Wednesday, July 16, 2008

F1 Teams hope to see the Light on Singapore Trip

Formula One teams will send experts to Singapore in the next few weeks to help them overcome some of the technical challenges posed by the sport's first night race, according to Honda team boss Ross Brawn.
"We are trying to understand the implications of the lighting," the Briton told reporters at last weekend's British Grand Prix.
"I think all the teams are sending someone over there in the next week or two, very soon, to have a look at a proportion of the track that's been lit for us to make a judgement and understand.
"Like most teams, we've got a simulator so we are trying to simulate those conditions but probably we won't know until we are actually there what extra problems it (the race) is going to present," he added.
Singapore, with a street circuit using public roads around the Marina Bay area, will host a round of the championship for the first time on September 28.
Organisers have said the circuit will be lit up by 1,500 projectors to a level bright enough to meet high definition television broadcast standards -- or four times brighter than a typical stadium.

REAR LIGHT
Brawn said the conditions posed particular problems for drivers, who would have to work with an unfamiliar anti-clockwise circuit that could be as unforgiving as Monaco.
"There are some simple things like the rear light for instance is extremely bright in those darkened conditions," he said. "The rear light might be a problem for drivers, so there are some adjustments we can make when we get there.
"But in terms of how the drivers will cope, that's quite difficult to mimic properly.
"You can go kart racing on illuminated circuits but I don't think it's the same. And there's dealing with the track because that can be quite tight and challenging as well," he continued.
"It might be an idea to have a day (practice) session before the night session just so we all get used to it."
Brawn said Formula One's sole tyre supplier Bridgestone would also have plenty of homework to do with the track likely to be cooler, in the absence of sunlight, in contrast to the warm ambient temperature.
"I think they are considering and studying what implications that might have with the compound selection. But there is a limited range of compounds and I know they are not going to invent a compound for it," he said.
Brawn suggested the teams would find the jet lag easier to handle, with the race held closer to the regular European schedule.
"We're not going to change out of the time zone," he said.
"Fundamentally we'll stay on European time and get up at midday and work until whatever time it is, so we won't have any jet lag to worry about."

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