Ray S

Let's get this party started early......

F1 website quotes.....

Jarno Trulli, Toyota
2007 Qualifying - 8th, 2007 Race - 8th
"It was very frustrating to be eliminated so early in China so I am determined to hit back in Brazil. This has been one of my best seasons, even if I have had some bad luck as well, so I am looking forward to celebrating the final race with another top-six finish. It's disappointing we cannot finish fourth in the constructors' championship but it's still possible for me to finish eighth in the drivers' championship so I will fight to score as many points as possible to do that. I was in the points there last season even though our car was not as competitive as this year's so I am pretty confident. Interlagos is quite a tough circuit because it is anti-clockwise and it puts a lot of strain on your neck, but I am fit and I've never had a problem. It's quite a challenging circuit in general and I enjoy racing there."

Timo Glock, Toyota
2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA
"This has been a very positive first season with Toyota and I want to end it with a strong result in the Brazilian Grand Prix. I feel I have made great progress this year and I've had a lot of fun as well; Toyota is a great team and everyone has been very supportive. It is a long season but I still have plenty of energy and I'm really motivated for this race. I have raced in Formula One at Interlagos before, in 2004, and my strongest impression was that it was a very bumpy track which was quite hard work for a driver. Our car wasn't perfect over the bumps in Singapore so I am pleased to hear they have fixed them in Brazil because that will help us. If you look at our pace over the past few races we can be confident of another competitive weekend and I will certainly be looking to add to my points total. At the moment I am 10th in the world championship and if I can score more points and keep that position, that would be a good achievement in my first full season."

Pascal Vasselon, Toyota’s senior general chassis manager
"From our side we always perform well at Interlagos, so we go to the Brazilian Grand Prix with high expectations and we are really looking forward to this race. Our car has been competitive at almost every circuit and we expect to be strong again at Interlagos. What is really crucial at Interlagos is tyres. Last year Bridgestone had been aggressive in bringing the soft and super soft tyres, which meant blistering was a big issue. But this time we have soft and medium compounds which should be much better suited. That doesn't mean to say the tyres aren't challenging because it will not be straightforward and there will be some hard work to do. Aside from that, Interlagos is very light on brakes and it is medium-low downforce."

Fernando Alonso, Renault
2007 Qualifying - 4th, 2007 Race - 3rd
“It was at Interlagos that I won my two world titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006 and so it always feels great to come back here. This year we have already achieved our objective to end the season fourth in the constructors' championship with the third quickest car so we can therefore approach this race with less pressure and be more relaxed, which may help us take advantage of the situation.After Singapore and Fuji, the team now believes that anything is possible.

“It's an interesting circuit which has some different challenges and requires a compromise with the car set-up. That's because the track is anti-clockwise, the surface is very bumpy and there is a mix of corners, as well as a long straight. You therefore need a car with an efficient aero package and good mechanical grip to set a competitive lap-time. Usually the atmosphere in Brazil is extraordinary: the fans are really passionate about the sport and it's a special place for Formula One. So it should be a great weekend.”

Nelson Piquet, Renault
2007 Qualifying - NA, 2007 Race - NA
“It's a circuit that is renowned for being particularly bumpy and so the suspension settings will be very important. You need a car that is supple enough to ride the bumps and the curbs in the second sector, while at the same time being reactive in the tight corners and having good change of direction. We will work on the set-up of the car and the suspension during the three hours of practice on Friday.

“I'm determined to have a great race - that goes without saying. But I'm not putting more pressure on myself because it's the Brazilian Grand Prix and my home race. Instead I'm approaching this race calmly and I will use the practice sessions to gradually improve the set-up of the car so that I am in the best shape possible for qualifying and the race. So I'm approaching the weekend one step at a time to try and deliver a great result.

“I know that it will feel great to drive in my own country in front of my family and my friends - it's definitely a big source of motivation and I'm really determined to get the most from the weekend. I will do my best to remain concentrated, work hard with my engineers to try and make sure we have a really good race in Interlagos.”

Pat Symonds, Renault engineering director
“If you look at the last few races, we've seen the car performing well at some very different circuits. But as well as our strengths, our weaknesses are still there and I think that the exit out of Turn 12 and the long drag up the hill to the first corner will be quite tough for us and not an area where we will be particularly strong. However, the car should be good through the quick corners of Turns Three and Five, and overall I think we can maintain a similar level of competitiveness to that which we've shown in the past few races.”

Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2007 Qualifying - 1st, 2007 Race - 2nd
“Brazilian people love Formula One, love motor racing and it is really big passion for them. I really like to race at home and I think I race better at home. Do I need to say I'm very motivated?! I love this track, I grew up here and I know all its little tricks and secrets. I first raced here when I was eight years old in a go-kart, as the karting track is inside the circuit complex. The first time I actually raced on the proper circuit was in 1998 in a Formula Opel race, although I can't remember what position I finished. The track is not bumpy anymore as they did a great job on the surface last year. It's great to drive and over the weekend the atmosphere will be really special. The whole event is one of the best on the calendar in my opinion.

"It is impossible to predict what will happen in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but I think our car has always been very good at this circuit, even if I cannot explain exactly why. We have always gone well here and I expect that to be the case at the weekend, whatever the conditions, in the dry or in the rain and in qualifying and in the race. For sure, Lewis (Hamilton) will try and put pressure on me, but I have zero pressure, because I have nothing to lose. I have my people behind me and all the pressure will be on him, especially when you think about what happened at this race last year. I can't wait for the final Sunday of the season."

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
2007 Qualifying - 3rd, 2007 Race - 1st
“We're heading to Brazil, where I had the best weekend of my life last year: I'll never forget this moment. Going back will charge me even more I guess. We'll try to repeat our one-two win from last year and then we'll calculate the outcome of the standings and we'll see where we are in the two championships. I'll have the same approach as in the last two races. The qualifying will be fundamental and it would be nice to start from the front row once more: if this should happen, let's hope that the situation after the first corner will be different. I gained the best possible result in China, considering that we couldn't fight for the win. Once you don't fight for the title anymore for me it doesn't make a difference if I come in second or third, as long as the points for Ferrari remain the same. The team is fighting in both championships: I'd be glad if I could do something for Felipe, that he can win the title and Ferrari will be again victorious in the constructors' championships in the last race of the season.”

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2007 Qualifying - 2nd, 2007 Race - 7th
"I love this circuit: it’s in this incredible natural arena that is just amazing to race on. And it’s anti-clockwise too - so it presents an additional challenge to the drivers. The track always seems to provide good, close racing: one of the reasons for that is because there’s a long straight leading up to the first corner and you can slipstream other cars and overtake into Turn One. It’s also a place where there seems to be a lot of grip so you can dice with other cars and have fun.

“(Last year) I went to Interlagos with the title battle still up in the air and all my emotions just bubbling up and down. It was a very emotional time because I knew it would end with either great success or huge disappointment. In 2007, things didn’t end up too well for me - but I still had a great first year. Everybody’s always happy to finish the season in Brazil - there’s a real party atmosphere in Sao Paulo on the Sunday night and it’s a perfect place to end such a great season.

“I don’t need to win the race, but that won’t stop me from going into the weekend looking to be as strong as possible. Shanghai was a good example of that: we hit the ground running on Friday morning and never looked back. Our aim wasn’t to push too hard, but we found ourselves in a position at the front and took it comfortably from there. That’s what I am hoping to achieve in Brazil - a straightforward weekend that allows me to just focus on my car and my driving.”

Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren
2007 Qualifying - 17th, 2007 Race - DNF
“With the championship as it is, things are a little different going to Brazil. Clearly, I want to be able to help the team and Lewis wherever necessary - but the easiest way to do that is to be running at the front. The team knows I will play my part, but we are also targeting the constructors’ championship. We may be 11 points behind Ferrari, but there are 18 points available in Brazil and we go into the final race still looking at securing both world titles - that has to be our aim."

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Formula One CEO
"The track is fairly bumpy, so there’s a greater premium placed on finding a good, driveable balance. The track itself is situated at fairly high altitude, which has a knock-on effect on engine horsepower and downforce, both of which are a little lower than at a regular circuit. For this race, we’ll also be looking at the possibility of running Lewis’s engine in a safer setting so it has a bit more margin than normal. It’s something we do throughout the season but, clearly, there’s a greater need to be safe this weekend."

Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Of course, the majority of the crowd will support Felipe (Massa) at his home race in Brazil, this will be the same for him as it was for Lewis in Great Britain. What will count in the end will be speed, reliability, to avoid crashes, and the cleverness of team and drivers. We will focus on our job. We know, of course, that we have to work a lot until Lewis will be able to clinch the title.”

Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
2007 Qualifying - 6th, 2007 Race - 6th
"I'm pleased for the fans, but also personally, that we have an exciting finale to the world championship. Plus, I'm curious to see whether the track is still the same as it was in 2007. That was a nice surprise, as the track's surface used to be really bad and very bumpy. It was always being patched up, but it was only when the track was re-asphalted ahead of the 2007 Grand Prix that it really became a good surface. The layout of the Interlagos track is excellent and very demanding on the drivers - not least, of course, as far as our neck muscles are concerned."

Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
2007 Qualifying - 7th, 2007 Race - 5th
"Brazil is traditionally the final race of the season, and Interlagos is a very demanding and interesting circuit. My first race there was in 2002 in Formula Renault, and I've been back with BMW Sauber for the last two years. Interlagos is physically very tiring because we drive the circuit anticlockwise. That's something we're not used to, and we feel it especially in the neck. I'm currently third in the drivers' standings, six points in front of Kimi (Raikkonen), and, of course, it's my aim to defend this position."

Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director
“The 2008 Formula One season is now going onto the finishing straight. In 2007 the
outcome of the title was only decided in a thrilling final race in Brazil. Perhaps the Formula One fans will also get to enjoy a similarly exciting finale this year. Two drivers still have a chance of becoming world champion in Sao Paulo.

"The Interlagos circuit has many different aspects, and the weather can also be unpredictable. The long, uphill start-finish straight places particularly heavy loads on the engines. This uphill section also makes the start extremely exciting. Another of its characteristic is the altitude of Sao Paulo. The thin air means that the engines generate approximately eight percent lower output than at sea level. We are very much looking forward to the final race of 2008 and are aiming to record another good result to round off the season.”

***** Rampf, BMW Sauber technical director
"For us, the Brazilian Grand Prix represents the end of a highly successful season, and of course we want to round the year off on a positive note. Interlagos is one of the few circuits - alongside Istanbul Park and Singapore - which we drive anticlockwise. Here, the middle sector is critical, with one corner following the next. The key elements are good traction and car balance. Top speed is important in the first and third sectors, with engine output playing a particularly prominent role on the uphill start-finish straight. This section also offers a good overtaking opportunity, as does the end of the straight in sector one.The track was resurfaced in 2007, which evened out a lot of bumps. In contrast to last year, when we opted for the softest tyre option, this time around we'll be using the medium compounds.”

Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development
"Last year we were too soft in our allocation and we saw blistering on many tyres, even those used by competitors who we would expect to be quite gentle on our tyres. We expect the medium and soft compounds to be a good choice, plus the change will provide teams with a challenge, especially as the track surface will have evolved from last year when it was brand new.

"We expect a lot of graining, especially at the beginning of the weekend. There are two reasons for this; Interlagos often has a very dirty track surface and the twisty infield layout makes graining likely, regardless of the track surface conditions. Interlagos is a track which is deceptive as it is not as harsh on tyres as you would think, although the weather conditions can play a big part, especially if it is hot like it was last season."

FGL28

You forgot Felipe Massa's second part of the quote:

"I have zero pressure because the Marshals from Ferrari International Assisstance are behind me. They are always there for a good penalty or unnecessary inspection."

morganabowen

Ray S,
Good post, and all of the drivers seem very relaxed and anxious to complete the season. Hamilton and Massa will be fighting for the WDC and of course Fernando Alonso should do good since there is little or no pressure on him. I think that KR may have some pressure since there is rumor that he may not return to Ferrari. I do expect some of the younger drivers, to make this a very exciting and competitive race I am sad that the season is ending but the off season should produce some interesting changes

Ray S

Video Preview

http://www.f1wolf.com/2008/10/2008-b...o-preview.html

Ray S

Wednesday, 22nd October 2008

McLaren faces 'double or quits' predicament as its chases two F1 world titles in Brazilian showdown.

The McLaren team has admitted that it will find itself caught between two stools at next weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, determined to take the safe route towards delivering Lewis Hamilton a maiden world title, but equally keen to do all it can to overturn Ferrari's advantage in the constructors' championship.

With back-to-back retirements for Heikki Kovalainen in Japan and China, accompanied by Hamilton's non-score at Fuji, McLaren has allowed the Scuderia to extend an eleven-point cushion in the teams' competition, and CEO Martin Whitmarsh admits that it now faces something of a dilemma at Interlagos.

Hamilton needs only to finish fifth or better to take the world title he came so close to landing in his rookie campaign in 2007, and Whitmarsh admits that McLaren will be trying to curb the Briton's natural instincts to try and win from the front. However, he also concedes that doing 'just enough' to land the individual crown could have an adverse effect on its attempts to beat Ferrari on both fronts.

"Clearly, we can afford to be more conservative than normal in our approach to Lewis' race, but we are still pushing to win the constructors' championship and it would be wrong of us as a team to overlook this fact," Whitmarsh acknowledged, "There are 18 points available in Brazil and there's no reason why we can't take forward the pace and form we showed in China to achieve a one-two in Brazil.

"As a result, we do have a number of minor aerodynamic upgrades in the pipeline that we are evaluating for inclusion on our Brazil-spec car. As with every race this season, we have brought something to the car - even if it has only been generating a few extra hundredths of lap time - and it would be wrong of us to close down that option for Interlago

Kovalainen's problems - an engine failure in Japan and badly fading brakes in China - underline the harsh reality that Hamilton's dreams could so easily be derailed by unreliability. Although the MP4-23 has proven to be more robust than its counterpart from Maranello this season, that was also generally accepted in 2007, only for Hamilton to suffer a 'gearbox glitch' at Interlagos that opened that door for Kimi Raikkonen to complete a comeback from 17 points behind with two rounds to go.

Without being complacent, Whitmarsh insists that McLaren is confident that both of its cars will be prepared to their usual high standards in an effort to prevent a repeat of last year's disappointment.

"Of course, we are keenly aware that the world championship could be won or lost by a mechanical failure," he accepted, "As a result, we are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to minimise this possibility. For example, that meant consciously turning down Lewis's engine on the run to the flag in China in order to give him plenty of engine life for Brazil."

While both Ferraris will be fitted with fresh engines for Interlagos, the regulations do not allow Hamilton - who has enjoyed solid Mercedes-Benz reliability this year - to play his ‘joker' in Brazil, which means he will be subjected to the usual ten-place grid penalty if his motor fails after Friday practice.

"Regrettably, yes - but we don't foresee this being an issue," Whitmarsh confirmed, "Lewis's engine will be on its second race in Sao Paulo, while Heikki will use a brand new V8, so we can balance the two approaches to engine life.

"In terms of gearbox life, Lewis' will be on race three while Heikki will start the weekend with a new 'box, but the level of reliability inherent in the gearbox means we anticipate fewer problems in this area

Hamilton described his car as 'near perfect' after romping away from the two Ferraris in Shanghai, but Whitmarsh, while optimistic that McLaren can provide the Briton with another front-running machine, is aware that performance can vary from track to track without the team really knowing why.

"The reality is that we strive to make the MP4-23 well-balanced in every race but, sometimes, we are able to achieve better results at certain tracks than at others," he conceded, "While both drivers and their engineers worked hard to bounce back as convincingly as possible from the disappointments of Fuji, the groundwork had already been done back at the McLaren Technology Centre and at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines.

"The engineers were able to provide the race team with a very focused set of performance parameters around which they were able to refine the car for the racetrack with the minimum of difficulty.

"And that's the approach we will take into Brazil next week - methodical and iterative analysis and evaluation of the data to eliminate the rogue variables that could distract from our core focus. It may not sound exciting, but it's the number-crunching that ultimately allows you to win races."

Porsche917K

Is it too much to hope for a miracle two years in a row? I can't wait for this race!

Ray S

I don't think Hamilton is that dumb. Unless he has a mechanical problem I think he's going to play it pretty safe.

multi21

I CAN'T see Hamilton throwing it away 2 years in a row. His McLaren has been virtually free of mechanical issues, those of blown engines and punctured tires being relagated to Heikki.

Lewis just needs to survive the 1st corner at the start. If he emerges in P1 after the first lap, he's home free. If he's slotted 2-4th, he just needs to keep it on track and not push any buttons on his steering wheel.

KurtC

I enjoyed this article a few days ago.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/71710

Ray S

"Former team boss Eddie Jordan says Lewis Hamilton must be prepared to ruthlessly retaliate in the event of a repeat of his Fuji collision with Felipe Massa."

I'm not sure this is very good advice. I don't think Lewis should do any "ruthless retaliation" unless he falls out of the top 5 with Massa in front of him.

Porsche917K

HAHA! We'll he's deffinately shown that he does make stupid mistakes from time to time. I wish the points we're a little closer so he would really feel the pressure. Nothing I love more than watching a driver start a race knowing he has to get a 1st or 2nd to win the championship.

Porsche917K

This is great. I hope Eddie gives him a nice long motivational talk right before the race.

multi21

I love Eddie Jordan and I think F1 would be more interesting with the likes of him and Flavor Flav, but to think Hamilton banging wheels with Massa is the way to win a championship with 1 race to go is foolish.

IMHO, Massa banging into Hamilton in Japan was NOT a dirty move, but rather a racing incident in the fight for that corner. Massa put his left side tires off, spun Hamilton and got penalized accordingly. But it doesn't help Massa if he takes both of them out? And there certainly isn't a guarantee that if Hamilton bangs wheels with Massa in Brazil he's going to take both of them out thus securing the championship. What Hamilton needs is a lot of bubble wrap around his car to not sustain any damage.

ltc

Could someone please venture into to OT forum and retrieve Sir A. Wayne?
I realize the election is coming, but threads like this aren't the same without him and his alter ego Alonso.
Of course he was last seen lurking around the paddock in Brazil......

multi21

F him!! The sky is bluer, the trees greener and the air more fresh without that *******.