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2005 CANADIAN F1 GRAND PRIX  

R8 of 19, 2005 Canadian GP, June 12, Montreal

QUALIFYING & RACE PREVIEW:

GRID, JUNE 11, 2005:

• 1 Jenson Button (BAR) 1m 15.217s (2004 pole 1m 14.535)
  "We expected to come here and be reasonably quick, but we didn't expect to challenge the Renaults and McLarens. It's good to be here. It's a big boost for the team. We've had a tough few months and they have worked very hard, so it's good to give them something back."
  2 M Schumacher (Ferrari) 1m 15.475 +0.258s
  "I feel much more confident than I have felt so far this season, no doubt. After this morning's work it was not a surprise. It took a huge effort but things look pretty good for us."
  3 F Alonso (Renault) 1m 15.561
  "It's hard to know the fuel loads of other people but we are quite happy with our strategy.We have one BAR and one Ferrari in front of us. That is maybe not disappointing but a surprise for sure.I think that in the race conditions they (McLaren Mercedes) will be really, really strong."
  4 G Fisichella (Renault) 1m 15.577
  5 J Montoya (McLaren) 1m 15.669
  6 T Sato (BAR) 1m 15.729
  7 K Raikkonen (McLaren)
  8 J Villeneuve (Sauber)
  9 J Trulli (Toyota)
  10 R Schumacher (Toyota)
  11 F Massa (Sauber)
  12 D Coulthard (Red Bull)
  13 N Heidfeld (Williams)
  14 M Webber (Williams)
  15 C Albers (Minardi)
  16 C Klien (Red Bull)
  17 N Karthikeyan (Jordan)
  18 T Monteiro (Jordan)
  19 P Friesacher (Minardi)
  20 R Barrichello (Ferrari) - gearbox problem

FRI PRAC, JUNE 10, 2005:

• 1 *Pedro de la Rosa (SPA) McLaren-Mercedes 1m 14.662s (2004 pole 1m 14.535)
  "My main priority today was to evaluate the Michelin tyres to gather as much data as possible. As the track has been resurfaced since last year and it's a lot hotter than normal it's even more for us important to gather as much information as possible. The surface was constantly evolving which provides us with a real challenge. However I believe we have found a lot of useful data and hopefully Kimi and Juan Pablo should have a strong race weekend."
• 2 *Ricardo Zonta (BRA) Toyota 1m 14.858
  "We had a good day and we were competitive throughout both sessions so we are confident. My car felt well balanced, even if it was a struggle because the track changed so much during the two sessions. Because it uses some public roads, it is always dirty to start with, making the first few laps tricky. This year they have also resurfaced the track so it was especially slippery in the morning, but it improved with every run. All in all, a positive start to the weekend."
• 3 Fernando Alonso (SPA) Renault 1m 15.376
• 4 Juan Pablo Montoya (COL) McLaren-Mercedes
• 5 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) McLaren-Mercedes
• 6 Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Renault
• 7 Jenson Button (UK) BAR-Honda
• 8 Takuma Sato (JAP) BAR-Honda
• 9 Ralf Schumacher (GER) Toyota
• 10 Rubens Barrichello (BRA) Ferrari
• 11 Jarno Trulli (ITA) Toyota
• 12 Mark Webber (AUS) Williams-BMW
• 13 Jacques Villeneuve (CAN) Sauber-Petronas
• 14 Felipe Massa (BRA) Sauber-Petronas
• 15 Nick Heidfeld (GER) Williams-BMW
• 16 Michael Schumacher 17 David Coulthard 18 Christian Klien 19. Patrick Friesacher
• 20 Narain Karthikeyan 21 Christijan Albers 22 Tiago Monteiro 23 *Scott Speed
• *reserve driver

FRI PRACTICE SESSION REVIEW:

• ALONSO, 3RD: "It was a satisfactory Friday for us, as we managed to have long runs this afternoon - which helped on this newly asphalted circuit. We completed the programme we had planned this morning and did not have any mechanical problem throughout the day. I was lucky because in the long runs I managed to get clean laps, considering that the circuit is short and that it was quite congested, with third drivers. It was a nearly a perfect Friday."
• RAIKKONEN, 5TH: "We had a trouble free start to the weekend. I'm still not 100 percent happy with the set-up of the car but we can work on that tomorrow morning and I'm sure we will be strong again. It's still quite bumpy out there but grip wise everything is fine. We are aiming to qualify on the first row and do what we can to win so we look forward to the rest of the weekend."
• M SCHUMACHER, 16TH: "We are not looking too competitive here, looking at the lap times. I did not get the best out of my new set of tyres this afternoon, as I went out early on when the track was not yet at its best. But if you look at Rubens' time, which he set on the same tyres much later in the session, it looks a bit better. On a positive note, we got through all our programme. I would say the new surface is a clear improvement on the old one in terms of bumps."

RACE PREVIEW: Canadian F1 GP

FERRARI:

• The eighth round of the World Championship takes place on the Ile Notre Dame, an island in the St. Lawrence Seaway, a short subway ride from the city of Montreal. The location was used for the Expo 67 world fair and the paddock backs onto a rowing basin built for the 1976 Olympic Games.
• Hemmed in on all sides by water the facilities and the circuit itself are rather cramped, with the barriers very near the side of the track, which follows the perimeter of the island. This means it has some very high speed sections, linked by tight ninety degree corners and a couple of hairpins.
• The Montreal circuit is known for being hard on engines and that will be particularly applicable this year as Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and the majority of other teams will be tackling the Canadian event with the same engines that have already gone through a weekend's use at the Nurburgring.
• Montreal is not particularly demanding on the engine in terms of the percentage of the lap spent at full throttle, while the longest time spent at full throttle is pretty much the same as the season average.
• The stress comes from the fact that the circuit not only has some of the quickest sections of the year, it also has some of the slowest, so the perfect Montreal engine has to be very flexible at all speeds, while providing plenty of torque to power out of the tight slow corners.
• Those corners lead to another key element at the "Gilles Villeneuve" circuit -- the brakes. "The fast nature of the circuit means we run in low aerodynamic downforce configuration, the lowest of the season apart from Monza," explains Luca Baldisserri, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's Head of Race Engineers.
• "Because of this we have to brake from very high speeds of around 340 km/h down to around 60 km/h, so the speed differential is huge. This is why it is very hard work for the brakes."
• Unlike road cars that usually use steel brake discs and an organic pad material, F1 cars use carbon discs and carbon pads. The advantages of carbon are that the components are about half the weight of those made from conventional materials and it also offers a much higher coefficient of friction and therefore greater braking force.
• The disadvantages are that the carbon set up requires very high (over 650 celsius) temperatures to operate properly and that the discs and pads wear out much more quickly than those made of conventional materials. This is because wear is caused not simply by the normal mechanism experienced by frictional material, but through a process of oxidisation where the carbon actually burns away.
• "In Canada, we try different materials, because we need a lot of bite from the brakes to stop the car in as short a time as possible," says Baldisserri. "The standard brakes we normally use at other tracks are less efficient and different materials can improve that characteristic."
• "One must not forget the life of the components, as brake wear is an important factor for this race. We need to find a good material that gives a lot of bite but that will still work effectively throughout the whole race distance."
• Canada is also known for being heavy on fuel consumption and obviously, carrying more fuel adds to the stresses already placed on the brakes, as a heavier car is harder to stop. Changes to the qualifying format introduced at the European GP might have an effect on this, as Baldisserri explains.
• "The rule requiring a driver to complete the race distance on one set of tyres definitely reduced the number of race pit-stops in the first part of the season, but, at the Nurburgring, with just the one qualifying session which cars contested using the fuel for the first stint of the race, we saw that some people were going back towards a more aggressive race strategy and stopping earlier as was the case last year. In Canada some teams might go in that direction, so as to run a lighter car."
• "Depending on tyre performance, you can decide to be conservative or aggressive. Last year in Montreal for example, at Ferrari we had tyres that were not the fastest in terms of performance so we decided to go for a two stop race. Qualifying was not great but it was a successful race for us, with a one-two finish."
• The whole braking process is complicated further by the laws of aerodynamics. When the driver first applies the brakes at very high speeds, the downforce generated by the car prevents the wheels from locking up, by pressing the wheels down onto the track. As the speed decreases so too does the downforce and therefore the amount of grip from the tyres.
• But this lack of grip coincides with the point at which the brakes are fully up to temperature and are working most effectively. This means that, when the brakes are at their best, the car is least able to transmit the braking forces to the road thus leading to locking wheels and the chance of skidding off the road.
• In order to prevent this phenomenon, the cars can harness the braking characteristics of the engine. All 4-stroke engines produce engine braking when a driver lifts off the throttle, but F1 engineers can harness this ability to meet the specific needs of any braking situation.
• "We can modify engine braking, the amount of braking forces generated by the engine, during the braking phase," says Baldisserri. "This allows us to modulate the rear wheels locking. A lot of engine braking tends to lock the rear more and we can reduce that by opening the throttle without the driver having to do anything, as allowed by the rules."
• "So depending if the front or the rear is locking up, we can either reduce or increase the engine braking. If the car is locking the fronts, we need more engine braking to reduce the amount of normal braking at the front. This is something the driver can adjust from the cockpit, in the same way as traction control, to suit individual corners on the track."
• Although F1 brakes operate at high temperatures, heat is what causes the brakes to wear out and fail. The brakes are cooled by forcing air inside and around the discs through ducts at the front of the car. However, regulations restrict the size of these ducts and in any case, large ducts affect the car's performance in other ways.
• "You have to find a balance between cooling the brakes and the car's overall efficiency," maintains Baldisserri. "The brake cooling ducts have an effect on the aerodynamic efficiency of the car. In simple terms, the bigger the brake ducts, the worse the efficiency of the car, so we have to find the right compromise."
• The conclusion is that, while Formula 1 is perceived as being all about speed and power, in Canada, being able to stop the car efficiently is the real secret to a quick lap.

McLAREN-MERCEDES

• Kimi Raikkonen: "The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is one of the fastest tracks we race on, with speeds reaching 320km/h on the back straight. This of course means there are big braking zones, and as a result we will run with larger brake ducts than normal, and have a set-up that gives us good stability under braking. If you were looking to compare it to another track, the Canadian circuit would be most similar to Imola, and, despite the end result, the MP4-20 was suited to its characteristics, so hopefully we will run well this weekend. However, I will be out pretty early for Qualifying on Saturday, which will be a disadvantage as the track is always really dirty."
• Juan Pablo Montoya: "I always enjoy the Canadian Grand Prix, the atmosphere is really lively and the fans are so enthusiastic, so it is great fun. The track itself demands high speed grip, whilst running a low downforce set-up. This in particular means that the car has a feeling of being lighter, you feel like you are on the limit with it the whole time. Because the Armco are very tight and you have the high speeds, this means you have to be very precise, as with Monaco. The set-up of the car also needs to give good traction out of the slow corners. There are also good overtaking opportunities, for example going into the hairpin, so hopefully we can have another exciting race for the fans."

RENAULT

• ALONSO: "The chicanes can be tricky, because you must balance an attacking style with being careful not to crash. But I enjoy the circuit and since I have been with Renault, I have had good races there, so I am optimistic."

RED BULL

• David Coulthard: "Montreal is one of the most fun cities on the F1 calendar, the circuit is great and the people are always extremely hospitable - they remind me a bit of the Scots. I have a very good friend in Montreal who always lays on something a little bit special when we all arrive in town. Grand Prix week is now synonymous with the post race party held by Guy Laliberte (the founder and president of Cirque Du Soleil), which is one of the highlights of the F1 season. I like the city, there are great places to eat, including Jacques Villeneuve's restaurant and club "Newtown," where we are always made to feel very welcome. As for the track itself, it is a combination of very high speed corner entries and some kerb-hopping chicanes. It is tough on engines and particularly on brakes and represents a difficult challenge for the drivers and engineers alike. All in all, Montreal is one of the most popular venues on the calendar and I'm looking forward to being there - great city, nice people, good race, it's got the lot!"
• Christian Klien: "Montreal is a place I really like. I'm impressed by the huge shopping malls, while the city has a very European and international feel to it and the people are very friendly. The track has an interesting location, surrounded by water. I was quite successful there last year and out qualified my team-mate Mark Webber. I have been testing in Silverstone for two days and as usual the weather was not so good which made it tricky to get as much work done as we planned. However, we tried some new bits on the aerodynamic side, as well as some electronic modifications, which we will use in Canada and hopefully they will bring us a little step forward. For sure I am really looking forward to be racing again."
• Scott Speed (special Friday test driver for Canadian and US GP): This is an incredible opportunity for me. Putting aside the fact that my second appearance at a grand prix will be in my homeland, it is really exciting to be driving an F1 car in front of a big crowd. I have never driven at either Montreal or Indy, so it will be a good experience for me. I don't know what to expect, but I am there to do a job, so I don't feel any extra pressure at the thought of the media interest that might come with it. Apart from last week's session at Silverstone, I did a two day test at Barcelona after the Malaysian GP. An F1 car is completely different to anything else I have ever driven, so the more miles I can do, the better. My GP2 car is more similar to an American Champ or CART car, but I feel comfortable in the F1 car. F1 also involves a lot more technology, but I love that side of the sport. Ever since I was ten years old, I was looking at the data from my go-kart. The technology is probably one of the main reasons I was drawn to F1, apart from the fact it is clearly the pinnacle of the sport. There is so much data available, that there is always something to learn and that makes the job even more interesting."

TOYOTA

• Jarno Trulli: "The Canadian Grand Prix is one of my favourite races. The atmosphere you get in Montreal both at the track and in town is great. In June the weather is nice and you can enjoy the long evenings to relax in the town after a hard day at the circuit. The time difference to Canada is not to hard to adjust to, but I always try to arrive at overseas races early so my body clock can adapt. I like driving on this track, too, and I especially like the way the circuit flows. The circuit's long straights mean you need a low downforce set-up. That makes things slightly more difficult for drivers because the car feels lighter, and more critical to drive when you are braking and turning in. So we have to get used to that. I really can't say yet how we will perform in Canada. It's still my first season with Toyota and I haven't yet had a chance to drive the car around the circuit. But I remain positive looking ahead to the race and I hope we can bring home yet another great result for the team."
• Ralf Schumacher: "I always look forward to the Canadian Grand Prix. Montreal is one of my favourite places on the calendar. The city is beautiful and welcomes Formula 1 with open arms with a lively and unique atmosphere. The people are friendly and everyone gets behind the thrill and excitement of our sport. That makes our annual visit extremely enjoyable. Montreal also boasts one of the best circuits on the calendar in Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is a track which offers a special technical challenge with its fast straights and heavy braking, which demands a lot from the car. I have quite a good record in Canada - including a win here in 2001 and second place in 2003. Here we are yet another two years on, so logically, I look set for another good result, this time with Panasonic Toyota Racing. After the disappointment and frustration of the Nürburgring, I think we have a package that can perform well around the part street circuit in Montreal. With a fresh RVX-05 engine I am looking forward to adding to my 17 points from the season so far."
• Mike Gascoyne - Technical Director Chassis: "This year's hectic race schedule is placing unprecedented demands on every team to maintain its development pace for each race weekend. We have barely had time to recover from the demands of the Monaco-Nürburgring back-to-back races before we find ourselves preparing for the North American double-header in Montreal and Indianapolis. Montreal has always been one of the most enjoyable races on the Formula 1 calendar. The track, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, was built around the site originally developed for the world trade fair Expo 67 and comprises some public streets. For that reason it is not often used, so it tends to be quite dirty for Friday free practice before it rubbers in. The circuit is especially demanding on the brakes, but engine performance is also key to a good lap time due to the long straights. As such, the major changes to the car for Canada will be the introduction of a lower downforce package, which will have been tested in Monza. In the past, we have enjoyed a reasonable level of performance at Montreal. Given the speed and reliability of the TF105 this season, we have to look to get a strong podium finish."

BAR-HONDA

• Jenson Button: "The circuit is a very stop-start type of track which doesn't really flow very much at all. The circuit has been resurfaced, so it's going to be a bit of a challenge for the teams and tyre manufacturers to choose the right tyres for the race. There are some reasonably good overtaking opportunities and so the drivers and the fans should be able to look forward to a great race. We ran quite well there last year, finishing in fourth, so we are hoping for an improvement in our performance this week. Montréal is a great place to visit. The city is beautiful and there are some great places to visit. It's always one of my favourite pitstops on the calendar."
• Takuma Sato: "The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a tricky one as it has a long straight, features heavy braking, a hairpin and a chicane. You need a car that is stable and performs well under braking. We had a good test at Silverstone on Thursday which was important for our overall development and we also had a positive feeling from the test team in Monza, who were looking at Montréal specifications. So I am very excited to go to Canada and I believe that we should have a good race there next weekend. I always enjoy visiting Montréal as it is a great cosmopolitan city. Its unique fusion of historic architecture and the modern downtown district makes it very interesting. The fact that it also has a very good race track with a great atmosphere makes it even more exciting!"

WILLIAMS-BMW

• Sam Michael (Technical Director, WilliamsF1):"Traditionally, heading to the double header in America marks the half way point in the championship. We are going to Montreal after podium results in Monaco and Nürburgring, and with a successful test this week at Silverstone under our belts. Montreal is a lower drag circuit, dominated by straights between a lot of slow corners and chicanes. There are two good overtaking opportunities, and the circuit is the hardest on brake wear and temperatures. We have brought a number of aerodynamic upgrades to the car, in the form of front and rear wings and some bodywork parts, all a result of the ongoing development programme for the FW27. A lot of further investigation by BMW and WilliamsF1 has gone into our starts so we hope to improve upon the current situation."
• Nick Heidfeld: "I'm looking forward to going to Canada, not only because it's such a good race track, but also because I like the city and the people. The circuit will present a new challenge this year because the organisers have just re-surfaced it, so no-one really knows what to expect. We will have new parts on the car, again, so I hope they will work well and I also hope Michelin will again provide us with a good tyre choice."
• Mark Webber: "Montreal reminds me of Melbourne in many ways as the city really welcomes and embraces the Grand Prix every year. The track itself has a street circuit feel to it as there are plenty of walls around it and is very challenging for the driver. There's always a great atmosphere in the city, and at the circuit, and I know all the teams enjoy going there. Montreal is a track that requires good braking and traction performance, as well as lots of horsepower from the engine for the long straight. To help achieve the top speed, we need to run a different downforce level to that which we've been using on the tracks we've visited so far this year. This race has been a fairly happy hunting ground for WilliamsF1 in the past and, although I didn't finish the race there last year, I had a points finish in 2003. I'm looking forward to the race and I hope we can continue the points-scoring run the team is enjoying at the moment."

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