Honda: 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix preview 

Written by David on October 27th, 2008 at 5:38 pmLast Update: October 27th, 2008 at 5:38 pm

Honda RacingRubens Barrichello: “The Brazilian Grand Prix has always been very special to me and I am really pleased for the Brazilian fans that they have a fantastic weekend of racing to look forward to with the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles still to be decided. Interlagos is special not just because it is my home track, but because it has a challenging layout with some great corners such as the Curva do Laranjinha. There are also real overtaking opportunities, at Turn 1 in particular. The main challenge at Interlagos is to find the best set-up for the combination of fast and slow corners, and particularly the tight infield section where high levels of grip are required. You also need to have total confidence in your car and a good mechanical set-up with a high ride-height to manage the bumpy surface. As always, I’m looking forward to having my family and friends around me for the race weekend and to racing in front of my home fans.”

Ross Brawn: “Formula One heads to the final race of the season in Sao Paulo with the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships going right down to the wire. The unique atmosphere of Interlagos and the involvement of a local driver in the Championship challenge should ensure a thrilling finale to the 2008 season and a real boost for the sport. Brazil is a fitting place to end the season with the Interlagos circuit providing an unusual and exciting challenge for the drivers and engineers. The location of the track in an inner city area and the passionate Brazilian fans ensure an edgy and electric atmosphere around the circuit over the race weekend. The track layout has an almost three-dimensional feel with the changes in elevation and the high-speed left-hand corners provide an extra physical challenge. By any measure 2008 has not been a great season for the Honda Racing F1 Team. We have been focusing our thoughts and efforts on 2009 for a considerable time and for us, Brazil will be the closing of the book on this year, allowing our full focus to turn to the longer term plans of the team and our return to competitiveness.”

Jenson Button: “Sao Paulo is a fantastic venue for the final race of the season as it’s such a lively city and the Brazilian fans are incredibly passionate about Formula One. There is always a good atmosphere at Interlagos. The circuit itself is a challenging one for the drivers, which makes it all the more enjoyable to drive. The track surface is notoriously bumpy and you have to have a good understanding of where the bumps are and do your best to minimise their impact. It has an anti-clockwise layout which is quite unusual and this means using muscles in the neck which aren’t used to the exertion, therefore the correct training in advance of the race is crucial. I’m looking forward to the weekend and, although we have had a tough year in 2008, we will go to Brazil and give our all to finish the season on a high note.”

source: Honda Racing

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