| A lap of Interlagos with McLaren test driver Alexander
Wurz:
"I start a lap accelerating up to a maximum speed
of over 185 mph (300 kph) on the way to the first corner
Descida do Sol which is quite a tricky downhill left-hand
2nd gear corner which I take at about 60 mph (95 kph). The
circuit drops down sharply which makes braking very
difficult for this turn.
The approach to Descida do Sol is where Alain Prost
span off in the rain in 1993 In the same year, this is
where Michael Andretti and Gerhard Berger crashed on the
first lap
Straight after this it leads into a right-hand corner
the Senna S, I am still in 2nd gear but then I accelerate
up into 3rd gear, it is almost flat but very difficult.
There is then a long left-hand corner Curva do Sol, that
leads on to the back straight where I go over 185 mph (300
kph) before braking very hard into the next left-hand
corner, Descida do Lago. This is a medium speed corner
taken in 3rd gear at around 85 mph (135 kph) from here I
accelerate along a short straight reaching 5th gear and a
speed of about 175 mph (280 kph) before going into the
very difficult fast right-hand 4th gear corner Ferradura
which has a double apex and is taken at about 110 mph (180
kph).
The Senna S is where race leader Damon Hill's
suspension collapsed in 1995. Descida do Lago is where Jos
Verstappen, Eddie Irvine and several other collided in
1994, the Ulsterman was subsequently banned. Jacques
Villeneuve span off in heavy rain in 1996, he was 2nd at
the time.
Next I have to brake into a very slow corner which is
taken in 1st gear at under 50 mph (80 kph), this is
immediately followed by a slow left-hand corner,
Pinheirinho, still taken in 1st gear at around 60 mph (95
kph). A very short straight then leads into the slowest
corner of the circuit Cotovelo, again back into 1st gear
and this time right down to 45 mph (70 kph).
I take the next left-hand corner Mergulho almost flat
in qualifying at around 125 mph (200 kph) in 4th gear with
just a slight lifting of the throttle before braking hard
again for what is probably the most important corner in
the lap the final corner (Juncao) leading on to the
straight which is taken in 2nd gear at just over 60 mph
(100 kph). I have to get a clean exit from this corner is
very important to start the uphill climb to the finish
line to end the lap."
Juncao is where Ayrton Senna span off in 1994.
As well as being notoriously bumpy, Interlagos (like
Imola) is run anti-clockwise, which combined with the heat
makes the Brazilian GP particularly hard on drivers. |
