01/11/2023
NEWS STORY
Round 21 of the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship takes MoneyGram Haas F1 Team to Brazil, for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace.
Brazil immediately brings back fond memories for the American marque. It was around the circuit's undulating and increasingly slippery surface that Kevin Magnussen guided his VF-22 to top spot during Q3 at last year's Sao Paulo Grand Prix. When conditions worsened it sealed the optimum starting position for the Sprint, marking a maiden pole position for both Magnussen and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. That came after teammate Nico Hulkenberg captured his maiden pole position in similar conditions, at the same circuit, during his rookie season in 2010.
The circuit takes its official name from Carlos Pace, the late Brazilian Formula 1 icon, who claimed his sole victory at the track in 1975, just three years after the venue joined the calendar. It is more colloquially known as Interlagos, in reference to the district located between the man-made reservoirs of Guarapiranga and Billinges, and directly translating as 'between lakes.' The undulating circuit is compact, at only 4.3km, and features a sequence of long-radius medium- and high-speed corners, meaning a good rhythm is vital to extract lap time. Strong straight-line speed is also vital due to the lengthy full throttle section into the Senna S, a complex through which drivers plunge, which is named after the Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna.
Sao Paulo will host the sixth and final F1 Sprint event of the season, marking the third successive year in which Interlagos has held the alternative format.
Two races have passed since the VF-23 update package was introduced, what data and learnings has the team taken away, both for immediate performance and next season's iteration?
Guenther Steiner - Team Principal: "The key learnings are that we maybe expected a little bit more from the upgrade, but then it's still a little bit up and down because Austin was a Sprint weekend with not a lot of testing, and Mexico had such high altitude. We didn't have enough total downforce last weekend, so I still haven't come to a full conclusion but the expectations were a bit higher, although it's giving us the right direction for next year."
Sao Paulo marks the final Sprint of this season - now they've become a familiar feature on the calendar - what changes would you make for next season?
GS: "I think one thing we do too much of, is that we jump to conclusions after one event. If it was a good event, it was great, and if it was a bad event, it was very bad. We generalize a little bit too much and we need to do a bit more thinking. Maybe the Friday qualifying for Sunday's race is a bit too distant and it can confuse people. We need to think a little bit about how we can make it clearer for the spectators. Overall, I'm okay with Sprint weekends if it's good for the fans and TV viewers, and FOM needs to decide that as they have all the data."
We can't come to Brazil without mentioning our own Brazilian, Test and Reserve Driver, Pietro Fittipaldi. With the news of Pietro earning a full-time drive in IndyCar, how does this impact his role with the team and what was your reaction to him landing a full-time drive?
GS: "Pietro is a part of the family at Haas, and everyone is very happy about him getting a full-time drive in IndyCar because then at least he can go out there and compete at a very high level. If he will be a part of the team with us next year depends a bit on the calendar and what matches up or not, but as I said he's part of our family, so if possible, we'll try to keep him on board."
Both Kevin and Nico have scored pole positions around Interlagos. As we come to the closing stages of the season, what's your evaluation of the pairing in their first season together?
GS: "Kevin and Nico work very well together and there is respect between the two of them. There's competition but they compete on a very fair playing field, so I'm very happy with the two of them and the pairing we've got. Before we took Nico on board for this year, we spoke with Kevin and he was very happy to have a teammate like Nico."
The 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix was an undeniable highlight of the season for the team, scoring your first pole position for the Sprint. One year on, is it a moment you still think of, and does it continue to bring motivation knowing anything is possible in Formula 1?
Kevin Magnussen: "It was a fantastic moment for me and the team last year, but in Formula 1 you quickly move on from things like that and focus on the next thing you want to achieve. At the moment, we're in a very different situation. It's going to be nice coming back to Sao Paulo though, it's a classic on the calendar and the memory from last year will make it a nice feeling."
This is the final Sprint of this season - now they've become a familiar feature on the calendar - what are your thoughts and what changes would you make for next season?
KM: "I've said it many times, I like the Sprint format. For me personally, as a driver, it's more exciting. Out of the five sessions, four really count and that's more exciting."
We come to the end of the final triple-header of the year. At the beginning of the season, drivers seem to like the repetition of racing consecutive weeks to get into a good fitness routine etc, but towards the end of the season, does the body feel the strain or do you still feel in peak fitness?
KM: "In an overseas triple-header, it's very difficult to keep up your training routine between the races, like you would in the off-season. It's just not possible, so overall fitness drops I think but then you drive a lot, so your neck is strong and your driving fitness picks up, but it's certainly a challenging time fitness-wise because of the schedule. I like off-season training, over the last couple of years I've really tried to up my game and this off-season I'm planning together with my physio an even more intense program. I think I'm stronger than I've ever been and I'm sure next year I'll be the strongest I've ever been, again."
Both yourself and Kevin have scored pole positions around the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace - what do you remember of that qualifying session 13 years ago and why is Interlagos a race circuit that every driver wants to tackle?
Nico Hulkenberg: "I remember most of it! They were special, tricky conditions and it was kind of damp but dried off. I think we were on intermediates and then went onto slicks for Q3 and we really hit the nail on the head and made it stick. It's a great circuit, I love the rhythm of the circuit, the place, and the energy of Sao Paulo."
Sao Paulo marks the final Sprint of this season - now they've become a familiar feature on the calendar - what are your thoughts and what changes would you make for next season?
NH: "They're very different. They're intense, hectic, and busy for drivers and teams. There's not a lot of preparation time with one hour of practice, so for us I'm in two minds about it but for fans and those watching on TV it's somewhat more interesting as there's a 'meaningful' session from Friday evening onwards."
We come to the end of the final triple-header of the year. At the beginning of the season, drivers seem to like the repetition of racing consecutive weekends to get into a good fitness routine etc, but towards the end of the season, does the body feel the strain or do you still feel in peak fitness?
NH: "I think towards the end of the season you get more driving fitness because you spend more time in the car, so your body and the muscles really acclimatize and they're just more used to it compared to the beginning of the season. You focus a lot, get into a good rhythm and groove, and in between races there's enough time for recovery for the body to be fit again, so it's actually easier than at the beginning of the season, I'd say."