Belgian GP preview - BMW WilliamsF1 Team
Belgian GP - 31-08-01 and 1/2-09-01 - PREVIEW
The BMW WilliamsF1 Team goes to the Belgian Grand Prix hopeful of a better
weekend than in Hungary. Some fruits of the team's labours with the ongoing
development of the FW23 will be seen in Spa-Francorchamps where there will be
a new chassis, number 7, for Ralf Schumacher, which has some detail
alterations. The team is hoping Ralf can at least match his previous
performances at this medium downforce track -second in 1998, fifth in 1999
and third in 2000. WilliamsF1 has four wins to its credit on this circuit,
while Juan Pablo Montoya has raced there twice in Formula 3000. The
Colombian's first visit in 1997 is a race for him to forget, ending up with
him being disqualified for holding up the field with his damaged car, but
1998 was a different story as he claimed pole and finished second. This is
another circuit where testing is not permitted, so the test team has spent
this week with Ralf and Marc Gené in Barcelona and Ricardo Sperafico in
Danielson.
Ralf Schumacher:
"The car in Spa should be better than in the last race in Hungary, but there
is always a question mark about the weather as it often rains there, which
could cause us a problem. Spa, like Monaco, is one of the remaining old
circuits where the safety standards are unfortunately not up to date. I will
have a slightly modified car and a new chassis, which I hope will bring us
some good results."
Juan Pablo Montoya:
"I think Spa is a great track and an interesting one. Eau Rouge is really
quick and if people could feel what you feel when you are going through there
that would be something. It is really, really special but it doesn't look
that quick on tv. The track is a pretty critical one and obviously very
quick. I think for the set-up of the car you have to have a good balance
because of the quick corners."
Sam Michael (Chief Operations Engineer):
"Spa is an undulating medium downforce circuit with slow, medium and fast
corners. The setup usually requires something stiffer than normal to allow
for the large loads on the car through Eau Rouge. This setup also gives
stability through the high-speed sections but can be a compromise at places
like the Bus-stop and the Turn 1 hairpin. We are taking some chassis
development parts that should help us against the opposition. The tyre choice
should not be so difficult because we have experience of the two tyres that
Michelin are taking. Race strategy is important here, especially if it looks
like it will rain."
Gerhard Berger (BMW Motorsport Director):
"Spa Francorchamps is one of the last great natural race tracks and a
wonderful challenge for a driver. It offers everything, uphill and downhill,
slow and fast corners, and due to its length it is something special. We are
very much looking forward to Spa. The circuit should suit our package much
better than the Hungaroring, and especially on the long uphill part after Eau
Rouge, the power of our BMW engine will pay off."
· The Belgian Grand Prix is one of the most eagerly awaited on the World
Championship calendar by both drivers and spectators alike.The
Spa-Francorchamps circuit, which has hosted 35 of the 47 Belgian Grands Prix,
is known as a 'drivers' circuit.Almost all the drivers cite it as their
favourite and a good lap there is something that gives them great
satisfaction.The corner known as Eau Rouge is notorious for catching out the
unwary and the brave. In the past drivers have had massive accidents there as
it is a sweeping curve that dares the bravest to take it flat.It is also a
circuit, unlike the Hungaroring where the teams have just been racing, where
overtaking is possible.Last year's race witnessed one of the manoeuvres that
will be talked about for years to come when Mika Hakkinen overtook Michael
Schumacher on the flat-out run into Les Combes, sandwiching a startled
Ricardo Zonta in his BAR between them.The most unpredictable aspect of the
circuit is the weather as here in the Ardennes Forest it can change quickly
from sunshine to rain, and while one part of the circuit can be dry the other
can be saturated. The circuit, that for most of the year is public roads, is
the longest currently used at 4.330 miles (6.968 km) long and the 44-lap race
will be 190.548 miles (306.592 km) long. The race will start at 14.00 local
time (12.00 BST) on Sunday, 2nd September.The lap record was set in 1993 by
Alain Prost in his WilliamsF1 with a time of 1m
51.095s(140.424mph/225.990km/h).Last year's race was won by Mika Hakkinen in
his McLaren while Rubens Barrichello in his Ferrari set the fastest lap in a
time of 1m 53.803s (136.964mph/220.423km/h)
Ralf Schumacher # 5 Juan Pablo Montoya # 6
Nationality German Colombian
Born 30 June 1975 - Hürth, (Ger) 20 Sept. 1975, Bogota
(Col)
Marital status engaged to Cora Brinkmann single
Lives Salzburg (Austria) Monte Carlo (MC), Oxford (UK)
Height 1,78 m 1,68 m
Weight 73 kg 72 kg
F1 debut 1997, Melbourne, Australia 2001, Melbourne, Australia
Best qualifying 2nd: 2001 Brazil, Canada 2nd : 2001 Austria
Best GP fin. 1st: 2001 RSM, Can, Ger 2nd: 2001 Spa, Eur
GP starts 79 13
Points 2001 44 15
Total points 130 15
Fastest laps 4 1
2001 FIA F1 Championship
Qualifying Race Qualifying Race
Australia 5th DNF 11th DNF
Malaysia 3rd 5th 6th DNF
Brazil 2nd DNF 4th DNF
San Marino 3rd 1st 7th DNF
Spain 5th DNF 12th 2nd
Austria 3rd DNF 2nd DNF
Monaco 5th DNF 7th DNF
Canada 2nd 1st 10th DNF
European 2nd 4th 3rd 2nd
France 1st 2nd 6th DNF
Great Britain 10th DNF 8th 4th
Germany 2nd 1st 1st DNF
Hungary 4th 4th 8th 8th
Media contact:
WilliamsF1
Ann Bradshaw
ann.bradshaw@williamsf1.com
Tel: +44 79 772 75 838
BMW
Guido Stalmann
Tel: +49(0) 170 5666 112
guido.stalmann@bmw.de
###
Sylvia Proudfoot
spur07@cs.com
403 287 3945
