"BrawnGP" kvalifikācijā izcīna dubultuzvaru

normund rakstīja: Translated Q & A with Robert Kubica - questions : Roman Popkiewicz

Q: The most important question - is it possible to fight for something really big this year?
A: That's the plan. But we should remember that last year we were able to fight for something big – up to some point. I hope that this year first half of the season will be as good as previous one and the second half will be as good as the beginning. But speaking that – it's jut 'blablabla' – no one knows that will happen. Everybody want to be best-prepared and as fast as possible in Melbourne and later on.

Q: What's the starting point with the new car? Does one can assume that you meet your goals?
A: IMO our level is higher than at the beginning of last year. It's for sure. A year ago we had serious
problems at start of the tests. But nevertheless we were ready in Oz. This year things we extract from the car on these first kms is much better so let's hope that the start will be better.

Q: So it may turn out that discontinuance of development last year – which made you upset – has paid off?
A: I will answer that one at the end of the year (laughing).

Q: How much different are cars these year?
A: You can feel very clearly there is less downforce. In the end 40% less downforce is a huge step. Driver can feel 4% downforce difference let alone 40%. Besides the aero characteristics has changed – or balance if you want to put it that way. On the other hand much of that is compensated by slick tires. The outcome is you can drive as fast or even faster at some parts of the circuit – slow corners. It may be also very interesting in the rain. In these conditions we don't have more grip from the tires as they stay the same as 08. So not until it's raining one can really feel downforce loss. I think that driving in the wet may turn out pretty hard.

Q: Dancing on ice?
A: Exactly. Car's behavior will be less predictable. We will also use 'full wets' more often than we used to. Also we will use 'intermediates' less.

Q: Do the new cars demand different driving style?
A: No, driving style didn't change as much as we when we had switched form Michelin to Bridgestones two years ago. New tires are in fact a little bit different than 08 tires but it's not due to slick/grooved surface but to different construction. And it's not that slick give more grip on the rear axle than they do on the front as one could think. It's opposite – they give more grip on the front. That's why certain solutions as setups and car's construction are applied to compensate this imbalance. Driving characteristics is more ore less similar .

Q: New regulations were introduced to improve the show. Will it be easier to follow another car, exit the corner on someone's tail and attack?
A: Yes and no. I think it might be a little bit easier but it doesn't mean it will be enough because to improve overtaking it has to be much easier – no just 'a little'. Perhaps better front grip is enough to follow someone's tail but the problem with the rear axle appeared. It's unstable when you are driving in free air let alone following someone. The reason is rear wing which is very small, I mean air-working surface is very small. So on the front there is bigger wing to improve following but the rear one is much smaller which makes aero balance unstable. Maybe it will turn out that we don't have problems with front axle but rear instead. On the other hand it can be very interesting as time differences during tests were very small.

Q: What brings the adjustable front flap?
A: It's specificity of every car. Angle change can be more or less perceptible but above all it is connected to the front wing build. It is a matter of how big movable surface is. Regulations says that only one layer can be adjustable. With our three-slices element it means the surface which we are in control of is very small so influence on car's behavior will be small. Of course every single half-degree (or even less) change is perceptible but I don't consider it to be the cure for lack of overtaking.

Q: But when it comes to wheel-to-wheel action, do you think more front wing's pieces will fly all over around?
A: Maybe (laughing). Nowadays front wing's beyond tires. Before there were many occasions when I was falling into the first corner and thinking that I'll loose wing but somehow was managing to carry on. Now if you have a feeling that you will touch other car it certain you will loose wing. It's a con. We – as drivers – have to remember that and stayed disciplined. F1 isn't a contact sport but in it is tight in the first corner. For sure you will have to look for some space but at the same time remember that front wing is much wider now.

Q: KERS is a hot topic. It is not a mystery that drivers don't like it. Why?
A: Apparently because they don't consider it a necessity to drive a F1 car. Most of the teams were negative too. But – let's say – F1 is a sport but not only a sport. The latter is the case in this matter. With KERS itself there is some risk. It brings nothing to the sport but potentially may cause technical issues and safety concerns.

Q: Regulations makers claim that KERS brings something new to the sport.
A: Apparently point of view depends on viewing point. As a driver I would not have brought KERS to F1 especially that when you come with 30-40 kg system and put it in the car once again you make life harder for taller and heavier drivers. And they've had disadvantage nevertheless. Today they're life is much harder as KERS take away ballast which could have been put wherever you wanted in order to balance the car. Some teams will manage this issue better than others.

Q: What do you think when have operational KERS aboard and you are seeing other drivers jumping out of the car so that he can avoid touching car and the ground at the same time?
A: I would do the same. It cost you nothing and – keeping in mind an accident which happened to one of our mechanics – it's just the better way. It's safer.

Q: But you don't jump out like that every time, don't you?
A: If the cat stops on the track, yes. Just in case. We get out as we used to in garage.

Q: How much you've trained in order to lost weight? Same as last year?
A: It is similar situation but I haven't trained as intensively as last year. Drivers weigh matters but I can't weigh 60 kg – it's pointless. I'm in a condition when common sense says “stop”.

Q: Don't you think that these cars are far too sensitive? That in near future we will hear that car was not drivable because the driver didn't take a @#$%& before the race?
A: Maybe not that much sensitive but that's right. IMO they are too sensitive. Today if I were a team boss I would consider weight and height of the driver as the most critical values in CV. If the driver is taller than 1,60 cm then he can go back home. You can always find a driver with 160cm/60kg – and even if he is 0,2 – 0,3 slower per lap he will be easily recovered by better weight distribution for example. Simplest way to get back to normal is to increase minimal car weight. Extra 20 -30 kg should be enough. Anyway it was proposed but some teams refused.

Q: You are a perfectionist who's seldom content of himself and the car. As a driver what can you improve?
A: Every driver could improve in some areas. It's matter of finding possibilities and working on them. It's hard to judge as it depends on situation. Every race is different hence have different demands. Often I see after the race that I could do something different. On and outside of the track.
Goal is to have situations like this as few as possible. That was the case in 08 which was quite positive year IMO. I made only few mistakes, drove very consistently, hovewer some races could have been played better. In the end I was where I was – with a chance of winning chanpionship up to the penultimate race, leading after sever races. My approach to 09 won't be much different from 08.

Q: In F1 it is impression of your latest performances. It was enough for Kimi to drive a few worse races to make people speaking about his retirement. You made excellent impression lat year, the team - as a whole – too. In 09 you are considered to be favorites for the championship. Does it mean an extra pressure?
A: About the impression – yes that's the way it is. But I don't feel more pressure. I think that 08 season demonstrated what we as driver-team package can achieve and what I am capable of as a driver. My approach to the upcoming season is the same – maximum focus to extract maximum of myself and the car. We will see what the outcome is.

Q: What will be necessary from the team? What you missed last year?
A: Maybe more faith? This year driver-team relation is much better because team share goals with the driver. Last year it wasn't exactly the cast. But we don't know whether we will have a chance this time.

Q: Which place would you take blindly this time? *
A: First. (laughing)

polis999 rakstīja: Man liekas, ka ar Brawn kaut kas nav tīrs.

Ivars77 rakstīja: Kā jau vienreiz teicu,tad pārējam komandām šoreiz būs mazliet savādāk ar to pielāgošanos BRAWN ātrumam,jo lai ko jaunu ieviestu,tad tas ir kārtīgi janotestē,bet šosezon jebkādi testi sezonas laikā aizliegti!
Neticu,ka tur kas pretlikumīgs,jo Brauns nav ar pirkstu taisīts,lai savai komandai uzprasītos uz dažādām sankcijām! Vel jo vairāk tāpēc,ka viņiem maciņš stipri paplāns!

nilish rakstīja: Un tu gribi lai to visu lasa ?/ Da labi !