Tisková informace - WilliamsF1 (EN)
Miroslav Sanytrák | 10.5.07 | Aktuality
8th MAY 2007 SPANISH GRAND PRIX PREVIEW
Sam Michael, Technical Director, Williams F1
Barcelona’s penultimate corner has undergone a modification since last
year. The effect of this has been the conversion of two high speed
corners into a slow speed chicane. As a result, the last corner can now
be taken flat out, which may improve overtaking on the pit straight, but
that remains to be seen as the first corner still has quite a fast entry.
Although we spend quite a bit of time testing at Barcelona over the
winter, circuit conditions over the Grand Prix weekend are usually quite
different with respect to grip level and wind. The layout of the circuit,
which has reasonably fast corner entry speeds, means that brake wear
at Barcelona is relatively low. Pit stop strategy will most likely be a two
stopper.
We have an aerodynamic and mechanical package upgrade for the FW29 for the Spanish Grand Prix which will give the cars some more performance to help close the gap to the front runners. Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona Regarded as one of the most technically challenging circuits on the calendar, it is perhaps fortunate that the teams spend the majority of their allocated test days banking valuable data at Montmeló ahead of the race. Unfortunately, however, track and weather conditions are invariably disparate between testing and the Grand Prix weekend leaving the drivers and their engineers with a relatively green track to contend with from the outset.
Barcelona is a high speed, high downforce circuit, with fast, sweeping corners connected by even faster straights and will see the drivers reach speeds of 305kph along the start/finish straight and fly into corners such as Seat at 240kph. The engines will spend each lap of the 66 lap race at 62% full throttle, so top end speeds are important, most crucially on the start/finish straight which will see the drivers flat out for almost 1,000 metres. Barcelona’s erratic weather conditions, particularly the prevailing winds, can destabilise the car’s aero balance, so the teams are continually chasing the perfect set-up. The 4.655km Circuit de Catalunya has also undergone a considerable modification since last year’s race as organisers have re-designed the penultimate corner and created a slow speed chicane. With so many variables, the outcome of the Spanish Grand Prix should never be predicted.
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