Bridgestone Motorsport Jerez Test Summary

Bridgestone Motorsport concluded two pre-season tests at the Circuito de Jerez last Saturday, where extensive use was made of Bridgestone’s wet and intermediate tyres for the majority of eight days’ testing at the track in southern Spain, on February 10-13 and 17-20.

The final two days provided extensive dry running, but prior to that uncharacteristic and persistent rain in Spain made matters difficult for teams trying to develop their new cars for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, for which Bridgestone is the Official Tyre Supplier.

Three compounds of 2010 specification dry tyres were available, with all but the super soft on offer, but it was the wet and intermediate tyres which were used for the majority of the time. Such was the demand for these tyres that Bridgestone sent extra sets of both for all teams from its UK base. Bridgestone’s Potenza Formula One tyres will next be used in test action this week at Barcelona on February 25-28 where all four dry compounds as well as the wet and intermediate will be available.

Q&A with Jun Matsuzaki – Assistant Technical Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport:

How much of a factor has the weather been in Jerez?
“I think this is the most rain ever seen at Jerez, and on Thursday night it was almost impossible to leave the circuit as there was so much water on the roads. Fortunately, there was no more rain left in the sky so we had good dry running on Friday and Saturday which was very valuable.”

What are the difficulties with testing in wet conditions?
“The difficulty with wet conditions is that they are never constant so there are too many variables to gain good data and develop cars. If it is raining, the circuit is getting wetter so lap times become slower because of this. If it is a drying track, there will be improving lap times due to the improved track surface, a change to the car, or use of a different tyre. This makes it very difficult for everyone. Also, logistically, we had to bring out extra wet and intermediate tyres to enable the teams to continue
running in these difficult conditions.”

Adrian Sutil Q&A: ‘We are just focussing on the racing’

2009 was a transitional year for the team, and you scored your best result in F1 to date. How would you sum up this year?
2009 was a really important year. I was very close to scoring points in a lot of races and, frustratingly, something always happened. So when we got to Monza, it was a pretty perfect weekend. I scored my first front row, my first points since 2007 and it gave me a lot of extra confidence. I was very happy when the success came and it was for sure a big moment in my career, the turning point. It’s really different to start from the front row and race at the front and I feel it has helped me to grow. I know I need to follow it up this year now.

How do you feel going into this year?
I hope we will have a good season and I am pretty confident we will. We have had a good winter and a very good development programme so expectations are high. The car looks great, we did a positive step with the wind tunnel simulations but let’s test and see where we are. I know we need to perform well and from my side I have tried to be perfectly prepared.

What will your aims be this year, how do you intend to build on last year?
2010 is a really important season and we are very optimistic about going well. When you start a season you always want it to be better than the previous one and I think this year it’s important to be consistent from the first race. It’s the first time we have been completely on schedule so I feel this will be the first season when I can show from the beginning to the end what is possible on the car and what I can do. I’d like to be in the midfield and be competitive from Bahrain.

This is now your fourth season with the Silverstone-based team. What does this stability mean for you?
I feel really good in the team, it’s like family for me as they know me very well, they know how I work and my strengths and weaknesses. With that kind of relationship they can really get the things that suit me and I have confidence in them to do it. At the end of last season I felt very good and it was hard to find a better option for 2010. Over the past four years we have of course seen many different changes but when Vijay took over in 2007 it was a step in the right direction. He’s committed to go for it and he has his goals. Right now we’re looking really good, we’ve sorted out all the issues and this winter has been a consistent working situation so it’s a big advantage. It’s nice to be one of the few teams who have stability now and can just focus on the racing.

The competition is very tough this year, with new teams and more world champions in the field than in previous years. What are your thoughts on this?
The competition of course will be really tough with four world champions in the field now – of course Lewis and Jenson in McLaren, Fernando in the Ferrari and now Michael back in Mercedes. I have a lot of respect for all of them and I’m actually really excited about being on the same grid, but at the end of the day they are your competitors. You can’t hold them up as heroes or goals – when we’re racing they are people you need to beat. If you do go well against them it will really lift you so I’m looking forward to seeing how I do.

Tonio Liuzzi Q&A: ‘I am approaching it from a different mentality’

It’s finally a chance to get a full race season under your belt for the first time since 2007. What are your thoughts on this?
After one and a half years in a test role, I feel really prepared, both physically and mentally for a full race season. My objective is to be as strong and consistent as possible and give good feedback to the team to help them improve. For sure scoring points as many times as I can is going to be the key and you never know, perhaps we can get something more as well if everything comes together.

How would you review your five races in 2009? What did you learn?
It was a great opportunity to learn the tracks and then get back to the rhythm of a F1 car. I was a bit disappointed with some races, but we knew that the car would suit Monza much better than the other types of circuit. We had a bit of bad luck as well, like qualifying in Brazil when I aquaplaned off. Although it was difficult to score points, it was important for me to show that when the car is performing well I am ready to bring the results in and I’m always the same, fast competitive driver I’ve always been. It was a good warm up for 2010.

Do you feel this time round as a racer you’re approaching it differently?
In Force India I feel really good, the atmosphere is great and the team works well together. Even when I was in a difficult position last year as a test driver they were very supportive and I’ve built a good strong relationship with them. I feel like I’m in a family and for sure much better environment than I have been in the past. This year is a new start for me. I’m a different person from two years ago and I am approaching it from a different mentality. It’s a different Tonio and I’m looking forward to what can come. I’m still young and have a lot of time in front of me so I just want to prove what I can do.

Do you feel confident in the VJM03?
I have to say that the team, looking at what we did last year, has done a fantastic job. They never stopped working on the 2009 car to push right to the end, but have been flat out for 2010 as well. I am really confident in the work they have done over the winter and we’ve built a car that can regularly be in the points. That’s also my aim, plus to be more consistent and competitive throughout the whole season.

With the new teams coming in, Force India won’t be the smallest team on the grid any more. Is this an advantage?
Yes, this is an advantage for us as we know how to operate on smaller levels that the bigger teams will have to get used to, while the new teams have a tough job to do. I think it will be a good season for us.

Otmar Szafnauer Q&A: ‘I think stability does produce results’

Otmar Szafnauer joined Force India as Chief Operating Officer in October. We asked him for his thoughts on the team and its prospects for 2010.

You’ve been with the team for nearly four months now. What impressions have you gained?
I like the atmosphere in the team. With half the people of a big team we design a good car and the wind tunnel guys do a very good job in getting the numbers that are required. You just don’t have the time or resources available to waste, so you just get on with the job.

When you joined the team was in a very stable situation, and was enjoying some success on the track. Has that helped to make things very straightforward for you?
I think stability does produce results. That’s not to say you shouldn’t change and improve as clearly you should, but huge upheavals never help. If you can have stability with the right people pulling in the same direction, you’re much better off. Fortunately we have that here.

What improvements are already underway?
There are two big improvements from 2009. One has been the increase in our CFD [Computational Fluid Dynamics] resource, thanks to a new partnership with CRL in India, which has increased our capacity by five-fold. The other principal area has been the utilisation of the wind tunnel to a greater extent, almost 24 -7. Coupled together this has allowed us to take great steps forward. Last year Simon Roberts also instilled some very good processes and procedures that have also helped to refine our procedures, communications within the company and ultimately the decision making process. Simon did a great job in doing that, and I’m going to carry that forward.

Like Red Bull you missed the Valencia test, and instead you are shaking down the new car at Silverstone. What was the thinking behind that?
It was a strategic decision. By missing the first test, we can gain a little bit more development time – a little bit longer in the tunnel, a little bit longer thinking about what’s important on the car. It was just a trade-off decision. We completed a shakedown day, before the testing started that regains a little bit of what we’ve lost.

This year there is a Resource Restriction Agreement taking shape – how does that affect Force India?
There’s a step down in personnel allowed at races this year, as well as on external expenditure, but neither affect us at all. If we change nothing this year, we’ll be below both of the levels set whereas some other teams will have to come down. It is very much to our advantage as we are not having to learn any new skills or working operations procedures.

What are the big challenges that the team faces over the next year or two?
Our biggest challenge is to get the wind tunnel up to 24-7, and becoming efficient with our CFD capacity. For you to maximise your performance there are a thousand little things that you need to get right. This year the racing is going to be a bit different, with no refuelling, and it’s always good to have more money so you can do more development throughout the year!

You mentioned the changes in race strategy this year. Do you think that the team could gain from being quick on its feet and making the right calls?
Yes, especially early on in the year when people haven’t quite settled down yet. I think in F1 we’re all quick to learn, and quick to learn from each other. If we can make some good calls early on, that will help us.

You have kept the same drivers. What do they bring to the team?
Adrian is a great asset. He’s very talented, and he’s fast and fearless, and he’ll gain from the experience he now has. If Tonio can learn from last year, and his confidence is up knowing that he’s got a regular seat now, he has great potential.

Finally you have signed Paul di Resta as third driver. How do you see his role?
He’s a young driver with a lot of potential, and we’re going to work with him to maximise that potential. And that should be to the benefit of this team. He can help us in simulator testing, and he should be doing some Friday testing just to get familiar with the car and hone his skills. And then we’ll see about the future.

Force India – Mark Smith Q&A: ‘It’s been a lot smoother this year’

Some significant rule changes have made this a busy winter for all the F1 teams, although this year continuity in terms of engine and gearbox supply has been a boost for Force India.

We asked design director Mark Smith to explain some of the thinking behind the VJM03.

Last winter Force India had to deal with a relatively late change of engine supplier and the switch to a McLaren gearbox. How much smoother have things been this time around?
It’s been a lot smoother. From the very beginning we designed the VJM03 in full knowledge of the engine and gearbox that we would be using for 2010, which gave us a significant advantage by comparison with respect to the same point in design time for VJM02. Fundamentally, key relationships are established and data is available to us much earlier. The result of this is a much smoother design and development process.

In 2010 there is no refuelling, the front tyres are narrower, and wheel covers are banned. Have those changes dominated your thoughts, or were there any other key issues?
In terms of the way the car was designed and their impact upon performance, it’s predominantly those three factors. The wheel covers were an aerodynamic device, so you take them off and develop around the new configuration. The refuelling ban however has had a significant impact upon a number of areas, such as the wheelbase, cooling system layout and the way the fuel system has to perform without fresh fuel going in every 20 laps or so. The narrower front tyres have a little bit of an aero implication, but primarily it’s a case of best predicting their on track performance because their characteristics appear on paper to be quite different to last year’s.

What sort of differences should we look for on the VJM03 compared to last year’s car?
It’s a natural progression in areas which seemed to have strong trends at the end of 2009, and in other areas it’s quite different. The back of the car is the area that has evolved most as everyone has had a year of experience with the double diffusers so we’ve all gone into 2010 much wiser to what we can do. There have been some refinements in that area and it’s formed part of the make-up of the car this time around, rather than being added very quickly, as happened at the beginning of last year. It’s natural now to design the car to take these devices. The gearbox is now a little bit easier to work around, and there are tweaks to make the diffuser potential bigger. So there are some notable differences.

What are the implications of the narrower front tyres?
The main implications are the way in which the new tyres will influence the balance requirements of the car in aerodynamic, mechanical and weight distribution terms. Whilst we have up front data for the tyres, it will only be after running the car on circuit that we will have the real understanding of how they interact with the car. Also, the range of fuel load carried on board the car in 2010 is significantly higher than it was in 2009 and this is expected to place further demands on tyre management throughout the race. All of this will mean that there will be a premium placed upon looking after the tyres and some driver / car combinations are likely to derive an advantage from this.

How much effort went into calculating the optimum fuel tank size? Potentially if someone gets it wrong, they could be in trouble in high consumption races such as Montreal and Valencia.
A lot of effort went into this. Since the fuel cell size impacts upon many areas of design it was important to target the maximum requirement as accurately as we believed possible. Firstly, we undertook a thorough analysis of historical data and then modified that with the effect of factors such as increased fuel load and revised aero effects upon laptime and consequent fuel consumption. There was also good input from Mercedes in terms of their predictions for consumption.

The extra fuel has to go somewhere. To what extent has the chassis grown to accommodate it?
Maximum width of the fuel cell is limited by regulation so the main effect is for the chassis to have grown in length.

What are the implications of the heavy fuel load?
The implications on lap time are obviously very big – you are probably talking about up to five seconds. So the cars will certainly go a lot slower at the start of the race. It will be a lot more difficult for the drivers with a heavy load, and certainly our drivers weren’t around in the last era with no refuelling! Then you’ve got your brakes to manage as well. We have our methods of looking at how the brake cooling works, and the targets have been re-set for the fuel loads and energy predictions that we’ve had.

Last year you quickly abandoned the option for an adjustable front flap because incorporating it made it harder to keep up wing development. Will it be more important to have the system operational this year?
I think it’s potentially more important. No one really spoke about it much in the paddock last year, we didn’t get the impression it was a big boost for the drivers, so we were happy to do without it. But given that you’ve got the scenario where you’ve got to manage the car in a race now, it’s a good thing to have if you can. So we’re making efforts to ‘future proof’ it this year.

Overall, are you happy with the way everything has turned out?
We will only be in a position to answer that question once we have the first race under our belts. The development rates in Formula One were very high last year and this has largely been maintained over the winter design period. How this will manifest itself in relative terms between the teams remains to be seen.

Sauber – Interview with Technical Director Willy Rampf

BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi racked up exactly 1,001 kilometres in the first test of the 2010 season in Valencia. Technical Director Willy Rampf gives his initial verdict.

Question: How happy are you with the reliability of the BMW Sauber C29 after the first test?

Willy Rampf: “All in all we can be satisfied with the reliability of the car. We completed 1,000 kilometres over the three days without encountering any major problems. Of course, we have to make some adjustments and modifications, but that’s what tests are there for.”

Question: Are these all things that can be rectified ahead of the first race of the season in Bahrain or even before the next test?

Rampf: “We will have worked through most of the points before the next test in Jerez. There’s nothing that we need to be seriously concerned about. For example, the rear of the engine cover was singed by the exhaust gases, so we’ll be using a different material for that.”

Question: How are things looking in terms of the car’s performance and competitiveness?

Rampf: “That is even more difficult to assess this year than in previous years. All we can say is that our car is delivering the performance expected based on our simulations and measurements in the wind tunnel. Vastly differing fuel loads make it impossible to draw an absolute comparison with other teams’ cars.”

Question: What are the drivers telling you about the handling of the C29?

Rampf: “The drivers’ comments have been generally positive regarding factors such as braking stability, traction and the car’s responses under widely varying fuel loads.”

Question: The fuel load of the car – and therefore its weight – will vary hugely in 2010. Has car set-up been a problem?

Rampf: “I wouldn’t call it a problem, but it’s certainly a challenge. The cars will run a minimal fuel load in qualifying and then line up for the race with a full tank, but changes to set-up will not be allowed. Finding the right compromise here will be absolutely critical.”

Question: What has changed as a result of the slimmer front tyres?

Rampf: “Generally speaking, their effect is less pronounced than expected. It’s clear that the cars have a greater tendency to understeer, which we can balance out to a certain degree by shifting the weight further back and making the necessary changes to the chassis set-up.”

Question: How is the working relationship between the drivers and the team?

Rampf: “Both drivers are new to the team and so we’re all still getting to know each other. However, the working relationship between the drivers and team has got off to a very good start. With Pedro you can see that his vast well of experience has given him a broad base of technical knowledge, which is extremely valuable for all involved. Kamui gets his impressions across very quickly, which means he can give the engineers the information they need to work out the changes required. All in all, the drivers and engineers are already working together very productively.”

Force India – Q&A with Paul di Resta

What are your impressions of the VJM02?
It’s a very different sensation to anything else I’ve driven. You think you will be prepared for how fast the car is but really there’s no preparation for it. The more you push these cars, the more you get out of them so you need to get out of your comfort zone. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of, from the noise to the speed, and it’s what I’ve waited all my life for. I want to enjoy every moment.

This is now your third separate test in an F1 car – does any of your previous experience help you?
I did a run with McLaren at Silverstone National almost a year ago, but it was really just system checks that time. I haven’t been in a single seater for about 13 months now and the car this year is very different to last year – there’s a lot less downforce, and there are the slick tyres. It has helped a bit but this is also my first time on a longer track so I’ve had to learn something new again.

Is there any similarity to the DTM car you’ve been used to driving?
A lot of people say that I am a touring car driver, but the DTM car is not really a touring car, it’s more of a single seater with a body on it. These cars have a lot of downforce, they are very technical and I would say that it’s probably the next best thing to F1 in terms of development and the rate of progress. That said, the VJM02 feels very different to the DTM car. The C-Klasse has good brakes and good stability, but the F1 car is in a world of its own. Getting used to this and getting outside your comfort zone is when you achieve results in this car.

You’ve had a further morning in the car today – what was your programme and what are your feelings after this?
Yesterday the programme was to get comfortable in the car and to see how everything worked. I was able to get to a reasonable level quite quickly after one run so I felt prepared and had progressed enough for the team to be able to use me to test some development items, which will of course help in 2010. We had quite a structured programme this morning of running back to back set-up for 2009 and 2010 and both long and short runs, but it went pretty well.

Does the approach to the test differ in any way to what you have been used to in DTM?
There are a lot of people in the garage but everyone has a job to do, me included. I’m used to testing and trying to get some extra performance, and it’s important to be comfortable and confident with the car. I’m up to speed now and I understand what I can do to improve my own performance. Equally each run we are doing something different so I need to keep learning and giving feedback so the team can get the information they need too. I hope they feel they can use me now.

What are your long term goals for after this test?
The goal was to get this test done and then see. I don’t have any concrete plans for next year but I hope that I can build a solid relationship with Force India for the future off the back of this test. For sure there is a lot of potential in the DTM and after this test I need to sit down and look at what I want to do and where I want to go.

Force India – Q&A with JR Hildebrand

JR, today was your first taste of a Formula One car. What were your first impressions the VJM02?
I was really impressed with the ability of the car. It is different in every way to what I’m used to, both in terms of the outright speed, but also in terms of the characteristics of the car and how it behaves, brakes and drives through corners. Having raced on ovals I’m used to a high top speed, so that wasn’t too much of a shock, but the amount of load it runs and how much speed you can carry through the corner took some getting used to. I felt I was getting there and was starting to get the most out of the car, particularly towards the end of the morning.

Did the work you have done in the simulator help you?
I’ve been in the sim two times and it definitely helped to understand the basics of what to expect and at least know the track layout. Having never driven the circuit before and also having no prior experience of a car like this, it still took a couple of runs to get used to everything, but as the track improved over the morning we were right there, so I felt as prepared as I could have been. We’ll look at the data now and see what I can do to get better.

What did your programme involve today?
It was a little bit tough initially. The track was clearly improving throughout the morning, so based on the program we were running, in terms of relative pace we were doing pretty well. I think we still had some free time in the car. We ran through the different tyre compounds and I felt I could still get quite a bit of time from the car. I lost my best lap by using a bit too much of the road and on my last run I just flat spotted the tyres straight out of the pits, which made a drastic difference in how good the car was and I really couldn’t get the ultimate laptime from it.

Were you pleased with how it went though?
It was a little bit frustrating from the standpoint of losing the last two runs, but we were fifth quickest when my day was effectively done so I was pretty happy with my first outing. I was able to improve throughout the morning and up at the top of the charts at points so it gives me a lot to work to be getting on with in the next couple of days.

And physically how was it? A lot of new drivers often take some time to get up to full fitness, particularly in the neck.
Driving definitely gives a bit of pain in the neck, but I didn’t have any major issues. My neck was a little bit sore but I’m not sure that anyone else here is going to be able to say much different! It’s just something that I will look to work on in the future but I am not sure I could have done anything else to help with the fitness. I felt quite prepared.

And what’s the goal for tomorrow and the rest of the test?
We have a pretty structured test programme. Everyone is on different run programmes throughout the week, with different tyres and weights and also some 2010 preparation so it is hard to tell where we are relative to other teams. I will just try to focus on what we are doing and not worry too much about anyone else. I’ll also try to give the engineers as much feedback as I can as this is what they are looking for in the long term, while trying to wrap my head around what I need to do to get the most out of the car.

Have you approached the test any differently to an IndyCar or Indy Lights test?
It is roughly the same process but, just because of the nature of the car, we are talking about different things and about making different changes. I’ve had to learn what’s more critical to report back and what the team needs to know from me. I’ve found that transition to be fairly seamless.

What’s been the most challenging aspect of today?
The high speed cornering of the car is just phenomenal so getting used to the speed and how much I can carry into the corner, specifically into the high speed corners, is probably where I can improve the most. I looked at the data throughout the day and I’ve picked up some time so far and have just started to be in a pretty good range. I feel in terms of braking and low speed, technical parts of the circuit, I will also find some speed now, especially with the track improving. I’m looking forward to getting back into the car.

Force India – Tonio Liuzzi Season Review

2009 Season Review with Hirohide Hamashima, Director of Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development

What were the key factors for Bridgestone in 2009?
We re-introduced slick tyres and this was a significant change in philosophy in the Formula One regulations away from the grooved tyres of the previous eleven seasons. The aerodynamic regulation changes meant that teams had to work hard to develop and refine their cars though the season, and this was made harder with there being no testing. We worked very closely with all of the teams to help them to achieve their goals in this intense competition.

This season we also responded to requests to make a bigger difference between the two different compounds that the regulations stipulate we bring to races. We achieved this with the concept of different temperature working ranges for our tyre allocations and this added another element of challenge for competitors at races.

Which were the most significant factors for the sport this season?
I think that the changes in regulations combined with no testing provided the biggest challenge. Previously there would be test days all through the season and teams would be able to develop their cars and test parts with the luxury of time and mileage. This year’s change meant that we saw a variety of competitors at the front of the field, and some incredible developments to the cars over the season despite these limiting factors.

Bridgestone used slick tyres in its first season of Formula One – how much tyre development has there been in the intervening eleven years?
We have learnt a lot from our participation in Formula One. The eleven seasons with grooved tyres were very good for our development. A grooved tyre is not a natural racing tyre so making it perform like one was a big challenge. The return to slicks meant we could apply the technology and lessons learnt to the ultimate racing tyre that is a slick.

Next season there will be a smaller front tyre, tell us about this.

For 2010 we will have a narrower front tyre. This will help to bring a better grip balance between the front and the rear grip of the cars. When we changed back to slick tyres the grooved tyre size was retained, meaning that the front gained proportionally more grip than the rear. This is addressed by making the front tyre narrower.

Also next year, there will be no refuelling – how much of an impact does this have for Bridgestone?
The cars will be around 100kg heavier at the start of a race so the tyre needs to be stronger. However, when you consider that the downforce acting on a car can be as much as 2000kg an extra 100kg is not so much of a change for us in terms of our tyre compounds and construction.

For competitors the omission of refuelling will add another challenge and I expect we will see an evolution of race strategies through the season as everyone begins to understand what works best. Drivers will have to use their tyre management skills at the beginning of the race, especially at the start, when the cars are heaviest and the tyres at their coolest.

There is the new destination of Korea on the provisional calendar for next year – are you looking forward to racing at another new location?
We have welcomed many new circuits to Formula One over the past few seasons and it is always interesting to embrace new challenges. Korea will be a new circuit on the calendar and we are also due to return to Montreal which can provide its very own challenges. Nineteen races will mean that we are very busy through the year!

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