2006 CHINESE GRAND PRIX – PREVIEW
SUPER AGURI F1 TEAM has been preparing for the forthcoming
Asian flyway races with drivers Takuma Sato and Sakon Yamamoto
participating in an intensive test at the Silverstone circuit
last week. The team conducted comprehensive development work
on all areas of the SA06 and both drivers completed a total
of 207 laps and 1,055 kilometres between them over the three-day
test.
The 2006 Chinese Grand Prix takes place at the Shanghai International
Circuit which is set for efficiency as opposed to out-and-out
downforce. Visiting F1 cars are therefore required to have
similar qualities of set-up to those applied for racing at
the Hockenheimring. The track surface in Shanghai is smooth,
as at Istanbul Park (another Hermann Tilke designed circuit),
but with the tyres having a slightly ‘easier time’
during the Chinese weekend.
Takuma Sato
“Shanghai is a unique circuit which is challenging
and quite difficult from a visibility point of view, especially
turns 1 to 2 and onto turn 3, which is an interesting one.
Before the back straight there is a high banking section which
is quite exciting to go through and is important as you are
going into the long straight which has heavy braking and a
few overtaking opportunities. The fact that the race is only
one week before Suzuka means that it is incredibly important
for us to have a good race in China and for us to keep up
the good momentum for the Japanese Grand Prix.”
Sakon Yamamoto
“It will be my first visit to Shanghai and I am really
looking forward to it. It will be nice for me to go back to
an Asian race for the first time since joining Formula One
as an Asian driver. I have been working hard on my preparations
for the Chinese Grand Prix and I know the circuit pretty well
now. We tested our Shanghai package at Silverstone last week
and so I think that we have collected good data for the race
and I hope that the SA06 will suit this exciting circuit.”
Aguri Suzuki, Team Principal
"I am very happy that we were able to take part in the
test at Silverstone prior to the remaining three races of
the season. The Chinese Grand Prix is going to be a very important
race for us leading up to our first ever home race in Japan.
I am looking forward to the race at the relatively new Shanghai
circuit and I believe that with the final version of the SA06
we will be able to perform well there."
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