WilliamsF1 2006 British GP Preview
British Grand Prix
By WilliamsF1 Team
June 6 2006
The WilliamsF1 team moves to Silverstone for the next round of the 2006 championship, the British GP. For the WilliamsF1 team it is their home Grand Prix with the teams headquarters close by. But the team will have to show a marked improvement in their performances if they wish to succeed.
| British Grand Prix: Silverstone |
 |
| Race Preview: |
| The Event Falling earlier this year than usual to avoid clashes with the World Cup, the British Grand Prix will take place this Sunday, 11 June. Silverstone, now regarded as one of the most challenging tracks remaining on the calendar, is a home Grand Prix for the majority of Formula One teams but holds particular significance for WilliamsF1. The Home of British Motorsport provided the stage for the team’s very first victory twenty seven years ago as well the 100th Grand Prix win, achieved in 1997. Over the years, the British Grand Prix has proved to be a most fortuitous track for Williams with over 70% of the races held at Silverstone yielding at least a podium finish for the team. Between the races The team’s drivers encountered a busy schedule following the Monaco Grand Prix. Nico and Alex spent two days last week at the Circuit de Catalunya undertaking key preparations for Silverstone while Mark Webber has undertaken the marketing responsibilities. The weekend saw Mark at the Bluewater shopping centre, in Kent, where he braved the Saturday shoppers to participate in simulator competitions with fans as part of a Philips promotional day. On Tuesday, he visits the world famous Hamleys toy store on behalf of Baugur where, among other customer-focused activities, he will lunch with children from the Make-a-Wish charity. The final commitment in his diary will take Mark to London again on Wednesday for a Tourism Tasmania press function to promote the Mark Webber Pure Tasmania Challenge to the British media before heading north to Silverstone for more familiar responsibilities. Making the car go faster Renowned as one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar, the team has undertaken a rigorous test programme ahead of this weekend’s race. A trip to the Northamptonshire track in April allowed Mark, Nico and Alex to get to grips with the fast straights and corners over the three day test during which the trio covered nearly 3,000kms while working on set-up, tyre compound testing and aero mods specific to Silverstone. This week, the Circuit de Catalunya, a track which bears similar characteristics to Silverstone, has been used as a testing ground for the British GP. A two day session allowed Nico and Alex to carry out tyre testing with Bridgestone to assist in the selection for the race, while also developing set-up options. Silverstone from a technical perspective A sixty lap race, the British Grand Prix is a punishing 191 mile endurance test. The blend of high and slow speed corners, connected by three long straights, creates an uncompromisingly fast circuit, one that inevitably rewards engine power but one which also demands a delicately balanced set-up to cope with the high speed directional changes. Aerodynamic efficiency and harder compound tyres will therefore be crucial to sustain pace and position through the faster corners, such as Copse, but also through the slower corners, particularly into the Complex at the end of the lap. Not only are the drivers presented with one of the most technically demanding circuits, they are also forced to contend with the unpredictable weather conditions common to Silverstone’s micro-climate. Prevailing winds are a concern at the old airfield and can affect the car’s drivability, so must be carefully considered in the set-up process. A traditional track, Silverstone naturally boasts several areas which promote overtaking, principally Vale and Abbey, which will undoubtedly encourage some exciting racing action on Sunday afternoon. Mark Webber: |
KEY RACE DATA: |
"Although I wasn’t
involved in this week’s test at Barcelona, I know part of our programme
was to try a few different things to help our performance at the British
Grand Prix. Barcelona is not dissimilar to Silverstone and, based upon
our performance there in the Spanish Grand Prix, we have a lot of
improving to do. Unfortunately, our Monaco pace will have no relevance
whatsoever to next weekend at Silverstone as it requires totally
different characteristics from the car. 
"Silverstone is a very exciting track. I already have quite a lot of
experience of it as I have done lots of testing there, especially with
the V10 engine last year. I don't think we are going to be as strong
there as we were in Monaco, but I think we can still score some points.
During the intensive test in Barcelona last week, we managed to improve
many things, Cosworth, in particular, have made another good step
forward with the engine."
"After
our strong car performance in Monaco was let down by two exhaust
failures, we have been busy testing at Barcelona with a series of
changes to avoid a reoccurrence. Now on to Silverstone which is a high
speed circuit with fast changes of direction and three straights that
reward power. There is a slow speed section at the end of the lap where
good mechanical grip is important. As always, aero efficiency is a key
factor and, as such, the set-up is tuned towards improved high speed
stability.
 |