02/10/2007
NEWS STORY
The Far East stays in the spotlight this weekend as China hosts the second leg of the Asian back-to-back on Sunday 7th October. The penultimate round of the season will see Formula One roar into life at another of Hermann Tilke's signature tracks, where nature and technology reside in harmony to create one of the most unparalleled facilities on the calendar. China's oriental charm is proudly showcased across the complex's infrastructure, from the circuit's “Shang” layout to the team's offices which rise out of a lake on stilts. In the north-west suburbs of the city, the circuit is still in its infancy with this year's race being only its fourth appearance since its debut in 2004. As rain is
predicted for much of the weekend, the Chinese Grand Prix promises to be as thrilling as its predecessor in Japan but, with fourth place still in contention, the AT&T Williams team will be working towards a strong points-scoring finish.
Nico Rosberg: Shanghai is a very good track and it should suit our car quite well. It's also a great city, so I'm looking forward to a very pleasant weekend, both on and off the track. I hope we can continue our current form that we've demonstrated in the last few races because it's now really important that we keep Red Bull Racing behind us in the Constructors' Championship. Before going to Shanghai, I will be in Hong Kong for a couple of days for some marketing commitments for our partners, RBS and Oris.
Alex Wurz: I remember the Shanghai track very well from last year when I had an awesome time as Williams F1's Friday driver posting the quickest times during both practice sessions. The layout of the track should suit our car and my driving style, so I'm going there with high hopes for a good result for the penultimate Grand Prix of the season. From a set-up perspective, the track has all sorts of criteria. The long straight obviously demands low downforce, but the rest of the track doesn't, so the best option is to go for a compromise between mechanical and aerodynamic settings. Just talking about it makes me want to be there driving it already!
Sam Michael, Technical Director, Williams F1: Due to the continual directional changes of the infield section, we run a high rear wing level at Shanghai. There is, however, a very long straight where top speed is important so that has to be considered in our set-up plans although, compared to other tracks, the car's mechanical set-up is not taken to any extremes.
China normally demands a two-stop race strategy. There were quite variable weather conditions last season and, according to the most recent forecasts, that may again be the case at this year's race which will certainly make things interesting! After the result in Japan, we are looking to get back into the points at the Chinese Grand Prix and strengthen our fourth position in the Constructors' Championship.