21/09/2004
NEWS STORY
Jaguar Racing travels to Shanghai (China) this week to prepare for the first ever Chinese Formula One Grand Prix. The team has been busy preparing for the race weekend and is very much looking forward to competing on the new circuit. Mark Webber and Christian Klien have both been taking some time to support sponsors in Beijing prior to arriving in Shanghai, allowing them to take in the sights of the infamous Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. All three drivers are now focused on the weekend ahead in Shanghai and with the support of the entire team will be determined to score more points before the season is over.
Mark Webber: I have been having a fantastic time here in China since I arrived at the weekend. This is my first time to this amazing place and I am sure I have only scratched the surface of it. I have been in Beijing supporting our sponsors and also trying to see a few of the sights. The Great Wall was awe-inspiring as was the Forbidden City. Now I have to focus on the race weekend and knuckle down to get some points. I am really keen to get out on track on Friday and feel the layout of the circuit and how the R5 takes to it. The team has been busy preparing as best they can, but like everything you need to have seen the real thing to understand what you are dealing with. I will be looking to see what we can do to come away with some more points this weekend. The guys here at the track and in Milton Keynes deserve a big thanks for all their efforts coming into this race. I would like to reward them with some points, the car is more than capable and the team is more than deserving.
Christian Klien: This is my first time in China and I am amazed at what I have seen so far. I flew out early to Beijing to see some of the sights as well as to acclimatise and train. This country is very different from my own home and this makes it a fantastic venue for me to go to for a Formula One race. Although I have yet to arrive in Shanghai and I have not seen the track, I have no doubt that it is going to be very different and very challenging to drive. I have been analysing some of the data with my engineers and it looks as though the track is a good mixture of corners and straights. I like these sorts of track and I feel comfortable in the R5 on these. The R5 has been really enjoyable to drive recently and I am very much focused on scoring some more points before the end of the season. The car is capable of it and I just need to make the most of the package. Since this is a new track for everyone it may allow us to close the gap on the top teams and chase for points. As always I will be giving it my all and fighting for position on every lap. I can’t wait to get out there and give it my best.
Björn Wirdheim: It’s unusual to have one new race on the calendar, but two is quite spectacular. Bahrain was exciting and I have no doubt that Shanghai is going to be too. I am arriving at the track tomorrow and I can’t wait to get out there in the R5. The car is feeling really good at the moment and so it will be good fun to put it through its paces. Mark, Christian and I all have a lot of work to do this Friday, as there is so much data to be collected. We have some information but of course what you are given and what you actually find out for yourself can be completely different. Coming to somewhere like China is also fantastic for us. I love travelling and we are fortunate that we get to see these amazing places. I am not too sure how much time I will have for sightseeing but I will try. My main focus is of course to help the team as much as I can on Friday to ensure that we have as much data as we need in order to make decisions ahead of Saturday qualifying. I am looking forward to watching the race and I will be cheering Mark and Christian on for points.
David Pitchforth: "It has been an incredibly busy week for us here at Jaguar Racing and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire workforce, both here in Milton Keynes and also at Cosworth Racing in Northampton and Pi Research in Cambridge for their tremendous support and motivation during this challenging time. We've been expecting a decision from Ford for quite a while, and although we are disappointed by what has happened, it has put everything into focus for us. Everyone is now working extra hard and there has been some superhuman effort by everyone over these past few days. That will carry on as we work to keep the value of the company. Everyone is pumped up and staying strong and focused for the final races of the season. We are all really excited about going to China as this is a new experience for us all and we are very upbeat about this new track. Although I have not seen it myself I have heard only good things said about it so I am looking forward to arriving there tomorrow. Despite being so far away from the UK, work is continuing on next year's car and the first interim model is expected to run at a test in Jerez next week. It will have the R6 transmission and gearbox so we are ahead of the curve. We've been punching above our weight in F1 with everyone doing an excellent job in the team and we will all continue to do so for the remainder of the season.
Technical Preview Dr Mark Gillan – Head of Vehicle Performance: We are very excited to be here at this new track and very much looking forward to getting the cars out on Friday morning. It really is a spectacular venue and I think we are going to see some interesting racing over the weekend. The first corner in particular looks quite complex so this will no doubt allow for some daring moves and thus an eventful race start. The circuit has a good mix of high and low speed corners coupled with a 1.1km straight. This should allow for some good overtaking, and of course we will be looking to make the most of any opportunity to move up the grid on race day. Although we have some data for this track, until we actually get out on track on Friday it is difficult to know what to expect. Having spoken to all of the drivers I know that they are very keen to see how the R5 feels around here and we are keen to understand the data. All three drivers will be making the most of Friday testing so that we are well prepared going into qualifying. The team is extremely fired up and excited about the remaining races. Since this is a new track for everyone, the playing field is slightly more level, so they are pulling out all of the stops for the chequered flag and a points finish for both cars.