5.5 G await Robert and Nick in Shanghai

By BMW Sauber F1
April 17 2009

Drivers at the "Shanghai International Circuit" are faced with many different kinds of corner. This puts the main focus on the brakes of the BMW Sauber F1.09. The snail-like turns in corners one to three and 12/13 become tighter the further the turns progress, requiring the drivers to precisely reduce their speed in order to avoid losing any time.

Robert and Nick can rely on the efficiency of their brakes in any situation. The two BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers can bring their racing cars down from top speed to an ideal speed for the forthcoming corner within a split second. Carbon brake discs and pads require a minimum operating temperature of 500 - 650°C. They reach heats of over 1,000°C during braking.

The braking manoeuvre going into the hairpin at the end of the long straight is particularly important at the 5.451-kilometre circuit on the outskirts of Shanghai. Robert and Nick approach this passage at over 315km/h