Lewis and co. preview Spain’s new street circuit

What do the drivers think about Valencia? Here’s what:

Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
“I know Valencia, because we’ve done several tests here last winter, but now we’re racing in the city on a new track: I’m sure it will be a great atmosphere. I’ve seen the new track only from the position of an on-board camera and it seems to be very fast for a street circuit. I always love to drive on new tracks and I am always very quick to know them. I can’t wait to race at Valencia.”

More selected driver quotes after the jump…

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
“Going to a new circuit doesn’t really change my preparations: everybody’s in the same situation so I don’t treat things very differently… I enjoy visiting new racetracks and I’m looking forward to getting into the cockpit on Friday morning. It looks like being an amazing track.”

Fernando Alonso (Renault)
“I’m very happy to be driving at home for a second time: it’s always a special feeling to race in front of my countrymen and I’m really looking forward to it. In Barcelona we were having a strong race when I had to retire, but I hope this time I can get a good result as the circuit will be new for all the drivers… As a new circuit, I think it gives the drivers a chance to show what they can do, but I am not under any illusions as I expect all the drivers to be quick. We must do our best to find our reference points quicker than the others in order to spring a surprise.”

Nico Rosberg (Williams)
“I’ve had a nice, but not particularly, relaxing couple of weeks in the Alps during the break. I’ve spent some time with family and friends but mostly I’ve been training. Valencia is a Grand Prix I’ve been looking forward to as it’s not only a new circuit, but a new street circuit. From what I’ve seen and read about it, I think it’ll be a great track to race on so I can’t wait for the weekend to start. The atmosphere will no doubt be fantastic as well because the Spanish have a real passion for Formula One. Valencia should be a track that suits our car, so I’m hoping we’ll have a good race and take something positive away from Spain.”

Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber)
“I am very much looking forward to Valencia as I am a big fan of street circuits in general. They are very demanding as they are often bumpy and the street surface changes. When you make a mistake you easily run into barriers… On a street circuit it is of major importance to have a good basic set-up which is easy to drive. The lap time improvement has to be gained step by step, you cannot drive in too wild a style. Also, in terms of the racing line you have to approach this gradually. It is very important to walk the track before driving it the first time to get a feeling for the surface and the layout.”

Jenson Button (Honda)
“My first thoughts are that it’s a circuit that we haven’t raced at before and it’s got barriers all around it! I think the whole of Formula One is very excited about going to Valencia. It’s a beautiful city and it will be great to be racing around the streets there. We have a simulator at our UK base, as do most teams, and spending a lot of time on that has been vital in terms of learning the circuit. With a simulator, you’re not getting the complete feeling of the car but you are gaining understanding of the distances and the braking points, so it’s very useful.”

Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren)
“It looks pretty fast, to be honest. You get used to street circuits being quite slow, with lots of slow- to medium-speed corners and very short straights, but this is almost the opposite. There are a lot of fast kinks and esses, a couple of decent straights and lots of high-speed stuff. It’s too early to say yet whether there will be opportunities to overtake around here, but there are a couple of hairpins where it might be possible.”

Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber)
“I’m always pleased when a new race track turns up in the calendar, and I’m particularly keen to experience Valencia… Early this year I spent a few days in Valencia with my family between the rollout and the next test. We had a great time, went to the beach, and in town there’s a dried-out riverbed that has nature parks and playgrounds. That was very nice, especially for the children. Valencia is also a great place for shopping and eating out, needless to say, and I love the contrast between its historic and futuristic architecture. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

Timo Glock (Toyota)
“I’m still smiling after Hungary. That was an incredible result and a fantastic feeling; I hope it will be the first of many podiums in Formula One… But Valencia is a new race and we must start again. I did plenty of street races when I was racing in Champ Cars and in that season almost all the tracks were new to me so I have learnt to adapt quickly. It looks like an interesting circuit and it’s quite long so it should be a good show. We will have plenty of work to do on Friday to adjust the car to the track but we are in good form at the moment so I am optimistic for this weekend.”

Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
“The track looks amazing and the location is fantastic so I am really looking forward to this Grand Prix. The team has worked hard to prepare for this race because it is a new track for all of us but from a driver’s point of view the important thing is to drive it for the first time and then you can start to understand more about the circuit. I enjoy going to new venues because they are a new challenge and there is always something to discover; every race is unique and I like that. Even though this is a new track for us, I know Valencia pretty well from all the testing we have done at the other circuit there. It is a lively city and there always seems to be something going on so it should be a fun weekend.”

Nelson Piquet (Renault)
“This season I have already learned several new circuits, but the difference this time is that all the drivers will be in the same position and having to learn the circuit. I think that from the point of view of the championship it’s interesting to visit new tracks: it’s an extra challenge for the drivers as well as the teams. I have worked hard with the team to approach this race in the best shape possible and I will try to get on the pace quickly and maximise every lap in practice. It’s a street circuit so it will be quite tricky, but also very interesting… After the summer break, I am well rested and motivated to have a great end to the season.”

Kazuki Nakajima (Williams)
“I’m looking forward to a good race in Valencia. The new track looks great, and should be really interesting to race on. As at Monaco and Montreal, our car goes well at these kinds of tracks, so I’m hoping we’ll put in a good performance there. It shouldn’t take too long for the drivers to get used to the circuit, and for the first time the rest of the grid will be learning it with me! I’ve had a nice two week break, during which I returned home to Japan to catch up with family and friends, but now I’m looking forward to the last few rounds of the season.”