19/10/2006
NEWS STORY
The final Grand Prix of the season sees the Spyker MF1 Team arrive in Interlagos having shown promising car performance in recent races. The team has been busy testing in Silverstone since Japan and has made a number of changes that should suit the track and climate conditions. Interlagos has been a lucky track for the Spyker MF1 Team in former guises and once again it is hoped that an exciting race could swing in the Spyker MF1 Team's favour.
The undulating circuit is physically demanding for the drivers as it is one of the few counter-clockwise tracks visited by the Formula One World Championship. Spyker MF1 Team are happy to provide Ernesto Viso with his Grand Prix weekend debut as the Venezuelan fills the important 3rd driver role.
Christijan Albers: "We have arrived in Sao Paulo knowing that the season is almost finished but its a great place to come before we head home for the winter. The M16 car has shown some great potential recently but our performances have been blighted by some bad luck. I know if we can get everything together that there is still something to achieve as the track suits my driving and I did well here in 2005. Interlagos is a very demanding track but there is always a fantastic crowd who make for a brilliant atmosphere. Let's hope we can end the season on a high."
Tiago Monteiro: "It has been a long season but I am pleased to come back to the Interlagos track. For a Portuguese driver it is always great to come to Brazil as our countries share a similar culture and language. This ended up being my bogey race last year when I failed to finish for the first time in my F1 career, since then I have learnt a great deal and feel that the car we have now is much more competitive than a year ago. It should be a great weekend and I hope that we can end the season with something special as I know the team have worked extremely hard to get us here."
Ernesto Viso: "To have the opportunity to drive an F1 car for the first time at the Brazilian Grand Prix is an absolute dream come true for me. Being from Venezuela this is my home race and Interlagos is certainly the home of F1 in South America. I have been testing for the Spyker M F1 Team back in the UK and I am sure that I can provide them with some valuable data and set-up feedback this weekend. With Interlagos being such a unique track in the World Championship the 3rd driver role has vital importance to the team. I have had some good performances in GP2 this season with iSport so it should be a fantastic opportunity."
Dominic Harlow (Head of Race and Test Engineering): "Interlagos or 'between the lakes' is a medium downforce circuit, one of the three to run anti-clockwise, and with a long full throttle section from the Juncao to the Senna 'S'. The undulating layout also features some sweeping medium speed corners notably the challenging uphill right hander at Ferradura and a tricky and technical slow section. The track is notoriously bumpy in places but has been resurfaced in some areas for this year which will add an element of the unknown to set-up and tyre choice. The other unique feature of the circuit is its altitude some 800m above sea level which naturally has an effect on the aerodynamic and engine performance of the cars. Typical set-ups look for stable platform with good traction and entry stability and the ability to run the soft tyre compounds necessary for mechanical grip. We carried out a two day test at Silverstone following the Japanese GP looking at some development items for next season but also one or two developments which we have here in Brazil."
Colin Kolles (Team Principal): "It has been a very long season and we will cross the line in Brazil as a very different team compared to how we started in Bahrain 7 months ago. The profile of the team has changed dramatically over the length of the season but our commitment to being competitive and producing successful performances on track has been the same. Sao Paulo and the Interlagos track are great places to finish our season as the atmosphere here is fantastic and there is an amazing passion for Formula One. The car has looked very useful in recent races and I am sure that with luck on our side we can have a boost for the whole team going into our winter development period."