With the improvements we should take a step forward - Nelsinho
The ING Renault F1 Team prepares for the fourth round of the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship: the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya. Nelson Piquet Jr. is convinced that his team will be able to take a step forward with the new developments on the R28?
"The beginning was obviously very tough, especially at the first race in Australia, because everything was new and there was so much to learn. But race-by-race things are getting easier. I have taken a lot from the first three races and gained so much experience in terms of how to approach a Grand Prix, and how to work with the team to optimise our performance. I think I just need a bit more luck in the coming races and then we will hopefully be able to start challenging for some points. I have a good relationship with Fernando and we work well together, and I’m keen to make the most of his experience."
Where do you feel you need to improve?"Every race I learn something new – just little things about how to set up the car and how to get the most from the tyres. And a Formula 1 weekend goes by very quickly so you need to maximise each session in order to be ready for qualifying. In Australia we did not do this, but I felt that in Malaysia and Bahrain things were better. This is something I will continue working on throughout the season."
Can you tell us about the circuit here in Barcelona? Is it a track you enjoy?"Barcelona is not one of my favourite circuits, but it is certainly one that I know very well as we spend so much time testing there throughout the year, and so there are unlikely to be any surprises during the Grand Prix. It’s not a particularly difficult or challenging circuit, but you need to have good aerodynamic performance because there are a lot of medium-speed corners. This makes it difficult to follow other cars closely and overtaking is not easy. It will therefore be important to do my best in qualifying so that I don’t get stuck in traffic and we can make the most of our strategy."
The team has an updated package for the Spanish Grand Prix. What difference will it make and what is your goal for this weekend?"I think that with the improvements that we have in Barcelona we should be able to take a step forward. We had some positive days here last week and there are lots of avenues that we are still exploring. But we have to remember that the upgrades to the car need to be understood, developed, and maximised - all this takes time and so we cannot expect instant results. But, if I was being optimistic, I think we can aim to get both cars into the top ten in qualifying and then aim to finish the race in the points."
