BMW WilliamsF1 Team-Italian GP-Preview
Italian Grand Prix 12th14th September 2003 PREVIEW For the first time this year, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team will line up on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix leading the FIA Formula One Constructors¹ World Championship. With only a slim, eight-point margin over its closest rivals, the fight for points will be more competitive than ever. To add to the compulsion of the closing races of the season, the drivers championship is as hotly contested as the constructors¹, with only three points separating the leading trio. In preparation for the race, the team undertook an extensive four day test in Monza concluding on September 5. Significant progress was made in relation to tyre, aero and subsidiary component development, as well as set-up work to optimise the car for the forthcoming race. Juan Pablo Montoya: "Monza is a good track for me. I¹ve been on pole twice and I also achieved my first Formula one victory there. We looked quite strong while testing at Monza this week, which makes us quite confident for the race weekend. "I like being in Italy and I spent some time there in 1990, when I was racing in the Kart Junior World Championship in Lonato, near Brescia. I learned the language and I can understand Italian quite well now. The people are so friendly and passionate about Formula One that the atmosphere at the Autodromo is really special! There will obviously be a lot of Ferrari fans at the track so it would be very nice to score another victory at their home circuit, but Ferrari are also looking good for the race. "My main focus now is scoring points and finishing the remaining races in front of my main rivals, Michael and Kimi. It's going to be a very, very interesting race." Ralf Schumacher: "After my accident at the test in Monza this week, the most important thing for me now is to concentrate on getting back to one hundred percent fitness. The accident as such does not bother me and I do not have any concerns that I will not be fit for the race next weekend. "I love the race at Monza, not only because the BMW engine gives us an advantage for the several long, full throttle sections, but also because I find the changes between the fast and slow sections quite interesting. It is necessary to drive through the chicanes with absolute precision in order to gain as much momentum as possible to take with you onto the faster parts of the circuit. This includes driving over the curbs properly, if you don¹t your car jumps and you lose time. "For this race, my goal is to try to keep my slim chance in the Drivers' Championship alive. However, it is even more important to perform as a team and to defend our lead in the Constructors' Championship. Sam Michael (Chief Operations Engineer, WilliamsF1): "Monza is such a different circuit compared to the other Grands Prix on the Formula One calendar. With top speeds of more than 360kph, we are operating the car at its limit. Dominated by long straights, three medium speed corners and chicanes, Monza is hard on brakes and engines. Setting the car up for the curbs is important, while maintaining good braking stability. Strategy will be interesting at Monza, particularly since overtaking is more likely in the race due to the long straights and the fact that it is possible to get a large tow. "As normal, in line with our development program, we have a few aerodynamic and mechanical improvements for this race. We are also arriving with two new tyre compounds that we have developed with Michelin." Mario Theissen (BMW Motorsport Director): "Monza is the last genuine high-speed circuit on the Formula One calendar. As such, it is one of the highlights of the season for us as an engine manufacturer, but it also presents a major challenge. Our BMW P83 is extremely Œfamiliar¹ with the Monza circuit profile, as it is the reference track for simulated endurance tests on the engine rigs in Munich, so hopefully we will run fairly competitively there. Last year, Juan Pablo set a world record during his qualifying lap with an average speed of 259.827 kph and a top engine speed of over 19,000 rpm. "As a team, we have for the first time taken the lead in the Constructors¹ Championship ahead of Ferrari an incredible development after a weak start to the season. In the Drivers¹ standings, Juan Pablo is also right up at the front with Ralf only a few points behind. Our aim, therefore, for this race is to consolidate our position and hopefully extend the gap between us and our rivals." Facts and Figures: … Monza has a population of 120,000 is part of the province of Milan. … The Autodromo is situated in the Royal Park of Monza, which is enclosed by high walls. … No other track has hosted more Grands Prix than Monza. 2003 will be the 53rd Formula One event to take place here. Only one other Italian Grand Prix has been held at a different venue when Imola staged the race in 1980. … A lap distance at Monza is 5.793 kilometres. The race comprises of 53 laps equating to a race distance of 306.720 km. … WilliamsF1 has scored six victories at Monza, while BMW has secured two. The BMW WilliamsF1 Team last stormed to victory at the Autodromo when Juan Pablo Montoya claimed his maiden Formula One win in 2001. … In 2002, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team set two records during qualifying at Monza. En route to his seventh pole position of the season, Juan Pablo Montoya achieved an average speed of 259.827 kph, breaking the seventeen year record set by Keke Rosberg in 1985 at Silverstone in a WilliamsF1 FW10. The BMW V10-cylinder secured a second benchmark when it exceeded 19,000 revolutions per minute for the first time. … Last year, Juan Pablo started on pole while Ralf Schumacher started from third place on the grid behind his brother¹s Ferrari. … Both BMW WilliamsF1 Team drivers retired from the 2002 Italian Grand Prix with technical failures. Rubens Barrichello won for Ferrari and also set the standing lap record of 1:23.657m. … The 14th round of the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship starts at 14:00 hrs local time on 14th September 2003. … Frankfurt Motor Show: On Wednesday 17th September, Ralf Schumacher, Mario Theissen and the BMW works drivers Dirk Müller and Jörg Müller will visit the BMW stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show. They will also give interviews on stage. For media credentials please contact the IAA press office at the Kongresszentrum. Juan Pablo Montoya #3 Ralf Schumacher #4 Born 20 Sep 75 Bogota (COL) 30 June 75 Hürth (GER) Nationality Colombian German Place of residence Monte Carlo (MCO) Salzburg (AUT) Marital status Married to Connie Married to Cora, son David Height 1.68 m 1.78 m Weight 72 kg 73 kg F1 debut 2001, Melbourne 1997, Melbourne Grands Prix 47 113 Pole positions 11 4 Wins 3 6 Points total 152 235 Points 2003 71 (2nd place) 58 (4th place) Fastest laps 9 6 2003 Qualifying Race Points Qualifying Race Points Australian GP 3 2 8 9 8 1 Malaysian GP 8 12 - 17 4 5 Brazilian GP 9 Accident - 6 7 2 San Marino GP 4 7 2 2 4 5 Spanish GP 9 4 5 7 5 4 Austrian GP 3 DNF - 10 6 3 Monaco GP 3 1 10 1 4 5 Canadian GP 2 3 6 1 2 8 European GP 4 2 8 3 1 10 French GP 2 2 8 1 1 10 British GP 7 2 8 4 9 - German GP 1 1 10 2 DNF - Hungarian GP 4 3 6 2 4 5 The BMW WilliamsF1 Team currently leads the FIA Formula One Constructors¹ World Championship with 129 points.