Brawn: Valencia is a unique challenge

Brawn GP team principal Ross Brawn says that the Valencia street circuit offers a tough challenge for the teams as they return from their summer break for this Sunday’s European Grand Prix.

"The circuit is quite different from anywhere else on the calendar,” says Brawn, “so it presents an unusual engineering challenge.

“It's not the type of street circuit that we have been used to racing around inMonaco, as it's much more open and quite fast-flowing with higher top speeds.

“The tall barriers give the lap the feel of a street circuit, but the run-off areas are quite generous compared to Monaco, helping to improve safety and giving the drivers some margin for error at certain places of the lap.

“Traction is important here and the sectors of the lap that have a stop-start nature make Valencia tough on the brakes.

“Cooling is also a consideration in the high ambient temperatures, but we don’t expect to encounter any issues.

Both drivers are excited by the challenge, as Jenson Button explains: “It's quite challenging for the drivers with so many turns and the added factor of being surrounded by barriers means you have to maintain your concentration."

Team-mate Rubens Barrichello says that the differing nature of various parts of the track will keep them on their toes.

"The first part of the lap is quick,” described the Brazilian, “with the long pit straight followed by a curved right-hander before the slower section leading up to the bridge over the marina and then you're down onto another curved straight.

“The second half of the lap feels more like a street circuit as you head away from the water and the third long straight ends with a tight hairpin at Turn 17 which is the best overtaking opportunity.

“The final part of the lap is quite fast with some sweeping corners before the tight left-hander which takes you back out onto the pit straight."

The engineers and mechanics may have had a relaxing summer break since the Hungarian Grand Prix, but Brawn says that they are itching to get back into action and to stop Red Bull Racing from reducing their championship lead.

“The team has been working extremely hard since returning from our summer shutdown,” concludes Brawn, “and everyone is looking forward to the racing getting underway again this weekend."

Source: ITV