British Grand Prix: Race Advance

The time between Austria and Silverstone is tight with back-to-back grands prix. How do these back-to-back race weekends compare to back-to-back fly-away races? Is it actually harder because the same transporters and equipment need to be moved from Austria to England?

“It’s about the same. You use different means of transport, but either way the schedule is very tight. It’s all well organized, so normally there are no problems.”

Silverstone is a home race for most Formula One teams, as even Haas F1 Team has a European base that is approximately 30 minutes from the track. NASCAR’s home race for teams is Charlotte, North Carolina, and for those races, each crew member arrives on his or her own, driving and sometimes even cycling from home. Is this possible for our crew members, or do you treat it the same as any other race and put everyone up in a hotel and they ride together to the track?

“Travel is a little bit mixed for the team members. Some stay at home and then take a bus to the track since there is limited parking, while others will stay at a hotel and then also take a bus to the track. If they arrive at our Bunbury location at a certain time, they can catch a ride to the track as well.”

Track records have been broken at every track Formula One has visited so far this season. With Silverstone being the first true power circuit of the year, what affect will the increased speeds have on your car’s setup compared to last year when the speeds and the amount of downforce you had were lower? 

“We’ve gone faster at every circuit this year because of these new cars with the new regulations. With the wider cars and more downforce, we just go faster. And for the setup, we will use what we learned from the last nine races before Silverstone.”

Silverstone is a fast track where drivers are able to run full throttle for long periods of time. How do you help them find that edge to determine when they can be flat out and when they can’t?

“They find that edge themselves. If the engineering team gives them a good, stable car, they are not afraid to go flat-out. But they need to be confident that the car will do what they want the car to do, and that is down to the engineering team.”

Considering these current-generation cars are built with an inherently high amount of downforce, how much downforce are you able to take away to give the cars more speed in the straights without jeopardizing corner speed?

“There is no number to it. There is always a compromise between corner speed and straight-line speed, and that is best found in the simulations before the race weekend. Normally, you get very close to it, but the fine-tuning is still on the track.”

How much downforce do you want in the car at Silverstone? As much as the driver can get, or do you want him to be able to slide the car a bit and have a little less drag?

“The car must be stuck to the ground. As soon as you take away too much downforce, the tires won’t last and you begin to have graining, which the drivers do not like. We have to take off just enough downforce so that the car doesn’t slide and start going through the tires too quickly. It’s less about the driver feel and more about tire preservation. The driver may be more comfortable when the tire is going away, but then you risk the chance of the tire going out.”

With increased speed comes an increased need for braking ability. Where is Haas F1 Team with its brake technology and is there a plan to again outfit the cars with Carbon Industrie brakes like it did during practice for the Russian Grand Prix in late April?

“We have a plan to fit the cars with Carbon Industrie brakes on Friday – both cars in FP1 and, hopefully, FP2 – to see if it all works on our second attempt. If it all works, we will use them over the weekend, but we can only commit to that after we’ve had one practice.”

Cooling the Carbon Industrie brakes was problematic when you first used them in the Russian Grand Prix. What have you done to alleviate the cooling problem without sacrificing aerodynamic performance?

“The aerodynamics team did a lot of CFD work and then we had to modify the brake discs according to what we found using CFD.”

At most circuits, pole position is critical. But for some reason, not as much at Silverstone, where the pole winner has only gone on to win five times in the last 19 years. Is this happenstance or is there something about the track’s layout that provides more opportunity for those a little deeper on the starting grid?

“I don’t think there is a specific reason. I know that it is, for sure, possible to overtake at Silverstone, but I think so few people not winning from the pole is more happenstance than anything.”

Weather tends to be a large variable at Silverstone, with hot weather interspersed with cool, blustery and even raw conditions. How do you prepare for temperature swings and weather changes, be it at Silverstone or anywhere else?

“Other than having data together for the tires and how they work in the different temperatures, it’s honestly hard to prepare. The best we can do is keep our eye on it and go with what the weather gives us.” 

Silverstone is one of the fastest tracks in Formula One, but it’s not necessarily from long straights but rather from long, flowing corners. Can you describe the feeling of speed you experience at this power circuit?

“It’s a really cool track, especially the fast part through Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel corners. When you have the grip in the car there, you really get the sensation of the g-forces. Everything’s pushing down. You really want to get the first part of the flowing corners right. If you don’t, you just lose a lot of time. When the car is very stable and has good balance, you can go flat out and really push it to the limit.”

Knowing how fast these current-generation cars are, what are your expectations in terms of how the car will feel at Silverstone, particularly through the Maggots, Becketts and Chapel corners – an area of the track where you really feel the g-forces being exerted on your body?

“I think it’s going to be one of the most exciting tracks of the year to drive. With the new cars, we’re really going to have a lot of downforce, a lot of g-forces through the high-speed corners – which were already really good with the previous cars. Now we’re going to get to another level and I’m looking forward to discovering that.” 

With speed playing such a role at Silverstone, how difficult is it to overtake? And if the opportunity presents itself, where can you overtake?

“There are a few spots. On the straights and through the high-speed corners, you have an opportunity if your car is much better balanced than the car in front of you. After turn three or turn four, there’s the long section after the slow-speed corners, and that’s a good opportunity as well. But the thing about Silverstone is really the difference between a well-balanced car and an unbalanced car – that’s where the opportunity lies.”

What do you need at Silverstone to have the proper balance in your racecar?

“Silverstone is not an easy track. You’ve got all the high-speed sections, where you really want to carry some speed and get fast. Then you’ve got the twisty turns three and four, then the whole last corner, which is tricky on the throttle application. Generally, you need a good rear-end, and if you get that, you can then put some front-flap on and go faster.”

Is Silverstone the track where you’re able to run at full throttle for the longest periods of time?

“I think probably Baku we were flat out for longer periods of time, but Silverstone is a power track as well. You need good power to get a good lap time there. There are a few straight lines and a few overtaking opportunities but, mainly, Silverstone is about the grip of the car through the high-speed corners.”

How do you find that edge to determine when you can be flat-out and when you can’t?

“Well, you find out quickly when you’re wrong, but you have to try. It’s as simple as that. You go step-by-step, but definitely the last step is going flat-out.”

How much downforce do you want at Silverstone? As much as you can get, or do you want to be able to slide the car a bit and have a little less drag?

“As much as you can get. You’ll always slide the car, so the more downforce, the better.”

At most circuits, pole position is critical. But for some reason, not as much at Silverstone, where the pole winner has only gone on to win five times in the last 19 years. Is this happenstance or is there something about the track’s layout that provides more opportunity for those a little deeper on the starting grid?

“Silverstone is in the UK, and the UK weather is known to be sometimes rainy, sometimes dry. That plays a part. It can change a lot between qualifying and the race, and then even in the race itself. You can also have a good car in qualifying, but if it’s not quite perfectly balanced for the race, you’ll pay the price. That’s where success lies, and probably why most of the winners didn’t start from pole position.”

Do you have any milestones or moments from your junior career that you enjoyed at Silverstone?

“I’ve had some good races there. I remember GP2 in 2009 – I scored the pole position by a big margin, that was pretty good fun. In F1, back in 2012, I had a first-lap incident where I had to change the front wing and from there I just pushed all the way. I remember overtaking (Jenson) Button and (Lewis) Hamilton through Maggots, Becketts – the high-speed corners. I came back to sixth from being last on the first lap, which was pretty good.”

What is your favorite part of Silverstone?

“The high-speed corners at Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel.”

Describe a lap around Silverstone.

“You start off on the new main pit straight before taking the first turn flat-out. Then you come into two hairpins. The first one is more open than the second one, and the second you really want to go for as early as you can. Then you go through the old last couple of corners – very tricky braking here – before going along the old pit straight. It’s very tricky here on power, as well. Then you get to the very high-speed section. It’s a great sensation in the car here. You stay flat-out as much as you can into Maggotts and Becketts, and then downshifting every corner a gear, and then you’re onto the Hanger Straight to Stowe corner. This is another tricky one where you enter very quickly. You want to go on the power as quick as you can, but the corner is closing down more than you think. Then you go to the last chicane – heavy braking and it’s very bumpy. Then you’ve got your final throttle application with a lot of g-force on the right-hand side and you cross the finish line.”

Silverstone Circuit

• Total number of race laps: 52
• Complete race distance: 306.198 kilometers (190.263 miles)
• Pit lane speed limit: 80 kph (50 mph)
• This 5.891-kilometer (3.660-mile), 18-turn circuit has hosted Formula One since 1950, with last year’s British Grand Prix serving as the venue’s milestone 50th grand prix.
• Mark Webber holds the race lap record at Silverstone (1:33.401), set in 2013 with Red Bull.
• Lewis Hamilton holds the qualifying lap record at Silverstone (1:29.243), set in 2016 with Mercedes during Q2.
• With an average speed of around 225 kph (140 mph), Silverstone is considered a power circuit and one of Formula One’s fastest tracks. The majority of its layout is comprised of medium- and high-speed corners, allowing drivers to run at full throttle for 65 percent of their lap. Teams run medium to high levels of downforce to better assist with the impressive cornering speeds. These downforce levels are achievable because the circuit has relatively few long straights. Its sweeping corners provide overtaking opportunities, albeit tricky ones due to the speeds drivers can achieve.
• DYK, Part I? The iconic gold trophy awarded to the winner of the British Grand Prix is the RAC Cup, and it is the oldest prize awarded in Formula One. Unlike other trophies, the winner doesn’t get to keep it. It’s returned soon after the podium celebrations.
• DYK, Part II? There are 18 turns at Silverstone, and each has its own name and backstory.
  • Abbey (turn one): This flat-out first turn was named after the ancient Luffield Abbey, the remains of which were found near the corner. The abbey was founded prior to 1133 and suppressed by King Henry VI in 1493.
  • Farm (turn two): This is a lazy left hander and the point where cars enter back onto the track from the pits. The origins of its name are simple – the straight used to pass close to a nearby farm.
  • Village (turn three): One of the new corners introduced in 2010 following Silverstone’s redevelopment, this right hander is named after Silverstone Village, which lies to the north of the circuit.
  • The Loop (turn four): This is the only corner at Silverstone named for its shape, and drivers navigate it at 90 kph (56 mph), making it the slowest corner on this high-speed track.
  • Aintree (turn five): Famous for hosting the Grand National horse race, Aintree also staged the British Grand Prix in the 1950s and early 1960s and, in tribute, the left hander leading onto the Wellington Straight now bears the venue’s name.
  • Wellington Straight: Formally known as the National Straight, the run down to Brooklands was renamed in 2010 when it became part of Silverstone’s new grand prix layout. The Wellington Straight takes its name from the Wellington bombers that were based at the Northamptonshire circuit during World War II. Fittingly, the straight is formed from one of the old runways.
  • Brooklands (turn six): In the days of pre-war motor racing, Brooklands was Britain’s No. 1 venue. It makes sense that one of the corners at the modern-day home of British motorsport is named in the old track’s honor.
  • Luffield (turn seven): Like Abbey, the long right hander was named after Luffield Chapel. Introduced to Silverstone’s grand prix layout ahead of the 1991 race, Luffield was originally two distinct corners, known as Luffield 1 and Luffield 2.
  • Woodcote (turn eight): The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) was responsible for organizing the first major races at Silverstone. As such, the group had major influence in naming many of the track’s original corners. Woodcote, the sweeping right hander which used to end the lap, is named after Woodcote Park, an RAC-owned club in Surrey.
  • Copse (turn nine): Silverstone is surrounded by luscious green fields and small pockets of dense woodland, knowns as copses. The quick Copse corner, which was the circuit’s first turn for nearly 60 years, passes especially close to Chapel Copse and Cheese Copse, hence its name.
  • Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel (turns 10-14): Approached at around 300 kph (186 mph), Silverstone’s fastest and most iconic sequence of corners was three distinct bends until 1991. Today, they are interlinked. The opening section, Maggotts, was named for nearby Maggot Moor. Becketts and Chapel Curve, meanwhile, take their names from the medieval chapel of St. Thomas à Beckett, which was built in memory of the murdered Archbishop of Canterbury and once stood near the corners. The chapel buildings were demolished in 1943 to make way for Silverstone airfield.
  • Hangar Straight: Silverstone’s use as a Royal Air Force base meant that it was once home to several large hangars. Two of the largest stood next to what became the circuit’s backstraight, which today is tackled at 325 kph (202 mph)
  • Stowe (turn 15): Situated at the end of Hangar Straight, the rapid right hander has always been a challenge for drivers despite several changes over the years. Like so many other corners at Silverstone, it takes its name from a nearby landmark, Stowe School, which lies just south of the circuit.
  • Vale (turn 16): Built on an airfield, Silverstone is more or less flat, which is why the most undulating piece of track, found between Stowe and Club, was named Vale, which is another word for valley. However, some say the name is simply a reflection of the fact this portion of the track sits within the district of Aylesbury Vale.
  • Club (turns 17-18): Club is the track’s final corner. Like Woodcote, Club was named in honor of the RAC’s famous clubhouse in Pall Mall, London.
• During the course of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, lows will range from 12-13 degrees Celsius (54-56 degrees Fahrenheit) to highs of 20-22 degrees Celsius (68-72 degrees Fahrenheit). Relative humidity ranges from 52 percent (mildly humid) to 95 percent (very humid), with a dew point varying from 9 degrees Celsius/49 degrees Fahrenheit (dry) to 15 degrees Celsius/59 degrees Fahrenheit (comfortable). The dew point is rarely below 7 degrees Celsius/45 degrees Fahrenheit (dry) or above 17 degrees Celsius/63 degrees Fahrenheit (mildly humid). Typical wind speeds vary from 2-21 kph/1-13 mph (light air to moderate breeze), rarely exceeding 27 kph/17 mph (moderate breeze).

• Pirelli is bringing three tire compounds to Silverstone:

  • P Zero White medium – less grip, less wear (used for long-race stints)

    • This is Pirelli’s most balanced tire, with an ideal compromise between performance and durability. It is extremely versatile, but it often comes into its own on circuits that tend toward high speeds, high temperatures and high-energy loadings. It is a low working-range compound.

  • P Zero Yellow soft – more grip, medium wear (used for shorter-race stints and for initial portion of qualifying)

    • This is one of the most frequently used tires in Pirelli’s range, as it strikes a balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. It is still geared toward speed rather than long distances, but it remains capable of providing teams with a competitive advantage at the beginning of the race when cars are carrying a full fuel load, and at the end of the race where the fuel load is much lighter and the race effectively becomes a sprint. It is a high working-range compound.

  • P Zero Red supersoft – highest amount of grip, highest amount of wear (used for qualifying and select race situations)

    • This is the second softest tire in Pirelli’s range, and it is ideal for tight and twisting circuits, especially in cold weather when maximum grip is needed. The supersofts warm up rapidly, which has made it a stalwart choice for qualifying. But with increased grip comes increased degradation. It is a low working-range compound.

• The Azerbaijan Grand Prix June 23-25 was the last time these three tire compounds were packaged together. Silverstone marks the fifth grand prix for this tire package in 2017. Last year at Silverstone, the P Zero Orange hard, White medium and Yellow soft were used.

• The Yellow soft tire has been used in every grand prix this season. The Red supersoft tire has been used everywhere except the Spanish Grand Prix. The White medium has only been used in the Chinese Grand Prix, Bahrian Grand Prix, Spanish Grand Prix and Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

• Two of the three available compounds must be used during the race. Teams are able to decide when they want to run which compound, adding an element of strategy to the race. A driver can also use all three sets of Pirelli tires in the race, if they so desire. (If there are wet track conditions, the Cinturato Blue full wet tire and the Cinturato Green intermediate tire will be made available.)

• Pirelli provides each driver 13 sets of dry tires for the race weekend. Of those 13 sets, drivers and their teams can choose the specifications of 10 of those sets from the three compounds Pirelli selected. The remaining three sets are defined by Pirelli – two mandatory tire specifications for the race (one set of White mediums and one set of Yellow softs) and one mandatory specification for Q3 (one set of Red supersofts). Haas F1 Team’s drivers have selected the following amounts:

  • Grosjean: two sets of White mediums, four sets of Yellow softs and seven sets of Red supersofts

  • Magnussen: one set of White mediums, five sets of Yellow softs and seven sets of Red supersofts