Formula One: USGP preview: BMW Williams F1 Team
17 September 2000
The next race on the 2000 calendar is the long-awaited inaugural Indianapolis Grand Prix. The BMW WilliamsF1 Team will arrive at the Brickyard with a sense of excitement and anticipation shared by all in Formula One. Ralf Schumacher "After the successful results of the last two races, the BMW Williams F1 Team should be well-prepared for this race. The circuit has a high-speed section with banked corners and tight curves in the infield part - similar to the Motodrom in Hockenheim. At the moment, we're not entirely sure what aerodynamic set-up the track is suited to. It will, however, be very important to create as much mechanical grip as possible for the infield section. On the straights, the cars will exceed 220mph - the fastest speeds that we are likely to reach all year. Finding the right balance will not be easy, but it's a challenge shared by all the teams. There have been no tests preceding this race and that means completely new data has to be generated and analysed quickly. The most interesting point of the track will be turn thirteen that leads onto the banking. Whether it can be driven at full speed or not will depend on finding an optimum set-up for the car." Jenson Button "This is the race that we've all been waiting for. I have watched all types of racing from Indianapolis and coupled with the atmosphere, I have little doubt about the excitement that this race will generate - both in the stadium and on television. The banking will provide a new challenge to Formula One, but it's a challenge I'm relishing. Unpredictability is one of the biggest attractions of Formula One and it doesn't come any bigger than this. Because no one has ever raced at Indianapolis, no driver or team has an upper hand on this race. I aim to take full advantage of this." Gavin Fisher (Chief Designer WilliamsF1) "Going to a new circuit always presents new challenges. This will certainly be the case for Indianapolis. It boasts features that are not present at any other F1 track. Subsequently, we have had to make use of our simulation capabilities in an effort to determine the optimum set-up for the car and to ensure that we have the appropriate hardware available. As a result of this process, we have produced a number of new items specifically for Indianapolis and have successfully proved their function at the recent Estoril test. The nature of the circuit will place new demands on the drivers and will make for a very interesting race indeed." Frank Williams (Managing Director, WilliamsF1) "Indianapolis represents a wonderful opportunity for Formula One to re-establish itself in North America. We needed a fresh start and we couldn't wish for a better one for our re-entry into the USA. I am praying for a great race (and even for some rain)! The Americans have never seen Formula One cars race in the wet at Indianapolis and they would subsequently understand why Formula One drivers are the best in the world." Gerhard Berger (BMW Motorsport Director) "The Indianapolis Grand Prix is a new trial to make Formula One popular in the USA. The public hasn't historically welcomed Grand Prix racing and North America has consequently remained a weak spot in the internationalism of Formula One. The heart of American motor racing is staging this spectacle and all 250,000 seats have sold out. If we manage to break through this time, it would be a great result for both Formula One and BMW. The USA represents one of BMW's most important markets and the BMW sales network is very excited about Formula One commitment." Dr Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director) "Indianapolis offers a very unusual track combination. It represents quite a challenge for both technicians and drivers. One side of the circuit boasts the longest full-throttle stretch in Formula One of around 20 seconds. Hockenheim comes closest with 16 seconds. On the other side, the twisty infield track presents a completely opposite picture. The centrifugal force during the long banked section represents a further set of stresses. We are looking forward to seeing how our engine behaves and after our good recent performances, we are quite hopeful about racing at the Brickyard." The 73-lap USA Grand Prix gets underway at 13:00 local time (18:00 GMT) on Sunday 24th September. A total race distance of 190.326 miles (306.235 km) will be covered at the Brickyard.