China preview quotes: Williams
Mark Webber: "I like going to China. It's a very nice city and the track is amazing, it's probably one of the best we compete at all season. A Tilke-designed circuit, it's inevitably very demanding for the drivers and the car, but I enjoy driving there
"The race only made its debut on the calendar in 2004, but the fans are getting more and more interested in Formula One, which is great because it's such an important market for us. It wasn't a great result for the team in Monza so we'll be looking to finish the season with some points scoring finishes."
Nico Rosberg: "I've had a quiet time since Monza, just relaxing at home and concentrating on my training. I haven't raced at Shanghai before, so I obviously don't know the track at all. I went to the race there last year, just to see how a Grand Prix weekend goes in preparation for this year, and thought that the track looks great.
"I'll have my work cut out for me on Friday to learn the circuit as quickly as I can, but overall I'm looking forward to driving there and I'm really hoping we will have a good weekend."
Sam Michael, Technical Director: "Shanghai circuit has a unique layout, with a good mixture of corner speeds and straights. It is quite twisty in areas, particularly at the first corner where the track continues to tighten up, which can often catch some drivers out. Combined with a few straight sections around the lap, Shanghai requires a high downforce configuration on the car.
"The car must be well balanced and have the ability to change direction quickly. Previous races have shown that overtaking opportunities are available in China, most notably going in to the second to last corner of the lap. Strategy will most likely be two stops.
"We had a positive test at Silverstone last week where Alex tested a revised aero package that we will bring with us for the final three rounds. We also concentrated on tyre testing in preparation for these races and are confident of our selection.
"This season has been tough for the team, so some good results in Asia and Brazil would be welcome and well deserved for everyone at Grove, and for the crew at Cosworth, who have all worked so hard this year."
Simon Corbyn, Head of F1 Race Engineering, Cosworth: "Shanghai circuit's most significant feature is the combination of relatively long straights and several key, tight corners which drop the engine down to low speeds, such as those seen at the hairpin at turn 14.
"These low, mid-corner engine speeds potentially pose drivability and traction control issues, but no problems have been flagged on our test cells in Northampton. The wide engine operating speed range of the latest CA2006 engine, coupled with Cosworth's experience of engine tuning without the use of variable inlet trumpets, will be advantageous in Shanghai."
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