Formula 1
Spanish GP, Barcelona Test 99-05-21
1999 SPANISH GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW SPANISH PRE-GRAND PRIX TEST (May 19/21) Almost all of the F1 teams taking part in the three-day (May 19/21) test to prepare for the Spanish GP on May 30 had prior experience of the Circuit de Catalunya. This was ...
Edited: May 8, 2001, 12:19 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
1999 SPANISH GRAND PRIX - PREVIEW SPANISH PRE-GRAND PRIX TEST (May 19/21)
Almost all of the F1 teams taking part in the three-day (May 19/21) test to prepare for the Spanish GP on May 30 had prior experience of the Circuit de Catalunya. This was perhaps fortunate, for variable weather hit the north of Spain throughout the test, making it difficult to record data under inconsistent conditions.
Despite wildly varying temperatures and, on Thursday, heavy rain showers affecting the circuit, lap times fell dramatically. Eventually it was Mika Hakkinen's McLaren which recorded the best time of 1m 21.711s, edging out Michael Schumacher's Ferrari (1m 21.820s).
For the race, Bridgestone will offer the same choice of tyre -- Soft or Medium -- to the teams, all of which now have plenty of experience with both types. It is expected that most of them will select the Medium, which is best suited to hot conditions.
"The Circuit de Catalunya is regarded by the teams as a track where lap times are often inconsistent, due to wide fluctuations in temperature and wind direction," says Yoshihiko Ichikawa, Technical Manager of Bridgestone Motorsport. "The road surface here is also more abrasive than most, which has required us to pay special attention to selecting the two compounds that we will offer the teams for next week's race."
For Bridgestone, says Ichikawa, Barcelona presents an additional challenge. "This is the first Grand Prix circuit we have visited this year where the tyres are seriously stressed," he explains. "Not only are the straights quite long by modern standards, which can lead to overheating of the tyre, but they are punctuated by corners which are mainly fast or medium-speed.
"The tyres must resist the combination of high speed and lateral g-forces generated in these faster corners," observes Mr Ichikawa, "and extra grip will obviously mean more stress."
Bridgestone will bring 2640 tyres to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. They will be divided between the two specs of dry tyre and two choices of wet tyre.
NOTE: G-Force from a tyre point of view can be explained as the lateral grip of the tyre which balances the centrifugal force due to the mass of the car travelling around the corner. The forces acting on a vehicle during cornering may be understood from the example of the forces acting on a ball being whirled around on the end of a piece of string. The centrifugal force generated goes in a straight line from the hand and through to the ball's centre of gravity. The opposing force, which prevents the ball leaving the circle it is describing, is the string. In this example the ball represents the car, whilst the string represents the vehicle's tyre in its role of containing opposing forces. If the grip of the four tyres is equal to the centrifugal forces generated by the vehicle going around a corner the car will remain on its chosen path. But should the centrifugal force become greater than the grip of the tyres, the result will be exactly like the string holding the ball breaking, the vehicle will leave the circle, out of control under the influence of the centrifugal force.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Monaco GP Bridgestone Preview
Next article USGP Indianapolis - Inaugural date set
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Mika Hakkinen
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Formula 1
Formula 1
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Mika Hakkinen reveals why McLaren rivalry with David Coulthard never boiled over
Formula 1
Formula 1
Dutch GP
Mika Hakkinen reveals why McLaren rivalry with David Coulthard never boiled over
Mika Hakkinen urges McLaren not to "rock the boat" with Max Verstappen move
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mika Hakkinen urges McLaren not to "rock the boat" with Max Verstappen move
More from
Ferrari
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Latest news
Carson Hocevar and Cleetus McFarland win LeMullets 2026 in epic finish
General
Misc General 3 h
Carson Hocevar and Cleetus McFarland win LeMullets 2026 in epic finish
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Homestead-Miami
9 h
TV ratings released for NASCAR Cup season finale
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Homestead
10 h
Chase Elliott's car chief leaves Hendrick for NASCAR Truck crew chief role
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe