Malaysian GP - Renault - PreviewRenault vow to push hard again this coming weekend in Bahrain. By the team's own admission, the start of the season has not been as they would have hoped for. Last time out in Malaysia
Giancarlo Fisichella finished in sixth position while
Heikki Kovalainen scored his first championship point with his run to eighth position. The Renault duo look ahead to the third round of the championship...
Giancarlo, you put in a strong drive after a difficult weekend in Malaysia. How are you approaching this weekend’s race in Bahrain?
"I am proud of how I raced in Sepang. I made a good start, was aggressive on the opening lap to make up places, and took sixth at the finish. It’s not many points, but they will all be important for us this year. Given our circumstances, it’s a satisfying result, and encouraging for this weekend in Sakhir. It is a circuit Renault knows well, we won the last two races here, and we spent two weeks testing here in the winter. Hopefully we can make some more progress compared to Malaysia."
Bahrain is one of the more challenging races…
"Yes, along with Malaysia, it’s definitely one of the toughest races of the season, primarily because of the very hot conditions that we have to drive in. I think it will be tough race for us, but we will be aiming to do our maximum.
We are realistic enough to know we have a long way to go to catch the leaders, but everybody is very motivated to do it!"
You tested in Sakhir during the winter, is that an advantage for the weekend ahead?
"All the teams tested, so it means we will all be pretty well prepared with a good baseline for the set-up. Of course, conditions will be different and the car has developed since then, so we will need to fine-tune it during practice. And the circuit is usually dirty and slippery because of the sand, especially when it’s windy. So we will need to constantly adapt the car to the improving track conditions, but for sure, the information we got during the winter tests will be important."
Heikki, you raced at Sakhir in GP2, and tested here with the F1 car during the winter. Do you enjoy the track?
"Yes, I raced in the GP2 series final here in 2005, and even though I missed out on the title at that race, I still have good memories of the track. It is a demanding circuit, and the conditions are tough for the cars and the drivers, which means we usually see interesting races here."
You scored your first F1 point in Malaysia. How did it feel?
"Naturally, it’s an important moment for my career, a good feeling, and you have to start somewhere! I was quite happy with my race, and pleased with the progress compared to Melbourne. I still need to improve, and work hard along with the team. But I am confident we all have what it takes to improve our pace."
What are the main factors you will have to take into account with the set-up of the R27 ahead of the race this weekend?
"We ran here in February, so we have a good idea of how the car handles on this circuit. It features a lot of long straights and a few fast corners, which means you need to find a good compromise on downforce between good straightline speed, and enough grip in the corners. We have to pay attention to cooling the brakes properly, because there are some major braking areas. So we need good cooling, and good consistency from the braking system. The tyres will have a hard time too, but as always, we will be able to understand their behaviour and performance during the practice sessions on Friday, in order to fine-tune the car’s handling for qualifying and the race."
Source Renault
