Chinese GP: Super Aguri preview

Super Aguri F1 Team has been preparing for the forthcoming Asian flyway races with drivers Takuma Sato and Sakon Yamamoto participating in an intensive test at the Silverstone circuit last week. The team conducted comprehensive development work on all areas of the SA06 and both drivers completed a total of 207 laps and 1,055 kilometres between them over the three-day test.

The 2006 Chinese Grand Prix takes place at the Shanghai International Circuit which is set for efficiency as opposed to out-and-out downforce. Visiting F1 cars are therefore required to have similar qualities of set-up to those applied for racing at the Hockenheimring. The track surface in Shanghai is smooth, as at Istanbul Park (another Hermann Tilke designed circuit), but with the tyres having a slightly 'easier time' during the Chinese weekend.

Takuma Sato:

"Shanghai is a unique circuit which is challenging and quite difficult from a visibility point of view, especially turns 1 to 2 and onto turn 3, which is an interesting one. Before the back straight there is a high banking section which is quite exciting to go through and is important as you are going into the long straight which has heavy braking and a few overtaking opportunities. The fact that the race is only one week before Suzuka means that it is incredibly important for us to have a good race in China and for us to keep up the good momentum for the Japanese Grand Prix."

Sakon Yamamoto:

"It will be my first visit to Shanghai and I am really looking forward to it. It will be nice for me to go back to an Asian race for the first time since joining Formula One as an Asian driver. I have been working hard on my preparations for the Chinese Grand Prix and I know the circuit pretty well now. We tested our Shanghai package at Silverstone last week and so I think that we have collected good data for the race and I hope that the SA06 will suit this exciting circuit."

Aguri Suzuki, Team Principal:

"I am very happy that we were able to take part in the test at Silverstone prior to the remaining three races of the season. The Chinese Grand Prix is going to be a very important race for us leading up to our first ever home race in Japan. I am looking forward to the race at the relatively new Shanghai circuit and I believe that with the final version of the SA06 we will be able to perform well there."

-credit: super aguri