After an action-packed start to the season - and a subsequent three-week
break - the 22 drivers and 11 teams will reconvene in Shanghai next
week for the third race of the year: the 2013 Formula 1 UBS Chinese
Grand Prix on April 12-14. Those involved discuss their prospects for
the race…
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying - 1st, 2012 Race - 1st
“I travel to China next week with very good memories from winning my first Formula One race in Shanghai last year, and having led the race there for the past three years. I enjoy the Shanghai track a great deal and I have a positive feeling going there with the car that we have at the moment. The team have been working very hard to develop our car since returning from Malaysia and I will be at the factory on Monday to complete my preparations in the simulator for the next two races. We've had a strong start to the season and I'm confident that we can keep pushing and hopefully score some good results in China and Bahrain.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying - 2nd, 2012 Race - 3rd
“I'm looking forward to getting to China next week and going racing again; it feels like a long time since Malaysia! My first two races with my new team have been a great experience and everyone has made me feel so welcome. We've had a better start than we expected and to have finished in fifth and third places so far is really positive. I know there is much more to come so we will keep working hard and pushing the development of the car. I'll be at the factory this weekend and look forward to hearing about the work that's gone on in the last couple of weeks and the upgrades that we will take to China.”
Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
“The Chinese Grand Prix of course holds great memories following the first win for Nico and our Silver Arrows team in Shanghai last year. That win was an extremely proud occasion for us all and certainly one that we hope to emulate in the future. Our season has started well, perhaps better than we expected, however we're fully aware that there is still a gap to close and that we must keep up the pace of development. A lot of hard work has taken place at our factories over the last two weeks to do just that and I look forward to seeing how that translates to track performance. The Chinese Grand Prix race is well established now in its tenth year and it's an important market for both Formula One and Mercedes-Benz. The circuit itself is challenging with fast curves, tight corners and two hairpins. The layout requires good straightline speed, braking stability and traction, and the temperatures are likely to be cooler than we have experienced in the first two race weekends.”
Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
“One year on from Nico's win, a lot of people will be asking whether this is something our team can repeat in 2013. But like they say, yesterday's home runs don't win today's games, and that's definitely true for us. We start again from zero this year and need to work hard to adapt the car to suit the circuit and the tyre compounds we have available, in the conditions that we find on track next weekend. Then we will see where we stand relative to the competition. We have made a solid start to the season in the first two races with Nico and Lewis both performing at a very high and equal level. The development race will be critical this season so we have more new parts planned for China. Our aim has to be to improve on our good start to the season and continue scoring good points in both championships.”
Jenson Button, McLaren
2012 Qualifying - 6th, 2012 Race - 2nd
“In a funny way, the Chinese Grand Prix almost feels like something of a reboot of the start of my season. Taking home two points from the first two races obviously wasn’t what we had in mind at the beginning of the year, but I think everybody in the team has picked themselves up and really attacked the task of addressing our car’s issues. We know where we’re losing performance, so I think we’re actually all looking forward to seeing just what we can achieve in Shanghai. As far as the circuit goes, I’ve always enjoyed racing here: our car has always performed well around this circuit and we’ve always seemed to be able to find a good balance between the slow stuff, the high-speed changes of direction and the drag-loss needed for the long straight. It’s a pretty good place for racing, too, because that straight offers such a good opportunity for slipstreaming and overtaking. I think we can have a pretty good race next weekend, too. The important thing for us as a team is to go into the weekend with clear focus, hone our strengths across the sessions and increase our understanding of the car. I definitely think there’s everything to play for with this championship, and I can’t wait to get back into the cockpit to start the fight again.”
Sergio Perez, McLaren
2012 Qualifying - 8th, 2012 Race - 11th
“I think there’s been a little time to breathe after the first two races of the season. That’s been important for us, as we’ve been able to get back to MTC and really throw all our efforts behind the modifications we need to make the car perform more consistently. For me, it’s been incredible to not only see the speed of the team’s reaction, but also the positive way that everyone has pulled together to make those changes. It’s been an incredible team effort. So, we go into round three, and I feel there’s a lot of positivity within the team. We know that we somewhat under-performed in Australia and Malaysia, but, Jenson and I nonetheless managed to score some points. We may not have been as far up the order as we’d have liked, but those points-finishes mean the team has now extended its unbroken scoring run to 60 races - that’s pretty incredible, and a nice record to be able to maintain. Like everyone within the team, I’m really looking forward to China - it’s a great track with a little bit of everything - and I think it’ll be a good test of the car.”
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Clearly, our performance in Australia and Malaysia fell below the high standards we’ve come to expect at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. However, the three-week break between rounds two and three has been a useful one; we have been fully engaged in further developing our understanding of the MP4-28 and are confident of being able to implement a number of changes this weekend that will widen its operating window and, potentially, improve its performance. The team’s ability to respond has been exemplary; as I’ve already said, the behaviour of both Jenson and Checo has been superb. They have shown themselves to be true, inspirational leaders, and they have held themselves high, as real ambassadors for our team. The engineers, designers and mechanics, too, have worked tirelessly and painstakingly to unlock the car’s potential, and we feel confident that we are starting to turn the page. Formula One is an unpredictable beast. We’ve enjoyed some very competitive weekends in Shanghai in the past - with some equally unexpected results - and I feel confident and excited that we head to China next week with the hope of making further progress and eating into the advantage currently held by the leading pack.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
2012 Qualifying - 16th, 2012 Race - 15th
“The circuit in Shanghai is not particularly one of my favourite tracks, nevertheless it’s a demanding one, especially the first few corners and the corners before the back straight. Tyres and strategy will be very important during the weekend. At the beginning of the race in Malaysia my rear wing endplate was damaged, which caused a loss of downforce. I have a better feeling now I have driven my first race in the C32, especially because we were able to collect a lot of information. In Malaysia we scored points and that is also my goal for China.”
Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I don’t actually know the track yet, so it will be an interesting challenge again to learn the circuit and then to develop confidence throughout the practice sessions. I have heard it is a very complex track with some fast corners and, at the same time, is very technical. Learning a new track all depends on the approach you take. You can learn a lot through video footage, your engineer’s advice on the right gears in different parts of the track and, most important of all, the more confidence you have in your car the easier it is to learn a new one. Compared to the first race in Melbourne, I now know the car so I can focus on learning the track. My goal is to improve and I’m looking forward to that.”
Tom McCullough, Sauber head of track engineering
“The Shanghai circuit has a good mix of low, medium and high speed corners. The track has several technical sections where corners lead straight into further corners requiring a good car balance and precise driving. The smooth track surface and typically low track temperatures have a significant impact on how the tyres perform - especially at the start of the race weekend whilst the track is cleaning up. Pirelli have allocated the Soft and Medium compounds which is the first time we have this pairing this season. We analysed the data that we collected in Malaysia and found interesting directions for the development of the car, therefore we will bring several test parts to Shanghai. Having secured our first points of the season in Malaysia, we are eager to add to them as soon as possible.”
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying - 11th, 2012 Race - 5th
“My favourite memory of the Chinese Grand Prix is my first win with Red Bull Racing in 2009. We had a good qualifying, followed by an amazing race. There was a lot of rain, but we held it together and got our first team win and one-two. The circuit has lots of corners, making it hard for the tyres and tricky for the drivers. I really like the middle sector. Turns 12 and 13 are difficult to get right, as they demand a lot of technique, especially Turn 13 which leads into a really long straight. Every time I go to Shanghai I like to explore a bit more, but I really like Pudong, near the river.”
Mark Webber, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying - 7th, 2012 Race - 4th
“My best memory of the Chinese Grand Prix is coming from the back of the grid to finish on the podium in third place in 2011. The middle sector of the circuit is my favourite - Turns 5 and 6, it’s a nice and flowing section and it’s very important to get the technique right there. My favourite place to go in Shanghai? I went to a really nice restaurant with some of the boys from the team, Din Tai Fung Shanghai. They do great soup dumplings, a Shanghai specialty!”
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying - 1st, 2012 Race - 1st
“I travel to China next week with very good memories from winning my first Formula One race in Shanghai last year, and having led the race there for the past three years. I enjoy the Shanghai track a great deal and I have a positive feeling going there with the car that we have at the moment. The team have been working very hard to develop our car since returning from Malaysia and I will be at the factory on Monday to complete my preparations in the simulator for the next two races. We've had a strong start to the season and I'm confident that we can keep pushing and hopefully score some good results in China and Bahrain.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2012 Qualifying - 2nd, 2012 Race - 3rd
“I'm looking forward to getting to China next week and going racing again; it feels like a long time since Malaysia! My first two races with my new team have been a great experience and everyone has made me feel so welcome. We've had a better start than we expected and to have finished in fifth and third places so far is really positive. I know there is much more to come so we will keep working hard and pushing the development of the car. I'll be at the factory this weekend and look forward to hearing about the work that's gone on in the last couple of weeks and the upgrades that we will take to China.”
Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal
“The Chinese Grand Prix of course holds great memories following the first win for Nico and our Silver Arrows team in Shanghai last year. That win was an extremely proud occasion for us all and certainly one that we hope to emulate in the future. Our season has started well, perhaps better than we expected, however we're fully aware that there is still a gap to close and that we must keep up the pace of development. A lot of hard work has taken place at our factories over the last two weeks to do just that and I look forward to seeing how that translates to track performance. The Chinese Grand Prix race is well established now in its tenth year and it's an important market for both Formula One and Mercedes-Benz. The circuit itself is challenging with fast curves, tight corners and two hairpins. The layout requires good straightline speed, braking stability and traction, and the temperatures are likely to be cooler than we have experienced in the first two race weekends.”
Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
“One year on from Nico's win, a lot of people will be asking whether this is something our team can repeat in 2013. But like they say, yesterday's home runs don't win today's games, and that's definitely true for us. We start again from zero this year and need to work hard to adapt the car to suit the circuit and the tyre compounds we have available, in the conditions that we find on track next weekend. Then we will see where we stand relative to the competition. We have made a solid start to the season in the first two races with Nico and Lewis both performing at a very high and equal level. The development race will be critical this season so we have more new parts planned for China. Our aim has to be to improve on our good start to the season and continue scoring good points in both championships.”
Jenson Button, McLaren
2012 Qualifying - 6th, 2012 Race - 2nd
“In a funny way, the Chinese Grand Prix almost feels like something of a reboot of the start of my season. Taking home two points from the first two races obviously wasn’t what we had in mind at the beginning of the year, but I think everybody in the team has picked themselves up and really attacked the task of addressing our car’s issues. We know where we’re losing performance, so I think we’re actually all looking forward to seeing just what we can achieve in Shanghai. As far as the circuit goes, I’ve always enjoyed racing here: our car has always performed well around this circuit and we’ve always seemed to be able to find a good balance between the slow stuff, the high-speed changes of direction and the drag-loss needed for the long straight. It’s a pretty good place for racing, too, because that straight offers such a good opportunity for slipstreaming and overtaking. I think we can have a pretty good race next weekend, too. The important thing for us as a team is to go into the weekend with clear focus, hone our strengths across the sessions and increase our understanding of the car. I definitely think there’s everything to play for with this championship, and I can’t wait to get back into the cockpit to start the fight again.”
Sergio Perez, McLaren
2012 Qualifying - 8th, 2012 Race - 11th
“I think there’s been a little time to breathe after the first two races of the season. That’s been important for us, as we’ve been able to get back to MTC and really throw all our efforts behind the modifications we need to make the car perform more consistently. For me, it’s been incredible to not only see the speed of the team’s reaction, but also the positive way that everyone has pulled together to make those changes. It’s been an incredible team effort. So, we go into round three, and I feel there’s a lot of positivity within the team. We know that we somewhat under-performed in Australia and Malaysia, but, Jenson and I nonetheless managed to score some points. We may not have been as far up the order as we’d have liked, but those points-finishes mean the team has now extended its unbroken scoring run to 60 races - that’s pretty incredible, and a nice record to be able to maintain. Like everyone within the team, I’m really looking forward to China - it’s a great track with a little bit of everything - and I think it’ll be a good test of the car.”
Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren team principal
“Clearly, our performance in Australia and Malaysia fell below the high standards we’ve come to expect at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. However, the three-week break between rounds two and three has been a useful one; we have been fully engaged in further developing our understanding of the MP4-28 and are confident of being able to implement a number of changes this weekend that will widen its operating window and, potentially, improve its performance. The team’s ability to respond has been exemplary; as I’ve already said, the behaviour of both Jenson and Checo has been superb. They have shown themselves to be true, inspirational leaders, and they have held themselves high, as real ambassadors for our team. The engineers, designers and mechanics, too, have worked tirelessly and painstakingly to unlock the car’s potential, and we feel confident that we are starting to turn the page. Formula One is an unpredictable beast. We’ve enjoyed some very competitive weekends in Shanghai in the past - with some equally unexpected results - and I feel confident and excited that we head to China next week with the hope of making further progress and eating into the advantage currently held by the leading pack.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber
2012 Qualifying - 16th, 2012 Race - 15th
“The circuit in Shanghai is not particularly one of my favourite tracks, nevertheless it’s a demanding one, especially the first few corners and the corners before the back straight. Tyres and strategy will be very important during the weekend. At the beginning of the race in Malaysia my rear wing endplate was damaged, which caused a loss of downforce. I have a better feeling now I have driven my first race in the C32, especially because we were able to collect a lot of information. In Malaysia we scored points and that is also my goal for China.”
Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber
2012 Qualifying - n/a, 2012 Race - n/a
“I don’t actually know the track yet, so it will be an interesting challenge again to learn the circuit and then to develop confidence throughout the practice sessions. I have heard it is a very complex track with some fast corners and, at the same time, is very technical. Learning a new track all depends on the approach you take. You can learn a lot through video footage, your engineer’s advice on the right gears in different parts of the track and, most important of all, the more confidence you have in your car the easier it is to learn a new one. Compared to the first race in Melbourne, I now know the car so I can focus on learning the track. My goal is to improve and I’m looking forward to that.”
Tom McCullough, Sauber head of track engineering
“The Shanghai circuit has a good mix of low, medium and high speed corners. The track has several technical sections where corners lead straight into further corners requiring a good car balance and precise driving. The smooth track surface and typically low track temperatures have a significant impact on how the tyres perform - especially at the start of the race weekend whilst the track is cleaning up. Pirelli have allocated the Soft and Medium compounds which is the first time we have this pairing this season. We analysed the data that we collected in Malaysia and found interesting directions for the development of the car, therefore we will bring several test parts to Shanghai. Having secured our first points of the season in Malaysia, we are eager to add to them as soon as possible.”
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying - 11th, 2012 Race - 5th
“My favourite memory of the Chinese Grand Prix is my first win with Red Bull Racing in 2009. We had a good qualifying, followed by an amazing race. There was a lot of rain, but we held it together and got our first team win and one-two. The circuit has lots of corners, making it hard for the tyres and tricky for the drivers. I really like the middle sector. Turns 12 and 13 are difficult to get right, as they demand a lot of technique, especially Turn 13 which leads into a really long straight. Every time I go to Shanghai I like to explore a bit more, but I really like Pudong, near the river.”
Mark Webber, Red Bull
2012 Qualifying - 7th, 2012 Race - 4th
“My best memory of the Chinese Grand Prix is coming from the back of the grid to finish on the podium in third place in 2011. The middle sector of the circuit is my favourite - Turns 5 and 6, it’s a nice and flowing section and it’s very important to get the technique right there. My favourite place to go in Shanghai? I went to a really nice restaurant with some of the boys from the team, Din Tai Fung Shanghai. They do great soup dumplings, a Shanghai specialty!”
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