The content you are trying to view requires Adobe Flash Player

Please download the Adobe Flash player to view this content

Australia

Melbourne, 16 March 2008

Sam Micheal Headphones

Sam Michael,
Technical Director, AT&T Williams

What a great circuit, a real drivers track and one of my favourites. With it comes the variable weather that makes Spa a real challenge to master. The tyres are medium compound range from Bridgestone and the circuit rewards engine power and aerodynamic efficiency in high speed corners.

Grand Prix
Albert Park

Circuit Information

Australia

No of laps: 58

Circuit Length: 5.303 km

Race Distance: 307.6 km

Image Gallery

See all the best action from the day

Grand Prix Image Gallery Box Main Image
Tyre Usage and Lap Times
Tyre Usage Belgium 2008

The weather is closely monitored by all Formula One teams as the onset of rain can be crucial in determining the outcome of a race. Teams make many of their technical calculations based on ambient and track temperatures – even in dry they are faced with decisions to make between different tyre compounds as well as the amount of engine cooling required. 

To cope with slippery surface water, Bridgestone supplies all the Formula One teams with special treaded tyres. While these work well in the wet, they don’t provide anywhere near as much grip or speed in the dry.  

So in every race held on a drying track, there’s a critical time when a driver should switch from slower wet to faster dry tyres and vice versa. Team statisticians will monitor lap times closely in their efforts to calculate the optimum time to change from one type of tyre to the other.  

We’ve prepared the chart above and a weather forecast to give you an insight into where that crucial switch over point is likely to be this weekend in Belgium.  

Philips Shavers – Get closer no matter what the conditions.

Weather
Weather Conditions

Check the conditions at the track

  1. 0°C
    Grey Cloud
    Friday 05 September

    check back closer to the race

  2. 0°C
    Grey Cloud
    Saturday 06 September

    check back closer to the race

  3. 0°C
    Grey Cloud
    Sunday 07 September

    check back closer to the race

The Latest Podcast
Get the Latest Edition

Available shortly after the race