Bob, Spa demonstrated that the R24 is an extremely competitive package: what does that mean for the end of the season?
Bob Bell, Technical Director: In spite of the end result, I think we can be very encouraged by our performance in Spa. From the standpoint of basic speed, the car was extremely quick, and certainly good enough for Fernando to get on the podium, if not win the race. That is the first reason for encouragement. Secondly, although our qualifying positions on Saturday owed a lot to good fortune, we also made the right decisions and exploited that situation. That indicates we are operating very well as a team. But we will not be able to exploit these assets unless we get the cars to the finish. We will redouble our efforts on reliability to ensure we can capitalise on the innate speed of the R24 in the final races of the season.
Jarno will have a completely different chassis for this race: what is the thinking behind that decision?
BB: Jarno clearly struggled during the race in Belgium. He is a very technically sensitive driver, and can often detect problems with a car that cannot always be seen on the data. However, it is equally fair to say that when he detects a problem, he struggles to extract maximum performance from the car. In giving him a different chassis, built with completely different parts, we want to eliminate the possibility that some hidden problem in the car is affecting his performance. Although we have dismantled his race car from Belgium and found no problems at all, we are all wise enough to know that there are some subtleties even our data logging cannot detect. Our approach to the forthcoming Grand Prix is a reflection of our total commitment to supporting equally both drivers. From the team's perspective, it is vitally important to extract maximum performance from both cars and drivers until the end of the season.
What are your expectations for the Italian Grand Prix?
BB:: The circuit demands strong performance on the brakes and under acceleration, which we know are strengths of the R24. It also requires a set-up with roughly twenty percent less drag than at Monaco, and we have worked hard in the wind tunnel to achieve optimum efficiency at the necessary drag level, which is reflected in our aero package for Monza. Equally, we have improved the car throughout the season, and I feel we are competitive in most types of corner, in most conditions, on every type of circuit. We expect Monza to be no exception, and approach the race with our usual high expectations.
Can you explain the source of Fernando's problem in Spa?
Rob White, Engine Technical Director: Fernando's retirement in Spa was the result of a failed O-ring between the oil pump and crankcase, which allowed engine oil to escape onto the rear tyres. The failure was similar to that experienced by Jarno in Hungary, and although we introduced revised parts between these races, they were not sufficiently robust - indeed, the rigours of Eau Rouge were the cause of the failure. Since then, further modification have been approved on the dyno, and run successfully for more than 2000 km in the car at Monza. Clearly, our aim will be to complete the Monza weekend without any repetition of the problem.
Are you confident the team can regain its strong level of reliability before the end of the season?
RW: Reliability must be our top priority, and is the pre-requisite for championship success. We have addressed the specific problems that led to our recent failures, but have also used the experience to improve our processes for the future. The objective of zero failures for the final four races is a realistic one, and our efforts to ensure this reliability are on-going. However, we are motivated to succeed in this aim by the desire to win more races and defend our second place in the championship.
Finally, what does Monza herald for the engine-builder?
RW: Monza is an emotionally captivating circuit, and of course, the fastest of the current tracks. It imposes one of the most punishing duty cycles of the year, and presents an enormous challenge in terms of mechanical and thermal loads. The basic demands are simple: raw performance and faultless reliability. However, other parameters such as aero efficiency, braking performance and the tyres also have an important role to play in this race. It always produces a very tight grid, and we will hope to be fighting with our immediate championship rivals for the points positions come raceday.
