Interview With Fabrice Lom, Principal Engineer, Red Bull Racing
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Jun 07, 2007
Fabrice, Red Bull Racing performed strongly in Monaco, although the cars failed to score points. What were your feelings about the last race?
In theory, Monaco wasn’t expected to suit the strengths of the RB3, but the two cars were competitive as soon as they started running. They both made it through to the top ten in qualifying, although Coulthard was subsequently prevented from taking part. In the race, the level of performance was strong but one car retired, and the other finished outside the points. Clearly, it was a missed opportunity for us. We could have enjoyed a very good race, and we went home without any points. It was a shame but since then, our focus has been on Canada, where we hope to turn that trend around!
Canada is a completely different circuit to Monaco. What demands does it place on the engine?
In Monaco, you almost want to be able to forget about the engine – it needs to be unobtrusive, to allow the car and driver to perform. Canada is completely different. The engine has an important role to play, and can make a substantial difference, even under the current regulations. That makes it a much more interesting challenge for the engine team!
What strengths will the RS27 be able to count on in Montreal?
We know that the Renault V8 is a strong engine, and we don’t have any particular worries about its reliability. Those are two important assets but fuel consumption is also an important factor at this type of circuit. We believe we are strong in this domain too. The Red Bull Racing package has shown a good level of performance over the last few races, both in the race in Barcelona and qualifying in Monaco. The challenge now is to deliver on that potential, and to run a strong race in Canada. We have the potential to qualify in the top ten as we have seen, and we now need to finish higher up!
