Fernando, you had a fantastic race at the Nürburgring – have you recovered from the excitement of the final
laps? Yes, of course. It was a great race, and a fantastic one to win, although it would have been quite tough to catch Kimi,
I think. Especially, it was a good win for the team, not just me, because we were feeling quite down after our performance in Monaco
and this was the perfect way for us to fight back, and show everybody we are serious contenders for the title. However, everybody
starts talking about the championship now just because I have a big lead, but we have only had just over one third of the season so
far. This is not when you win a title – that comes in the final races. Until then, we are focusing on each race as it comes, and
trying to do the maximum at every circuit.
What do you think of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal? Before we
go there we do tests to simulate the downforce levels, so it is not a complete surprise when we drive on the first day, but the car
still feels very light – it is quite nervous, so you need to find the right limit between attacking for a good lap-time, and not
attacking too much. The chicanes can be tricky, because you must balance an attacking style with being careful not to crash. But I
enjoy the circuit and since I have been with Renault, I have had good races there, so I am optimistic.
How do you expect
the R25 to perform? I said after the Nürburgring that during the race, the car had felt good to drive again – I could
attack all the way to the end of the race, and did not have to be defensive like in Spain and Monaco. I hope that will be true again
in Canada. Every year I have been there with Renault, we have been quick in Montreal – with the R23 I set fastest lap, and with
the R24 we were in a position to win, so with this year's car, there is no reason not to expect a podium or perhaps the victory, as
long as we have no problems during the weekend. I am really confident that the car will be competitive there.
Giancarlo
Fisichella
Giancarlo, the Nürburgring was another frustrating race for you – but you delivered a great drive. After
climbing through the field, how did you feel? For me, the feeling when I finished sixth was frustration, because I know it
could have been a lot better – I had started from my original position in ninth, the podium could have been a possibility with the
package we had at the Nürburgring. Unfortunately, the problem with the car dropped me to the back of the grid and I had to fight my
way through and get three important points. But as I have said before, I know that the team is working hard for me and Fernando, and
that it is important for us to get both cars in the points, and in good positions, at every race. So far, the season since Australia
has been frustrating, but I am driving well and maybe just need some more luck…
Tell us about the Circuit Gilles
Villeneuve… It is a great circuit for me. It is tough for the brakes, there are the chicanes where you need to be precise
and the track surface is very slippery, so it is quite easy to make mistakes. But I just feel confident with the car every time I go
there. I feel comfortable with the low downforce levels, and I seem to find the limit straight away. I am very optimistic…
And
what about your objectives for the race? I am feeling very confident. Renault were quick there last year, and personally, I
have had four podiums at this circuit and even last year with Sauber, I finished in fourth position. Looking at qualifying, I will
be going out near the end of the session which means we will have some more options with the strategy, so things are set up for a
good race. As long as the preparations are trouble free, I think we will have a good enough car to be aiming for at least the
podium.
Pat Symonds, Executive Director of Engineering
Pat, the team leads the Constructors' Championship by
23 points after seven races – does that mean the pressure is on? I think in Formula 1, the pressure is on everybody, all
the way through – until your position in the championship is fixed. Certainly, though, the way you approach that pressure changes:
last year, we were secure in our third position, and knew therefore that in order to try and catch BAR, we had to be adventurous in
every area. This year, we are just over one third of the way through the season, and we have a reasonable lead in the championship
but it is far from unassailable. There is perhaps a little more conservatism in some of our choices, because we cannot afford to
make mistakes, but we equally do not have the luxury of thinking too conservatively because just a single non-finish, with our
rivals scoring well, will turn things around – as McLaren saw at the last race. In a season as long as this, with the number of
races we have coming up in the next two months, everything can turn around in the space of a fortnight. Even after Canada and the
USA, we will not quite have reached the halfway point of the season – and that means we need to continue pushing throughout the
summer to protect, and extend, our lead.
The Nürburgring was a true ‘bounce-back' result – was that a source of
satisfaction? Yes, the result in Germany was particularly satisfying. Any strong finish brings a measure of satisfaction, but
the feeling is greater when you bounce back from a poor result, because it reveals the true character of the team. When things go
wrong, it is very easy to make knee-jerk reactions. We analysed carefully what had happened in Monaco, we were honest with
ourselves, and staged a strong comeback. That is pleasing to see.
When it comes to bouncing back, Giancarlo has had his
fair share of problems to overcome in the first seven races… That is true, and it is a preoccupation for us. However, I
don't think it is correct to view this as a trend – it has been a sequence of isolated incidents and from our point of view, they
are reliability problems that we need to solve, because they could as easily have affected both cars and left us in a weaker
championship position. But looking at the races Giancarlo has driven, I think they have been some of the best of the year – the
drives in Spain and at the Nürburgring were fantastic, and full of character. In Germany, he undoubtedly had a good strategy, but
that does not allow you to gain positions on its own – you have to make the strategy work. Giancarlo did that to remarkable
effect.
Looking at the rest of the season, tyre management has had a lot of attention in recent weeks. Will that be the key
for fighting to the championship? Tyre management will be important, as we have said it would be since last winter, but
reliability will be the crucial factor. Last year, we lost a huge amount of momentum with non-finishes in Canada and a single-car
finish in Indy, when we should have been very strong. That was critical to our season, and the same will apply this year. When you
have a low-scoring race through reliability problems, and your opponents score highly, that is when you are really punished.
Finally,
what will be the team's approach to Canada? We are going there to win. I think this team knows how to make a car work in
Montreal – historically, we have been very successful at this circuit. Aerodynamic efficiency is very important – minimising
drag while getting the right level of downforce. Equally the circuit demands good traction, which we have, while we understood a
number of important lessons about managing traction demands after Monaco. Both our drivers like the circuit, so the mood is very
optimistic.
Rod Nelson, Chassis Race Engineer, Car 5
For the chassis, the dominant factor in Canada is braking:
the car must slow from over 300 kph to 100 kph four times per lap. The circuit layout means that the only significant corners are
taken at low speeds – all of the high speed turns are easily flat out. As a result, the set-up compromise is biased towards low
downforce in order to get good top speeds on the straights – and as the braking energy increases as a square of an increase in
speed, small variations in downforce levels can have a significant effect on top speed, and therefore brake energy.
The
preoccupation with the brakes is not overheating, as we have long straights on which to cool them, but rather brake wear: the high
amount of energy put through the braking system simply puts the discs and pads under extreme duress. There is very little the driver
can do about this, as it is a function of the speed difference between top speed on the straights and minimum speed in the corners,
so it is important for the teams to prepare as thoroughly as possible. Brake wear is measured in real time, so we can call on the
driver to adjust the brake balance forwards or rearwards to equalise wear if necessary. However, this can also have consequences for
the handling…
Set-up is a complex issue in Montreal. The low downforce levels inevitably make the car feel ‘light' to
drive and mean the drivers must be more delicate with their inputs to the steering, throttle and braking. Braking stability is a
particular concern, as heavy braking often locks the rear brakes, which has the additional effect of making the car nervous on
turn-in. We adapt this characteristic in part by adjusting the brake bias towards the front, meaning more of the braking is done by
the front discs and avoiding the risk of locking the rears.
In terms of the mechanical configuration of the car, traction is
at a premium on this circuit. This means we run the car with a ‘forward mechanical bias' – essentially, the front suspension is
stiff to enable a good change of direction in the chicanes and good turn-in, while the rear suspension is softer to once again aid
braking stability, but also to help traction.
In terms of tyres, wear is not usually a problem – the compounds are
relatively hard to withstand the longitudinal loads generated by the high speeds, while the track surface is not particularly
abrasive, and rubbers in through the weekend. The absence of high speed corners mean the front tyres have quite an easy time, but
the large number of traction events do mean the rear tyre have often in the past been the limiting factor – and will almost
certainly be a key parameter this year.
Rémi Taffin, Engine Race Engineer, Car 5
For the V10, Montreal sets a
simple challenge: the engine must be as powerful as possible. The succession of slow corners and hard acceleration found around the
circuit means the engine is used in an ‘on/off' manner – the driver frequently runs through the sequence of braking, turning and
re-accelerating at full throttle until the next corner, with little time spent at part throttle or in medium speed corners. The high
percentage of the lap spent at full throttle, coupled with the long straight, mean the pistons are under particular strain.
A
torquey engine is always a plus-point in Canada, as it allows the car to launch out of the slow corners when accompanied by good
traction. Gear ratios must also be studied carefully in order to be able to optimise the torque curve of the V10 around the lap.
The
final drive is also a critical parameter and must be adjusted with care. Not only must we leave enough margin for the powerful
slipstreaming effects that can occur on the long straights where the cars run in tightly-bunched groups (as we saw Fernando doing in
2003) but the wind can also play a part down the main straight. Inevitably, we have to find a compromise between the optimum
performance for qualifying, and race conditions where slipstreaming will come into play or when the wind might have changed
direction.
Finally, we also leave some room for manoeuvre when it comes to engine cooling. Cut grass and greenery are often
found on the track surface, which can block radiator ducts, while running in close proximity to a number of competitors can also
have a negative impact on cooling, and must be anticipated.
