competition
is so tight, each point is important. We made good progress,
and apparently more than Toyota and Williams, who are our
closest rivals. It is therefore encouraging for the rest of
the season.
The next challenge is in Turkey this weekend. Is it
a tough circuit for the engine?
Turkey is a circuit that is relatively hard for the engine
with the car on full throttle for quite a long time, which
is always a challenge. But the main characteristic of this
Grand Prix is without doubt the fine dust in the air which
it is difficult to stop, even with our air filters, and this
tends to pollute the engine. This is always a parameter that
we pay particular attention to, especially at the beginning
of the weekend. The Turkish Grand Prix therefore represents
an interesting challenge on several levels for our engine
team.
Usually held in the summer, the Turkish Grand Prix
is being held earlier in the calendar this year. Does that
change your approach?
Apparently it should not be too hot, and not as hot as the
previous races there, but that does not really change our
preparation for the Grand Prix. David will be on the second
Grand Prix with his engine, while Mark will have a fresh engine.
This has both advantages and disadvantages, but as we will
be in Monaco next where the impact on the life of the engine
is not so significant, it is more of an advantage to have
a new engine here. Turkey is not a challenge that we fear;
it is an interesting circuit for the drivers and the engineers,
and we are looking forward to it.
ING Renault F1 Team in numbers
Almost 1000 – that's the number of meals served but
the ING Renault F1 Team during the three days of a Grand Prix.
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