The Red Bull examined closely!

While the goal of catching Williams in the Constructors’ Championship was achievable, Red Bull was unable to confirm in the race the good results from practice and qualifying. This was somewhat the major flaw of the team in the 2007 season.

Fabrice Lom, in charge of the V8 Renault engines for Red Bull Racing, reviews the Brazilian Grand Prix for the Austrian team. The engines performed well during the last event of the year.

Fabrice, how did this last event of the season go?

« I believe it was, in a way, revealing of what our year has been like. The car was very competitive since both drivers were in the top 10 in qualifying. Additionally, Mark Webber was the first of the « non-Ferrari » and non-McLaren » on the grid. This is therefore a reason for satisfaction. Unfortunately, reliability wasn’t there and our best-placed car had to throw in the towel. This has often been the case this season. »

That said, the mission to make up four points on Williams in a single race was ambitious…

« Yes and no. In light of our recent performances, those four lengths of delay were not insurmountable. However, Rosberg’s Williams was extremely competitive at Interlagos. Even if Mark had seen the finish line, he could have only taken back one or two points from Nico Rosberg. Therefore, we should not be disappointed with our performance at Interlagos. It’s not in Brazil that we lost the points which would have allowed us to finish ahead of Williams. It’s elsewhere, like in Japan. »

How did the engines perform?

« The two drivers had new V8s, and that helped us get into the top 10 during qualifying. Then, we didn’t encounter any operational issues over the weekend. »

Why was the Williams so fast, in your opinion?

« I believe that, in Sunday’s race conditions, the experience this team has with Bridgestone tires paid off. A similar analysis can be made when looking at Ferrari’s performance. In Brazil more than anywhere else, I think their dominance was primarily due to their knowledge of the Japanese rubber. »

Finally, how is the atmosphere in the team right now?

« I believe that everyone is very motivated for 2008. However, we’ve had a very tough season and it’s crucial to recharge our batteries before setting off for a new season. For now, it’s urgent to rest a little! »

According to ING Renault F1 Team