European Grand Prix: An engine’s perspective

The 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship continues this weekend as the City of Valencia plays host to the European Grand Prix, the ninth of this season’s 19 races.

European Grand Prix from an Engine’s Perspective

“Valencia was the scene of Cosworth’s first laps of 2010 in a preseason test session with the AT&T Williams team at the Ricardo Tormo circuit back in February, marking its return to Formula One as an engine supplier after three years. Although the European Grand Prix will be its second trip to Valencia this year, it will be Cosworth’s first visit to the city’s temporary street circuit, which has hosted the European Grand Prix since 2008.

Valencia’s positioning as a street circuit incorrectly conjures up comparisons with Monaco or Singapore, but in reality its characteristics couldn’t be more different. A combination of 25 corners with average speeds around 200kmh and regular top speeds in the region of 300kmh makes Valencia a faster track than the more typical street circuits. The stop-start nature of the track requires good corner exit speed and engine torque particularly when exiting the lower speed turns like 2, 10 and 17, as well as the final left-hander heading back onto the main straight.

For two of Cosworth’s teams, the Valencia race will hold particular importance. It is the home race for Hispania Racing, while it will be the 500th Formula One race participation for Lotus. Cosworth has had a long and distinguished Formula One relationship with Lotus since the mid-1960s which has been reignited in 2010 with the partnership with Lotus Racing. Cosworth is proud to be supplying engines to Lotus for its 500th race, which will be the 614th Formula One race to feature Cosworth engines."

Fast Fact

The Valencia Street Circuit has the greatest number of corners of any race track on the Formula One calendar. Its composition of 11 lefthanders and 14 right-handers, 25 turns in total, is two more than the Singapore street track.

This Weekend in History... 26-27 June 1999

Rubens Barrichello took his Cosworth-powered Stewart-Ford to pole position in a rain-hit French Grand Prix qualifying session at Magny-Cours. It was the first pole for the Stewart team. Barrichello finished the wet race in third place to secure the second of his three 1999 podiums.