Valencia: the technical preparations

Round twelve of the 2008 FIA Formula One World Championship takes the Honda Racing F1 Team to Spain for the inaugural European Grand Prix in Valencia. The 57-lap race will be staged on a 5.440km (3.380-mile) street track, designed by Hermann Tilke, which uses roads surrounding the recently refurbished Juan Carlos I Marina, which was the base for the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007.

The European Grand Prix marks the first time since 1997 that Spain has staged two Formula One races in the same calendar year. Whilst it is Valencia’s first F1 race, the city is not a new destination for the teams. They test regularly at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, 20km from the city, but this permanent venue lacks the necessary infrastructure to stage a Grand Prix, which is why a coastal section of the city has been converted into the new street track.

The Valencia track has 25 corners and a minimum width of 14 metres all the way around the lap. Its specifications and levels of safety are a match for any venue on the F1 calendar, and importantly, it incorporates sufficient run-off for the expected top speeds of more than 300kph (186mph).

Valencia, the technical preparations

The Honda Racing F1 Team has used data from many different sources to help with its preparations for the European Grand Prix. The first ever race meeting at Valencia took place during the last weekend of July, from which the team’s engineers have obtained the telemetry from a Formula 3 car and compared it to F3 data at the Circuit de Catalunya - home of the Spanish Grand Prix - to provide a reference for the set-up of the RA108.

This data has been used in conjunction with track simulations to ascertain gear ratios and downforce levels, and early indications are that the technical demands on the cars will be similar to Hockenheim.

There will of course be some unanswered technical questions when the cars arrive in Valencia, such as the amount of grip generated by the recently laid asphalt. These will only be answered when the track action begins on Friday morning, laying great emphasis on the drivers’ feedback to fine tune the balance of the cars.

Full throttle: 68%
Brake wear: High
Downforce level: High – 7/10
Tyre compounds: Soft / Super Soft
Tyre usage: Medium
Average speed: 200kph (124mph)