Tag: preview quotes

Hungarian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Ferrari

Preview Quotes from Felipe Massa on behalf of Ferrari ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring where he suffered his nasty crash back in 2009.

Felipe Massa, Ferrari

“The Hungarian Grand Prix is a very special event for me, that brings back a lot of memories. Naturally, there are some negative memories from my [2009 Hungaroring] accident, but also positive ones in that I am here today, getting ready for Budapest, healthy and still racing. I love the fans in Hungary, as I actually have a lot more of them since my accident, so it’s somewhere I am always pleased to go back to and of course I hope I can have a good race there this weekend.

“It’s a short track, with a lot of corners one after the other with no long straights. Overtaking is difficult, with changes of direction all the time, which make it a fun track. So it’s an old style race track and Sunday afternoon can be tough, but I like going back to these old fashioned venues.

“For sure people say the characteristics of our car are not best suited to this circuit and that it will be tough for us to fight for the win here, but I am not sure this is an accurate assessment, because there have been other circuits where we expected our car to be very strong and it was not and vice versa. The important thing will be to get a good understanding of exactly how the car is reacting as quickly as possible. The circuit requires as much downforce as possible, because the speed down the straight is not so important here. You need a car that is very stable and that is kind to the tyres to avoid degradation. I think we can be competitive, so I’m hoping our weekend goes in the opposite way to what people are expecting.

“I expect the tyres will be critical again, especially in relation to temperature. They will perform very differently in qualifying and the race and I hope we can make the most of the high temperatures.”

July 24, 2013
Hungarian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Lotus F1 Team

Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjean, Eric Boullier and Alan Permane look ahead to the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix. Here are their preview quotes for the Lotus F1 Team.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus
“I have finished second in Hungary too many times, so I know how important it is to lead the race after the first corner. DRS or not, it’s never easy to overtake at the Hungaroring. To get the weekend right, you have to have good sessions in FP1, FP2 and FP3, then a strong qualifying session and finally a perfect start to the race. It is always nice to go to Hungary. The circuit is not the most difficult of them all, but it is a really challenging venue as it’s usually very hot which makes it a demanding race. Of course, the heat has helped us with the car so far this year so that will make things better, but only if it’s a win will you not suffer from the heat. It’s such a slow, twisty circuit, so two things are really important there; good turn-in and good traction. If you have those, you have a strong car for the race. Obviously you need to get to the front in the qualifying, but also avoid the dirty side of the track on the grid. When you look back through the races this season, it seems the dirty side of the track is a real disadvantage in the starts. Many times Hungary has been called ‘the Grand Prix of Finland’. A lot of Finns go to this race every year and it is always nice to see the blue and white flags waving. Hopefully we get the result we are looking for. It would be nice to take the break after this race and recharge the batteries in the middle of the season with a good result on the board, but most importantly, it would be good to have the points.”

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
“I can remember feeling frustrated last year in Budapest as we did have a chance to be fighting for the win before we got held up by a driver who didn’t respect the blue flags, but that’s certainly a better frustration than missing out on the podium or even worse. Taking third in Germany was great so I certainly have a positive feeling heading to Hungary. What’s the key to a good result in Budapest? It’s a tight and twisty track so you need a good qualifying result. We showed last year that being on the front row certainly helps and it would be fantastic to be back there again this year. We’ve also seen that high temperatures work well for us and it’s usually hot in Budapest, so we’ll be hoping for plenty of sun again. It’s a circuit that I quite like and one where I have had good experiences in the past. I scored my first GP2 Series pole position there in 2008, then finished first and third in 2011 which was a pretty good weekend. In 2012 I had my third podium finish of the year and qualified P2 on the grid which was a great way to end the first half of the season. In terms of driving, it’s not the most physically challenging layout in terms of high speed corners, but the heat you experience in the cockpit can be quite intense. It can also be a difficult circuit early in the weekend as the track is not used very much, meaning it’s quite slippery when you first go out.”

Eric Boullier, Lotus Team Principle
“Budapest will be the real test, but we’re confident we have enough data (on the revised Pirelli tyres, from the Silverstone test) to say that there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises. We performed well in Hungary last year and we’re eager to do the same again this season too.”

Alan Permane, Lotus trackside operations director
“We believe the original allocation of medium and hard compounds would have been a very conservative choice for Budapest. Of course, the situation is still somewhat different as – for the first time this season – we’ll see a combination of the 2013 compounds with 2012 construction used in a race scenario. This has brought something of an unknown into the equation with this year’s car, as the tyres are of a slightly different shape and will react differently to camber, toe in/out and so on. We’ve had the opportunity to get a better understanding of how they’ll behave at the Young Driver Test so there are no concerns on that front. On top of that, our knowledge of this construction from the 2012 season carries over quite well to this new configuration; giving us a good baseline in terms of such considerations as ride height, camber and toe sensitivity.

“In terms of upgrades, we had a tightly packed schedule over the three-day test at Silverstone, to the point where even with a few extra days and sets of tyres we would still have had more than enough development work to keep us occupied. This has given us plenty to think about heading to Hungary and indeed the second half of the season.

“In terms of track evolution, this circuit doesn’t get a great deal of use and it can get pretty dry and dusty out there, so it generally improves steadily throughout the weekend; not to Monaco levels, but notable enough to be worth factoring into our preparations for qualifying in particular. We saw Nico Rosberg getting caught out by an evolving track during qualifying at the Nürburgring – a circuit that is far more frequently used – so it’ll keep us on our toes on Saturday afternoon.

“Qualifying is crucial. It’s a track where passing opportunities are few and far between, making overtaking very difficult even with a reasonable pace advantage, so we’ll be doing our utmost to qualify further up the field than we have been. Mercedes have proven themselves to be the class of the field in terms of single lap pace so it will be very difficult to qualify in front of them, but we’ll be looking to at least get very close to them on the grid to give our drivers the best chance possible of overhauling them in the race. We’ve seen in the past that they have struggled with tyre degradation on a Sunday which should work to our advantage – particularly in hot conditions as we often see in Hungary – with the medium / soft compound allocation also potentially giving us a broader scope in terms of strategies.”

July 20, 2013
Hungarian Grand Prix Preview Quotes – McLaren F1 Team

Round 10 of the Formula One season is next, and we move to the Hungaroring in Budapest.

Here are the Hungarian Grand Prix Preview Quotes from the McLaren F1 team.

Jenson Button, McLaren

“Great circuit, great place. I have so many positive memories of racing at the Hungaroring – obviously, I won my first Grand Prix there back in 2006, which was incredibly emotional – and also feels such a long time ago now! – and I also won my 200th race there back in 2011. That was one of those days when everything went right, the car was a dream to drive and I just brought it home. Every victory in Formula One is special, but that’s right up there as one of my favourite days in the car. Of course, a win in 2013 is going to be difficult, but I actually think the team is working very well right now: in Germany, our tyre-usage, strategy and management of the race was as good as it’s ever been. It would be good to have a car with a little more pace to enable those calls to have a bit more impact at the front of the pack, but, for the moment, we can be satisfied by doing the best possible job in qualifying and on Sunday afternoon.”

Sergio Perez, McLaren

“I haven’t had the best results in my two previous outings at the Hungaroring, which is a shame because I enjoy the circuit, have usually qualified well there, and think the race is a great event for Formula One. So, for this year, I’m going to Hungary with realistic ambitions: after a positive weekend at the Nurburgring, we’re focused on further improving and understanding MP4-28. I think the race in Germany showed that, when things come together, we’re able to be a force in the race, even if we can’t quite set the pace at the front. That is extremely motivating during a difficult year. Hungary is the last race of the first ‘half’ of 2013; it’s the final event before the official summer break, so there’s usually a good feeling in the paddock. For everybody on the race team, or working back at the MTC, it would be great to send everybody off on their summer holidays with another strong points finish.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“The Hungarian Grand Prix has become a firm staple on the Formula 1 calendar – the race is a popular hotspot for many fans across Europe, and is invariably supported by a large contingent of vocal and passionate supporters. The Hungaroring itself is a uniquely challenging low-speed track that requires a good balance of mechanical grip and aerodynamic traction to maximise performance through the many corners. The race often rewards tenacious, charging drivers who enjoy the relentless pace of this twisting course. Of the 27 Hungarian Grands Prix that have been held since 1986, McLaren has won 11; while we don’t expect to add to that tally this year, we’ve been buoyed by our positive result in Germany earlier this month, and the whole team is looking forward to maximising our package at a circuit we all enjoy.”

July 20, 2013
Nurburgring German Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Pirelli

Preview quotes from Pirelli’s Paul Hembery ahead of the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring this weekend.

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director

“Surprisingly, the Nurburgring is one of the circuits that we have the least experience of, having only raced there once before in Formula One, but we’re certain that we have chosen the correct compromise between performance and durability by bringing the medium and soft compounds. These were actually the same compounds that we chose for this track in 2011, but since then the tyres have got softer and faster, so we would expect a quicker race time with an average of three pit stops for most drivers. The Nurburgring is not on the whole an especially demanding circuit for tyres but there are still some distinctive aspects to look out for when it comes to tyre management, such as the kerbing on the chicanes. We are expecting a performance gap of 0.8-1.0 second between the two nominated compounds, which should make the strategy options versatile. For this race only, we will bring Kevlar-belted rear tyres, following the incidents at the British Grand Prix. Even though the 2013 high-performance steel-belted version is completely safe when used correctly, the Kevlar-belted version is easier to manage and as long as there is no system in place which allows us to enforce tyre related specifications, like tyre pressures or camber, the incorrect use of which were contributing factors of the tyre failures in Silverstone, we prefer to bring a less sophisticated tyre. From the Hungarian Grand Prix onwards there will be a completely new range of tyres, combining the characteristics of our 2012 tyres with the increased performance of the 2013 specification.”

July 4, 2013
Nurburgring F1 German GP Preview Quotes – Red Bull

Preview quotes from Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber ahead of this weekend’s German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull

“(The Nurburgring is) one of the longer tracks, and one I know very well from when I was racing in the junior series in Formula BMW and Formula 3. I’ve always had a lot of fun on this track. In 2009, I made it to the podium for the first time in Formula One, when we got a one-two, and it was a fantastic experience thanks to the German fans. The best part of the track? Driving out of the Mercedes-Arena and into the Mullenbach loop is good, then down towards the Dunlop hairpin, you have to put it in third or fourth gear there. Then onto the Schumacher-S into the Warsteiner bend and back down towards the ADVAN arch. If you are (a fan) looking for action, you should go for sections where overtaking is possible, so at the first corner. The fast corners are exciting as well: the Mullenbach loop, the Michael-Schumacher-S, and the section following the ADVAN arch, shortly before the chicane.”

Mark Webber, Red Bull

“My best memory from the Nurburgring, and one of the best of my whole career, has got to be my first Formula One win there in 2009. It was such a special day and to win it in the style that we did that day was incredible. I prefer the Nurburgring to Hockenheim; it’s got a bit of character about it, with some old school camber changes and old kerbs. The best part is Turns 5 and 6, the fast left which goes into the tight right.”

July 4, 2013
Nurburgring F1 German GP Preview Quotes – McLaren

Preview quotes from the McLaren team ahead of the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring this weekend.

Jenson Button, McLaren

“Of course, the Silverstone result wasn’t where we want to be, but there were some reasons to be encouraged by last weekend. Our car is now better balanced and more driveable, so we’re hoping for a rain-free practice day in order to further develop the set-up during Friday’s two free practice sessions. The Nurburgring is a track that seems to encourage close racing and plenty of overtaking. The combination of low- and medium-speed corners tend to allow cars to run quite closely, and there are a couple of big braking zones, where it’s quite easy to get alongside and steal the inside line. However, it’s got some nicely designed sections, which mean – equally – that you can lose out on the entry and yet still regain position if you have better traction and track position on the exit.”

Sergio Perez, McLaren

“I’ve already put the disappointment of Silverstone behind me. In fact, I was more encouraged by the positives: I demonstrated strong pace all weekend, was having a good race and looked set to finish in the points, until my tyre failure in the closing laps. Naturally, these setbacks happen in motor racing, so it’ll be good to get back in the car just a few days after Silverstone and get back to business. I started my single-seater career in Germany, so it’s a place with lots of positive memories for me. I enjoy racing at the Nurburgring, it’s a place where you need to attack to get the best from the lap, so I think it’s well suited to my style. Of course, I’d have loved to have raced on the old track, the Nordschleife, that must have been an incredible place for a grand prix, but I’ll be happy with a positive result on the new circuit.”

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal

“After a difficult weekend at Silverstone, it’s a motivation for the whole team to return to the track just a week later for the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. It’s a very difficult technical challenge to the flat-out sweeps of Silverstone, requiring a higher downforce set-up to get the most from the twisting infield sections and high-traction corner exits from which much of the laptime is derived. Our aim for Germany will be to get our cars into the points after two successive failures to finish inside the top 10. Despite those disappointments, both Jenson and Checo have driven faultlessly, and both are relentlessly positive and upbeat. They have been a strong unifying force for the team as we continue to address the issues we’ve encountered with this year’s MP4-28. With more, uninterrupted mileage, we will be better placed to add performance to the car, so we’ll be hoping for good weather and the opportunity to learn as much as we can.”

July 4, 2013
Nurburgring German F1 Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Caterham

Charles Pic, Caterham

“After quali in Silverstone Giedo, Cyril, Heikki and I went back to Leafield for a great staff and family event at the factory. They’d had a barbecue and then we took part in a Q&A session with everyone who’d gone and one of the questions I was asked was what’s my favourite track to race on. The answer is Nurburgring and I explained that I don’t really know why it’s my favourite, it’s just the feeling I have racing there – it’s very special! I won there in Formula Renault 3.5 and I was on the podium in GP2 so it has a lot of happy memories for me and there’s just something about getting a lap right there that feels very good.

“In terms of the atmosphere it’s a bit like Silverstone. It’s always very busy, the stands are full and when you come into the stadium section it’s a bit like racing into a football arena. The fans can see a lot of the track so they have a great view and they really know about motorsport. I’ve not raced in F1 there yet – last year we were at Hockenheim, but I’m sure it’ll be a great weekend.

“I think the track should also suit us quite well. We made some progress in Silverstone, in quali when I put together the best qualifying lap of my season so far and in the race where we had better pace than we’d had for a couple of races, and we added a few new parts to the car, mainly around the floor. We’ll have a couple more small updates for Germany and it’ll be good to continue the positive trend we’ve regained since last week in the UK. We have a bit of a gap after Germany before Hungary so it’ll be good to leave the Nurburgring after a positive race, having got ourselves back to the performance levels we’ve targeted for this season.”

Giedo van der Garde, Caterham

“Germany is going to be a great race, partly because the track is relatively near home for me so there will be a lot of Dutch support there, and because it’s a track I’ve always gone well at. Throughout my career I’ve won races there in all categories – I know that’s not going to happen this year but, as a rookie, when you go to a track you know really well it means you’re on it right from the first lap and that helps us maximise the time we have in every session, as long as the weather stays dry which it looks like it should!

“It’ll be the first time for me around the Nurburgring in an F1 car but I last raced there in a GP2 car back in 2011 so I know quite a lot of what to expect. Like Spa the weather can change very quickly so we have to pay very close attention to the forecasts and, even though the track is used a lot outside F1 weekends, the grip levels still improve quite a bit over the weekend so the long run work we’ll do on Friday will be very important for the race. The track itself is mostly made up of low to medium speed corners – apart from T5 there’s not a lot of really high speed stuff but despite that it’s still a very good track to drive on. You can build up a good rhythm and that’s one of the keys to a good lap.”

July 4, 2013
Nurburgring German F1 Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Sauber F1 Team

Preview quotes from the Sauber F1 team ahead of this weekend’s German Grand Prix.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

“I know the Nurburgring very well. Since 2005 I have driven numerous races in several categories there, and, as far as I can remember, I won a race in every category there. I like the Eifel, and the Nurburgring is another traditional track with a lot of changes in altitude and good combinations, which makes it a lot of fun to drive. Of course, the fans will play a big part and I am looking forward to taking to the track in front of a home crowd. Although this is my third season, I have never raced at the Nurburgring in a Formula One car, so this is a first for me. Overall, however, I know what to expect. I guess, everything will be a bit faster and I might perceive things a little different, but I know the track well and I am looking forward to a nice weekend.”

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber

“I used the days between the races in Silverstone and the Nurburgring to relax and do some good fitness training in order to recharge before the German GP. With back-to-back races there is less time to analyse the previous weekend and the focus changes pretty quickly, so you take the momentum and move on. On the other hand, back-to-back races are really nice, because you only have a couple of days until you are back in the car again. I have great memories of the Nurburgring. In 2009, I raced there for the first time in Formula Three, and had a podium with my former team mates Jules Bianchi and Valtteri Bottas. It’s a traditional track as the GP circuit is part of the famous Nordschleife and I enjoy it a lot. It’s interesting to drive there with the fast corners, and the weather can be a challenge too. It’s exciting to come to Germany and feel the racing atmosphere. There is not that much to do around the area, so it’s all about pure racing.”

Tom McCullough, Sauber head of track engineering

“The Nurburgring is one of the most technically challenging circuits for the drivers and engineers. There is a good mix of low, medium and high-speed corners with the added challenge of several sections requiring many set-up and driver compromises. There are also some off camber corners, which always make it harder to get the ideal set-up. Pirelli has selected the medium and soft compounds for our return to the Nurburgring. Located within the Eifel mountain range there is often a chance of poor weather which can often add another element to the mix. We take encouragement from our race pace in Silverstone, but it is clear we still have some work to do in order to qualify stronger. As we did in Silverstone our aim will be to add to our points tally.”

July 4, 2013
Silverstone Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Williams F1 Team

Preview Quotes from the Williams F1 Team ahead of the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix this weekend.

Pastor Maldonado, Williams

“This weekend has been something that the team have been looking forward to all year and I’m proud to be part of this historic moment. Silverstone also happens to be one of my favourite circuits on the calendar. It has a lot of character and some very iconic corners, and the British fans are always very passionate and knowledgeable. With the track being quick and the temperatures usually low it is easy to grain the front tyres and this is something we will have to manage and consider when deciding on the pit stop strategy. The new part of the track is still very green with less grip which is something you have to bear in mind when behind the wheel. Hopefully we can have a strong weekend and score some points to make the weekend even more memorable for the team.”

Valtteri Bottas, Williams

“This is going to be a very special weekend for Williams, celebrating 600 races in front of our home fans at a track which has a lot of history
for the team and is great fun to drive. Silverstone is a classic racers track – with some very high speed corners which require a lot of downforce in order to be quick through them. I drove in FP1 last year and at the young drivers test so I have experience of driving a Formula One car at Silverstone which is always helpful in getting up to speed quickly. Normally the track is quite tough on the tyres with quite a bit of graining because the temperatures are cool and the track is very demanding. The weather never makes the circuit any easier due to the often rainy and cold conditions, but after our strong qualifying in Canada in wet conditions I’m confident we would handle this well.”

Mike Coughlan, Williams technical director

“This weekend is the Williams F1 Team’s home race and it is always great to be amongst all our fans. It is also one of our most successful races,
with ten wins in total for the team in Britain. The new circuit layout, introduced in 2010, has the second highest average speed of any circuit
on the calendar, behind Monza, and the average corner speed is the highest of any circuit this season. Ambient conditions are typically cool which means good engine power and less chance of thermal degradation in the tyres. The track is relatively rough and tyre energy input is high, higher than Barcelona but much more evenly balanced across the left and right hand sides of the car and more towards the front. Longer range forecasts predict a dry and sunny weekend but whatever conditions we meet, we will be pushing hard to continue the development of the FW35.”

Remi Taffin, Renault Sport F1 head of track operations

“Even with the addition of the new slow loop, Silverstone remains one of the toughest challenges for the engine. A touch over 66 percent of the lap is spent at full throttle in qualifying and the average speed is well over 200km/h. However it is the high speed corners that also challenge
the RS27, particularly the sweeping Maggotts-Beckett-Chapel complex. Average speeds through this section are around 250km/h and no lower than 190km/h at any one point, with huge lateral forces put through the car. The oil and fuel systems therefore have to be resilient as the fluids
are squashed from side to side, while the engine needs to be smooth to maintain the speed.”

June 27, 2013
Silverstone F1 Grand Prix Preview Quotes – Marrusia

Here’s what the Marussia F1 team have to say ahead of this weekend’s Silverstone F1 Grand Prix.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia

“I’m really looking forward to the Team’s home race at Silverstone. I know from Monaco what it feels like to have achieved your dream of racing in Formula One and then be able to do just that in front of your home crowd, so it will be a nice weekend for Max. It is also an important weekend for the whole Team and I too will be looking to achieve my objectives – to contribute to a good overall team result and keep up the fight with the cars around us. We will have a lot of our team members who don’t usually get to a race present and that is really important and nice for them, to be able to see us racing so close to our base. As for the track, I really like it, having raced here before in different formulae. It is one of the best tracks on the calendar in my opinion – very fast, challenging and technical. I’ve done some good preparation and now I can’t wait to start running on Friday.”

Max Chilton, Marussia

“The British Grand Prix is really special, and for so many reasons, so to be able to call it my home Grand Prix is pretty incredible and without
doubt it will be the highlight of my debut season so far. It is also the Team’s home race and Silverstone is just 18 miles from our base in
Banbury, so we’re racing in our own backyard with fantastic support from our fans, our Team and our Partners right here on our doorstep. It
doesn’t get much better than that, apart from bringing home a great result of course, which is what we’ll all be pushing for. I know from
having raced at Silverstone previously that the atmosphere is electric, with a sea of Union Jack flags and some big noise coming from the
grandstands. I’m sure it will be better than ever this year with four British drivers in the mix. As for the circuit itself, it has always been a real driver’s track with a character all if its own. The high-speed corners make it really exciting to drive, particularly Copse, Becketts and Stowe. We have a few small developments for this race but we are also still making progress with the updates we brought prior to that, so I’m optimistic that we will be able to put a good weekend together on track. Off-track, it’s looking very busy but exciting, with a lot of media activity and appearances. All in all, I can’t wait.”

Marussia F1 at Barcelona

John Booth, Marussia team principal

“The British Grand Prix is always a fantastic occasion and one of the highlights of the calendar for teams and fans alike. We are proud to be the only Anglo-Russian team on the grid and next year we will have two home races to celebrate, but for now, with our operational base in Banbury, Silverstone continues to be ‘home asphalt’ for us. We are also delighted to be fielding a British driver for the first time in our brief history. Max is, quite rightly, very excited to be racing in front of his home crowd for the first time in a Formula One car and, if the atmosphere we have seen there in previous years is anything to go by, he’ll thoroughly enjoy the support for him and the other British drivers. The British fans are incredible; so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They are very patriotic but equally, they’ll back whoever shines there next weekend because they just love to see a great race at the end of the day. We hope to play our part in the racing action and we’ll be aiming for the best possible finish with both our drivers to maintain our fight for position in the Constructors’ Championship and to reward the Team members and our Partners, many of whom will be sharing in the occasion with us. We look forward to a great weekend and a classic British Grand Prix.”

June 27, 2013