US Preview Quotes: Sauber

Felipe Massa: "In Montreal I could add five points to our score and together with Spa last year this was my best finish of my Formula One career so far. This showed that we are capable of achieving such a result with determination and teamwork. I also think that tracks like Montreal suit my style and Indianapolis is a nice place, too. In my time in F1 I have only raced once at Indianapolis, and that was last year when my race lasted until the first corner! There's a good chance I can improve on that this year - I hope to get to the finish this time! The banking is easy flat, no problem. It isn't a corner at all in an F1 car. And that high-speed part creates the need for a compromise. You need downforce for the tight infield corners, but you also need good top speed and minimal drag for the banking and the pit straight otherwise you are just going to get overtaken. I like Indianapolis. You are conscious of being somewhere special, with a big history, racing in front of knowledgeable fans who really love their motor racing."

Willy Rampf (Technical Director): "Indianapolis is a very special track. The banking is unique in F1, and the main straight is very long. Running from the infield to the end of that straight, via the banking, provides the longest full throttle section in F1. That, and the frequently high ambient temperature, makes it hard on engines. The good thing there is that the track is wide, so there are several possible lines into Turn 1 which create overtaking possibilities. The surface is quite abrasive, especially where they have cut drainage grooves in the oval section, and that can affect tyre wear. The infield is very tight - the drivers get into first gear there three times a lap. Ideally you need a configuration that will give you good brake stability and good traction for the slower part of the track, but high top speed and low drag for the straight. It's a real compromise. The best baseline is to run even lower downforce than in Canada, because the straight line speeds are higher."