Numbers predict Canadian GP conditionsNorbert Haug, Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, shares his assessment of the McLaren team's season so far and offers a few numbers to explain the demands of next week-end's Canadian Grand Prix.
How do you evaluate the
balance of power after the first third of the season and prior to the Canadian Grand Prix?
"The previous three races in Barcelona, Istanbul and Monte Carlo provided completely different challenges for teams and drivers and offered probably the widest possible spectrum of three consecutive Grands Prix. McLaren Mercedes was capable of achieving podium finishes at all three tracks and scored these positions in the races. Whilst Lewis (Hamilton) ended up third, second and first respectively, a broken wheel rim, a tyre slashed by a competitor and a software problem while engaging first gear at the start to the formation lap in Monaco prevented Heikki (Kovalainen) from scoring a similar amount of points. Now Lewis leads the Drivers' World Championship with a gap of three points, one year ago his advantage after six races was eight points."
What are the specific demands of the Montreal circuit for drivers, cars and teams?
"First of all, the race is renowned for its many Safety Car periods.
In the previous five years, there has been at least one Safety Car period in 42 percent of all races; in Canada there have been Safety Car periods in three out of the last five races which is 60 percent. No other circuit is more demanding for the brakes than Montreal; four times per lap the cars slow down from 300km/h and more to about 100km/h. Montreal puts also strain on the engines; on the long straight, the cars run under full throttle for 15 seconds out of the total lap time of about 75 seconds."
How difficult is it for teams and drivers to adjust to such extremely opposed demands like in Monaco and Montreal?
"It is true - apart from the same initials and from being street circuits, the venues of these two consecutive Grands Prix have only a few things in common considering their demands. The team was able to deal with these contrasts at best; Lewis won his first Formula 1 race in Canada, and one year later, he arrives in Montreal as six-time Formula 1 winner, current winner of the Monaco GP and with 16 podium finishes out of his 23 Grands Prix."
McLaren Mercedes
