The pre-weekend trackwalk is now an integral part of the preparations for any professional racing driver. But this is no idle stroll to look at the scenery. There is method and technical understanding to be gained from it and the vast majority of the teams undertake one before track action begins.
We joined KCMG driver trio, Richard Bradley, Matt Howson and Alexander Imperatori, who are all new to the Interlagos track, as they sought to learn the famous 4.309kms Autódromo José Carlos Pace. Along with their engineer, Greg Wheeler, we set off across the start/finish line and into turn one with Imperatori making the first observations.
“The track surface is very smooth, which sounds good for us right? But actually it means low grip so it is not so great,” says the Swiss ace. “It was resurfaced before the Grand Prix a few weeks ago and the asphalt is very slick. It will be difficult in the wet for sure. The kerbs look nice and friendly though through the Senna S.”
The camber and banking into the daunting Senna S left and right is as impressive as the gradient which the TV cameras do not do justice to. The drivers take a wide line to attack the first left and use as much kerb as they wish as they are relatively shallow.
The long left hand corner (Curva do Sol) that leads on to the long back straight (Reta Oposta). Here, the track has the first portion of slightly grooved tarmac that acts as ‘drainage tarmac’. The grooves are delicately cut in to the track in a diagonal pattern so to not destabilise the cars.
The long pit exit which feeds out halfway down the straight essentially splits the track in half as the white exit line ends just as the cars hit top gear. The cars re-joining the race track will be filtering out and looking to go right as soon as possible to claim the optimum line for the undulating T4 - Descida do Lago left hander.
“This looks like an impressive technical corner,” says Howson about T4, just as Alex Wurz jogs passed and waves to us. “There are no (marker) boards which is rare at a track. As you go in to the corner and then it falls away. (Tyre) ‘pick up’ and ‘marbles’ on the track shouldn’t be an issue here but having said that it has been an odd year for that. The tyre manufacturers have said they have never seen it as bad at some of the races, notably Fuji. But it shouldn’t be too bad here with the new surface, it should be quite low-deg.”
After the fearsome right at Ferradura where the track is especially narrow, sector two of the circuit is sinuous and technical and all about traction and brakes. How the KCMG ORECA-Nissan will perform at these second and third gear corners will be crucial for their ultimate race pace this weekend.
“We can use the entire kerb here for sure,” says Bradley, as he inspects the inside rumble-strip. “If we have wet running there will be plenty of variation in lines at this section of the track. The run-off here is minimal and it is really old school which I really like.”
KCMG lead engineer, Greg Wheeler has brought his considerable experience with F1 teams such as Williams, Arrows and Minardi to endurance racing this season.
“These trackwalks are useful especially on studying the kerbs and the depth of them,” said Wheeler. “Here of course the big story is the re-surfacing but it is also useful to see where we can save fuel. So, for instance, a good point is T4 and T5, where you can use the natural drag of the car and roll out the throttle. But it will be tricky here too as the car as the car will get unsettled as the rear gets light and it will be easy to lock the rears and flat spot a tyre.”
The final, unsighted, and seriously steep uphill sequence feeds back on to the start/finish straight and the previous corner-cutting kink onto it has ensured some changes since the 2013 race. A ‘no go’ area close to the pit lane entrance means drivers now cannot cut the kink.
Also, the entrance to the pit lane is punctuated by a chicane before the pit lane speed limit line kicks in. Plastic bollards will deter too much straight-lining here and Howson believes that it will be easy for drivers to get caught out if they attack it too much.
“I can see some penalties, yes, because some will try and gain a few tenths being too quick through the chicane and then leave it too late for the limiter line which is just few metres later.”
As the KCMG guys head into the pit lane, and then discuss the tight and narrow pit exit, their track walk comes to an end. However, there is still much to digest for them as they prepare for the first track running which will begin at 13h00 local time (15h00 GMT).
In the FIA World Endurance Championship no stone is left unturned for the teams and drivers and the trackwalk gives them a surprisingly large amount of useful data for the sessions ahead.
Sam Smith
Photos: AUTODROMO JOSE CARLOS PACE (INTERLAGOS, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL), 6 HOURS OF SAO PAULO, TRACK WALK, THURSDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2014. 1) Matt Howson, Greg Wheeler, Alexandre Imperatori of KCMG on the track walk between turns 3 and 4; 2) At the famous Senna S corner; 3) Studying the tight pit exit.
