Challenge for the season's end

By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 16 2006

The infamous bumpy asphalt of the "Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace" is not the only special characteristic expecting the BMW Sauber F1 Team at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Unpredictable weather conditions can also have quite an influence on the race outcome.

Physical fitness is an absolute must in order to successfully complete the 71 race laps in Sao Paulo. The circuit is driven anti-clockwise, which causes an unusual strain on the neck and shoulder muscles of the drivers. Additionally, the drivers feel a strong hit each time they cross a bump, of which there are plenty at the Brazilian track.

The start-finish straight is slightly ascending and the following Senna-S turns downhill again. These alternating demands are typical for Sao Paulo. "From a driving point of view the track offers a wide variety of corners. Apart from the two straights, the infield includes very slow corners," says Willy Rampf, Technical Director of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. "From this point of view, the mechanical set-up and the aerodynamic efficiency are very important. Additionally, the high altitude causes lower engine performance. For this reason, you have to pay even more attention to the aerodynamic efficiency than on other tracks.

The 4.309-kilometre track, which is located approximately 12 kilometres outside of Sao Paulo, is, however, not the only aspect of the Brazilian GP that some participants have a hard time coping with. The South-American metropolis with its 20 million inhabitants also requires a strong set of nerves of its visitors. The everyday traffic can only be described as chaotic and the city suffers from one of the highest crime rates on the planet. The enthusiasm of the Brazilian motorsport fans, however, more than makes up for these disadvantages. There is hardly any country in the world that can boast so many Formula One fans as Brazil.


*SOURCE: Official BMW Sauber F1 Team