BMW WilliamsF1 Team-Japan G.P.- Preview
Japanese Grand Prix - 11/12/13 October 2002 - PREVIEW The BMW WilliamsF1 Team¹s performance at the penultimate Grand Prix of the season at Indianapolis secured second place in the FIA Formula One World Championship. This marks another year-on-year advance in the achievements of the team which finished the 2001 season in third place. While the constructor¹s battle with McLaren has been resolved, BMW WilliamsF1 Team drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher will head a three-way contest with McLaren¹s David Coulthard in Japan for third place in the driver¹s standings. The Suzuka circuit is a fast, power-based track that is expected to suit the WilliamsF1/BMW combination. Montoya heads the pack of three chasing third place in the driver¹s table, but Schumacher holds the current lap record of 1:36.944, and whatever the outcome of the final race, that honour will remain Ralf¹s as the unique Œfigure-of-eight¹ circuit has been altered since last year. Suzuka also marks a century for Ralf as this race will be his 100th Grand Prix. Juan Pablo Montoya: "I like the Suzuka circuit and I would count it among my favourite tracks. It is fast and similar to Spa, with a lot of changes of direction which tends to suit my driving style. Last year I qualified and finished in second position, which gives me reasonable confidence for this year. I would be surprised though if we could be close to Ferrari in Japan. "Last week in the US we secured second place in the Constructors' Championship, which was our target, but the Drivers' Championship is yet to be decided. While it is a pity that we fly to Japan when the Championship has already been decided, I expect the Japanese fans will be as excited as always, and it is amazing how passionate they are." Ralf Schumacher: "I am not sure if I have a favourite track in the Formula One calendar, but Suzuka is one of my prefered venues. The S-corner and the very fast 130R are probably the most demanding combinations of track that Formula One offers, making them a real challenge for car and driver alike. "I am due out in Toyko one week before the race due to a BMW marketing commitment. I enjoy staying in Japan after my experience of racing Formula Nippon in 1996. Hopefully our race performance will produce a positive end to the season to give us the essential motivation to close the gap to Ferrari for next year." Sam Michael (Chief Operations Engineer, WilliamsF1): "Suzuka is the last race on the calendar and is one of the most exciting circuits, in the same league as Spa. The high speed flowing corners to start the lap combined with a hairpin, a chicane and the infamous high speed 130R are a tall demand from the drivers, and rhythm is an important aspect of being quick at Suzuka. The Japanese circuit requires higher downforce and a stiffer than normal set-up to ensure high speed stability. Braking is also important for the two stops at the hairpin and the chicane. Michelin have taken a good step forwards over the last two GP's. They brought a strong tyre to Japan last year and I am sure this trend will continue. "Engine power is important to be able to run the high wing levels. This aspect also makes it difficult to overtake, although a great opportunity exists into the chicane. The high fuel penalty and tyre degradation usually means a two-stop strategy in the race." Gerhard Berger (BMW Motorsport Director) "In my view Suzuka and Spa are the greatest Formula One circuits on the current calendar. Suzuka is extremely challenging for the drivers, chassis and the engines alike. As a driver Suzuka has always been one of my favourites and I won there twice, in 1987 and 1991. That said, we are under no illusions that the track will suit the Ferrari. Closing this gap requires a quantum technical leap. As a consequence, the end of the season will be welcomed so everybody can concentrate on preparations for 2003. As concerns the engine we are pleased with the progress. We tested for the first time the completely new P83 engine on September 18th in Barcelona." Facts and Figures … The city of Suzuka lies on the south east coast of the Japanese main island, Honshu, and is part of the Mie Prefecture. Suzuka¹s commerce is focused on food, textiles and the Honda assmbly plants. Today the city is home to an estimated 184,000 inhabitants. Suzuka is also home to a medical university and Buddhist temples & Shinto shrines. … The circuit sits right in the middle of Suzuka Land a theme park built to entertain the families and workers from the nearby Honda factory. … Contained within its figure-of-eight layout - which is unique in Formula One - is every conceivable type of corner from the super tight Spoon Curve to the high speed 130R. … Suzuka has been the home of the Japanese Grand Prix since 1987, but prior to this two races were held at the Mount Fuji track in ¹76 and ¹77. The only other Japanese circuit to hold a Formula One race was the TI Circuit Aida where the Pacific Grand Prix was held in ¹94 and ¹95. The 2002 event will be the 18th Grand Prix in Suzuka and the 22nd GP in Japan. … The circuit has been the venue of some epic battles for not only the race but also the Championship. At the inaugural race at the circuit in 1987, it played host to WilliamsF1¹s Nelson Piquet claiming his third Drivers¹ Championship while the race was won by Gerhard Berger in his Ferrari. For Frank Williams, the race in 1994 was the most memorable. Damon Hill beat Michael Schumacher in a two-part race, which was interrupted by torrential rain, and took the Championship down to the wire in Adelaide with the drivers on equal points. This was the second of three wins for WilliamsF1 in Japan and the first of two for Damon who earned his second Suzuka win in 1996. … During practice for the 2000 Japanese Grand Prix the Formula One paddock experienced a weak earthquake. … The Suzuka circuit has recently been shortened to 5.821 km (3.618 miles) long after a couple of changes in order to widen runoff areas. Already present for last year¹s race, widened runoff areas were built with new pathways alongside for quicker access to and from the track added in case of an emergency, and also to support photographers¹ access to the track. 2001 also saw paddock improvements to the hospitality area above the pits, the number of the pits and the media centre were enlarged. … Ralf Schumacher holds the lap record of 1m36.944s (217.573 km/h) on last year¹s track length of 5.859 km (3.641 miles). Race winner Michael Schumacher claimed pole position within 1m32.484s (228.065 km/h). … 2001 Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher were second and third on the grid. … Last year¹s Japanese Grand Prix brought a superb ending to a strong season for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team with both drivers making it into the points. Montoya came second, claiming the Team¹s ninth podium of the season. Ralf Schumacher finished sixth after having been penalized with a ten-second stop-and-go penalty for cutting the chicane. … The 53 lap race will be 308.317 km (191.588 miles) long. … Tyre degradation is expected to be high, and a two-stop strategy with pit stop windows between laps 17-24 and laps 35-40 seems to be likely. … The race will start at 14.30 local time (05.30 GMT/07.30 CET) on Sunday, 13th October. Ralf Schumacher #5 Juan Pablo Montoya #6 DOB 30/06/75 Hürth (DEU) 20/09/75 - Bogota (COL) Nationality German Colombian Residence Salzburg (AUT) Monte Carlo (MCO) Marital status Married to Cora, one son (David) Engaged to Connie Freydell Height 1.78 m 1.68 m Weight 73 kg 72 kg F1 debut 1997, Melbourne 2001, Melbourne GP starts 99 33 Poles 1 10 Wins 4 (01 SMR, CAN, DEU, 02 MYS) 1 (01 ITA) Points (total) 177 78 Points 2002 42 (4th) 47 (3rd) Fastest laps 6 6 2002 Qualifying Race Qualifying Race GP Australia 3rd accident 6th 2nd GP Malaysia 4th 1st 2nd 2nd GP Brazil 3rd 2nd 1st 5th GP San Marino 3rd 3rd 4th 4th GP Spain 3rd 11th 4th 2nd GP Austria 2nd 4th 4th 3rd GP Monaco 4th 3rd 1st Dnf GP Canada 4th 7th 1st Dnf GP Europe 2nd 4th 1st Dnf GP England 4th 8th 1st 3rd GP France 5th 5th 1st 4th GP Germany 2nd 3rd 4th 2nd GP Hungary 3rd 3rd 4th 11th GP Belgium 4th 5th 5th 3rd GP Italy 3rd Dnf 1st Dnf GP USA 5th 16th 4th 4th