Formula 1
Chinese GP: Williams preview
China Hot Topics Judgement day for the diffuser: Tuesday 14th at the ICA in Paris Will Williams convert competitiveness into some decent points? Will Brawn retain their dominance in Shanghai? Shanghai International Circuit in a nutshell A standard ...
Published: Jun 19, 2009, 7:50 PM
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China Hot Topics
Judgement day for the diffuser: Tuesday 14th at the ICA in Paris
Will Williams convert competitiveness into some decent points?
Will Brawn retain their dominance in Shanghai?
Shanghai International Circuit in a nutshell A standard two-stop race, although Timo Glock proved last season that a one-stop strategy can be converted into a points finish. Long stints demand a great deal of finesse because certain parts of the track, notably turn two which doubles back on itself, place tremendous lateral loads on the left-hand tyres. The race traditionally takes place during the European autumn but unfamiliar weather might be a factor this year because it has been brought forward to April.
What the Drivers Say
Standing back from Sepang -- Reflections from a rain-drenched Malaysia
Nico "We may not have finished where we would've like, but it was another strong weekend for us. We qualified well and then taking the lead at the start was great. It was just a shame circumstances didn't go our way as I was looking good for another podium."
Kazuki "Even though I qualified out of the top ten, I was looking to make some progress through the field as I was on a good strategy. Unfortunately, the rain completely compromised that. Starting the race lower down the grid, I was alongside a lot of the KERS car who are able to make better starts so my aim is to improve my qualifying position in China."
On the Shanghai track
Kazuki "Shanghai is definitely a challenging circuit, but at least I've now had some experience of it so it's not new for me anymore. Last year, we struggled on tracks like China, but now our car is looking quite strong. It's well balanced in the high and low speed corners so I'm hoping we'll go much better there this year and I can score my first points of the season."
Nico "Shanghai's a driver's track. There's a great mix of corners and then there are those two long straights so plenty of overtaking opportunities around the lap which will be good for the racing. Sepang showed that the team seem to have fixed the problem we had last year on these types of circuits so it's now looking like we have consistency. I'm confident that we'll have another competitive weekend in China. Top eight for sure."
On China
Nico "I enjoy visiting Shanghai. Experiencing a different culture is always very interesting and there are some great places to go, like the malls for shopping or the restaurants and bars in the evenings. The fans are also very enthusiastic which is nice!"
Kazuki "Like Nico, I like this part of the world and for me it's close to home so I get to enjoy something similar to my own culture for a little longer."
On the break between Sepang and Shanghai
Kazuki "First I have a PR day at Suzuka for Toyota. I love Suzuka. It's such an iconic track so to go back is special for me. I won't get to drive it though. If I want to go round it, it will have to be on foot! I haven't been home for four months now so I'm then going to my parents' to spend a week with my family before flying to China."
Nico "I went to Bali last year and loved it so I'm heading back there with my girlfriend and trainer. I'm lucky in that this job allows me to do things like that. I'll obviously be keeping up my training, but we will be spending time in the mountains so it'll be a cultural trip too. My camera will be making the trip and I hope to add to my portfolio with some shots of the locals, the rice fields and the great views! Among other things, I will be mountain-biking near the top of one of the volcanoes which will be cool!"
-credit: williams
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