12/09/2014
NEWS STORY
How beneficial is it for Formula 1 to visit an important business hub like Singapore?
Federico Gastaldi: It is a very important market for us as a team. We have seen increasing attention and interest from Singapore companies and have regular contact with many of them. The business centre of Singapore is one of the best, influential and most active in the world so we undertake lots of meetings and hospitality at the race. I must say the Singapore people have embraced F1 completely. They are passionate about the sport and they are proud to have a race right in the heart of their fantastic country.
We knew Monza would be tough but Pastor’s race in particular saw some positives?
FG: Pastor drove a very strong race at Monza. He had a great start and his pace was pretty good throughout. I thought he dealt with some difficult circumstances very well during the whole event. He had the measure of the Saubers and brought the car home in a solid finishing position. It is also nice to get both of our cars to the finish line, especially after some technical issues in recent races. Romain had a few concerns, including other cars hitting him but we take some satisfaction in getting more data and ensuring we can go to Singapore hopeful of a much stronger overall weekend.
Will there be more expectation for a stronger showing in Singapore?
FG: Yes, Monza was always going to be very hard for us. Singapore should see an improvement in pace as the track characteristics will suit us more. The drivers are fighters and they really enjoy street circuits, so I think we have the potential to extract a good level of performance from the E22 there. Pastor and Romain will have a stronger package relative to Monza, so I am sure they will grasp this and make the most of it.
What is the latest on plans for next season?
FG:Firstly, there is a lot going on behind the scenes and a lot of positive plans being made to ensure we are still pushing right to the end of this season. A lot of technical and commercial work being undertaken also for 2015, as you would expect. We are doing things step by step but at the moment but already things look positive for next season.
The flyaway schedule from now until the end of the season is challenging. How do you prepare the team?
FG: For sure it is a tough, tough schedule. The team are away from their families for a long time. But they are highly professional people and experienced in this level of intensity in F1. It is my job to ensure that we have a high level of morale in the team. This year has been a challenge on many fronts, but the Enstone team is famous for being tough, highly-skilled and having the focused aim of making things better when times are tough. We are collectively looking forward to the rest of the season because we know that hard work and application will put us in the best position to achieve our goals and reap some rewards.
We are heading to Singapore, what are the main characteristics of Marina Bay?
Nick Chester: There are many low speed corners, so good performance in these areas is key, as is stability on the brakes. Good turn-in and traction are important too at what is a fairly unique circuit.
How will the drivers compensate for the relative lack of track temperature in night running?
NC: It will be down to the drivers to report back what the car is doing and let the engineers re-balance the car as the track temperature come down. With previous years’ experience we have a fair idea of what sort of adjustments we need to make.
What are your conclusions post-Monza?
NC: We knew that it was going to be a tricky race for us and you could see some of that on the other cars which also struggled. We knew that with the drag level of our car on tracks like Monza it was going to be challenging, but actually on Sunday our race pace was better than expected. Pastor had a pretty decent race but with his qualifying position, it was always going to be difficult to make up a significant amount of places. However it was positive to see the race pace on Sunday.
Looking at the car set-up for Singapore, what are the key elements?
NC: It is a high downforce track, so everybody will be running toward their maximum downforce set-up. Then it really is all about how you manage the mechanical set-up to get the best out of the car in terms of handling the kerbs. Ensuring a good level of grip in the low speed corners is also crucial at Marina Bay.
Is Singapore a torque management critical circuit?
NC: In terms of energy management there is a lot of recovery on the brakes enabling you to recharge the battery quite nicely as there isn’t as much time full throttle as other tracks. It is probably more important to look after the car under braking here.
What are we expecting to see on the car for Singapore?
NC: There will be some new bodywork parts and some new mechanical parts for this race that we will evaluate in the free practice sessions.
Do the changes in the track temperatures from day to night have a significant impact?
NC: The temperature does fall quite a bit, changing the grip and balance of the car somewhat. As the track temperature comes down the grip difference front to rear can change and make it tricky to get the car balanced following the earlier hotter practice sessions.
Are there any particular challenges that the team face working at night and in the hot temperatures?
NC: The team doesn’t seem to find it particularly difficult. In fact, we are finding it reasonably easy, as we stay on European time! Before the very first race there in 2008 we had long discussions on how to prepare for it, as it contrasts so much with any other venue. But in the end it was okay. Singapore is a very popular race on the calendar and everyone in the team always enjoys coming back to this fantastic venue. It has a very vibrant and unique atmosphere which the whole paddock seems to like.