Wilson aiming to conquer Nurburgring

Justin Wilson, cruelly denied a top ten finish in Montreal last time out thanks to gremlins in his Minardi PS03 gearbox, is hoping, together with the rest of the team, for improved reliability this weekend at the European Grand Prix following two ...

Justin Wilson, cruelly denied a top ten finish in Montreal last time out thanks to gremlins in his Minardi PS03 gearbox, is hoping, together with the rest of the team, for improved reliability this weekend at the European Grand Prix following two successive DNF's in Monaco and Canada.

Justin Wilson.

Photo by Michael Kim.

Sunday's 60-lap European Grand Prix, hosted at Germany's 3.196-mile Nurburgring circuit, presents another challenge for Justin. Unlike many of the other European circuits visited this season, he has yet to record a finish at the track nestled in the Eifel Mountains. Having raced in International F3000 between 1999 and 2001, Justin's record of three DNF's at the Nurburgring in the Grand Prix support race, simply means it's a track he has yet to conquer.

"It's definitely a bogey circuit for me," explained Justin. "I've enjoyed either victories or podium finishes at most of the European circuits we visit but for whatever reason, when I was racing in F3000, the Nurburgring just wasn't kind to me! That said, I usually qualified well and I do like the circuit."

"I haven't raced here on the new configuration and I believe there's been some more work since last year's F1 race. I'm looking forward to getting out on Friday morning and seeing just how the changes affect the set-up of the car. It's a medium speed circuit with lots of corners and really only two decent straights. A hooked up car makes all the difference here, it allows you to push through the slow corners and carry your speed to the next! I'm hopeful that we can be closer to the pace of the cars just ahead on the grid and depending on fuel strategy, mix it up again nearer the front!"

The European Grand Prix, the first of two races on the F1 calendar to be held in Germany, is often one of the most exciting thanks to the unpredictable nature of the weather in the region. Justin has proved himself capable in the wet, as witnessed in Friday qualifying in Canada, although Ferrari are the masters of the European Grand Prix with Rubens Barrichello triumphing last season and Michael Schumacher clinching back-to-back victories in 2000 and 2001.

Justin was running a superb tenth in the closing stages of the Canadian Grand Prix and would have finished ninth at the chequered flag had gearbox problems not forced his retirement with just eight laps remaining. With points being awarded this season down to eighth place it was tantalisingly close for Justin and the Italian-based Minardi team in a race of expected high attrition.