Interesting interview:
Originally posted by Muramasa on another forum.
Nakamura interview, seems conducted at the end of 2nd day
http://as-web.jp/new...c_id=1&no=71278
http://sportiva.shue...st_30/index.php
------------------ when has the new car been completed?
finished assembling new car about 2 weeks ago at factory, and conducted fire-up already as well. After that, we found some things that we wanted to modify further not only on PU side but also chassis side, so dismantled the PU once. You would like to keep updating to the limit no matter how small it is as long as time allows.
---------------- this year is 2nd year, how would you reckon?
it's 2nd year, but we made a lot of modifications to power unit from last year, so I was nervous until the car started running on track.
------------ you encountered trouble from day 1
regarding the trouble that occurred in the morning of 1st day, we had some mechanical issue around inlet that we had been having, and we already worked on solution, but the parts couldnt be manufactured in time for testing, so we had no choice but to start testing knowing we have an issue. The components are scheduled to arrive in time for 2nd session.
However, this PU we are running at 1st test is this year's spec. There are still room for improvements in reliability as those troubles show, plus we have some things we havent completed on performance yet, so the plan right now is that we will make final confirmation about the updated package in 2nd test and then going to the opening race.
--------------- after the trouble occur, you started running again quickly
We already decided to continue running by sacrificing performance in order to prioritize other items to test in case of trouble, so after trouble occurred as expected, we made changes to how to use it and sent the car out again.
Last year we went through variety of troubles so we think we improved in terms of making the car continue running under such situation. We get used to operation, so mechanics are learning/understanding deeper about what should be done in case of trouble.
--------------- JB's comment was posive after the 1st day
JB told that deployment has improved a lot at the debriefing after the session. Engineers at Sakura who worked extensively on this year's PU and members of Milton Keynes were all smiling hearing his comment, so it's good. But to be frank our PU hasnt yet reached the level we are targeting. We'd like to improve performance as well as reliability further.
----------------- what is the reason for improved deployment?
The reason is that basically turbo (cannot judge whether it means turbine or comp or both. in sky footage Hasegawa was saying turbine btw but not sure he was being precise either) was weak so we modified there significantly. Regarding MGU-H, we made some tweaks on reliability, but motor unit itself has already almost reached the target, so havent touched much.
--------------- what do you think of competitors?
The main objective of this testing is to confirm/verify the function of this year's PU and check control system that we'd like to work on for this year. We are not in a situation where we can say anything about other makers PU. Firstly we need to bring our PU to our target level. We are confident we can achieve that. However, I'm hearing rumors about other makers PU situation, and even if we improve, rivals will improve too, so we are ready to accept tough situation to continue. Manor with Merc PU will be threat too. So it will be close battle under the raised standard of the competition, but we'd like to manage to go up. Having said that, we dont care about our current position right now, and to be frank we have no idea.
------------ JB said it will be shame if you couldnt go on to podium at all this year?
we cannot ask for such luxury yet. The objective is to go through to Q3 securely. I'd like drivers to race targeting there at those circuits that suit our chassis&PU combo, but to be honest we think we havent reached that level yet where we can constantly aim at podium. It will take struggle and some more time until we accomplish our target. In development of such high level power unit, it is not easy to raise technical level. added to that, even if we could raise the level, it is impossible to establish it to meet the tough reliability requirement of 4-5000km per unit in parallel.
------------------- there is a talk that the unit you are running at 1st test is mark I, then put Mark II for 2nd test, then bring Mark III for opening race?
Basically the unit we are going to use at opening race will be spec 1, so the power unit we are running right now is "development spec". Therefore, while we will be making small tweaks here and there until the opening race, we are not calling each and every one of them by different name.
-------------------- looks like quali system will change, but even if that's the case, objective is still going through to Q3?
Yes, there is no change ot the objective of going to Q3 stably. We have to aim there first otherwise we wont be able to have proper race.
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