Fernando Alonso: "I believe we can finish the year strongly"
Fernando, it was a disappointing weekend in Spa – tell us about your race...It was very frustrating as we missed another good opportunity to fight for a podium and score important points. It's true that we were missing pace in qualifying, but the car was more competitive in the race and things were looking good until my first pitstop when it became clear that the car was damaged.
Do you think your luck will change in Monza?
I hope so because we have a competitive car but we haven't been able to show the true potential so far. We saw how quick the car was at the Nurburgring, Budapest and Valencia, but for various reasons we haven't scored the points that we should have. However, I always look forward, try to stay positive and will approach the rest of the season believing that we can finish the year strongly. At least we know that we have a car that is fast enough to get close to the podium, which will be my aim this weekend in Monza.
Tell us about the challenge of racing at Monza?
It's a special track and the fastest of the year so we run the car with a special low downforce package which means the car feels very strange and light because you miss a bit of grip in the corners. In the past we used to test at Monza before the race as you need a special set-up with the car, but obviously we can't do that now which means we have a lot of work to do on Friday to find a good balance. You need a car that has good straight-line speed, is stable under braking and can use the curbs in the chicanes.
Romain Grosjean: "I'm looking forward to driving in Monza"
Romain, Spa was only your second Grand Prix, but it was short-lived...
Yes, my race was very disappointing. I had some problems in qualifying so I started at the back of the grid, but at the start of the race things were looking good as I made up five or six places on the first lap. Then I got caught up in the incident at turn five. It was frustrating to retire so early as I need as much time in the car as possible and I really wanted to finish my first race at Spa, which is a circuit that I love.
What do you think of Monza?
It's another classic track and I'm really looking forward to driving there. I've had good results there in the past and I know the track well so I can concentrate on finding a good balance with the car with low downforce. We will be using KERS this weekend so I will need to get used to that during free practice on Friday as I've not used it before, but it should give us an advantage, especially at the start of the race.
Have you set an objective for this weekend?
My aim is to do better than I did in Spa so I need to make it through to at least Q2, get a good grid position and finish the race. At the moment I am still learning about Formula One and I will continue to use every opportunity and every lap to improve as a driver and help the team. I'm continuing to build a good relationship with my engineers, which of course plays an important role in getting the most from the car.
Pat Symonds: "The team is competitive, the drivers are motivated and the car continues to improve"
Pat, a promising Belgian Grand Prix ended in disappointment. Sum up the team's weekend for us...
The Belgian Grand Prix was one of the most puzzling races I've been to for a long time and it was very odd to see a grid that was so mixed up. However, we tried to make the most of it and although it was unfortunate to lose Romain so early in the race, Fernando had the potential to have a good race and looked strong in the early laps. He was fuelled for a long first stint and the car seemed to be working well despite the damage that had occurred on the first lap, which had reduced the car's downforce. Unfortunately at the first pitstop we realised the car was damaged and Fernando had to retire.
Are you pleased with how Romain is progressing as a Formula One driver?
His first race in Valencia impressed me a lot as he continually improved; found the limits of the car; kept out of trouble and had a solid race. In Spa I was impressed with him again, particularly in the wet free practice because it was the first time he had driven a Formula One car in the wet. In qualifying he didn't get a perfect lap and was unlucky with traffic, and then in the race he got caught up in the incident with Button. That was a shame as it would have been valuable for him to gain some more experience in racing conditions.
The team plans to use KERS in Monza. Why will it be such an advantage there?
There are three aspects of KERS that need to be considered: lap time, the advantage it gives from the start, and the ability to assist overtaking. Firstly, the gain in lap time of running KERS in Monza is likely to be around a quarter of a second and it's worth even more in qualifying as you can do one release before you start a timed lap and another release during the timed lap. In terms of the advantage at the start, it's a long way from the grid to the first corner in Monza and KERS will give an advantage of well over fifteen metres compared with non-KERS cars. For assisting overtaking, you have to remember that Monza is a circuit where it's very difficult to overtake, but running KERS certainly won't disadvantage us in that respect. All these factors combine to make Monza a very favourable circuit for KERS.
How do you expect the R29 to cope with the high-speed challenge of Monza?
The car should perform well there. We will use a totally different low downforce aero package, which has between 10 and 15% less downforce than the package we ran at Spa. Monza is very much about braking; traction; change of direction in chicanes and although it's a high-speed track there are no real high-speed corners. Overall I think that the R29 is performing well on all types of track and Monza should be no exception. So far the team has failed to realise its potential. Can things turnaround in the final five races?
I don't see why not. The car has continuously improved as it did last year. It hasn't achieved the results for a number of reasons this year, but the team is competitive, the drivers are motivated and the car continues to improve so I believe we can perform well in the last five races.
Monza: Tech File
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza provides today's Formula One cars with perhaps the most severe test of the year. Nowhere is tougher on the engine or the brakes and the teams have to prepare a special package to cope with the unique challenge of Monza. And while it may look deceptively simple for the drivers, the circuit only gives away its secrets slowly, and the challenge of consistently finding the limit in low downforce configuration demands skill and finesse.
Aerodynamics Monza is the fastest circuit on the calendar with an average speed of around 250 km/h and demands the development of a one-off aerodynamic package in order to attain competitive top speeds of around 340 km/h. This is often termed an "ultra low downforce" package, but the critical parameter is actually drag, and namely minimising its effects in order to achieve target top speeds. In the wind tunnel, the teams concentrate on ultra-efficient wing designs, which often vary quite significantly up and down the pit-lane. Naturally, these efficient low-drag wings also produce less downforce. The Monza aero package generates approximately 10% to 15% less downforce than the package used at the last race in Spa.
Suspension Mechanical grip, stability and ride are major set-up parameters in Monza. This is firstly because the low downforce levels place a premium on mechanical grip, secondly because good braking stability is essential as the drivers spend nearly 15% of the lap on the brakes, and thirdly to ensure the drivers can use the kerbs aggressively in the chicanes in order to gain lap time. The set-up compromise must provide the drivers with a good change of direction in the low and medium-speed chicanes, while also ensuring strong traction exiting the slower corners. Equally, it is important to achieve good braking stability in order that the drivers can attack the heavy braking zones with confidence. The engineers will try and run the cars as low as possible for maximum aerodynamic performance. To avoid "touching" at high speeds, when the bottom of the car effectively drags along the ground, we use bump rubbers in the suspension and the car will ‘sit' on these at high speed.
Fernando explains: "The Ascari chicane is one of the most enjoyable parts of the lap. You need to be aggressive under braking and then very smooth with the steering and throttle application through turns 9 and 10. The key to being quick is to take the straightest possible line, but it's not easy as the car always feels light with such low downforce and wants to oversteer on the exit of turn 8. As with all the chicanes in Monza, carrying good exit speed out of turn 10 is important so you don't come under pressure on the approach to Parabolica."
Brakes The cars spend nearly 15% of the lap braking, meaning this is an area in which lap-time can be gained. The mechanical set-up will be tweaked to improve the driver's confidence in the car's braking stability, while the braking system itself is accorded special attention. The brakes are worked very hard at Monza, with the highest braking energies of the season, particularly into turn 1 where the drivers experience braking forces that peak at 4.5G. The cars must negotiate four big braking events from over 320 km/h, and special attention is paid to brake cooling to ensure optimum performance for minimal drag penalty.
Fernando explains: "The biggest braking zone of the lap is turn one, which is a very tricky corner as you have to slow the car from over 340 km/h to 60 km/h. It's easy to lock a wheel under braking and run wide which will cost you a lot of lap time. You also need to use the kerbs to straight-line the chicane as much as possible. It is possible to overtake here if you get a good slipstream down the main straight and dive down the inside."Engine
Monza has always been known as the ultimate test of a Formula One engine. The engines spend 75% of the lap at full throttle, significantly above the season average of 62%. Furthermore, the engine must be capable of operating effectively over a 275 km/h range, from a maximum speed of around 340 km/h on the pit straight to the minimum speed of around 65 km/h in the first chicane. The longest time spent at full throttle is around 15.5 seconds, from the exit of the Parabolica to the braking point at the first chicane. The engine mapping must provide the drivers with good power delivery from low speed, and is also tuned for smooth high-speed response on the exit of corners such as Parabolica.Reliability
In addition to the challenge of the heavy workload Monza imposes on the engine, the slow chicanes pose challenges for engine reliability. The drivers must use the kerbs aggressively to carry good speed through the corners, but there is a risk of excessive use of the rev limiter when the cars are in the air, and transmission damage when the spinning wheels land. Engine ancillaries must also be monitored to ensure they can withstand the severe demands of a lap at Monza.
