It will be really close season - Bell

The Mild Seven Renault F1 team’s chassis Technical Director, Bob Bell, is in Malaysia, and gave us his thoughts on the opening race. Bob Bell tells us about the problem with Fisico, the R26's performance and the competition.

Interview with Bob Bell

Bob, how was the Bahraini GP for you?
"I was at home, and I enjoyed it! It was a race full of suspense, and I think that’s good for the sport. Fernando’s win was fantastic, even though we were very disappointed to experience Giancarlo’s problem. I think the first race gave us some useful lessons for the future as well. I think we were the best prepared for the new-style qualifying session, but there is still some fine-tuning to be done."

Has the team identified the problem Fisico suffered from?
"Yes. It was a throttle control problem. Simply put, when Fisico was at full throttle, the engine was delivering only 90% of its full power. The problem only occurred in the car, when he was pushing hard. That’s why we didn’t see it in the garage or on the installation laps."

Are you worried it could happen again?
"No. We have added specific checks to our normal servicing procedures to monitor the issue, to ensure we don’t suffer from the same problem. And if there are signs of it recurring, the rules would allow us to change the relevant component without incurring any penalty."

How is the R26 performing on track?
"I am pleased with the performance. We had a major aerodynamic update in Bahrain, and some parts were fitted to the car for the first time at the track. The main strength of this car is that it has no obvious weaknesses. That’s how we wanted it."

The other teams were very close in Bahrain…
"Yes, they were, and I think we should be prepared for a very, very close-fought season. Winter testing showed that the cars were only separated by fractions of a second, and Bahrain confirmed it. For us, the only possible approach is to be aggressive in our development."

Even more than 2005?
"Last year, we put everything into the development of the package and pushed further than we ever had done before. We will need to step up another level this year…"

What new parts are there on the car in Sepang?
"The main modifications are reliability-focused. We have ambitious targets, and we know it will be a very tight race. Everybody in the team is ready for it."

Will the heat be a problem?
"Not if we tackle it correctly. The teams need to find the right compromise between cooling and aerodynamic efficiency. The lap-time difference between a ‘closed-up’ car and one used at the hot races, can be measured in tenths of a second. The R25 was very competitive in this respect, and the R26 is even better. I don’t anticipate any problems with the cooling."