Last year saw Valencia host its very first European Grand Prix, and following a lengthy summer break, the drivers can’t wait to get back behind the wheel and race around the Spanish city’s streets. They and senior team members discuss their prospects...
Fernando Alonso, Renault
2008 Qualifying - 12th, 2008 Race - DNF
“I think the break was good for everyone and the team has come back refreshed and ready to push hard for the final part of the season. I also have a new team mate this weekend and I'm looking forward to working with Romain who I'm sure will do a good job for the team. I already have a good relationship with him and hopefully he can help us score some important points for the championship. Racing at home is always special and Valencia is a beautiful city and a great place to have a race. I've always enjoyed racing on street circuits as they have a special atmosphere and the whole city gets involved in the race. Also, as it's a home race for me I know that there will be amazing support from the fans and I really want to reward them with a good result. As I've said, I would love to fight for the podium, but the main priority is to score points this weekend.”
Romain Grosjean, Renault
2008 Qualifying - N/A, 2008 Race - N/A
“Valencia is a mix between a street course and a normal circuit because in some places the track is narrow and tricky and in other places it's really wide with lots of run-off. It's not the easiest place to make your debut, but I've always liked street races and enjoy the atmosphere of being in the middle of a city. I've tried to make my preparation as normal as possible, although I have been training my neck muscles more than usual because Formula One is more demanding than GP2 on this part of the body. I've also taken some holiday time during the summer break to make sure I am fresh and 100 percent ready for Valencia. I've only driven the R29 in straight-line testing so my first race will be a learning experience. It's difficult to set myself an objective so my first priority will be to get comfortable with the car, build my confidence over the weekend and do the best job I can for the team.”
Pat Symonds, Renault executive director of engineering
“The R29 has shown recently that it's a good car in all types of corner and so I'm confident that we can be competitive in Valencia. Like any street course, it rewards brave and capable drivers and we've certainly got that in Fernando, who will have home advantage and massive support from the fans this weekend.”
Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development
"This is an interesting track. It has the high speed configuration of a permanent circuit, however the track surface gives away that this is only a temporary facility. There are numerous turns, yet there are also many high speed sections and we see speeds of around 300kph five times during the course of a lap. There are low-speed corners too, so some heavy braking does take place. On the slippery surface that accompanies a street course it is difficult to find grip off line. Last year we saw a lot of circuit surface evolution over the weekend and it was very much a learning process for everyone who attended the race. I think that everyone will continue to learn more about this venue when we visit it this season. We also found last year that the infamous gap between the bridge surface and the road surface presented no difficulties for our Formula One tyres. Last year our visit to Valencia was a momentous one as it was here that we celebrated our 200th Grand Prix participation since our entry in 1997."
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
2008 Qualifying - 2nd, 2008 Race - 2nd
"It's great to be getting back to business after the four-week break. I'm still buzzing from the win in Hungary and I'm hopeful of being able to carry that pace into the Valencia weekend - particularly with our new upgrades to the car. It's a very demanding circuit, the kind of place that punishes any mistakes hard. It's quite tight and relatively slow, so it should suit our package. It's also very difficult to overtake, as we discovered last year - but, with our KERS, Mercedes-Benz has proved that anything can happen and I'm once again hoping that it will provide the difference in the race."
Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren
2008 Qualifying - 5th, 2008 Race - 4th
"Having driven the fully updated car for the first time in Hungary last month, it was very encouraging to be able to feel just how much progress the team has made developing MP4-24. We've now got a car that's much easier to drive on the limit, and which really rewards your input. So I'm really looking forward to the European Grand Prix, which, while it won't suit us as strongly as the Hungaroring, should be another strong opportunity for us to score some more points. After the summer break, I think the whole team is really looking forward to the second half of the season. We're all refreshed and united. I think there's a lot of potential for the remaining races."
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
"While the summer break has meant we've had four weeks to enjoy Lewis's victory in Budapest, it's very important that we are able to maintain that winning momentum into this weekend's race. Fortunately, I we have made a structured effort to bring further improvements to the car in Spain and the whole team has been buoyed by that win and is really looking forward to another strong set of results this weekend. I've no doubts that we'll certainly hit the ground running on Friday. The Grand Prix also marks the 250th race of our team partnership with Mercedes-Benz, it is pleasing to have reached this important milestone off the back of a win and we are all focused on continuing this form here in Valencia."
Norbert Haug, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Vice-President
"Last year, the race in Valencia had been held for the first time and it is a welcome addition of the Formula One venues worldwide. The European Grand Prix is already the 250th one for McLaren and Mercedes since the beginning of the co-operation in 1995. The street circuit in Valencia is not considered to be the most challenging one for the drivers; however, just this kind of track can turn out to be even trickier. We finished last year's premiere with Lewis Hamilton's second place and will try this year to adhere to our form of Hungary. Despite Lewis's victory there we don't regard ourselves as favourites yet."
Jarno Trulli, Toyota
2008 Qualifying - 7th, 2008 Race - 5th
"I am really glad to be racing again; it's great to have some time off to relax with my family but my passion is racing so it's good to be getting back to the track. It seems like a long time since the last race so everyone in the team is fired up to come out fighting this weekend. Valencia is not such an exciting circuit for me but that doesn't matter so much if we are strong, which we were last year on this track. Unlike somewhere like Monaco, Valencia is actually very fast for a street circuit so that should suit our car pretty well. In fact, it doesn't really feel much like a street circuit at all because it is so much faster than other city tracks. We were in the top six last year in Valencia and that is my target this season. It was good to have both cars in the points in Hungary. The Valencia track has a different character so it's difficult to predict at this stage but my target is to score as many points as possible."
Timo Glock, Toyota
2008 Qualifying - 13th, 2008 Race - 7th
"I really enjoy street circuits and I generally perform very well on them. Valencia was tricky last year for me because I had a bad cold and it was a real challenge just to finish the race, so I didn't enjoy the weekend as much as I could have. This year I am determined to really have fun in the car and hopefully finish even higher than I managed in 2008. We know from last year that overtaking is very difficult on this track so qualifying will be particularly important, which is a similar situation to the previous race in Hungary. After finishing in the top six from 13th on the grid in
Budapest, my goal this weekend is to start as high as possible and give myself the best chance for a good result in the race. I had a relaxing time over the summer break but I also did some fitness work as well and I never stop thinking about racing so I am well prepared for this race."
Pascal Vasselon, Toyota Senior General Manager Chassis
"Valencia is by definition a street circuit as the track is based on public roads but in many ways it is different to more typical street circuits like Monaco or Singapore. It is a relatively high-speed track with very long straights; therefore the aerodynamic efficiency requirements are completely different to other street tracks. Unlike Monaco or Singapore, you are not aiming for high downforce, we are looking in the middle of the range, and it is extremely tough on brakes. But in other ways it is still recognisably a street circuit as the barriers are quite close so there is little margin for error. We are confident for this Grand Prix because the circuit corresponds to what appears to be the best aerodynamic efficiency window for our car and we went well there last year. So we are really looking forward to racing again after the summer break and we expect a positive result."
Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
2008 Qualifying - 3rd, 2008 Race - 3rd
"I really enjoyed the Valencia circuit a lot. I like the character of stop-and-go tracks. In Valencia you have a lot of long straights followed by narrow corners and long straights again. That means a lot of heavy braking. It was very hot there last year as the track is between concrete walls and there is not a lot of air. These conditions are very tough for the car's cooling. Last year I performed quite well in Valencia."
Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
2008 Qualifying - 8th, 2008 Race - 9th
"Valencia is a street circuit, but it doesn't drive like one. In fact it's just like one of the modern race tracks. You're not right up against the buildings, there isn't the tightness you usually get at street circuits, but there are run-off areas. I'm excited to find out what effect the latest modifications will have on our car. Valencia is a great city, of course, and I'm looking forward to going back to a fine restaurant which I discovered on my last visit."
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director
"Clearly we're all disappointed about the decision to withdraw from Formula One. The team had established itself at the top in just three years and we would love to have shown that the poor results we've had this season were just a blip. Now our work is focusing on the next few months. While efforts are continuing behind the scenes to find a solution for the team, everybody is aware that putting in good performances at the circuits is the best way to advertise their abilities. We want to get back into the fast lane, and so the development packages for Valencia and Singapore will be put into practice as planned."
Willy Rampf, BMW Sauber head of engineering
"The race in Valencia was a new addition to the calendar last year and represents a real gain for Formula One. The track, which is built into the port area of the city and has 25 corners, boasts a unique character all of its own. It is a street circuit, but cannot really be compared with Monaco, for example. Indeed, it is wider and allows a much higher average speed. Plus, there are generous run-off areas at practically all the potential trouble spots around the track, which guarantees a high level of safety. Despite the two-week summer break, during which the factory in Hinwil was closed, we will bring a development package to Valencia headed by numerous aerodynamic parts."
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