THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO SG GRAND PRIX 2008
Formula 1 Arrives In Singapore
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Learn How To Be An F1 Driver
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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT F1
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Contents
22
16
Introduction To F1 Teams
Create Your Own F1 Team
12
Editor’s Note
16
Create Your Own F1 Team
22
The F1 Teams of 2008
24
Ferrari
26
BMW Sauber
28
Renault F1
30
Williams F1
32
Red Bull Racing
34
Toyota
36
Scuderia Toro Rosso
38
Honda Racing
40
Force India
42
McLaren
44
How To Build An F1 Car
52
Engineering An F1 Tyre
58
What It Takes To Be An F1 Driver
62
Introduction To F1 Drivers
64
Kimi Raikkonen/Felipe Massa
66
Nick Hedfeld/Robert Kubica
68
Fernando Alonso/Nelson Piquet Jr.
70
Nico Rosberg/Kazuki Naka Jima
72
David Coultard / Mark Webber
76
Jarno Trulli/Timo Glock
78
Sebastian Bourdais/Sebastien Vettel
80
Jenson Button/Rubens Barri Chello
82
Adrian Sutil/Gian Carlo Fisichella
84
Lewis Hamilton/Heikki Kova Lainen
86
Understanding F1 On TV
44
How To Build An F1 Car
52Engineering An F1 Tyre
Contents 100 On The Edge Of Performance 102 Introduction To Racing Circuits 104 Singapore–Streel Circuit 106 Australia–Albert Park 107 Malaysia Sepang International Circuit 108 Bahrain–Sakhir Circuit 109 Barcelona–Circuit de Catalunya 110 Turkey–Istanbul Park International Circuit
62
Introduction To F1 Drivers
111 Monaco–Street Circuit 112 Canada–Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve 113 France–Circuit de Nevers Magny-
86
Understanding F1 On TV
Cours 114 Britain–Silverstone 115 Germany–Hockenheim 116 Hungary–Hungaroring 117 Spain–Street Circuit 118 Belgium–Circuit de Spa Francorchamps 119 Italy–Autodromo Nazionale Monza 120 Japan–Fuji International Speedway 121 China–Shanghai International Circuit 122 Brazil–Autodromo Carlos PaceInterlagos 124 Secret of Success
How To 58F1 Become An Driver
102Introduction To F1 Racing Circuits
General ManaGer CeCilia Woo ManaGinG editor Ben Poon editor RogeR ValBeRg Creative direCtor Tommy Hong GraphiC desiGner loH CHung long viCe president, MarketinG VeReen Foo MarketinG exeCutive STeFanie yuan sales direCtor JaSmine lim assistant sales ManaGer liSa KoH FinanCe ManaGer Julie KHong CustoMer serviCe exeCutive VeRoniCa Teo iMaGes Courtesy of Bridgestone Motorsport Š Bridgestone Corporation Contributors Philip Chan, Peter Ang, Leslie Kwok, Julian Chia and Desmond Quek Published by reGent Media pte ltd 3 Loyang Way Singapore 508719 T: (65) 6543 3681 F: (65) 6543 3719 W: www.regentmedia.sg E: wheelsasia@regentmedia.sg distributor Singapore Press Holdings Limited printer KHL Printing Co Pte Ltd (197801823m) The information contained herein is accurate at time of printing. Changes may have occurred since this book went to print. Regent Media Pte Ltd will not be held liable for any damages, loss, injury or inconvenience, arising in connection with the contents of the book. Regent Media Pte Ltd will not accept responsibility for unsolicited contributions. No part of this book is to be reproduced, stored, transmitted, digitally or otherwise, without the prior consent of the publisher. ISBN 978-981-08-0942-3
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Editor’s Note The Formula One SingTel Singapore GP Imagine yourself relaxing, looking out at the fading rays of light and the sight of the tropical sun disappearing over the horizon casting a magnificent sunset over the island state of Singapore…only to be awakened by high-pitched screams generated by 2.4-litre V8 engines going at 18,000 revolutions per-minute putting out an estimated 700 horses. Welcome on board the world’s fastest racing machines with engines allowing these thoroughbreds to rocket from zero to 100 km/h in just two seconds and achieve up to 300 km/h on the Singapore GP circuit, otherwise known as the World’s 1st F1 Night Race. Staging the world’s 1st night race is no mean feat and Singapore GP’s official sponsor, SingTel and the organisers have taken pains to ensure safety for both drivers and spectators. As you go through the pages of this guide, you will understand although sufficient lighting is a major concern in staging a night race, the point of contact which keeps an F1 car planted on the ground, carries equal if not more importance than the other parts and systems which keep an F1 car running at its maximum potential. Which is why official tyre supplier to the Formula One, Bridgestone, invests heavily in manpower (by working with each individual team) and financially (to the tune of $1 billion yearly) to its cause in the F1, by introducing compounds that will maximise the performance of the cars whilst improving the safety of its tyres. Seeing an F1 car going full throttle is truly a sight to behold, the amount of fitness these drivers have to possess to withstand the G-forces (sometimes up to 5Gs) exerted on them lap after lap, we can only imagine. It is an eye opener the conditioning these F1 drivers have to go through. The amount of engineering, which goes into creating their racing machines capable of a maximum speed of 360 km/h, is mind boggling in terms of cost and technology involved, we provide an in-sight into the design and building of an F1 racing machine as well. With an average of 55 million people all over the world watching a Formula One race live, it is as much a showcase of a driver’s talents, the efficiency of their pit-crews, racing strategies of their team principals as it is the host country’s ability to run an F1 race. If you are a newbie or aren’t sure what the world of Formula One racing entails fret not, we have gone in detail to explain the sport over the following pages for you to better appreciate a Formula 1 race. As we wait in anticipation for race day, we congratulate Singapore and wish her the best in hosting the greatest racing spectacle on Earth!
Ben Poon
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F1 Teams
Formula 1 World Champions 2007 Kimi Raikkonen and Scuderia Ferrari 14
15
F1 Teams
Create Your Own F1 Team I
f you can’t be a champion driver why not become a champion team owner? It is a myth that you need to be rich to be in Formula 1, the truth is, you have to be “Super Rich”. Just what is the definition of super rich then? An example would be, even seriously considering buying a private Lear jet or any private jet for that matter. If you were super rich, instead of browsing through car catalogues, you’d be asking for the price of the company that builds them. This would grant you immediate entry into the exclusive Formula 1 owners club. On the other hand, if your bank account has a modest amount of cash then you’d have to do it the good old fashioned way. Even today, the path that
16
Ron Dennis, Sir Frank Williams, Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone have trod is still open to those who are not opposed to wheeling and dealing. Yes, you need lots of money but nobody ever said that the money had to be yours! First and foremost, do not rob a bank. It will not suffice, you will require tens of millions not just thousands or millions. Instead try getting connected, not in the cellular or broadband way, but in getting to know the right people. Employer or employee, it does not matter, you need to make friends with everybody. This is perhaps the single hardest thing to do for most people. There are social strata and groupings, cliques and worst of
all, egos but put that aside if you really want to be an F1 boss. Becoming everyone’s friend is an ongoing project that goes on until you want out of F1 (which is also your exit strategy). In the meantime, evaluate your new connections. Understand that people make opportunities happen all the time and the more people you know, the more likely you are to see the opportunities
early and make things happen. Consider Ecclestone who loved motorbikes, of the dirt bike variety, he was well known among the people who were followers of this pastime. They needed spare parts and Ecclestone started selling parts for their bikes – during his lunch break at his full time job at a gas works company. He found a partner, opened a business, grew the business into one of
Britain’s biggest and then sold it. So again, you have to be connected and be friends with everybody. Once you have made the connections and sealed a few deals, you can consider yourself as having what it takes to be an F1 boss. If not, then perhaps the role of an F1 fan is best for you. Your next step to getting a stool seat at the pit-wall of your F1 team is to break into motorsports. Almost everyone worth
17
F1 Teams mentioning in F1 has owned a racing team of one sort or another before arriving on the big stage. You should be able to do the same for a few thousand dollars, there are other races such as Formula Ford, Formula BMW, GT racing and even the modest go kart scene which are not to be sniffed at. The money you make in deals earlier should help get you started and the people you have made friends with to this point will help fund you. While all this is going on, the wheeling and dealing must continue as no team at this point in its lifecycle can sus-
18
tain itself. Getting a generous sponsor is a good idea but getting one, which provides a steady supply of cash, is an unlikely odd. One point to remember is that the more money you pour in now,
“One point to remember is that the more money you pour in now, the faster the car will be.“ the faster the car will be. Now that you are on the inside of racing, it will be simple to get the real numbers for other kinds of racing.
The next step is to move up the racing leagues, if you’re in Formula Ford, then the next step up is to Formula BMW. If you have a go-kart team, then it is time to move on to bigger sized machines. Beware of sentimentality! Many potential team bosses have found themselves stuck in the lower divisions due to them being unable to let go. Sell the car and whatever that cannot be used for the step up. Tougher competition lies ahead and every cent you can pour into your team will help. Again, remember to keep making friends as the race paddock is a small
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F1 Teams place and yesterday’s major rival team mechanic could be yours tomorrow and vice versa. Right now, you should be flying as far as achieving your dream is concerned but remind yourself daily that the job is not done yet. The whole point of racing is to win and for that to happen, you need the best of everything. The only limit is your budget but bear in mind this is a problem for everyone else in the paddock as well. So guard your sponsors well by keeping them happy and satisfied whilst keeping the other sharks at bay. Think of how Ron Dennis
20
went from owning a simple team called Project 4 to buying over McLaren and making it the coolest team on the grid. His trump card was keeping his sponsors happy.
“If you can swing the budget for GP2 then you will be amongst the giants.” You don’t need to win championships and trophies galore (although it would help!) to get good sponsors. Getting them to come over for a race, a test drive by the
team driver, a tour of the team facilities all help in getting the people who are paying to make your dream come true as excited as you are about the sport. And the better you do this, the more likely cash rich sponsors will come your way. Finally, it will come down to getting to GP2, the pre-cursor of Formula 1. If you can swing the budget for GP2 then you will be amongst the giants. Your final mission now will be to form strong ties with a car manufacturer or an outgoing team boss. That is the final step that will take you into the World Championship and keep you there for a while.
Intro to
F1F1Teams TEAMs
22
A brief introduction to the F1 Teams of 2008... 23
F1 Teams
ScuderIa FerrarI Marlboro baSe: Maranello, Italy
M
ost world champion teams openly state their ambition to defend their title at all costs, for Ferrari; there is the added pressure of trying to win the world championship minus any courtroom intrigue. Regardless of what the FIA eventually decided last year, fans both for and against Ferrari believe that the racetrack is where titles are decided not within a courtroom. From the outside, the daily operations of Ferrari do seem to be running with clockwork precision. But one does have the feeling old problems from Enzo Ferrari’s era are bubbling under the surface. Thankfully these problems are still very far from affecting the morale or performance of the team. The worldwide base of Tifosi will be expecting another double championship and there is very little to indicate the scarlet cars and their drivers cannot deliver. 24
Unlike the Michael Schumacher era cars, the competition have really caught up with Ferraris in the last four years, with the team’s main threat coming from BMW and McLaren. In a world headed into recession, Ferrari’s owner FIAT may be hard pressed to extend funds to develop the motorsport team, thus it will be down to the team itself to find funding and justify its expenditure. The boss of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, has said that his team is but a simple car manufacturer with no funds to fight the megacorporations like Mercedes, BMW, Renault, Toyota and Honda. But while all this continues to be debated, there are very few detractors who would doubt the value of the Ferrari brand and its ability to attract sponsors. And as long as the money continues to flow to Maranello, Enzo’s team will continue to dominate Formula 1.
Fast Facts: Founded: 1929 First season: 1950
team Personnel chairman & ceo: Luca di Montezemolo racing management General Director: Stefano Domenicali technical Director: Aldo Costa sporting Director: Luca Baldisserri Motor Sport Press Officer: Luca Colajanni technical Director: Aldo Costa engine and electronics: Gilles Simon chief Designer: Nikolas Tombazis race engineer raikkonen: Chris Dyer race engineer massa: Rob Smedley test team and test operations manager: Luigi Mazzola Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa test Drivers: Luca Badoer & Marc Gene World championships: 15 (as of 2007) Highest race finish: 1 (x205) Pole Positions: 199 technical Data (chassis/ engine): • Ferrari F2008/ Ferrari Type 056 V8
cHassis • Construction Carbon-fibre and honeycomb, composite structure • Differential Limited-slip differential • Gearbox Ferrari longitudinal, Semiautomatic sequential - 7 speeds + reverse, electronically controlled gearbox, quick-shift • Brakes Ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes • Drive Rear wheel drive • Suspension Independent suspension, push rod activated torsion springs front and rear • Ignition Magneti Marelli static electronic ignition • Wheels BBS, 13” (front and rear) • Weight 605 kg (with water, lubricant and driver) • Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine • Type Ferrari Type 056 • Number of cylinders 8 in V 90° • Number of valves 32 • Total displacement 2,398 cc • Fuel feed Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection • Fuel Shell V-Power ULG 62 • Lubricant Shell SL-0977 • Weight 95 kg Website: www.ferrari.it
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F1 Teams
bMW Sauber F1 teaM baSe: MunIch, GerMany/ hInWIl, SWItzerland
B
MW has proven that it is a firm which observes, learns and implements projects based on its findings. In the short time it has been in F1 with its own factory team, its cars have proven their worth. The amount invested was also relatively minimal with its acquisition of Sauber together with its machinery and know how to supplement BMW’s existing engine research unit in Munich. The Bavarians have deftly avoided being the next Toyota simply by observing and understanding the mistakes done by other teams coming into F1 like Toyota and Ford. The game plan for BMW has always been to become competitive within a certain time frame. Many pundits put that duration at five years. But in less than three, the BMWs have been dicing it with the front-runners, now all that remains is to take the next step and become true contenders. With Mercedes powering McLaren and still ahead on the grid, there is almost no chance of BMW resting on its laurels any time soon. The technical approach taken by Dr. Mario Theissen and his crew will serve to put out the best possible car, which means they have very little need of superstar drivers with their super inflated wages. Instead, many in the paddock believe that like its former partner Williams, the best drivers will be attracted by the competitive package. Look to see some surprises from BMW this season as they find their feet among the top teams.
26
Fast Facts:
Founded: 1916 First season: 2006 (1952 and 1969 as BMW, 1993 as Sauber)
team Personnel
BmW motorsport Director: Dr. Mario Theissen technical Director: Willy Rampf Head of Powertrain: Markus Duesmann Project manager: Walter Riedl chief Designer: Christoph Zimmermann Head of aerodynamics: Willem Toet Head of sponsoring and Business relations: Guido Stalmann Head of BmW motorsport communication: Jörg Kottmeier team manager: Beat Zehnder chief race engineer: Mike Krack race engineer Heidfeld: Giampaolo Dall’Ara race engineer Kubica: Antonio Cuquerella chief mechanic race team: Urs Kuratle chief engineer test team: Ossi Oikarinen Drivers: Nick Heidfeld, Robert Kubica Test Drivers: Christian Klien, Marko Asmer Highest race finish: 2 (x4) Pole Positions: 1 World championships: 0 technical Data (chassis/ engine): • BMW Sauber F1.08/BMW P86/8 V8
cHassis
• Construction Carbon-fibre monocoque • Suspension Upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering) • Brakes Six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbone Industrie) transmission: 7-speed quick shift gearbox, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch (AP) Chassis Electronics MES Steering wheel BMW Sauber F1 Team Wheels: OZ, 13” Weight: 605 kg (with driver, ready to drive, tank empty) tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
ENGINE
Type BMW P86/8 V8 Bank engine 90 degrees Number of cylinders V8 Displacement 2400 cc Valves 4 per cylinder Valve Mechanism Pneumatic Cylinder block Aluminium Crankshaft Steel Oil system Dry sump lubrication Connecting rods Titanium Engine management Standard ECU (MES) Spark plugs NGK Maximum speed 19.000 rpm Weight 95 kg Website: www.bmw-sauber-f1.com
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F1 Teams
InG renault F1 teaM baSe: enStone, uK
T
rials and tribulations continue at Renault F1. The former world champions have fallen behind the rest of the pack since losing Fernando Alonso two seasons ago to McLaren. Flavio Briatore who has ruled the team since the 1980s has his work cut out for him to raise moral amongst his team and his parent company Renault. Since Carlos Ghosn took over as president of Renault, the French automaker has embarked on a cost cutting exercise all over the world. While Alonso was winning races and championships, the high cost of running an F1 team was acceptable, now that the team is no longer able to contend effectively for the silverware, justifying the outlay has become increasingly difficult. While it is too early to say if Renault are going to stay or leave F1, the paddock is abuzz with talk of reducing liability. Currently the team has two centres, Enstone builds the cars in England and Viry-Chatillon builds the engines in France. If any changes are to
28
be made, the team’s structure and operational capability will be affected. With all these going on, it is no wonder that the return of Alonso or even the presence of a Piquet in the driver’s seat again is in serious doubt.
Fast Facts:
Founded: 1977 First season: 1989
team Personnel
Renault F1 team President: Bernard Rey Managing Director Renault F1 team: Flavio Briatore chassis technical Director: Bob Bell Executive Director of Engineering: Pat Symonds Deputy Managing Director (Engine): Rob White Deputy Managing Director (support Operations): André Lainé Head of Engine track Operations: Denis Chevrier Deputy technical Director: James Allison Vehicle technology Director: Tad Czapski chief Designer: Tim Densham Operations Director: John Mardle Director of aerodynamic technology: Dino Toso sporting Manager: Steve Nielsen chief Race Engineer: Alan Permane chief test Engineer: Christian Silk Race engineers alonso: David Greenwood, Simon Rennie and Rémi Taffin Race engineers Piquet Jr.: Phil Charles, Ayao Komatsu and Ricardo Penteado Drivers: Fernando Alonso, Nelson Piquet Jr. test Drivers: Lucas Degrassi, Romain Grosjean, and Sakon Yamamoto Highest race finish: 1 (x33) Pole Positions: 50 World championships: 2 technical Data (chassis/ engine): Renault R28/Renault RS27 V8
cHassis
construction: Moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque, manufactured by the Renault F1 Team and designed for maximum strength and stiffness with minimum weight. RS27 V8 engine installed as a fully stressed member Front suspension: Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones Rear suspension: Carbon fibre top and bottom wishbones operating vertically-mounted torsion bars and horizontally-mounted damper units mounted on the top of the gearbox casing transmission: Seven-speed semi-automatic titanium gearbox with one reverse gear. “Quickshift” system in operation to maximise speed of gearshifts Fuel system: Kevlar-reinforced rubber fuel cell by ATL cooling system: Separate oil and water radiators located in the car’s sidepods and cooled using airflow from the car’s forward motion Electrical: MES-Microsoft standard Electronic Control Unit Braking system: Carbon discs and pads (Hitco); calipers by AP Racing cockpit: Removable driver’s seat made of anatomically formed carbon composite, with six-point harness seat belt. Steering wheel integrates gear change and clutch paddles Weight 605 kg including driver, camera and ballast tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
EnginE
Type Renault RS27 configuration: 90 degree Vee, naturally aspirated V8 engine Displacement: 2.400 cc Weight: 95 kg Max RPM: 19 000 Fuel: ELF Oil: ELF spark plugs: Champion Battery: Renault F1 Team Website: www.renaultf1.com
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F1 Teams
at&t WIllIaMS baSe: Grove, uK
A
nother year and another brilliant F1 race car rolls off the Williams assembly line. Although not a consistent race winning car, the FW30 is brilliant because the team does not have the resources of mega-corporations to throw into development. Despite this huge disadvantage, the company has built itself all the various components needed for a quick and reliable car. The technical approach of the team has not wavered and the advent of Toyota engines has given the team an edge in the battle for ‘best of the rest.’ Last season, they proved this by outdoing the factory team of Toyota. But with Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head at the helm, racing for scraps is not going to be the order of the day, this is a team more than capable of pulling off a surprise at any given race. It is one of the few teams in the paddock that can create custom track packages to suit any one track. So for 2008, the team will be building, testing and racing a car which can, go quick anywhere
30
they race and there are definitely some tracks on the calendar they will likely be gunning for a win rather than a points finish.
Fast Facts:
Founded: 1968 First season: 1975
team Personnel:
team Principal: Frank Williams Director of engineering: Patrick Head Head of marketing: Scott Garrett chief executive officer: Chris Chapple chief operating officer: Alex Burns technical Director: Sam Michael chief Designer: Ed Wood Head of aerodynamics: Jon Tomlinson team manager: Mike Condliffe race team manager: Tim Newton Drivers: Nico Rosberg, Kazuki Nakajima test Driver: Nico Hulkenberg Highest race finish: 1 (x113) Pole Positions: 125 World championships: 9 technical Data: Williams FW30/Toyota RVX-08 V8
cHassis
construction: Monocoque construction fabricated from carbon aramid epoxy and honeycomb composite structure, surpassing FIA impact and strength requirements Front suspension: Carbon fibre double wishbone arrangement, with composite toelink and pushrod activated torsion springs Rear suspension: Double wishbone and pushrod activated torsion springs and rockers transmission: WilliamsF1 seven speed seamless sequential semi-automatic shift plus reverse gear in an aluminium maincase, gear selection electro-hydraulically actuated clutch: AP Carbon plate Dampers: WilliamsF1 Brake system: 6 piston AP calipers all round, Carbon Industrie carbon discs and pads steering: WilliamsF1 power assisted rack and pinion Fuel system: ATL Kevlar-reinforced rubber bladder electronic: system MES cooling system: Marston oil, water, and gearbox radiators cockpit: Driver six-point safety harness with 75mm shoulder straps & HANS system, removable anatomically formed carbon fibre seat covered in Alcantara. Safety Devices extinguisher systems Weight: Weight 605kg with driver, camera and ballast Wheels: RAYS forged magnesium tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine
type: Toyota RVX-08 configuration: V8, naturally aspirated capacity: 2398 cc number of cylinders: 8 revolutions maximum: 19.000rpm (as required by FIA rules) Valve actuations: Pneumatic throttle actuation: Hydraulic Fuel: Esso lubricants: Esso spark Plugs: DENSO Power approximately: 740 bhp Website: www.williamsf1.com
31
F1 Teams
red bull racInG baSe: MIlton KeyneS, uK
M
ega-marketers Red Bull step into the 2008 F1 racing calendar with an all-star team in the technical department. Adrian Newey designs the cars; Geoff Willis is technical director and Christian Horner the team’s principal. The only stumbling block for these men unfortunately is their super reliable Renault engine but its power is clearly unable to match the Mercedes, BMW or Ferrari power plants or so the paddock grapevine says. What is clear thus far is that given the right car, Mark Webber and F1 racing veteran, David Coulthard would not be trying to score top tens but instead, podium positions. The Red Bull marketing juggernaut continues to roll and the brand is continuing to grow especially in new markets outside Europe, all this keeps the top brass in Red Bull happy which in turn keeps the racing team well funded. However, for one reason or another, Red Bull continues to race in the midfield and not tout mega ambitions. After all, the biggest 32
piece of news everywhere they race is not about the pole positions secured or the race finishes but their Formula Unas (women of F1) and hyper-modern motor home.
Fast Facts:
Founded: 2004 First season: 2005
team Personnel:
team owner: Dietrich Mateshictz team Principal: Christian Horner chief technical officer: Adrian Newey technical Director: Geoff Willis Head of R&D, Rig Testing and Vehicle Dynamics: Andrew Green chief aerodynamicist: Peter Prodromou chief Designer: Rob Marshall race team manager: Jonathan Wheatley Head of race and test engineering: Paul Monaghan Drivers: David Coulthard, Mark Webber test Drivers: Sebastian Buemi Highest race finish: 3 (x2) Pole Positions: 0 World championships: 0 technical Data (chassis/ engine): Red Bull RB4/Renault RS27 V8
cHassis
construction: Composite monocoque structure, designed and built in-house, carrying the Renault V8 engine as fully stressed member transmission: Seven-speed gearbox, longitudinally mounted with hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation. AP Racing clutch Front suspension: Aluminium alloy uprights, upper and lower carbon wishbones and pushrods, torsion bar springs and anti roll bars, Multimatic dampers rear suspension: Aluminium alloy uprights, upper and lower carbon wishbones and pushrods, torsion bar springs and anti roll bars, Multimatic dampers Brakes: Brembo calipers / Hitco carbon disks and pads electronics: FIA (MESL) standard control unit Wheels: OZ Racing tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine
type: Renault RS27 configuration: 90 degree naturally aspirated V8 engine Displacement: 2.400 cc Weight: 95 kg Fuel: ELF oil: ELF engine management: FIA (MESL) standard control unit TAG310B
33
F1 Teams
panaSonIc toyota racInG baSe: Koln, GerMan y
I
t has been argued for many years ever since Toyota came into F1, it is one of the richest team in the paddock. Real figures are hard to come by but ballpark figures from veteran F1 pundits have placed Toyota in a league of their own. But despite all the cash in the team, results have been dismal. The Japanese team has some long running criticisms of its operations in F1, the biggest being the role of ‘management’ in the team. Of all the teams in the paddock, Toyota has the most amount of red tape. Its HQ in Japan has a strong influence on what goes on in Cologne, Germany and there have been times when they seemed to be at odds with the team on what is required to be successful in F1. The case of Mike Gascoigne was highlighted by many in the media as proof that, the team prefers to appease its executives rather than ruffle feathers. Although the cars have steadily become faster and Jarno Trulli has at times raced himself into pole positions and podiums, impressive results have been few and far between.
34
Fast Facts:
Founded: 1999 First season: 2002
team Personnel:
MANAGEMENT chairman and team Principal - Tadashi Yamashina President - John Howett executive Vice-President - Yoshiaki Kinoshita TECHNICAL senior General manager chassis - Pascal Vasselon senior General manager engine - Luca Marmorini Director technical co-ordination - Noritoshi Arai OPERATIONS team manager - Richard Cregan chief race and test engineer - Dieter Gass Drivers: Jarno Trulli, Timo Glock test Driver: Kamui Kobayashi Highest race finish: 2 (x2) Pole Positions: 2 World championships: 0 technical Data: Toyota TF108/Toyota RVX-08 V8
cHassis
construction: Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb construction Fuel tank: ATL safety cell suspension: Carbon fibre double wishbone arrangement, with carbon fibre trackrod and pushrod. Dampers: Penske Brakes: Brembo callipers and master cylinders Brakes material: Hitco (carbon/carbon) steering: Toyota power-assisted steering steering wheel: Toyota carbon fibre wheel with Toyota / Magneti Marelli instrument Driver seat: Carbon fibre construction electronic systems: Toyota, Magneti Marelli plus McLaren Electronics Systems ECU (as required by FIA rules) transmission: 7-speed unit plus reverse Driver restraints: Takata Weight: 605 kg including driver and camera Wheels: BBS forged magnesium tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine
type: Toyota RVX-08 configuration: V8, naturally aspirated capacity: 2398 cc number of cylinders: 8 Valve actuations: Pneumatic throttle actuation: Hydraulic Fuel: Esso lubricants: Esso spark Plugs: DENSO Website: www.toyota-f1.com
35
F1 Teams
ScuderIa toro roSSo baSe: Faenza, Italy
T
he rich poor cousins of the paddock, Scuderia Torro Roso is a team born from an idea that came from a rule interpretation. Red Bull Racing, which saw itself as a major player in F1 in the coming years, needed a junior team. Ferrari had Sauber, McLaren was negotiating with several newcomers, Toyota and Renault were also discussing possibilities. This all came about from the understanding that F1 could sell ‘customer cars’ (where big budget constructors could sell their chassis & designs to other smaller budget teams to help defray developmental costs and attract more entrants into the sport). Red Bull bought up Minardi and Scuderia Torro Roso was born but then came the rule change, which states no ‘customer cars’ are allowed, and all teams must design and build their own cars, in-line with the original concept of F1 where each team is a constructor. For Torro Roso it meant having to actually do its own racing and not just exist for the fringe
36
benefits of its parent team. How much longer co-owner Gerhard Berger will stay the course is also uncertain which means that both Bourdais and Vettel will need to secure some solid results in 2008.
Fast Facts: Founded: 2005 First season: 2006
team Personnel: co-owner - Dietrich Mateschitz and Gerhard Berger team Principal - Franz Tost General manager - Gianfranco Fantuzzi technical Director - Giorgio Ascanelli team manager - Massimo Rivola race engineer Bourdais - Claudio Balestri race engineer Vettel - Riccardo Adami Drivers: Sebastian Bourdais, Sebastien Vettel Highest race finish: 4 (x1) Pole Positions: 0 World championships: 0 technical Data: Toro Rosso STR2B/Ferrari 056 V8
cHassis construction: Composite monocoque structure carrying the Ferrari V8 56 engine as fully stressed member Suspension: Upper and lower carbon wishbones and pushrods, torsion bar springs and anti roll bars transmission: Seven speed gearbox. Longitudinally mounted high-pressure hydraulic system for power shift and clutch operation. AP racing triple-plate-type clutch Brakes: Brembo calipers, Hitco carbon disks and pads electronics: Integrated engine/chassis Pi electronic control system Fuel management: Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection ignition system: Magneti Marelli static electronic ignition Wheels: AVUS Racing tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine type: Ferrari Type 056 number of cylinders: 8 in V 90째 number of valves: 32 total displacement: 2,398 cc Fuel feed: Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection Fuel: Shell V-Power ULG 62 lubricant: Shell SL-0977 Weight: 95 kg Website: www.scuderiatorroroso.com
37
F1 Teams
honda racInG F1 teaM baSe: bracKley, uK
O
n again, off again, that best describes the roller coaster ride of the Honda Racing F1 team (previously known as British American Racing or BAR). Whenever it seems that they’ve got the car, the engine is not up to scratch or vice versa. Since they took over the running of the team from British American Tobacco, Honda has invested some serious money to improve the team. But on occasion, the team’s executives seemed to make questionable decisions, team principal David Richards was removed right after he led the team to their best ever season a few years ago and with a constantly changing technical department, any cohesiveness within the team was difficult to achieve. The fact that they began their Earth Dreams program, a proenvironment initiative, at a time when their cars were not doing too well has had the cynics out in droves.
38
What is required this season and the next is for the factory in Brackley is get organised and produce a competitive car. For now the only consolation for Honda is that they have done relatively better than Toyota thus far. But another season behind their rivals in the paddock will likely spark another culling within the engineering ranks.
Fast Facts:
Founded: 1948 First season: 1964
team Personnel:
Board Member, Honda Racing F1 Team General Manager, Honda motor motorsports Division: Yasuhiro Wada team Principal, Honda racing F1 team: Ross Brawn chief executive officer, Honda racing F1 team: Nick Fry President, Honda racing Development ltd: Hiroshi Abe Deputy mD (technical), Honda racing F1 team: Shuhei Nakamoto Deputy technical Director, Honda racing F1 team: Jรถrg Zander Director of strategic and Business Planning, Honda racing F1 team: Otmar Szafnauer Director of advanced research Honda racing F1 team: Jacky Eeckelaert sporting Director Honda racing F1 team: Ron Meadows Head of aerodynamics, Honda racing F1 team: Loic Bigois Head of race & test engineering, Honda racing F1 team: Steve Clark chief engineer, Vehicle engineering, Honda racing F1 team: Craig Wilson senior race engineer to rubens Barrichello: Jock Clear senior race engineer to Jenson Button: Andrew Shovlin Drivers: Jenson Button, Rubens Barrichello test Drivers: Alexander Wurz Highest race finish: 1 (x3) Pole Positions: 2 World championships: 0 Technical Data: Honda RA108/ Honda RA808E V8
cHassis
construction: Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite structure suspension: Wishbone & pushrod-activated torsion springs and rockers Dampers: Showa Brakes: Alcon calipers Brake discs/pads: Carbon/Carbon steering: Honda F1 power assisted Rack and Pinion steering wheel: Honda carbon fibre construction electronics: FIA standard ECU & FIA homologated electronic and electrical system Gearbox: Carbon composite maincase: 7-speed unit, Honda internals. Selection Sequential, semi-automatic, hydraulic activation clutch: Carbon plate Wheels: BBS forged magnesium tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine
type: Honda RA808E total displacement: 2,400 cc configuration: 90 degrees, V8, naturally aspirated maximum power: More than 700 ps maximum revs: 19000 rpm Valve train: 4 valves per cylinder, pneumatic valve system injection system: Honda PGM-FI throttle system: Electronic hydraulically-operated system spark plugs: NGK Website: www.hondaracingf1.com
39
F1 Teams
Force IndIa F1 teaM baSe: SIlverStone, uK
A
s far as name changes are concerned, no team license has seen more modifications than Force India’s. For many years it was Jordan, then it changed to Canadian Ukrainian Midland F1 for a while, then on to Dutch Spyker F1 and currently Indian Force India. But essentially, the team consists of Jordan staffers based across the street from Silverstone circuit. The major difference is that now, they are owned by Vijay Mallya, one of the world’s richest men and owner of India’s Kingfisher beer. An astute businessman, he took over Spyker F1 for less than USD 100 million and with a modest reinvestment, has made the team functioning again. Not much is expected from Force India this season as the team tries to settle under new management, although Mallya’s ambition to further the recognition of his Kingfisher brand and place India as an advanced nation has been truly successful so far.
Fast Facts:
Founded: 2007 First season: 2008
team Personnel:
chairman & mD - Vijay Mallya co-owner - Michiel Mol team Principal - Colin Kolles chief technical officer - Mike Gascoyne Design Director - Mark Smith technical Director - James Key Head of aerodynamics - Simon Phillips race engineer sutil - Jody Eggington race engineer Fisichella - Bradley Joyce Drivers: Giancarlo Fisichella, Adrian Sutil test Driver: Vitantonio Liuzzi Highest race finish: 10 (x1) Pole Positions: 0 World championships: 0 technical Data: Force India VJM01/ Ferrari 056 V8
cHassis
construction: Full carbon fibre composite monocoque Front suspension: Composite pushrods activating chassis mounted in-line dampers and torsion bars, unequal
40
length composite aerodynamic wishbones, front anti-roll bar and cast uprights rear suspension: Composite pushrods activating gearbox mounted rotary dampers & torsion bars, unequal length composite aerodynamic wishbones, and cast uprights transmission: In-house Spyker design. 7-speed + reverse longitudinal gearbox with electrohydraulic sequential gear change Fuel tank capacity: Over 90 kg clutch: Triple plate AP racing clutch Weight: 605 kg including driver, camera and ballast Wheels: Forged BBS wheels to Spyker specification tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine
type: Ferrari Type 056 number of cylinders: 8 in V 90° number of valves: 32 total displacement: 2,398 cc Fuel feed: Magneti Marelli digital electronic injection Fuel: Shell V-Power ULG 62 lubricant: Shell SL-0977 Weight: 95 kg Website: www.forceindiaf1.com
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F1 Teams
vodaFone Mclaren MercedeS baSe: WoKInG, uK
H
ell hath no fury like a Formula 1 team scorned? If there is any team in the paddock that should feel hard done after the 2007 season, it should be McLaren Mercedes. After producing several tame cars when Kimi Raikkonen was around, they finally put together a championship worthy machine in 2007 which rookie driver Lewis Hamilton drove with great success. Then came the spy scandal and all was lost for the team and all constructor points were wiped out, plus a USD100 million fine imposed by the FIA. But for Ron Dennis, the long time team principal of McLaren, the mere suggestion of being a cheat should rankle. But his team has done brilliantly to limit damage to their reputation, as evident by all sponsors still on board with the team, and star driver Hamilton has not flown the coop. The MP4/23 is quicker than its predecessor and there is no other baggage from 2007 to deal with. 42
Fast Facts:
Founded: 1963 First season: 1966
team Personnel:
team Principal, team mclaren mercedes chairman and ceo, taG mclaren Group: Ron Dennis Vice President mercedes-Benz motorsort: Norbert Haug managing Director: Martin Whitmarsh managing Director: Jonathan Neale engineering Director: Paddy Lowe Design and Development Director: Neil Oatley Head of aerodynamics: Simon Lacey chief engineer mP4-23: Tim Goss chief engineer mP4-24: Pat Fry Head of Vehicle engineering: Mark Williams race team manager: Dave Ryan operations Director: Simon Roberts Drivers: Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalinen test Driver: Gary Paffett, Pedro de la Rosa Highest race finish: 1 (x158) Pole Positions: 134 World championships: 8 technical Data: McLaren MP4/23-Mercedes Benz FO 108T V8
cHassis
construction: McLaren moulded carbon fibre/aluminium honeycomb composite incorporating front and side impact structures. Contains integral safety fuel cell Front suspension: Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement Rear Suspension: Inboard torsion bar/damper system operated by pushrod and bell crank with a double wishbone arrangement Dampers: KONI electronics: McLaren Electronic Systems control units incorporating electronics for chassis, engine and data acquisition. McLaren Electronic Systems also supplies the electronic dashboard, alternator voltage control, sensors, data analysis and telemetry systems Bodywork: One-piece engine cover; seperate side pod covers. Separate floor section, structural nose with integral front wing radios: Kenwood Batteries: GS Yuasa Corporation steering: McLaren power-assisted Instruments: McLaren Electronic Systems Gearbox: Semi-automatic, seven speeds forward and one speed reverse lubricants: Mobil 1, newly developed 2008 formula for lower friction and better wear resistance race Wheels: Enkei tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
enGine
type: Mercedes-Benz FO 108T V8 cylinders: V8, 90째 Fuel: Mobil 1 Unleaded Weight: 95 kg Website: www.mclaren.com
43
How To Build
F1 Car F1 Car
44
45
F1 Car
How To Build An F1 Car Slightly less complicated than a space shuttle, a Formula 1 car is a work of art if you consider how much engineering has gone into it
I
t has been said that building a modern race car is no big deal, anybody can do it. But to make the machine last the distance of a grand prix (300km) whilst capable of going flat out for at least 50% of the race is a marvellous achievement. And that is the essence why F1 cars are particularly expensive. Even small budget teams have cars on the grid capable of achieving
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320km/h on the straights, besides that, all cars racing in the Formula 1 need to pass the stringent FIA crash impact tests, the tracks where the cars race on are as varied in layout as they are subjected to variations in weather conditions. Above all, there is big money to be made for teams that do well, so engineers and mechanics have to build what is essentially a really quick yet light battle tank.
Design Aerodynamics is the key to all F1 cars since the early 80s. How the car cuts through the air to create downforce is the make or break factor, as too little would mean less grip, with it a tendency to slide around the track and too much would impede a car’s ability to reach its top speed. Designers look for maximum downforce during corners and minimum downforce in a straight line. Designs may start out as scribbling on a bar room napkin or an abstract idea from a sculpture but all F1 car designs eventually end up on a computer using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to ascertain if the design is worth further development. Each F1 team can quite literally generate thousands of variable designs for just one season. Only the optimum design which balances the aerodynamic requirements of the whole car can go onto the next stage of development, which is model testing.
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F1 Car MoDels anD WinD Tunnels Miniatures of chosen designs are made at this stage. Some teams opt for precision cut wood, others use plastic, while there is also clay and for those with the budget, carbon fibre models. Placing these models in wind tunnels allow designers to check and see if real world performance is similar to the computer simulations. This stage may see hundreds of hours spent in the wind tunnel. Most teams now own their own wind tunnels, some even possess two or three. Most if not all, are running nearly 24 hours a day. Small changes are made to each
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model until an optimal state is reached and the model grows from 1/8th scale to a quarter of the size of a real car and then a half size. Eventually a full sized F1 car is put within the wind tunnel, running for hours on end till engineers are satisfied that it will stand a chance against the competition.
FabricaTion anD laMinaTion Along with the design of the car, the rest of its parts are custom made from scratch. Everything from the nuts and bolts to the carbon fibre bodywork will be made in
house or at the very least, custom made for the team by specialist shops. The fabrication department of a team deals with all things metal but with everything else on a car usually made of carbon fibre, engineers responsible for the moulding of this material are workhorses. Sheets of carbon fibre resembling wet paper are placed on a mould, sheet upon sheet go on until the particular section meets its specified thickness and shape. Then it is moved into an autoclave, which is a huge oven and once baked dry, the carbon fibre component will be tougher than steel but lighter than an aluminium equivalent.
special branches While work goes on in the chassis department, a separate team works on the engine and the transmission. With the rules of F1 continuing to evolve, engine builders have to follow new sets of parameters in the design and engineering of an F1 engine. Current rules dictate each engine has to last two races and cannot be tinkered with during a race, so the developmental stage is particularly important to ensure reliability of the engine. At the same time as the
The intricacies of putting the whole car together, is done with meticulous attention to detail.
engine is pieced together, transmission is another area of concern. To create a seven speed gearbox which switches gears in milliseconds, is one thing but introduce the huge forces and stresses exerted by the engine during a race and you’ll see why engineers spend plenty of time on this small but important piece of component and this year gearboxes have to last four races before they can be changed adding to the conundrum. The brakes on an F1 car are also of special interest as the brake disks and pads are made from ceramics and carbon, and can bring an F1 car travelling at 300km/h to a standstill within three seconds. Other mechanical pieces which go into the car are the steering system and the suspension system. But aside from some small leaps in technology these components have remained unchanged over the last few years.
elecTrics anD elecTronics By far the most complicated element of an F1 car is its electronics, it can determine the end result of a race; help make cars faster, more responsive and more reliable. The FIA has taken steps to make the 49
F1 Car
electronics in all F1 cars standard but it is an ongoing affair. Currently, the teams use a standard Engine Control Unit (ECU) made by McLaren Electronic Systems but branded as Microsoft, these ECUs limit engines to 19000RPM. But 2008 will see many driving aids such as traction control being banned. Most of the car is also wired to sensors, recording everything from engine revs to speed to cylinder firing rates. But above all this, the steering wheel of an F1 car still has the ability to change the characteristics of the car on the fly. As long as this is allowed, electronics will continue to play a huge part in any F1 race.
asseMbly The intricacies of putting the whole 50
car together, is done with meticulous attention to detail. The electronics, electrics, hydraulics and engine each have a place in the chassis. Technicians and mechanics have to be precise about each piece of the car. Even
when fastening nuts and bolts, the amount of force used is measured. As each piece is fitted, the car slowly begins to resemble what we see on the track. What most fans rarely understand is that the team puts together several cars around the same time depending on available budget. Each car no matter how well put together is not an identical twin of the other, only drivers can tell the subtle differences. At this point, the cars are rarely put together in their entirety, the monocoque structure (the main shell where the driver sits) has all the crucial components installed and then the car is ready to be shipped. At races, mechanics fit the bodywork and other pieces such as the nose cone, rear wing and tyres together to form a full fledge F1 racing car.
Get UP to
Speed
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Av a i l a b l e a t a l l m a j o r re t a i l o u t l e t s , b o o k s t o re s , n e w s s t a n d s a n d p e t ro l s t a t i o n s . w w w. w h e e l s a s i a . s g
F1 Tyres
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ike every automobile in the world, the racing machines of the F1 have tyres to help keep them planted onto the ground. To onlookers, tyres may be seen as a mundane element of the sport, but insiders consider it amongst the most important. The annual budget of sole tyre supplier Bridgestone is US$1 billion, a good indication these mounds are a bit more than just rubber rings. Tyres are the conduits which provide grip and traction for the car and are 100% of what engineers call mechanical grip, as opposed to aerodynamic grip provided by the wings of the car. The composition of these specialist tyres is very similar to everyday automobiles, in that both consist of carbon, sulphur and
Aerodynamic downforce and raw horse power need to be translated into speed. This is where the tyre comes in
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Engineering An F1 Tyre oil, but what sets the F1 tyre apart is its internal framework. The forces which act on the tyres are immense, with around 4Gs of longitudinal force (front to back) and 5Gs of lateral force (side to side) exerted on the tyres when the cars go at full throttle or corner at high-speeds. If a tyre was too weak to sustain its form under stress, it would deform and break up leading to a disastrous accident for the car, hence F1 tyres have nylon and polyester ‘bones’ maintaining the rigidity and form of the tyre when under stress.
But a major problem for most rubberbased compounds such as tyres is heat. Not enough and they will behave more like skates but too much and the tyres will begin to break down (granulate). The acceleration of an F1 car can send temperatures soaring on the tyre, but because all cars are distinctly different heat signatures on the tyre are also quite different. This means that tyre engineers have to build tyres that cater to the entire grid and not just a few specific teams. Which is why Bridgestone’s hard work
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F1 Tyres
and expertise over the years in motorsport and Formula 1 in particular have made its tyres the pick of the lot. Such has been their role, that they are currently the sole tyre supplier to the F1 World Championship for the second time in their history. At any given race this season and the next, Bridgestone’s engineers will work closely with all teams to figure out how its tyres can help maximise each car’s performance. When the tyres arrive at the race venue, they have to be prepared for the teams. This responsibility falls on the crew working in the Bridgestone mobile workshop, this workshop also repairs and replaces damaged tyres for all the teams. Once the teams take over the tyres, they keep them in storage until they are needed. That is when the heating blanket goes on, a nifty invention which keeps the tyres heated so they will be at their optimum operating temperature (around 100ºC) once out on the track. Heat also affects the tyre’s pressure by expanding or contracting the air inside, so two temperature readings are taken at tracks, an ambient temperature and a track temperature. At the hottest race of the year in Sepang, Malaysia, the track temperatures can hit 60ºC! While cooler climates in Europe and occasionally Australia, track temperatures can be as cool as 30ºC. 54
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F1 Tyres F1 has four types of tyres for drivers and engineers to choose from. Two dry tyres, one from a soft compound (with a white line on the tyre) and one hard. It also has one intermediate weather tyre to be used when the track is damp and a wet weather tyre, used when it rains. The dry tyres have to have four grooves to limit their speed (the FIA were concerned that cornering speeds were spiralling out of control). One aspect of the tyre that is rarely seen or known is its contact patch, or surface area of where the tyres come in contact with the ground. What we see on the pitlane concrete are streaks of skid marks which gives the impression that contact with the ground must be massive. But in fact, the size of the patch is no bigger than a grown man’s palm. An everyday automobile’s contact with the road is roughly half that, so do remember that the next time you think about going full throttle!
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F1 Driver
What It Takes To Be An F1 Driver
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n all or nothing existence is something race-car drivers must get used to. A winning driver is feted and paid enormous amounts of money while an also-ran struggles to make ends meet. To be a Formula 1 driver then is to possess the mental resolute, physical reflexes and skills as well as the willingness to gamble on one’s life for success in a glamorous profession.
Development Almost all F1 drivers in the business today began racing in go karts as children. As young as six years old or at the most early teens, these formative years into the world of racing are where the exceptional are separated from the average and the bad. Go karts also teach the child racers about racing lines and braking points. The kid that masters these two aspects will be the quickest and most efficient racer. It was Kimi Raikkonen’s skill at karting that got him noticed even though he was a bit older than the other children. Karting world champion Vittantonio Liuzzi was an adult before he tried racing cars and then got very quickly into F1. But the traditional route would be to build a steady career as follows, from karting; most kids go into junior formulae like Formula Ford. The typical open wheel junior racecar will have identical cars and parts with only several adjustable options. These include ride height, suspension settings and brake bias. Organisers keep the options limited as more adjustments mean more costs involved in getting new parts. Team owners running cars in junior series are almost always part timers with a passion for racing, so keeping them interested in operating a team is part of the business 58
of organising a race series. At the junior formulae level, the young driver will begin to appreciate the technical aspects of racing because on occasions a superior driver can be beaten by an inferior driver because of the chosen settings. And while the engines of most junior formulae around the world are built to last for several races before servicing, the gung-ho drivers will burn the engine out inside of a few laps. Wrong gear selections and improper clutch use will be lessons the junior novice will have learn. At this level, those with potential can be identified and only those, which are either well funded or great, will progress. By their late teens, racers will already have a pretty good idea on how far they can go in the sport. The next level of racing will be the regional formulae, for example Formula BMW, Renault World Series, Formula 3000, Formula 3, A1GP and GP2. At this level, the playing field is no longer even. There will be teams with more sponsors and thus a bigger budget than others. These teams will be able to have the pick of the crop when it comes to selecting drivers while the smaller, less funded teams will be on the lookout for a big sponsor backed driver. Beyond this, it is a dynamic and complex set of relationships a driver has to negotiate to get a drive, for at this point everyone is at least a junior champion, talented and quick. With the next step being top-level racing, only the most talented and passionate drivers will be noticed. On the other hand, there will be those who lack the skill but possess the funds to go racing. It is an unequal world we live in and the paddock is certainly a reflec-
tion of that. And for all those who wish to emulate Lewis Hamilton and rise through the ranks on merit alone will do well to remember that for every success story like his, there are more than a few bus loads of failures that never made a dent in the racing world. The odds are against the driver, which is probably why each winner on the podium is celebrated beyond the norm.
Fitness Much has been written about the fitness levels of Formula 1 drivers so it is no myth. The simple fact is, the faster a car goes; the more force exerted on the driver. To be able to race a car to the maximum, which means the ability to think about how to overtake a rival, how to regulate your car as you go along in the race and basically keep from going over the limit requires a huge amount of acumen. And no brain that is oxygen impaired will be able to process all the data coming in and make rational choices. Thus, an F1 car that can accelerate beyond 100km/h and come to a full stop in a matter of seconds is literally a torture chamber for those who are not physically and mentally fit enough to withstand the G-forces. As a rule of thumb, all racers are physically fit. But F1 drivers are on a different planet to all other racers. The guys in F1 train close to seven days a week in a program that is both well rounded and specific. In the off-season (November – January), each driver goes home but continues to train through the winter. Cardio workouts are supplemented by intense weight training on the driving 59
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muscles (neck, shoulders and torso). But as the drivers have to keep their lean shape to fit into the cars, the workouts are designed to keep the bulk off. But once the season begins, and team, sponsor or personal commitments clash, training is done whenever possible. This is a relatively recent development as pre-Michael Schumacher very few teams actually had the regimented approach to driver fitness. Today, almost all drivers have personal trainers; the privileged even have a nutritionist and a psychologist. Aside from the physical demands placed on the driver, their mental capability is enhanced with mind exercises similar to those used by fighter pilots. A simple test you can do any time is to pick a real world everyday route you drive, cycle or even walk. Close your eyes and mentally picture the route in real time. For example, if you walk to a bus stop to go to work, close your eyes and walk the route in your mind. Time yourself and then time the real walk the next morning. The times should match closely if you are driver material. F1 drivers can mentally drive through an entire F1 track to within a second of their real world time! So the next time you see or read about the wild parties or the glamorous life of an F1 driver, remember that very rarely seen is the hard work that went into the career before that.
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Intro to F1F1Driver Drivers Profiles
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A brief introduction to the F1 drivers of 2008... 63
F1 Driver Profiles
KIMI RAIKKONEN There is little that Kimi Raikkonen has to prove in the world of racing. The boy that was discovered by Peter Sauber in 2001 and told by FIA president Max Mosley that he may be a danger to others before his debut has blossomed into a world champion. There was never a doubt about the talents of the Finn who has followed in the footsteps of Mika Hakkinen. Be it racing BMX bicycles or snowmobiles, Kimi’s boundless ability to adapt to a vehicle is quite remarkable. In fact, it was one of his biggest problems when he left Sauber Petronas to join McLaren Mercedes in 2002. His race engineers said at the time that he adapts so quickly to a car that his feedback on the problems on the car were always somewhat muted. To compound these problems, his time at McLaren was blighted with a string of non-reliable cars. He eventually left the Woking team to join Ferrari in 2007 to replace his main rival, Michael Schumacher. And since then Kimi has delivered the goods for the Maranello team. Kimi is married to Jenni Dahlman, the former Miss Scandinavia and has a taste for a good party. There have been times he has been compared to the legendary James Hunt, a name that Kimi uses as a pseudonym occasionally. On track though, he is known as “Iceman” for his cool and calculating methods and driving style.
Kimi RaiKKonen Team: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro nationality: Finland Date of Birth: 17 October 1979 World Championships: 1 Race Wins: 17 Pole Positions: 15 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 52 Points: 490 Races entered: 128
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FELIPE MASSA In 2002, Peter Sauber was looking for a replacement for the departed Kimi Raikkonen. He was told of a prodigious talent, similar to Raikkonen but slightly wilder in the lower formulae. Felipe Massa was signed that year after being an imperious driver in F3000. But he would also spend most of that year explaining the loss of focus at crucial moments that led to crashes. Dropped from Sauber for 2003, he turned to Ferrari as a test driver. There were concerns that he would join former racer Luca Badoer as a career test driver but he returned to racing with Sauber in 2004, a much calmer driver now. His stay was extended in 2005 with several very good showings that season. His performances were such that Ferrari brought him back into the stable as a racer to replace Rubens Barrichello. He is married to Anna Bassi as of late 2007, something F1 pundits hope will have a long lasting effect of keeping him mentally focused on the job at hand. He is still a gifted driver that came into F1 being compared to Ayrton Senna.
Felipe Massa Team: Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Nationality: Brazil Date of Birth: 25 April 1981 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 7 pole positions: 12 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid position: 1st podiums: 21 points: 235 Races entered: 94
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F1 Driver Profiles
NIcK HEIDFELD Being a Mercedes supported driver from his teens, Nick Heidfeld always imagined he would end up driving for McLaren Mercedes if he made it into F1. But such has been his luck that he now races for archrivals BMW. His breakthrough in F1 came in 2000 when he got a seat in Prost Grand Prix. As he struggled to match his earlier F3 and F3000 successes, he was dropped from the team. With Mercedes links with Peter Sauber still strong, Nick found himself at Sauber Petronas in 2001 alongside Kimi Raikkonen. The duo drove consistent races and catapulted the Hinwil team to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship. When Mika Hakkinen retired, the assumption was that Nick would replace the Finn but the seat at McLaren went instead to Kimi Raikkonen. Disappointed, Nick continued on with Sauber until 2003 then joined Jordan in 2004 where he did enough to attract the attention of Williams BMW. He drove for the team in 2005 and followed BMW when they bought out Peter Sauber. Known as “Quick Nick” among his fans, he lives in Switzerland with girlfriend Patricia with their two children.
niCK HeiDFelD Team: BMW Sauber F1 Team nationality: Germany Date of Birth: 10 May 1977 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 1 Highest Race Finish: 2nd Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 8 Points: 160 Races entered: 140
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ROBERT KuBIcA Like many other nations around the world who push one driver into the F1 limelight for a brief moment, Robert Kubica was supposedly the chosen one from Poland. But not too many in the racing world had heard about the young man from Krakow or how he came to be on the F1 grid. Robert’s rise to the top started when he was a child, convincing his father into getting him into go-karts. Having had many ups and downs in the junior formulae, he was also unfortunate to have a car crash that resulted in him having 18 titanium bolts in his arm in 2003. His turning point came in 2005 when he won the World Series by Renault, earning him a test with the Renault F1 team. BMW Sauber snapped him up for 2006 as a test driver and later promoted him to full racer replacing Jacques Villeneuve. He has since cemented his place with the team; turning in consistent qualifying runs and finishes. In his personal time, Robert is an avid fan of snooker and is considered a fine poker player.
RoBeRT KuBiCa Team: BMW Sauber F1 Team nationality: Poland Date of Birth: 7 December 1984 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 1 Highest Race Finish: 2nd Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 4 Points: 77 Races entered: 28
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F1 Driver Profiles
FERNANDO ALONSO Many F1 fans consider Fernando Alonso to be a man on the move, not really knowing where he will stop next. From his days at Minardi, to his championship days at Renault and then his contentious move to McLaren and now back at Renault, Fernando seems to be looking for a happy home to race from and win. Like many other modern racers, he got into racing from an early age but unlike most other racers, he broke into F1 and got an education. Using his raw talent, he drove the wheels of his Minardi for a whole season in 2001. With his manager Flavio Briatore also the boss of Renault F1, he was brought back to be a test driver for 2002, learning about the car and himself. He was on the grid for 2003 and won his first race that year at Hungary. With the 2004 car being anonymous, he had a low season. But then drove his super reliable Renault to World Championships in 2005 and 2006 but opted for a move to McLaren in 2007. Being overshadowed by Lewis Hamilton plus a number of other controversies sent him back to Renault for 2008.
FeRnanDo alonso Team: ING Renault F1 Team nationality: Spain Date of Birth: 29 July 1981 World Championships: 2 Race Wins: 19 Pole Positions: 17 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 49 Points: 499 Races entered: 111
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NELSON PIQuET Jr. A familiar name rejoins the grid nearly two decades after it disappeared. Nelson Piquet Snr. is a triple world champion, winning his titles in 1981, 1983 and 1987. Now his son has entered the fray with his debut in Formula 1. He is a product of the highly competitive Brazilian karting scene after which he graduated to the hustle and bustle of European open wheel racing. Racing in GP2, the feeder series to Formula 1, Nelsinho as he is known was picked up by the Renault F1 team to test for them in 2007. Before that he had tested for Honda and Williams as well. This season he has graduated to a racing seat and will need to prove to many of his critics that he is there on merit rather than his family name. He is considered to be the heartthrob of the 2008 paddock with his legions of female fans.
nelson PiqueT JR. Team: ING Renault F1 Team nationality: Brazil Date of Birth: 25 July 1985 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 11th Highest Grid Position: 10th Podiums: 0 Points: 0 Races entered: 6
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F1 Driver Profiles
NIcO ROSBERG The arrival of Nico Rosberg in F1 has been long foretold by his father, the Finnish maestro Keke Rosberg who drove for Williams and McLaren in the 80s. Despite the support Nico received from his father who also managed Mika Hakkinen, he has had to learn things the hard way. Going from karts to cars in just a few years, his main entry platform to F1 has been Formula BMW. After winning the 2002 championship there, he moved into GP2. By this time, he was already testing for Williams and secured a seat with them in 2006. His driving style is aggressive which would explain his early career shunts. But carrying the Rosberg name, world champion in 1982 means that he is out to at least match his father’s ability. Nico has been racing in F1 under the German flag despite being mainly Finnish and living in Monaco for most of his life.
niCo RosBeRG Team: AT&T Williams nationality: German Date of Birth: 27 June 1985 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 3rd Highest Grid Position: 3rd Podiums: 1 Points: 32 Races entered: 41
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KAZUKI NAKAJIMA One very unlikely fact about Kazuki Nakajima is that he is also a second-generation racer being the son of Satoru Nakajima. But while his father was a Honda backed driver, Kazuki is Toyota backed. Rising through the ranks of junior formulae in Japan, he has developed a knack for bullying his way through traffic. But his overly aggressive method has more often than not resulted in a crash. But still, the kid has plenty of talent and out qualifies his teammate on a regular basis. His main goal for 2008 would be to finish more races with the car in one piece.
KazuKi NaKajima Team: AT&T Williams Nationality: Japan Date of Birth: 11 January 1985 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 6th Highest Grid Position: 12th Podiums: 0 Points: 7 Races Entered: 7
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F1 Driver Profiles Long and distinguished is how most people would describe David Coulthard’s racing career. But he also has the reputation of being a shrewd investor, owning hotels in both Monaco and Britain. On track though, the oldest driver on the 2008 grid is a steady head with bags of experience, which he used to great effect while driving for Jaguar Racing and then new owners Red Bull Racing. As he continues to race in F1, he inches up the record books as most successful British racer via points scored although he has never won the world championship. One particular feature of DC away from the track is the long string of models he has dated over the years. He is currently engaged to Karen Minier, formerly an F1 TV show host from Belgium.
DAVID cOuLTHARD DaviD CoulTHaRD Team: Red Bull Racing nationality: Britain Date of Birth: 27 March 1971 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 13 Pole Positions: 12 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 61 Points: 527 Races entered: 235
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One of the last true racers on the grid today, Mark Webber usually prefers to spend his time with his car and his mechanics rather than at dinner parties looking for sponsors. Thus it is no surprise that the early career of the Aussie is blighted with a lack of racing cash. But whenever asked to drive, he has raced his heart out which is why team owners keep calling him back. The complete antithesis of a pay-driver, Mark is particularly single minded about his place in a racing team: drive to win. His entry to F1 came via fellow Aussie, Paul Stoddart who was then owner of Minardi in 2002. This was after surviving two flips in a Mercedes while driving in the Le Mans 24-hours. He has driven for Williams and surprised many when he signed for Red Bull, due to Red Bull having a driver program full of talent.
MARK WEBBER Mark Webber Team: Red Bull Racing Nationality: Australia Date of birth: 27 August 1976 World Championships: 0 race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest race Finish: 3rd Highest Grid Position: 2nd Podiums: 2 Points: 94 races entered: 111
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F1 Driver Profiles
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He ain’t heavy One of the most famous scenes in F1, after a gripping duel, Ayrton Senna’s McLaren gave up the ghost and ran out of fuel on the final lap while racing against Nigel Mansell. The Brit won the race (British GP, Silverstone, 1991) and gave the Brazilian a lift back to the pits.
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F1 Driver Profiles
JARNO TRuLLI The Italians in F1 are traditionally an exciting breed of racers. But for Jarno Trulli the excitement is tempered by a smooth style. He is super quick when it counts especially in qualifying. But the introduction of traffic and the need to get the car to the chequered flag creates a certain withdrawn attitude noticeable in the last two seasons. This is in stark contrast to earlier in his career where the main concern was to get noticed by the big boys. Moving from Minardi to Prost and then on to Jordan before a drive with Benetton, he is another one of the old heads on the grid. His 2005 move to Toyota has seen him build up alongside a team, which is relatively new. On occasions when he is given the right car, Jarno is a delight to watch. A true fitness nut, he runs marathons occasionally and also owns his own vineyard. He is married with two children.
JaRno TRulli Team: Panasonic Toyota Racing nationality: Italy Date of Birth: 13 July 1974 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 1 Pole Positions: 3 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 7 Points: 192 Races entered: 190
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TIMO GLOcK Tabloids love it when Timo Glock does something worth writing about. The last name that is also the brand of a handgun sparks many a writer’s imagination. Timo though would prefer to be sparking stories about his results in his first full season in F1. In 2004, the young German driver was moved up from test driver to full time racer at Jordan when contract disputes took Giorgio Pantano out of the seat. Glock did not do enough to secure the seat permanently for 2005 which led to a move to America. That would be the first and only time that Timo has raced full time outside of Germany having been raised on German junior formulae. His big moment came in 2006 when he returned to race in GP2, which he won the championship in 2007. He was brought in to replace Ralf Schumacher and with the team being based in Germany much is expected of him.
Timo GloCK Team: Panasonic Toyota Racing nationality: Germany Date of Birth: 18 March 1982 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 7th Highest Grid Position: 9th Podiums: 0 Points: 2 Races entered: 10
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F1 Driver Profiles
SEBASTIEN BOuRDAIS For many in F1, the arrival of Sebastien Bourdais is like the return of the prodigal son. Early in his career, Sebastien showed much promise with championship wins in F3000 and Formula 3. He was also involved in many Le Mans 24-hours races but all this did little to sway someone in F1 to pick him up for a drive. He decided to move to America to race in CART and earned himself three consecutive championships. Even then, the attitude in F1’s predominantly European circles was lukewarm. But as the scrum to get reliable drivers began for 2008, Scuderia Toro Rosso took the plunge to bring Sebastien back to Europe and into F1. It will be an interesting season to see if the man who has been king in America for three years running will make a dent in the F1 championship.
seBasTien BouRDais Team: Scuderia Toro Rosso nationality: France Date of Birth: 28 October 1979 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 7th Highest Grid Position: 15th Podiums: 0 Points: 2 Races entered: 6
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SEBASTIEN VETTEL One of the unheralded drivers of 2007, Sebastian Vettel is Mr. Consistency in a very young frame. There is very little flair or drama that comes along when Sebastian is in the car although his crash at the Japanese GP in 2007 caused some to question his ability. The fact that Toro Rosso have been talking to him about 2009 is proof enough that they believe in his potential. Before breaking into F1, he had tested with many teams in the hopes of securing a drive. One of the key points to his success is his interest in the technical aspect of Formula 1 and understanding how his car works. It is such a feature, which puts him in the same group as seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.
seBasTian veTTel Team: Scuderia Toro Rosso nationality: Germany Date of Birth: 3 July 1987 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 4th Highest Grid Position: 7th Podiums: 0 Points: 10 Races entered: 14
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F1 Driver Profiles The great big hope of Great Britain has only showed glimpses of his potential in his career thus far. A major drawback for Jenson Button is the fact he just happens to be British. Often compared to the great champions of the past from the isles, the intense pressure on Jenson to succeed early in his career took its toll. His stunning debut performance with Williams in 2000 made him a household name. But a troubled move to Renault saw him very isolated and lacking in motivation. The lifestyle, which came along with a move to Monaco, also became fodder for the tabloids. His move to the BAR which has since become Honda Racing, has put a sense of perspective into his career. With the backing of a British team and from Honda, there is some hope yet for the Englishman from Frome.
JENSON BuTTON Jenson BuTTon Team: Honda Racing F1 Team Nationality: Britain Date of Birth: 19 January 1980 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 1 Pole Positions: 3 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 15 Points: 232 Races Entered: 142
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From the heady heights of Ferrari to the austere surroundings of Honda Racing. Many fans consider that to be the fate of Rubens Barrichello, the man who had a shot at being an even greater racer than Ayrton Senna. But once the media version of Rubinho is consigned to the bin, what you have left is a professional F1 driver who just wants to get on with his career. One can say many things about the days when he drove for Ferrari but the truth is that despite not being in a high-end car, Rubens is a happier man. At Honda Racing, his input carries weight and he is allowed and encouraged to race harder than his teammate Jenson Button. One may not see it on TV during race day but having the Brazilian around the Honda Racing team is having a stabilising effect. And that is what Rubens gives to any team he drives for, the peace of mind come what may, a capable man behind the wheel.
RuBENS BARRIcHELLO RuBens BaRRiCHello Team: Honda Racing F1 Team Nationality: Brazil Date of Birth: 23 May 1972 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 9 Pole Positions: 13 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 61 Points: 522 Races Entered: 258
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F1 Driver Profiles One of the few new drivers of 2007 to survive into 2008, Adrian Sutil’s life could have been very different. A gifted pianist from an early age, he switched to karting at 14. Being raised in Germany, he followed the system up with Formula BMW and then into Formula 3 where he put up a good fight against teammate Lewis Hamilton. In 2006, he left for Japan where he became the champion of the Formula 3 championship there. Having known and driven for Colin Kolles earlier in his career, the German was given the chance to test drive for MF1, which later became Spyker. In 2007, Sutil outraced his teammate Christijan Albers at every grand prix and when Force India took over the team for 2008, they kept Adrian on. He is regarded as a true talent and something of a late bloomer. If Force India improves their car, some good results are expected from the German.
ADRIAN SuTIL aDRian suTil Team: Force India Formula One Team nationality: Germany Date of Birth: 11 January 1983 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 8th Highest Grid Position: 19th Podiums: 0 Points: 1 Races entered: 23
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Like most other newer teams on the grid, the decision to go for an experienced hand to go alongside a younger is logical. And so in just a few short but spectacular years, Giancarlo Fisichella has gone from the new maverick to the wise man of the team. The quiet Roman can look back on a career, which has been fraught with intrigue and many colourful episodes. He has often stated that it is his ambition to drive for Ferrari, but so far his performances have very rarely warranted a call from Maranello. His ability to outrace even the best drivers on any given day is tempered by the fact that he could be the slowest man on track at any given time. His days in F1 may be coming to an end but if Force India does happen to develop a quick car in record time, there could be a surprise or two from a man that is often overlooked as a threat.
GIANcARIO FISIcHELLA GianCaRlo FisiCHella Team: Force India Formula One Team nationality: Italy Date of Birth: 14 January 1973 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 3 Pole Positions: 3 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 18 Points: 267 Races entered: 200
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F1 Driver Profiles One roar after another preceded Lewis Hamilton in 2007. The former GP2 champion was the main reason why the sport came storming back up the TV ratings last year. With every race, he captured more and more attention that had been sorely lacking in F1 over the last decade. Being the first black driver in the sport made him a novelty but his sheer brilliance behind the wheel has made him a phenomenon. McLaren have been quite protective of the young driver since discovering him during his early teens. Many believe that he is the next Ayrton Senna, a driver who will lead F1 back to real driving, leaving behind all the gadgets that have made driving an F1 car simpler. He is a mentally strong athlete and he will need that strength when he runs into a slump in form and the press turn on him. But until then, the kid has breathed new life into a sport that many consider are on a downward trend due to its rising costs.
LEWIS HAMILTON leWis HamilTon Team: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Nationality: Britain Date of Birth: 7 January 1985 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 6 Pole Positions: 7 Highest Race Finish: 1st Highest Grid Position: 1st Podiums: 16 Points: 147 Races Entered: 23
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Stepping into the shoes of a departing world champion is no mean feat. That was the tall order set before Heikki Kovalainen who continues a McLaren tradition of having a Finn in the driver’s seat following Kimi Raikkonen, Mika Hakkinen and Keke Rosberg. But Kovalainen’s arrival at Woking is somewhat of a surprise having been part of the Renault F1 and the junior development program for sometime. Very similar to his teammate Lewis Hamilton, he is also a young driver who has won championships at the junior level, namely the Nissan World Series. In his rookie season of 2007, Heikki proved to be more than a match for his experienced teammate Giancarlo Fisichella. With McLaren famous for not following a lead driver policy, Heikki will finally be in a car that can win races and championships again.
HeiKKi Kovalainen Team: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes nationality: Finland Date of Birth: 19 October 1981 World Championships: 0 Race Wins: 0 Pole Positions: 0 Highest Race Finish: 2nd Highest Grid Position: 2nd Podiums: 2 Points: 45 Races entered: 23
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN 85
Feature
Understanding F1 On TV P
erhaps the biggest criticism of F1 today is that it is boring. It would seem, especially on television, the spectacle of Formula 1 racing has lost its magic. That is unless the viewer knows exactly what is happening on air. This is a brief guide to help you understand what actually goes on and decipher and truly appreciate a Grand Prix. There are two sessions beamed to viewers either live or via delayed telecast, they are the qualifying and the race day itself, both sessions make up the Race Weekend as seen on TV. There are of course, other unseen things that go on in the background, which the cameras are either not allowed or do not cover, yet play a significant role in a race.
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Not seeN oN tV • testing At several pre-determined circuits (mostly in Europe), the F1 teams do their testing. This is where you will get the regular tabloid headline that a back end team has scorched the lanes and set a dumb founding record lap time. The truth about testing is that it should be considered just that, testing. Elsewhere in this book, you will read about how F1 cars are made and how F1 drivers train themselves. The test sessions are for both car and driver to learn about each other and race as one unit. As F1’s governing body the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), does not regulate these test sessions, a car does
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The fierce jostling for positions at Turn 1 could result in the end of the race for some cars.
not have to run true to race conditions. For example in a race, an F1 car has to weigh a minimum of 600kgs. The chassis and engine combine weight for only 300kgs or less, which means ballast, is required. In a test session, this ballast does not have to be on board. Teams normally have two kinds of test sessions which can have an almost infinite number of setting variations, these are the short runs and long runs. Short runs are used when teams wish to tweak a myriad of settings on the car for optimal performance under one condition or another. These conditions could be, for better slow cornering speeds (in Monaco) or low down force (in Monza), a balanced set up (in Sepang) or higher acceleration rates (for tracks like Singapore and Valencia). 88
neers and their tyres to each and every test session. Each team’s machine has different characteristics and this in turn affects how they utilise the tyres and it is up to the engineers to advise the team on how to maximise their rubber. These test sessions allow Bridgestone to develop new compounds throughout the season, enabling them to design and built better tyres for enhanced safety and performance.
Long runs are used to prove that the car or one part of the car (usually something new from the factory) is race worthy. In this scenario, drivers will run many laps to determine if the car or that part in question is up to the task and performs as designed. Sole tyre supplier Bridgestone sends engi-
• the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) Custodians of the F1 rules and regulations, and judges at all races, the FIA are the regulators of the sport. The FIA are not be confused with the FOA (Formula One Association) which is the grouping of all the teams taking part in F1
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Feature
The best pit crews exhibit clock work like efficiency
and they are represented by Bernie Ecclestone while the FIA is usually represented by its president Max Mosley. The FOA and the FIA have an agreement in place called the Concorde Agreement (it was signed at Concorde Place, London and has nothing to do with the Concorde plane) This agreement is a secret document that only team bosses are allowed access to and it determines how the sport’s rules are made and technical changes implemented. The Concorde Agreement is also the contract requiring all teams to show up whenever there is a race set by the FIA in the F1 calendar. Before Ecclestone came along, not all teams would race at all races and race organisers could not be sure if any teams would show up for its race. The current agreement is set to expire 90
tineers find anything out of the ordinary on any car, they will meet, discuss and provide a finding. Occasionally, some cases need a longer period to deliberate, so fans may see some changes in results and penalties imposed even after a race.
and negotiations are set for a new pact which may have some interesting changes as not all teams, sponsors and organisers were happy with some aspects of the agreement made over the last decade or so. The FIA Stewards at each race are both judges and disciplinarians. They watch for infractions during the race and if their scru-
• Practice Another aspect of an F1 race that is rarely shown live on TV outside of Europe, are the practice sessions. These timed sessions are held on the Fridays of an F1 race weekend and they give teams a chance to see what the circuit is like. During these sessions, very much like the test sessions, fans will hear of teams doing spectacular lap times. What fans should be mindful about are the fuel loads (ballast tampering is illegal during an official session) as the heavier
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Feature the car, the slower the times. Some teams may be out to see if they can run heavy loads and still be competitive while others may need to give their sponsors something to cheer about. Again, the time sheets from a practice session are to be taken with a pinch of salt.
seeN oN tV • Qualifying The first big test of any given race is qualifying as seen on the TV screens. Fans should remember that there are 10 teams and while everyone wants to win, only a handful posses the technology has the right machinery to achieve a spot on the podium. But the general idea is to score points and to do this, the car must qualify high up the grid, which would mean a light fuel load. But the lesser the fuel, the more times a car has to do a pit stop during a race, meaning a loss of time and positioning. So engineers and drivers have to come to a compromise over the fuel load and the best possible time the car can achieve during qualifying. The qualifying procedures have been altered slightly: the first (Q1) session will be lengthened from 15 to 20 minutes. The slowest seven cars will be eliminated and allocated grid positions 16 to 22. These may be changed later if other cars receive penalties for engine/gearbox changes. The second (Q2) session will run for 15 minutes with the 15 cars remaining cars starting from scratch. The slowest five cars from this group are then eliminated and take grid positions 11 to 15. The final (Q3) session has been reduced to 10 minutes to get rid of the environmentally unfriendly "fuel burn" segment of qualifying. The fastest car in this session takes pole position and the others line up behind in positions 2 to 10. An interesting point to note is cars in Q3 will no longer be allowed to add fuel to make up for what has been used, hence the decision on a car’s fuel load is vital. • Race Day The big day arrives with the grid positions all worked out the day before during qualifying. Each team will now have a strategy based on their place on the grid and what they had envisioned before qualifying. A team’s strategy will also include the choice of tyres,
Preparation carried out before the race begins.
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Feature which are dependant on track conditions and weather, as some compounds will work better than others. Before the start of a race, all cars will come out of their garages and assemble on the grid. Team crews, the media pack, officials and invited guests will be seen in the hustle and bustle of the pre-race preparation. Engineers will be doing diagnostic checks on their cars, drivers will be trying to cool off while the tyre warming blankets will be keeping the tyres warm. When the one-minute marker board is shown, it signifies a countdown to the start of the race and the grid will be vacated by almost everyone. All F1 tracks have a pit exit door next to the grid and pit crews will be waiting to act in case their car stalls on the grid at the start. The start lights come on and the cars will do a formation lap adhering to their grid position. At this point viewers will see cars weaving on the road behind the safety car. The drivers do this to heat up and prep the tyres for better grip. As the safety car pulls off, the cars form up in the grid again and drivers go into first gear and stay on the clutch to keep the engine idling. The start lights are five lights on a board and will be switched on one by one. When all five lights are lit there will be a slight pause before they go out and when this happens, the race begins. The first corner in all F1 races is likely to
Start lights on a racing circuit.
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be where most of the action takes place. In some unfortunate cases, it is the only time when something interesting happens. There are 20 cars moving at different speeds, each trying to gain an advantage by jostling up a few positions. As the race settles into a steady rhythm, the fuel strategy takes centre stage. Occasionally, a driver will attempt to pass a rival on track but the best and safest way to overtake is to out race your rivals during their pit stops. Depending on the host country of the race (each TV broadcast is handled by the host nation’s producer) viewers will see more racing in the midfield rather than the top end. But as most fans follow the big teams, the emphasis is usually for the cameras to follow the big names around the laps. Cars will enter and leave the pit lane for their stops while observing the speed limit of the pit lane. All cars have a button on the steering wheel that engages the speed lane limiter that automatically puts the car on the right speed (80km/h at most tracks and 60km/h at some tracks). In some cases, the fuel strategy takes into account the length of the pit lane, as some tracks like Interlagos, Brazil are particularly long. There are two kinds of disruptions to an F1 race, one is an accident which blocks the track or makes it dangerous for the other cars to race and the other is a dramatic weather change which leads to cars driving into the pit lane for a tyre change. But in
F1 cars all lined up on the starting grid.
any disruption where there is a reasonable amount of danger to cars or marshals, the race stewards will deploy the Safety Car. The Safety Car is a modified Mercedes SL 63 AMG, a 6.3L V8 monster capable of 481bhp and can hit 100km/h from a standing start in a mere 4.5 seconds. With the safety car in on the track, the remaining racers will have to assemble behind it to follow it around. The rules for the deployment of the safety car is complex but it will generally stay on the track leading the F1 cars around for as long as it is deemed necessary by the stewards. Any advantage a race leader builds up prior to this period will effectively be erased, as all cars will eventually bunch up behind the safety car. An F1 race is supposed to last two hours or 300km, which ever comes first, when either one of these conditions are met, the race will end when the first car crosses the finish line. All cars finishing the race will be parked in parc ferme (a secure area where no unauthorised personnel is allowed) for the scrutineers to inspect and conduct a weigh-in. The drivers will be weighed as well and everything must conform to the strict rules of F1 racing. If scrutineers find something amiss at this point, it would be bad news indeed. Then comes the famous podium celebrations and spraying of champagne at most race locations, which is seen worldwide and familiar to many.
The ‘Lollipop’ man, a vital link in the pit-lane. 95
Feature thINgs seeN oN tV tAkeN FoR gRANteD! • FlAgs IN F1 You see the marshals waving them around but what do they mean? CheQUeReD FlAg The race has ended. Shown first to the winner, and then to every other car which crosses the finish line there after. ReD FlAg The race has been stopped, usually because a car is lying in a dangerous position after an accident or because conditions are too poor for racing to be safe. YelloW FlAg Indicates danger ahead and overtaking is prohibited. A single waved yellow flag means slow down; a double waved yellow warns that the driver must be prepared to stop if necessary. BlUe FlAg Shown to a driver to indicate that a faster car is behind him and trying to overtake. Shown both to lapped cars and those racing for contention. A lapped car must allow the faster car past after seeing a maximum of three blue flags or risk being penalised. A car in contention is under no obligation to move over.
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BlACk FlAg Shown with a car number to indicate that the driver must call into the pits immediately, usually because he has infringed certain regulations and may be penalised or disqualified. ReD AND YelloW stRIPeD FlAg A warning that the track is slippery, usually due to oil or water spillage on the track. gReeN FlAg A hazard has been cleared up and the cars can proceed at racing speed. BlACk FlAg WIth AN oRANge DIsC Shown with a car number to indicate that the car has a mechanical problem and the driver must return to his pit immediately. WhIte AND BlACk DIAgoNAl hAlVes Shown with car number to indicate a warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour, a black flag may follow if the driver takes no heed of the warning.
and every team has the necessary budget to put out a full pit crew. Hence understanding an F1 pit stop is very much part of being an F1 fan. IN the Box 1. The driver has to come into the pit lane on his speed limiter and will be directed to his garage by the lollipop man as he approaches. The car must come to a full stop in the designated box marked out on the ground. 2. The jack men will insert their jacks at the front and rear of the car, lifting it up and readying the car for a change of tyres. 3. The fuel men will wrestle the large and heavy refuelling rig to the car. They have to lock the nozzle in place for the fuel to begin flowing, once in place the rigs will flow at 12 litres a second 4. The tyre carriers will bring the new tyres to the car and carry off the used ones.
WhIte FlAg Warns of a slow-moving vehicle on the track, such as a tow truck or the safety car.
5. Tyre changers with their airgun will unlock the wheel nut and replace the tyres and relock the wheel nuts.
• the PIt stoP There is nothing quite like an F1 pit stop in all of motor racing simply because it is the only racing series where there are no limits
6. Firemen will be close by and stand alert to any trouble which may ignite a fire, with the engine and brakes glowing hot, any fuel droplets will ignite instantly.
Speed is of the essence for an F1 pit crew. 97
Feature 7. Starter man is found at the rear of the car. In case the engine stalls, he will restart the engine. There are no keyed ignitions in F1 cars; the engines need a tool to be inserted into a slot at the rear to start them up. 8. The lollipop man (thus named because he holds up a sign looking similar to a lollipop) is the stop and starter of the entire pit stop. He sets his board to stop the car and lifts it to let it go again. One side of the lollipop has “Brakes On” written, the other side is “Brakes On & In Gear”, telling the driver to engage first gear when he is just about to leave the pit. He is important because he has to ensure each member of the pit crew involved in the pit stop gives him the thumbs-up and stand clear before he can clear the driver to move off. As part of safety protocol, the whole pit crew has to be dressed in fire proof apparels which in recent years have begun looking more and more futuristic. These include multi-layered gloves, protective under layers, balaclavas, socks and shoes, all of which have to meet the guidelines set by the FIA.
• CAsh FoR FlAsh Getting your company’s name and logo on an F1 car is an expensive endeavour. F1 races are watched by almost 150 million viewers in Europe alone. And with TV cameras usually focusing at cars battling it out for the top three positions rather than backmarkers, charges for a top end team are far more expensive than on a lower end team. 1. Front wing – between USD5 to 15 Million: Usually taken up by partner companies who have put in some technology towards building the car or service companies that are assisting the team in some way. 2. Main chassis – between USD5 to 50 Million: This is the domain of the title sponsor and who is usually the largest sponsor of the team. As title sponsor, the company usually invests heavily in linking their brand with the success of the team or in some cases, merely being in F1 and all that it entails. 3. Rear wing – between USD5 to 15 Million: Real estate usually belonging to the title sponsor, but some smaller teams have different companies taking up such positions on the rear wing and side panels. 4. Winglets/ rear view mirrors/ cut outs – between USD1 – 3 Million: A nice entry point for firms having short term tie ups with the teams or for smaller budget companies to take up these positions. They are usually more active with ground level branding exercises. As part of any sponsorship package, each team must have the ability to accommodate corporate sponsors in the form of hospitality tents, paddock club entries, pit-lane passes for walkabouts, which in turn help keep their clients, associates and family happy. And the happier they are, there is a high possibility of an extension of the sponsorship contract for the next season. 98
A driver’s win is very much a testament to his pit crew’s abilities.
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On The Edge Of Performance By RogeR VAlBeRg In Tokyo, JApAn
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s sole tyre supplier to the Formula 1 for the next two seasons, plus involvement in a variety of motorsports, Bridgestone is certainly proving they are the real deal in performance tyres. In an exclusive interview, Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone Motorsport’s Director of Motorsport Tyre Development explains why Bridgestone is driven by performance.
Q: Unlike many other tyre companies, Bridgestone’s involvement in top-level motorsport is fairly recent, encompassing 30 years or so. Today, the Bridgestone brand is associated with race victories and high performance, how did you manage it so quickly? A: Thirty years ago, the management of the company sat down and asked the question why are we not penetrating the markets outside of Japan and how can we make Bridgestone tyres the best in the world. The decision was made to go into motorsports because we wanted to make tyres that would stand up to the most demanding conditions. So Bridgestone Motorsports was set up in 1976 to engineer performance tyres. At the same time every race, which was won with 100
Bridgestone tyres, helped push the awareness of the brand outside Japan. This passion to succeed was our driving force for 30 years and I don’t see it changing as we continually strive forward. Q: In the early days, Bridgestone Motorsports was involved in a slew of different racing activities, from open wheel to race-cars, both grand prix and endurance. There has been a streamlining to those activities, why is that? A: no one company can be everywhere at any one time and focus on doing a great job required for success. If a company poured all its resources into making racing tyres in every category, everywhere in the world, it
could be possible to win many races but the costs involved would soon bankrupt that company. Hence, Bridgestone wanted to be involved in a racing series that reaches out to a worldwide audience, which is why we chose to be involved in Formula 1 racing. Having said that, it is also very rewarding for Bridgestone to support many other categories of motorsports, such as karting, through to Formula 3 and Motogp to the gp2 Series and the IndyCar Series. In these categories, Bridgestone has been very successful. It is very important to Bridgestone that the racing audience associates our brand to high performance and victories. Q: In Formula 1 particularly, Bridgestone has been a steady presence since 1997. What
stone so far? As the sole tyre supplier in Formula 1, how difficult has it been for Bridgestone to keep all the teams and their drivers happy? A: our relationship with each team is good which really helps in the high stress world of Formula 1. obviously, there are many drivers with varying driving styles and each team’s car is different when it comes to tyre usage due to their design and engineering. To fans all cars on the grid may look similar, but the way in which they wear out tyres is really quite different. To get around this we have engineers who work closely with each individual teams to maximise tyre performance on their machines. We have made some technological innovations by modifying our super soft compound and making a slight change to our tyre construction for added safety, but with teams already familiar with our tyres they were able to design their machines with the confidence that they will have reliable tyres to match their machines. So it will be another season of exciting and closely fought battles on the track in 2008.
are the benefits of being in the F1 World Championship? A: Motorsport drives development, and there is nothing more competitive or technological demanding than Formula 1. The technology and techniques we learn in motorsports, especially Formula 1, transfers well to our passenger vehicle departments. The use of new compounds and different tyre tread designs are areas where we have learnt much from our involvement in motorsports. our knowledge in compounds, for example, allows us to improve the durability of consumer tyres, meaning they do not need to be replaced so often, which also translates to less use of raw materials as they otherwise would be. Q: on the topic of compounds, Formula 1 will be visiting two new street circuits this year, Singapore and Valencia, both will present new challenges for your engineers. How will you develop a tyre for these circuits considering you have very little data? A: First, we need to let the designers build the circuit or in this case, lay it out. Currently both venues are laying new surfaces for their respective races. From our experience in Monaco, we have a rough idea of what street circuits require. The
new courses will be very interesting for Bridgestone. Unlike a permanent course, we will not be able to look at previous races before we visit these two destinations, but we have access to the simulations teams have ran as well as our own computations. We understand the Singapore track will be the fastest of the three street races and likely to be harder on the tyres followed by Valencia. So after evaluating the individual circuit’s surface and layout, we are confident heading to these tracks but it will still be a major challenge going to both venues for the first time. Q: How is the 2008 season for Bridge-
Q: What is the ultimate ambition of Bridgestone in motorsports? A: We want to be the best. It is a simple statement but one which requires a lot of hard work. It also requires a hefty budget to achieve, our expenditure every year is about US$1 billion on Formula 1 alone. So becoming the best in motorsports is about balancing the business side and the racing side. Due to our presence and success in racing, our brand has grown significantly stronger in Europe and other parts of the world. This in turn helps us when we set our budgets but simply put, we wish to be the best and we are very close to that right now. 101
Intro Racing Racing Circuits Circuits
It’s Show Time! Under the bright lights for a night race, Singapore is going to be one heck of a party
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Ringapore S acing Circuits
Street Circuit
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hen Singapore announced that they would be hosting a Formula 1 World Championship race, the first reaction from the racing community was, ‘where is it going to be held?’ Being an island nation where space is at a premium, building a track seemed slightly fanciful. Then came news of a street circuit, a night race, with lights! It is no mean feat bringing a bustling city like Singapore to a standstill for four days, but the island city will make for a fantastic race. Aside from the novelty of being the world’s first Formula One night race, this leg of the World Championship will also incorporate water crossings, a feature present only at Valencia’s new track. With special asphalt being used to make the roads tougher and stickier for the F1 cars, the race promises to be a very high-speed affair, with every likelihood of overtaking made possible. The main appeal for many F1 veterans and racing fans alike is the fact that F1 cars will be doing their business in the downtown area of Singapore city, which is simply surreal. The race will be visible from many of the city’s skyscrapers and it will certainly present a more open layout than previously known for a street circuit (think Monaco). So when the F1 circus rolls into Singapore come September, it will be lights, camera and loads of action! 104
The main appeal for many F1 veterans and racing fans alike is the fact that F1 cars will be doing their business in the downtown area of Singapore city, which is simply surreal.
WALKABOUT ZONES
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Swissôtel The Stamford
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The Esplanade 9
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Subject to changes
LEGEND
2008 FORMULA 1 SINGTEL SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX TM
Start / Finish Race Direction
Circuit T1 -
T24 Turns
Grandstands: Walkabout Zones
Superscreens
Prime Trackside Viewing Locations for Walkabout Ticket Holders
Gates
1. Pit 2. Turns 1, 2 & 3 3. Stamford 4. Padang
5. City Hall 6. Esplanade Steps Premier 7. Raffles 8. Marina
9. Esplanade Waterfront 10. Bay 11. Singapore Flyer Premier
TiTle SponSor: SingTel - Asia’s leading telco Venue: Marina Bay, in the heart of Singapore, just minutes from 5-star hotels, the MRT underground system, the bustling CBD district and historic landmarks such as City Hall and The Padang which form part of Singapore’s heritage hub. Key DaTeS: 26 September 2008: - 1st Practice Session (1600-1730 hrs) - 2nd Practice Session (2000-2130 hrs) 27 September 2008: - Final Practice Session (1700-1800 hrs) - Qualifying (2000 hrs) 28 September 2008: 2008 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix (2000 hrs) SupporT raCeS: • Aston Martin Asia Cup • Formula BMW Pacific • Porsche Carrera Cup Asia expected attendance: 90,000 spectators Ticketing: 3-day Corporate Hospitality packages went on sale in November 2007, and 80,000 grandstand and walkabout passes were released for sale in February and March 2008. TiCKeT priCeS 3-day passes/person Walkabout passes: S$168 Grandstand passes: S$248 – S$1,388 Corporate Hospitality passes: S$3,500 – S$6,500 Single Day passes Day Standard Concessionary (Youths aged 7-15 yrs old and Seniors aged 60 yrs old and above) Fri S$38 S$34 Sat S$58 S$52 Sun S$108 S$98 Book via the official website: www.singaporegp.sg or ticketing hotline: +65 6738 6738 TraCK DeSCripTion Track length: 5,067m/3.148 miles* race direction: Anti-clockwise number of laps: An estimated 61 laps Track width: 10m to 15m Track surface: Surface laid with Polymer
Modified Binder and will offer vehicles 20% more grip. The lifespan of the road is expected to be longer than the 5 years for normal road surfaces number of turns: 24, consisting of 14 left turns and 10 right turns Maximum speed: In excess of 300kph Slowest corners: 80 – 100kph (T3, T10, T11, T15, T19 and T20) overtaking opportunities: Turn 1: Pit Straight, Turn 7: Raffles Boulevard, Turn 15: Esplanade Drive Track design consultant: Kellogg Brown & Root Ptd Ltd number of laps: 61* race Distance: 308.95 km* (subject to FIA confirmation)
(Please note the start and finish lines aren’t in the same place so the race distance is shorter than a 61 laps x 5.067km calculation.)
piT BuilDinG Gross Floor area: 22,000sqm pit Building Features: - 350m in length - Glass façade for panoramic view of pit lane and starting straight - 36 garages for 12 teams on ground floor - Race Control Centre, Winners’ Podium and Media Centre, Hospitality Lounges - Paddock Club (2nd & 3rd floors) can ac commodate 4,000 guests liGHTinG SySTeM power: 3,180,000 watt Track projectors: Approx. 1, 500 @ 2,000 watts each power Generators: 12 (twin-power) power Cables: 110,000m overall luminosity: 3000lux levels (four times brighter than a sports stadium) Set up: 2 to 3 months, from the end of May 2008 Completion: 31 August 2008
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Racing Circuits auSTralia
albert park As the name would indicate, Melbourne’s race venue is located in a park where the racing circuit is a semi-permanent fixture. With some of the asphalt surface being a parking lot when the grand prix is not in town, the level of tyre grip is always somewhat questionable during the early runs. The race is particularly accessible for those in Melbourne and its surrounding areas. The circuit itself is a set of testy corners and short straights, which favours well balanced cars. It is also a race which brings the cars very close to trackside and viewing fans. It is a favourite among the F1 fraternity for its carnival like atmosphere.
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n address: Australian Grand Prix Corporation, 220 Albert Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3125, Australia n Telephone: +61 3 9258 7100 n Website: www.cars.grandprix. com.au n First race: 1996 n Circuit length (km): 5.303
MalaySia
Sepang international Circuit
n address: Circuit Management Centre, Jalan Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur, 64100 KLIA, Selangor, Malaysia n Telephone: +60 3 8526 2000 n Website: www.malaysiangp. com.my n First race: 1999 n Circuit length (km): 5.543
One of the creations of track designer Hermann Tilke, the Sepang layout is a true test of an F1 car and driver. The inherent heat and humidity takes a dramatic toll on the F1 crews working the race. Like many of the newer circuits, Sepang is located close to an international airport and located away from the city centre of Kuala Lumpur. The palm tree architecture supplements the flowing nature of the track. The width of the track allows for multiple lines which mean race engineers have multiple choices to set up the car. Cooling the car at Sepang is also a science unto itself for the teams.
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Racing Circuits BaH rain
Sakhir Circuit Racing in the desert has been a romantic notion in F1 even since the first F1 world championship in 1950. Sakhir is where F1 precision meets Mother Nature’s micro dust particles. While the desert sun can make things uncomfortable, it is the dust which is the true danger at Sakhir. One unobservable fact from TV images of the track is that it is a very undulating circuit with uphill and downhill sections. With these factors in play, the car that wins at Sakhir is usually the one that has the most efficient system of putting the power down on the road. The city centre of Manana is also quite a distance away.
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n address: Sakhir Circuit, P. O. Box 26381, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain n Telephone: +973 406444 n Website: www.bahraingp. com.bh n First race: 2004 n Circuit length (km): 5.417
BarCelona
Circuit de Catalunya
n address: Mas ‘La Moreneta’, Apartado de Correos 27, E-08160 Montmelo, Spain n Telephone: +34 93 571 9704 n Website: www.circuitcat.com n First race: 1991 n Circuit length (km): 4.627
This track is among the best known to F1 teams as it is also the site of their testing sessions. The almost year long warm weather and multiple corner variations make this track very conducive to testing. But this tends to translate into very little overtaking action out on the circuit. The easiest way to win at Barcelona is from poll, simply because there is no traffic in the way. Regardless of this, the demand for tickets is still excellent with more grandstands being built. And although the Circuit de Catalunya is located away from the city of Barcelona, getting to and from the city is quite easy via the train system.
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MonaCo
Street Circuit
n address: Automobile Club de Monaco, 23 Boulevard Albert 1er, Monaco Cedex, MC 98012, Monte Carlo n Telephone: +377 931 52600 n Website: www3.monaco.mc n First race: 1950 n Circuit length (km): 3.37
All that is glamorous and beautiful about Formula 1 comes to Monaco annually. Between the business deals being negotiated, the wild parties and the casinos, the race is almost a secondary consideration. Visiting Monaco at any time of the year is an expensive affair but during Grand Prix week, things are taken to a whole new fiscal level. The race is particularly hard on the drivers with tight bends, corners, and a section under a tunnel presents a tricky situation but the straights do offer some reprieve. Doing a race pace over 78 laps with the barriers less than two feet away at any given time demands the utmost concentration. The parties after the race though prove to be among the social highlights of the year.
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BarCelona
Circuit de Catalunya
n address: Mas ‘La Moreneta’, Apartado de Correos 27, E-08160 Montmelo, Spain n Telephone: +34 93 571 9704 n Website: www.circuitcat.com n First race: 1991 n Circuit length (km): 4.627
This track is among the best known to F1 teams as it is also the site of their testing sessions. The almost year long warm weather and multiple corner variations make this track very conducive to testing. But this tends to translate into very little overtaking action out on the circuit. The easiest way to win at Barcelona is from poll, simply because there is no traffic in the way. Regardless of this, the demand for tickets is still excellent with more grandstands being built. And although the Circuit de Catalunya is located away from the city of Barcelona, getting to and from the city is quite easy via the train system.
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Racing Circuits CanaD a
Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve
When it comes to conquering Montreal, the name of the game is brakes. F1 cars have the toughest, most efficient brakes in the automobile world but at this race, spectators will be given a visible view of brake failure. Long straights ending in tight corners mean that the stopping power of an F1 car is fully tested several times over in one lap. It is perhaps the only race where mechanical failure is a real threat towards the end of the race. The circuit is built on an island across from the city of Montreal and transportation is easy and efficient. But on grand prix weekend, one constant complaint is the over the top charges for accommodations and food.
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n address: Bassin Olympique, Ile de Notre-Dame, Montreal, Quebec H2Y 3G7, Canada n Telephone: +1 514 873 2015 n Website: www.grandprix.ca n First race: 1978 n Circuit length (km): 4.361
FranCe
Circuit de nevers Magny-Cours
n address: Circuit de Nevers Magny Cours, Technopole, F58470 Magny Cours, France n Telephone: +33 3 86 21 80 00 n Website: www.magnyf1.com n First race: 1991 n Circuit length (km): 4.408
After much criticism, largely due to its isolated location and lack of accommodation, Magny-Cours will host its last grand prix this year. F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone has stated his preference to move the race in France to the capital, Paris. The Magny-Cours track is located between the tiny villages of Nevers and MagnyCours, it is perhaps the most quiet and out of the way track on the F1 calendar in Europe. The racing is exciting with the demands of the smooth circuit being handled quite well even by the average F1 cars. Although speeds at this track can be quite high, the lack of overtaking opportunities is glaring. Visitors to this circuit should be prepared for the long hikes to and from Paris.
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Racing Circuits BriTain
Silverstone One of the golden oldies in world of motorsports, Silverstone is constantly under pressure to modernise itself. The track itself is a test of racing skill as it offers several overtaking spots that can be claimed by the very brave or the foolhardy. Although the stands are fairly rudimentary and situated away from the paddock, the large crowds that come for the grand prix bring along a part atmosphere. Unfortunately there is very little in the way of entertainment in the immediate vicinity, which means the good times begin in London, days earlier.
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n Address: Silverstone International Circuit, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN, United Kingdom n Telephone: +44 1327 857271 n Website: www.silverstone-circuit.co.uk n First race: 1950 n Circuit length (km): 5.141
GerM any
Hockenheim
n address: Hockenheimring GmbH, Motodrom, D-68766 Hockenheim, Germany n Telephone: +49 6205 950 05 Website: www.hockenheimring. com n First race: 1970 n Circuit length (km): 4.574
The old complaint about Hockenheim used to be that it was too fast and too dangerous. Going flat out into the forest also proved quite unhealthy for TV cameras, so in a move to bring in move sponsors and fans, the track was cut into half and the circuit rebuilt with a section now called the Stadium. The racing is tightly compressed which means overtaking is all but a dream except to a few bold drivers. Getting to the circuit or anywhere else in Germany is simple enough and campsites near the circuit attract F1 fans from all over the continent.
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Racing Circuits HunGary
Hungaroring The only race in Eastern Europe currently, Hungary is F1’s gateway to the eastern realm. But while the surroundings might prove slightly exotic for the F1 circus, the racing has been anything but. The circuit is in a sandy valley, which means that the accumulation of dust on the track is severe. With less grip to go around the tight, twisty sections, the F1 cars struggle for speed. One highlight is the extra long straight which leads into perhaps the only real overtaking opportunity. Budapest is within reach from the circuit, which keeps most of the foreign fans from both sides of Europe happy.
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n address: Hungaroring Circuit, Pf10, H-2146 Mogyorod, Budapest, Hungary n Telephone: +36 2 844 1861 n Website: www.hungaroinfo.com n First race: 1986 n Circuit length (km): 4.384
Spa in
Street Circuit
n address: N/A n Telephone: +34 963 164 007 n Website: www.valenciastreetcircuit.com n First race: 2008 n Circuit length (km): 5.473km
This circuit is primed to be the most dramatic and highspeed street circuit on the Formula One calendar. Nearly 5.5km long, the Valencia track will be twisting its way around the port area of the city. There are some particularly tight corners but overall, the track is lending itself to a high-speed extravaganza. As many parts of the track are being purpose built, the safety aspect should check out just fine. With the race within the city, there is unlikely to be any problems getting accommodations or moving around.
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Racing Circuits BelGiuM
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
This is the favourite event for drivers in motor racing. Spa as it is affectionately known, is a drivers’ circuit. Laid out over the Ardennes forest, currently it is the longest track in F1. It has the signature corner of Eau Rouge that theoretically can be taken flat out, but is to be attempted only by the bravest on the F1 grid. Overtaking at Spa is a fairly simple affair with several different spots to pick from all over the circuit. The quickest drivers with the quickest cars usually win at Spa. While the surrounding areas may be rustic, it is rich in history and full of hotels and inns to suit differing budgets.
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n address: Circuit de Spa Francorchamps, Route du Circuit 55, 4970 Francorchamps, Belgium n Telephone: +32 8727 5258 n Website: www.spa-francorchamps.be n First race: 1983 n Circuit length (km): 6.968
iTaly
autodromo nazionale Monza
n address: Monza Racing Circuit, Parco di Monza, I-20052 Monza, Italy n Telephone: +39 39 24 821 n Website: www.monzanet.it n First race: 1950 n Circuit length (km): 5.793
Grand Prix of Italy 2008 Round 14, 14 September, 2008. Monza, Italy. The home of Ferrari is a pilgrimage all die hard fans of the prancing horse need to visit once in their lifetime. The track is the fastest track on the F1 calendar with cars topping out at 340km/h. It is the closest F1 teams will come to oval racing unless there are plan to stage a race at Indianapolis. In the ongoing tussle between manufacturers, the engine bragging rights are often settled at Monza. The track is just outside of Milan and is easily accessible from the city. Most travellers to Monza often visit Florence and Turin before returning to Rome.
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Racing Circuits japan
Fuji international Speedway
On the foothills of Mount Fuji, the Fuji Speedway is a Monza like track on the other side of the world. Owned by Toyota (as opposed to Honda owned Suzuka) the track was designed by Hermann Tilke. Like many of his previous designs, there are long straights with sharp corners to encourage overtaking under braking. One phenomenon is, the circuit will run counter clockwise. But fans staying in the cities will have to travel for nearly two hours to reach the circuit.
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n address: Fuji International Speedway, Oyama Cho, Sunto Gun, Shizuoka, 410-1308, Japan n Telephone: +81 550 78 1234 n Website: www.fujispeedway. co.jp/english/index.html n First race: 1976 n Circuit length (km): 4.549
CHina
Shanghai international Circuit
n address: Shanghai International Racing Circuit, 1558 Dingxi Road, Shanghai, China n Telephone: +86 21 62520000 n Website: www.icsh.sh.cn n First race: 2004 n Circuit length (km): 5.451
The first thing that strikes you about the Shanghai circuit is its sheer size. From the overhead bridge that lines the start-finish line to the massive grandstands, everything about this circuit is mega huge. This track provides an exciting race, as overtaking possibilities are endless with a very large runoff zone to recover if overtaking moves don’t work. One feature, which is still the buzz among F1 veterans is the paddock area, where hospitality suites are built over water. The parties in Shanghai are also said to be amongst the best of the F1 host cities.
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Racing Circuits Brazil
autodromo Carlos pace-interlagos
The F1 season will end in Brazil, within the bowl shape confines of Sao Paulo. Interlagos is a counter clockwise circuit with a very long pit lane. This affects racing strategy more then most other tracks as cars coming into the pit lane have to adhere to the speed limit rule and further adds on to the intricacies of a speedy pit stop. As most Brazilians are passionate about motor racing, this race will have spectators from seats to roofs. But one of the main complaints surrounding Interlagos is the maintenance of the circuit or rather the lack of, with some areas in disrepair.
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n address: Avenida Senador Teotonio Vilela 261, 010000-000 Interlagos, Sao Paulo, Brazil n Telephone: +55 11 566 68822 n Website: www.gpbrasil.com.br n First race: 1973 n Circuit length (km): 4.309
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Feature
Secret Of Success By RogeR ValBeRg in Tokyo, Japan
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“ If this series of twists and turns were designed to impress a visitor on just how much grip Bridgestone tyres can generate in awful conditions, it certainly worked.”
S
omewhere north of Tokyo sits an amazing facility, its purpose is focusing on performance and keeping your car on the road. This is the Bridgestone proving ground, where tyres are judged whether they truly are worthy to carry the Bridgestone branding. The concept according to the friendly folks at Bridgestone is fairly simple; engineers at the Technical Centre design the tyres using computer simulations where each tyre design is assigned various characteristics. Be it a quiet, comfortable, wet running or high performance tyre, the design is put into real rubber and sent to the proving ground. This is where the prototype will be fitted onto some of the nearly 300 vehicles on hand at the facility. From motorcycles to cars to buses and trucks, these tyres have to earn their stripes there or face destruction. So imagine being strapped into a Porsche 997 Carrera S fitted with prototype tyres on a cold and rainy at the proving ground sitting next to a professional test driver, it can be quite disconcerting. His words to me upon me buckling up were: “Rain today… very dangerous.” and inside of four seconds, we were cruising past the 100km/h mark. The proving ground was designed to
replicate normal street conditions around the world and is one of several Bridgestone runs. The course we were on was 3.9km long with two banked turns that maxed out at 50 degrees and a 1.3km straight. There are about 50 types of road conditions the Bridgestone proving ground can simulate, from Belgian paving roads to good old fashioned cracked concrete, it was all there except for the fact that we were now cruising at 200km/h with the test driver constantly reiterating wet roads were quite dangerous. Up the banked turn we went and i immediately felt the g-forces pushing me into your seat. The low silhouette of the porsche with the help of the tyres no doubt, kept us grounded but you can imagine my trepidation when we went round that very same bank on the welcome tour minibus! looking out the window to see grey skies where the ground used to be is quite a sight until you see the droplets of rain coming down directly on you. Back in the porsche, we were now going into a complexity of turns known as the Wet Circuit, in the rain. if this series of twists and turns were designed to impress a visitor on just how much grip Bridgestone tyres can generate in awful conditions, it certainly worked. on
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Feature more than one occasion i felt we were going into a corner carrying too much speed even for a 997 to handle, at one point we were doing a hairpin turn just above 100km/h, but the car just hung on like a big cat with its claws drawn. The engineers at Bridgestone seem to have perfected the prevention of aquaplaning and the transmission of traction forces down to an art form, so it is once again point proven at the Bridgestone proving ground.
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