Séb Looks Ahead To Monza
07 | 09 | 09
The testing ban has seen teams speed up the development of simulators to help drivers prepare for upcoming races. Sébastien Buemi tells us what it’s like to play with a really expensive computer game.
“I’ll be in Milton Keynes on Tuesday (tomorrow), preparing for Monza on the simulator – Jaime’s having a go in the morning and I’m doing the afternoon. Last year there were three days testing at Monza, so this will be the next best thing. The simulator is very realistic and after Monza, I’ll be back to try out Singapore and Japan tracks too, as I don’t know them very well. The way it works is that you sit in the cockpit of an F1 car, which moves around and you’re surrounded by an enormous screen and you really feel you are driving on track. The car reacts exactly like a real one, shaking you about as you go through the corners. You work just as you would on a race track and after driving a few laps you “come in” and ask for adjustments to the car settings just as you would at a race weekend. On top of that, you can also help the simulator engineers by telling them if something does not feel quite right, like the weight of the steering for example. Because it’s not real, you can really attack hard, going to the limit and over it, because if you crash, you can’t hurt yourself. Even though you know that, it still feels a bit strange if you go off the track! In next week’s session, the simulator will be set up to replicate Monza, so not only do you see that track, but the car will be set-up to suit it, which in this case means running with minimum aerodynamic downforce to deal with the highspeed nature of the track. That’s particularly useful, as Monza is the only track that requires so little downforce and it is something we have not been able to experience so far this season. It means the car feels very light under braking and you have to be careful when you apply the throttle again. You can simulate these conditions and get a feel for it before getting to the real race track.”
Jaime Looks Ahead To Monza
07 | 09 | 09
With a trio of F1 races under his belt – even if his Belgian Grand Prix was a bit shorter than planned – Jaime Alguersuari, the youngest driver on the grid tells us how it’s gone so far
“At the moment, I’m still very much in a development phase, coming into F1 at a time when there is no testing. Step by step, I’m getting there and every time I get in the car, I learn more, improve my understanding and go faster. Generally, I’m happy with the way things are going. I’d say Qualifying is the toughest challenge at the moment, because you have to get everything absolutely spot on over just one lap with a specific type of tyre and specific fuel load. If you don’t do a perfect lap on Saturday afternoon, your race is compromised and getting the best out of a new set of tyres is the hardest thing for a newcomer.
“Off the track, the way you have to work in Formula One is far more complex than in the other formulae. I’m getting used to it and I’ve got experience of moving up from one category to another or switching from one team to another, having to adapt to different philosophies. In F1, there are a lot more technical meetings, plus all the work on the media side. Now, after three races, it’s beginning to feel more natural.
“I am enjoying the experience very much: last weekend for example, I really liked driving the car in the wet at Spa. Sometimes though, it’s been quite tough and I can hardly believe I’m racing in F1. I think that, only at the end of this season, will I be able to stop and think that I am in this sport, competing against the best drivers in the world.
“I’m looking forward to racing at Monza next weekend, as I enjoy the track and I’ve had good experiences there in the past. I just want to do a good job there and continue improving and going faster.”
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