Quotes Roundup – Week Ending 14th February

The very best from the mouths of those in the know.

Three Launches

Force India, Red Bull and Lotus all reveal their new cars…

• “There is a compromise now: either make the car much longer or wider, or, as we have done, a combination of both. This of course has influenced the mechanical design solutions and also the aerodynamics, specifically with respects to the diffuser and bodywork.” Mark Smith
  
• “I think you are going to have four teams that are race-winning contenders this season. McLaren and Ferrari look like they have come up with good cars, and for sure the Mercedes GP team is going to be competitive with its driver line-up. But we are quietly confident we’ve made good progress during the winter.” Christian Horner
  
• “What this is about for me, and it is the first launch I have been to where the whole team is here, there is a fantastic buzz about this place, the whole team has given their heart and soul to this project. I want to thank Tony on behalf of the whole team to have the courage to back us and trust us.” Mike Gascoyne
  

Moving on to Jerez

Testing switches from Valencia to Jerez…

• “We are still in the first week here, and a bit low on parts, so that means if we have a crash we are more in trouble for the next test. So we decided to not do much running today and unfortunately parts didn’t arrive until quite late yesterday – 11 or 12 o’clock – and the mechanics had to work 24 hours a day to get the car ready for this morning.” Timo Glock
  
• “On a normal wet, slippery day at Jerez it felt fine. There were no real vices in the car. We still have to understand a few things with it but now it is shaken down we can start to do a bit of work tomorrow and in the back part of the month we can start to look at lap times.” Mark Webber
  
• “We went deeper into set-up work and understanding the car after what we did in Valencia. We were lucky with the weather because yesterday it was quite bad and the next two days don’t look very good. It was important to get a lot of things done.” Robert Kubica
  

Former Champs Talk

Three champions talk testing…

• “It’s very tough for all of us to understand what is the order of teams. We have four that I think are the major teams, and others that look very interesting such as Sauber, the car is quite quick, and the Renault – there is a question mark how quick it is.” Michael Schumacher
  
• “The team spirit is very good, very special. You feel part of a big team, part of a legendary team, and it’s a nice feeling. I keep enjoying life. The team is very, very friendly with me and I felt at home straightaway.” Fernando Alonso
  
• “We’ve only done one test and there’s such a huge variation with fuel loads so we have absolutely no idea – less of an idea than we had in the past. Some people could be driving with 30 kilos or 10 kilos, others could have 150. So it’s impossible to say.” Lewis Hamilton
  

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 – Introducing the VJM03

The Force India Formula One Team finished the 2009 season as a genuine regular contender for points and the new 2010 challenger, the VJM03, builds on the solid foundations established by its predecessor, which took pole for the Belgian GP. With driver consistency in Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi and the able support of Paul di Resta in the test and reserve driver role, this year the team is looking forward to a strong performance right from the start of the year.

‘Our goal is to continue on the same path of performance improvement that we had at the end of 2009,’ says chairman and team principal Dr Vijay Mallya. ‘I don’t think I am being over-proud when I say 2009 was an exceptional year for us. The bare statistics say it all: one podium, one pole position, one fastest lap, a further five top 10 starts and 13 points. We’ve learnt from our experiences and we’ve come out a better team: resilient, resourceful and now resurgent. I hope 2010 will see this great progress carrying forward. We’ve got one podium so far but I would hope that, this time next year, I’m talking about more points and more podiums. I’m confident we can get this, why not aim high?’

While the VJM03 is an evolution of last year’s strong car, it incorporates the package of rules changes introduced for this year, including the requirement for a larger fuel tank as a result of the refuelling ban and a switch to narrower front tyres.

Design director Mark Smith explains, ‘The VJM03 is definitely an evolution of the VJM02 in terms of the design philosophies we have developed at Force India over the last year. We are very happy with the direction, therefore we have opted to evolve the car rather than significantly revise.

‘Obviously one of the major aspects we have had to contend with are regulation changes which have had a considerable impact on some aspects of the design of the car. The removal of refuelling from races increases the amount of fuel needed to be stored in the cars – almost twice the amount we ran in 2009. There is a compromise now: either make the car much longer or wider, or, as we have done, a combination of both. This of course has influenced the mechanical design solutions and also the aerodynamics, specifically with respects to the diffuser and bodywork.

‘Even with the ban of double diffusers for 2011, we recognise that we still have to push as much as we possibly can in this area in 2010 as we have targets to meet and the double diffuser is a key development aspect of the car.’

Last year’s VJM02 was noticeably quicker on the low downforce circuits, however Mark is confident that this year the VJM03 will be strong across the board: ‘The VJM02 was a relatively low drag car that showed well on the low downforce tracks. As was demonstrated throughout 2009, that was a useful attribute but as we go into 2010 we have tried to maintain a high level of aerodynamic efficiency, but we recognise that our championship position will be enhanced by a general level of performance that is suited to all types of circuits. We have, we believe, quite an efficient car overall.’

Adrian Sutil is eagerly anticipating the start of the season, ‘2010 is a really important season and we are very optimistic about going well. I think this year it’s important to be consistent from the first race. I’d like to be in the midfield and be competitive from Bahrain. 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 with the car and what I can do. Of course we will have updates and performance packages from this point on but I hope we will be strong from the first practice session rather than compromising at the start.’

Meanwhile Tonio Liuzzi is also going to the season with a strong goal, ‘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.’

The VJM03 will make its official testing debut on 10 February at the Jerez circuit in Spain. Tonio Liuzzi will be on driving duties for the first two days before Adrian Sutil takes over on 12 February for a further two days. Paul di Resta will step into the car on 17 February in Jerez.

08-Feb-10: Hulkenberg Prepares for his Debut Season

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This is F1 Minute for the 8th February 2010.

New Williams driver Nico Hulkenberg has been talking about his goals for this debut season in F1 and says the team won’t let him sit back and use the first races as a test session. He said: “Williams expect me to deliver a good job, to drive quickly and do well for them. They would not appoint me as a driver if they didn’t expect something from me. They have not said what that is in terms of numbers or results, but expectations are always there.”

Meanwhile, Force India are due to launch their new car tomorrow but design director Mark Smith has been talking about their lack of testing so far. Autosport reports that Smith isn’t too worried, saying: “When you think about it, it is a bit different for us because someone else has already been running around with the same engine, gearbox and electronics and these are the things that traditionally are more likely to give you problems.” Letting someone else do all the hard work, eh?

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

Tweets of the Week – 7th February 2010

This week’s tweeting has been absolutely epic, with lots of insiders following testing and giving us great insight into what has been happening. We also had a couple of new team launches, so opinions were everywhere.

• A good feeling in the team after the first day of testing. Felipe’s first impressions are positive: a better beginning compared to last year. Inside Ferrari
• Williams are not launching as such, when the car rolls out at 10am, that will be its debut. Claire Williams
• STR5 was wheeled into pit lane at 9.05 and the photographers did their stuff. Special guest? Schumacher was having a good look at our car. Toro Rosso Spy
• My new car is just about to turn it’s first wheel in anger at Valencia… Wish I had a live feed!! Jenson Button
• Four kilometers of cueue to get into the circuit… It is Alonso mania at Valencia with more than 30,000 people attending the testing session. Inside Ferrari
• Already in barcelona! I really think we have a great car! This season will be exciting! Ou yesssssaaa! Jaime Alguersuari
• Mr Wirth’s Virgin car looks very IRL to me. Hope it doesn’t only turn left. Shakedown is at Silverstone and the pit exit’s a right! Will Buxton
• Forecast for Jerez is 60% chance of rain all four days. Not good news for Red Bull, Force I and Virgin who have first runs on new cars. James Allen
• Lots of tweets about Mercedes and Ferrari copying our chassis design. All rubbish: do they have propellers and a flamethrower? I think not… Red Bull F1 Spy
• Good that Anthony Davidson is back on the BBC in 2010. Last year I invested in a Kangaroo TV, so I could hear Ant and Crofty every session. Adam Cooper

03-Feb-10: Alonso Makes it Three out of Three for Ferrari

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This is F1 Minute and it’s the 3rd February 2010.

The final day of testing in Valencia was a big one, with no less than three world champions ready to go. Alonso kept Ferrari on top for the third day in a row, Schumacher finished the day in third for Mercedes, whilst McLaren were fifth with Button behind the wheel. Petrov had his first go in the Renault finishing 6th with just a Williams behind him. And de la Rosa was second in the BMW Sauber, another good showing from them.

Elsewhere today, Virgin Racing were all set for an online launch but technical difficulties saw a severe delay in proceedings. We eventually got a glimpse of the new car and the livery is a nice black and red. The car has been designed solely by CFD with no wind tunnel action, so it is slightly different to the launched cars we have seen already – the nose looks a lot thinner.

Finally, Force India confirmed that they will be launching their car in a similar online fashion, although hopefully more successfully, and that will be on the 9th February.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

Launched For the Very First Time

The brand new VR-01 was revealed to the world today, after a short delay. Virgin had planned an online launch, but their virtual photos took a while to be released due to technical difficulties. Nevertheless, the black and red livery was finally available to view with Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock on hand in their matching overalls. The car is due for a shakedown at Silverstone next week.

Credit: Virgin Racing

01-Feb-10: 2010 Testing Gets Underway with Massa on Top

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This is F1 Minute for the 1st February 2010.

The first day of 2010 testing got underway today, but before we get to that, there were two more launches over the weekend, plus one today. Sauber and Renault revealed their new cars at the Valencia circuit yesterday, with Renault dominating most of the headlines for their striking yellow and black livery, and Sauber generating a bit of concern over their lack of livery and sponsors. Toro Rosso launched today with their first car designed in-house. It’s very similar to last year’s but has more red on the nose, presumably to help distinguish from the Red Bull.

So, on to testing, and Massa ended the day on top for Ferrari, but all eyes were on Rosberg in the morning for Mercedes, and Schumacher who took over in the afternoon. Michael was half a second faster than Nico, and when the press asked former teammate Rubens Barrichello on any words of advice for Rosberg, he said: “Yea, get out of there.” Toro Rosso suffered reliability issues, and Renault finished last by quite a way, so all eyes are on tomorrow. I’ll be back then, with another F1 Minute.

Mercedes GP Petronas MGP W01 Car Makes Debut in Valencia

Formula One’s first day of pre-season testing began in Valencia this morning to kick off 15 days of track action ahead of the first race of the 2010 season in Bahrain on 14 March. For MERCEDES GP PETRONAS, the day began with a photocall in the morning sunshine at 8:50am with Nico Rosberg, Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn showing off the new MGP W01 before the car was rolled back into the garage to prepare for the start of the test programme.

Nico was the first to drive the new Silver Arrow on track with the main focus of his programme to work through the initial set-up of the car and ensure that he was comfortable with his seat and position. Nico drove out of the garage for his first installation run at 10:34 and completed five runs over 39 laps before he finished for the day at 13:40, setting the fourth fastest time – a 01:13.543.

Michael took over the MGP W01 for the remainder of the day for his first run in a current Formula One car since April 2008. Getting out on track just after 15:30, Michael was comfortably on the pace after his first run and spent the remaining track time familiarising himself with the new car. Michael completed 40 laps over three runs, with a fastest lap of 01:12.947 putting him in third place on the timesheets.

Nico will continue the team’s programme tomorrow with Michael taking over for the final day.

Nico Rosberg: “It was a good first day of testing for us and my initial impressions of the new car are very positive. It felt great to be in the car for the first time and to get our pre-season testing programme underway. Generally everything felt good although I was sitting too low in the car and couldn’t see the track very well which we will improve for tomorrow. It’s too early to get an initial impression of the competitiveness but it was very special to drive the new Silver Arrow out of the garage. I’m looking forward to tomorrow when we have a full day of testing to make further progress.”

Michael Schumacher: “It was a perfect rollout for the new car today. I felt totally comfortable and really had a feeling that everything was very natural. It felt just like at the very beginning of my career in 1991 when on the first lap, I thought ‘wow that was really fast’ and then on the second lap, I was just extremely excited. I feel like a young boy again and really enjoyed myself out there. We did a good job today, just making a few control checks, and the most important thing was that the car ran reliably. With Nico and I covering 79 laps between us, it was a superb job by the team.”

Ross Brawn: “We have had a very useful first day of testing here in Valencia. Our priority was to ensure that the new car was functioning properly and allow both drivers to use their short window of track time to get acclimatised to the car and its operations. Today’s work has provided a good basis for the next couple of days and it was rewarding to see that the car ran reliably. I would like to say thank you to everyone at the factories in Brackley and Brixworth for all their hard work in preparing the car to test here this week. And finally, it’s been a very special day to work with Nico for the first time, to work with Michael once again and to complete our first active day as the Mercedes-Benz works team.”

Worker Bee

Robert Kubica gets behind the wheel of the R30 for the first time in Valencia. The team launched yesterday with a brand new (or old, to be precise) yellow and black livery, and they confirmed Vitaly Petrov as Kubica’s teammate for the 2010 season. The team completed 69 laps and finished last with a 1:15.0, compared to Massa’s fastest lap of the day, a 1:12.5.

Credit: Andrew Ferraro /LAT Photographic

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