BMW travels to Valencia

Reinvigorated after the brief summer break, the BMW Sauber F1 Team is looking forward to the Formula One debut in the Mediterranean port of Valencia, the first of two street circuit premieres this season. The second is the night race in Singapore at the end of September.

Although Valencia possesses a permanent race track - the Circuito Ricardo Tormo - it was decided that, rather than upgrading it to Formula One standard, a course running through the city and along the harbour would be used instead. A backdrop of bobbing yachts may be reminiscent of the Monaco Grand Prix, but the circuit is more in keeping with modern requirements and does not emulate the confined conditions found in the Principality. There are several sections where the F1 cars are expected to reach around 300 km/h. The Formula 3 and GT races held on the last weekend of July served as a "dress rehearsal" for the forthcoming Grand Prix.

There was no opportunity for Formula One testing in Valencia, so the BMW Sauber F1 Team has prepared with the help of simulation. Based on the circuit data, the anticipated ideal line was plotted with the aid of a computer program, while lap times were simulated in varying vehicle configurations. For the mechanical set-up, the weight distribution as well as spring and damper settings were determined, and based on the calculated speeds, the gear ratios were also fixed. Taking downforce levels and track characteristics into account, the lap simulation was able to establish the extent of brake wear, and on this basis the brake materials and cooling requirements were determined. Grip levels of the asphalt surface and tyre wear, on the other hand, can only be verified on location.

Valencia has long cast off its former image of an industrial port city and has emerged as one of Europe's cultural metropolises. The Marina of Spain's third-largest city, with a population of around 850,000, has been transformed into a stylish and fashionable complex on the back of the America's Cup held there in 2007. The F1 circuit leads across a bridge that links the North and South Marina. On the south side, the cars drive along the quayside, past the historic fish market and towards the suburb of Grao. They then briefly follow the course of the River Turia before braking into a hairpin bend, following which the route snakes back towards the waterfront. After a series of S-bends, the cars take a left turn and enter the start-finish straight, bringing them back to the harbour and home, the team garages being set up in the port buildings.