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Infiniti: Monaco Grand Prix Circuit Guide

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:22:00 -0500

This release contains: 1 Related Document, 1 Photo

MONACO – This street circuit is extremely tight and twisty, rendering overtaking almost impossible. It also has the biggest elevations of any grand prix circuit. The cars power up the Beau Rivage to Casino Square and then wind their way back down through the famous hairpin section.

There is very little grip, so soft tires and the highest possible downforce setting are the order of the day. Most corners are taken in first or second gear, requiring teams to install low ratios.

The most challenging corners are Turn 1, Sainte Devote, where drivers are greeted with an Armco barrier if they turn in just 1km/h too fast. It's easy to miss the braking point as the entrance to the corner is so bumpy. Massenet, at the crest of the Beau Rivage, is blind on entry, and often the scene of pile-ups. The Hairpin – the most famous turn in F1 – is also the slowest and requires full lock and gentle throttle application. The Tunnel - the only one in F1 - really is a shock to the eyes as drivers plunge in and out of darkness; the sound as the engine noise bounces off the walls is incredible. The chicane at the Swimming Pool really does defy physics as the cars bounce across its curbs.

This circuit requires 100 percent concentration from all the drivers, as the slightest mistake could ruin their weekend. After qualifying, the drivers' eyes appear to be on stalks.

Local start time: 14h00
Number of laps: 78
Circuit length: 3.340km
Race distance: 260.520km
Grand prix debut: 1929
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari, 2004), 1:14.439

2012 QUALIFYING:
1) Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) – started with grid penalty
2) Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
3) Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
10) Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2012 RACE RESULTS:
1) Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2) Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
3) Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
4) Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

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Infiniti: Monaco Grand Prix Circuit Guide

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:06:00 -0500

Monaco Grand Prix Circuit Guide

Infiniti: 2012 Monaco Grand Prix

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:50:00 -0500

2012 Monaco Grand Prix

Infiniti: Infiniti and Red Bull Racing: Monaco Grand Prix Preview

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:50:00 -0500

This release contains: 1 Related Document, 1 Photo

MONACO – Monaco is an unmissable spectacle – for the race itself with fans able to get closer to the cars than at any other circuit and of course for the glamor and history of Formula One's most iconic venue. It's the shortest yet most demanding track on the calendar, and the drivers love the challenge of this street race that's been hosting motor races since the 1920s.

With Mark Webber leading from the start of last year's Grand Prix to finish on the top step of the podium, and teammate Sebastian Vettel victorious in 2011, Infiniti Red Bull Racing have strong form in Monaco. After Webber's win in 2010, can the team make it four in a row?

This season has already produced three different winners, and the unforgiving streets of Monte Carlo have been known to throw up many a surprise in past years. With Vettel just four points ahead of the pack in the Championship standings, it'll be all to play for on Sunday.

Mark Webber
Q1: Describe the Monaco Grand Prix weekend in three words.
Webber: Dramatic, glitz and busy.

Q2: If you were a fan, where would you watch the race?
Webber: I'd watch the left-right combination at the entry to the swimming pool, after Tabac.

Q3: What's your best memory of the Monaco GP?
Webber: My first win in 2010 – it's right up there with my best memories of all time.

Sebastian Vettel
"Monaco is one of my favorite tracks and driving it is an absolute challenge. You can't even make the smallest mistake; if you do, you're lucky if it's just that your lap time is bad. If you're not paying attention, you'll end up in the barrier. Overtaking is possible, but only with risk – the best place for that is before the chicane. We come out of the narrow tunnel at more than 300kph and race to the first gear-chicane – whoever brakes later wins. Ideally you have a good qualifying session and start from far forward."

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Infiniti: "The Dream is absolutely, completely alive at that point"

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:08:00 -0500

An insight into two-times Monaco Grand Prix winner Mark Webber. (May 17, 2013)

Infiniti: Proving the Q50

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 -0500

Proving the Q50

Infiniti: Proving the Q50

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:59:00 -0500

Proving the Q50

Infiniti: Proving the Q50

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:59:00 -0500

Proving the Q50

Infiniti: Proving the Q50

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:59:00 -0500

Proving the Q50

Infiniti: Proving the Q50

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:57:00 -0500

This release contains: 1 Related Document, 4 Photos

TOCHIGI, Japan – Taking test drives at the Tochigi Proving Ground, Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn spoke with the Media Center about the new Infiniti Q50.

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen

Media Center: This is a milestone day for Infiniti with the Q50 launch. What is the atmosphere like here in Tochigi?

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen: It's a day of celebration, a very exciting day, greeted by beautiful weather and it is marking the start of production of the most important model in the Infiniti line, so it's a day when we will begin to record the future of history for the Infiniti brand.

Media Center: You say the most important model, the Q50. What does it mean for the Infiniti brand globally?

De Nysschen: Well, Q50 really earmarks the new design direction, new brand philosophy for Infiniti. It is a major step forward in terms of technology, engineering, design and it really sparks Infiniti's big leap upward as we reposition the brand.

It also is our volume model. It will be our single most important model in terms of presenting the brand to the markets, and so it is a car that has a lot of responsibility on its shoulders.

Media Center: The Q50 will be manufactured at the Tochigi plant. Will Tochigi remain a role model for production?

De Nysschen: Absolutely. I have the highest confidence in the men and women who work here at the Infiniti plant in Tochigi. It is the mother plant for Infiniti, and certainly we also expect in the future with our even more discerning, high-end models will also be based here, because of the very high standards that we are able to achieve at this plant.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn

Media Center: This is a milestone day for Infiniti with the Q50 launch. What is the atmosphere like here in Tochigi?

Media Center: This morning you were on the Tochigi Proving Ground, driving the Q50 and the Q50 hybrid. What do you think?

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn: It was a great experience. Obviously, I have driven the two cars and I compared them to the car that we have taken as a benchmark, which is a BMW core product. I think both the gasoline engine and the hybrid perform very well. The acceleration, the stability, the power, the flat ride, the comfort – I would say even the noise comfort of the car – the breaking makes you feel very safe, very powerful, very progressive. I liked the experience quite a lot. Obviously, the hybrid drives like a kind of sports car, a sports version of the Q50.

I think we've done a great car. I think now that we are ensuring that the quality is going to be at the top level, this car should do great for Infiniti and should sell well. Obviously, it will be up to our marketing and sales team to make sure that we valorize all the investments that have been made.

Media Center: What is the importance of the Q50 to the brand, and how do you see Infiniti evolving?

CEO: This is the No.1, most-sold car of Infiniti, the bread and butter of the brand. It will compete head to head with the 3 Series of BMW, with the C Series of Mercedes, the A4 of Audi, which are very good cars and have been worked with a lot of diligence by all these carmakers.

For us, being very competitive in this segment with this car is very important for the rest of the brand because it's a global growth model and because it carries the image of the brand for the most profitable segment of the premium market. It's very good to see this kind of technology and this kind of design.

Media Center: We are at Tochigi, the "Mother Plant" of Infiniti, with very high quality and reputation. It's been a tough two years for Japan, with the strong yen. What are your expectations from here?

CEO: The plant didn't just lament and whine for the last two years. Unfortunately, we were hit by things beyond our control – the strengthening of the yen, the crisis in China – the production of the plant went down. I would like to commend the fighting spirit of the team of the plant, because instead of just sitting down and lamenting the situation, they improved quality, they worked on their costs, they improved their own effectiveness and productivity.

They've done a lot of things, in fact, that are going to deliver a lot of results now that production is going up. For 2013 our forecast for the production of the plant comes back to levels not seen since 2008, a level of production before the first crisis of Lehman Brothers. So, I feel very good after visiting plant because I can feel and measure the fighting spirit of the plant, and I see how much the plant has used its time to fine tune its own performance.

With the volume coming back, we'll be doing better, but again it's a never-ending effort. It's a never-ending race, but we have cooperation. The gemba we have in Tochigi is second to none in terms of making premium cars, but we just need to make sure that taking the right measures, that we're working on the right issues, so the consumer at the end of the day can be sure that Infiniti is a top brand.

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Infiniti: First Infiniti Q50 Rolls Off the Production Line at Tochigi Plant to Signal Bold New Direction for Model Line-Up

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:00:00 -0500

This release contains: 1 Related Document, 3 Photos, 1 Video

Official Q50 Off-line ceremony presided over by Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., and Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company Ltd.
Q50 sets new benchmarks in the premium automotive sector
Sebastian Vettel, three-time world champion and Infiniti's Director of Performance, pays tribute to the Tochigi production team

TOCHIGI, Japan – The first production model of the Infiniti Q50, the all-new premium sports sedan, rolled off the assembly line at the Tochigi production plant today.

The official off-line ceremony was presided over by Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., and Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company Ltd.

The Q50 is the first in the new generation of Infiniti vehicles. It sets fresh benchmarks in the areas of emotive styling, advanced technology and performance.

Premiered at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, the Q50 is at the heart of Infiniti's bold new model line-up.

Ghosn paid tribute to the production team at Tochigi and underlined their reputation for industry-leading manufacturing expertise.

"Thanks to the skill and constant focus on performance improvement, Tochigi has a global reputation for producing top-quality vehicles. Year after year, Tochigi sets the benchmark for manufacturing quality standards," he said.

"With the Q50, once again the Tochigi team has showcased their skill and expertise and proven the power of Japanese monozukuri."

De Nysschen added that the Q50 was the opening salvo in Infiniti's new product portfolio under the "Q" naming structure which was launched in December last year.

"The first Infiniti in our new line-up had to reflect the brand's core values of seductive design, passionate attention to detail, precision in fit and finish, exhilarating performance and a provocative challenge to the status quo. The Q50 certainly does that," he said.

"This is the first step in the launch of our exciting global expansion plan."

Three-time Formula One World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, played an active role in the testing and evaluation program of the Q50 in his capacity of Infiniti's Director of Performance.

"The first Q50 is coming off the line today so congratulations. I am glad I was involved in the development of the Q50 and I wish you a very good 'birthday' and success for the future," he said in a congratulatory video message to the production team at Tochigi.

Vettel will assist in shaping the performance dynamics of Infiniti's future model line-up.

The all-new Infiniti Q50, which will go on sale in the summer, is available with a technologically advanced V6 3.5-liter gas-electric hybrid and a gas 3.7-liter powertrain.

Striking design, a raft of breakthrough technologies such as Direct Adaptive Steering, and unprecedented levels of craftsmanship and performance are the distinctive qualities of the Q50.

About Infiniti:

Infiniti reflects its brand promise "Inspired Performance" with a model line-up of saloons, coupés, SUVs and crossovers featuring exhilarating performance, emotive design and cutting edge technology. Infiniti continues to launch across the globe through a dedicated network of Infiniti Centres that share a commitment to exceptional hospitality throughout the entire period of ownership.
Infiniti was launched in 1989 in the United States. Infiniti's global footprint expanded into Canada in 1990, Taiwan in 1997, the Middle East in 2004, Korea in 2005 and Russia in 2006. Global expansion continued in 2007 with Infiniti Centres opening in the Ukraine and in one of the world's fastest growing luxury automotive markets, China. In 2008 Infiniti launched in Western and Central Europe which has added 19 additional markets. Infiniti is sold globally in 47 markets to date.
Since May 2012, Infiniti Motor Company Ltd.'s new global headquarters is situated in Hong Kong, headed by Johan de Nysschen as President of Infiniti.
Since the 2011 season Infiniti has been a major partner of the Red Bull Racing Formula One team. The team will be known as Infiniti Red Bull Racing from the 2013 season as the relationship evolves to make Infiniti the title partner and lead technical partner with a shared engineering expertise that delivers benefits for the race track and the road. Earlier this year, three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel was appointed Infiniti's Director of Performance.

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Contacts

Stefan Weinmann
General Manager Infiniti Global Communications Infiniti Motor Company Ltd.:
Mobile: +852 3948 0126
Email: stefan.weinmann@infiniti.com

Nathalie Greve
Senior Manager Infiniti Global Communications
Infiniti Motor Company Ltd.
Mobile: +852 9447 9711
Email: nathalie-greve@infiniti-global.hk

Infiniti: Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. (left) and Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company Ltd. (right) at the Infiniti Q50 Production line at Tochigi, Japan.

Tue, 14 May 2013 05:57:00 -0500

Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. (left) and Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company Ltd. (right) at the Infiniti Q50 Production line at Tochigi, Japan.

Infiniti: Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. (left) and Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company Ltd. (right) with the all-new Infiniti Q50 at Tochigi, Japan.

Tue, 14 May 2013 05:56:00 -0500

Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. (left) and Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company Ltd. (right) with the all-new Infiniti Q50 at Tochigi, Japan.

Infiniti: Job Swap: Sebastian and Rocky

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:27:00 -0500

Seb as a race engineer. Rocky as an F1 driver. Here's what happened when they gave each others' jobs a go.

Infiniti: Red Bull is Fourth and Fifth as Alonso Reigns in Spain

Sun, 12 May 2013 15:35:00 -0500

Red Bull is Fourth and Fifth as Alonso Reigns in Spain

Infiniti: Red Bull is Fourth and Fifth as Alonso Reigns in Spain

Sun, 12 May 2013 15:32:00 -0500

This release contains: 1 Related Document, 24 Photos

BARCELONA, Spain – Sebastian Vettel retained his lead in the fight for the Formula One Drivers’ Championship with fourth place at the Spanish Grand Prix, while Mark Webber improved from seventh at the start to a well-deserved fifth place.

After qualifying third, Seb made a great start to pass Lewis Hamilton for second place and set about chasing down pole winner and leader Nico Rosberg. However, in his first stop Sebastian lost his position to Alonso and dropped back. Alonso soon passed Rosberg for the lead and Seb, knowing that he had to keep in touch with the Ferrari driver, hustled his way past the slower Mercedes in Turn Six.

Alonso, however, was simply too quick and the Spaniard began to carve out a gap. Seb was also eclipsed by Felipe Massa and by Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen, who made just three stops compared with the other front-runners’ four visits to the pit lane. With the benefit of low tire degradation the Finn was able to claim his third second-place finish in a row.

Afterwards Sebastian said his fourth place was a good result given the speed of those ahead.

“I think we can be happy with fourth today,” he said. “The first three cars were a little bit too fast for us and regarding looking after the tires, they did a better job. We need to catch up; we’re not going the pace of the car, we’re going the pace of the tires and obviously we do something to make the tires wear more,” he added. “We got some good points today, although of course we wanted more. The start was good, we then tried to hold on with a three-stop strategy, but had to change to four stops.”

Despite Raikkonen finishing in second place, the 12 points earned in Barcelona keep him in control of the Drivers’ Championship standings with 89 points. Raikkonen is now four points behind the defending champion with 85 points, while Alonso’s win leaves him third, with 72 points.

For Mark the race was a tale of profit, loss and profit. After being boosted to seventh on the grid when Felipe Massa was penalized for blocking the Aussie in qualifying, Mark lost out at the start and dropped back to 11th.

Thereafter, he made the most of an early stop and a switch to hard tires and rose steadily through the field until by the time he began his third stint he was in fifth place. It was a position he then held until the checkered flag, only briefly dropping to sixth after his fourth stop.

“We were struggling for the range and a bit of pace today, to be honest,” he said. “The Ferraris and the Lotus were in a bit of a different league and that made it hard for us to compete today. I think we got the most out of what we had, particularly as by the first corner I was probably 14th or 15th, so to come back with that result was pretty good.”

“We managed to get back in to the scheme of things, but we were always a little bit on the back foot in terms of tire wear and ultimately pace,” he continued. “If you don’t have the pace, then you can’t have the magic strategy. I was happy with how I drove and we got some points, but it wasn’t the result we wanted.”

Team Principal Christian Horner admitted the result had not been the one envisaged before the race but hailed the work of the Infiniti Red Bull Racing pit crew throughout the eight pit stops.

“A tough race. Fourth and fifth places obviously weren’t the target going into the race, but the way it panned out it was obvious that tire degradation was going to be a key factor,” he said. “We didn’t quite have the pace today but we still managed to score some strong points. We made four pit-stops with both cars, saw some great work in the pit lane and recorded a succession of very fast stops. It was a good recovery after a difficult first lap for Mark.”

The result means the team now has 131 points and remains at the top of the Constructors’ Championship standings, 14 clear of Ferrari and 20 ahead of Lotus.

Team Reactions

Car 1 Sebastian Vettel, Finish Position: 4th, Start Position: 3rd
“I think we can be happy with fourth today. The first three cars were a little bit too fast for us and regarding looking after the tires, they did a better job. We need to catch up; we’re not going the pace of the car, we’re going the pace of the tires and obviously we do something to make the tires wear more. We got some good points today, although of course we wanted more. The start was good, we then tried to hold on with a three-stop strategy, but had to change to four stops.”

Car 2 Mark Webber, Finish Position: 5th, Start Position: 7^th
“We were struggling for the range and a bit of pace today, to be honest. The Ferraris and the Lotus were in a bit of a different league and that made it hard for us to compete today. I think we got the most out of what we had, particularly as by the first corner I was probably 14th or 15th, so to come back with that result was pretty good. We managed to get back in to the scheme of things, but we were always a little bit on the back foot in terms of tire wear and ultimately pace. If you don’t have the pace, then you can’t have the magic strategy. I was happy with how I drove and we got some points, but it wasn’t the result we wanted.”

Christian Horner, Team Principal
“A tough race. Fourth and fifth places obviously weren’t the target going into the race, but the way it panned out it was obvious that tire degradation was going to be a key factor. We didn’t quite have the pace today but we still managed to score some strong points. We made four pit-stops with both cars, saw some great work in the pit lane and recorded a succession of very fast stops. It was a good recovery after a difficult first lap for Mark.”

Thierry Salvi (Renault)
“We would have liked to have finished the race a couple of positions higher of course, but this year it is difficult to be aggressive as you have to manage tire wear throughout the race. This in turn limits how you configure the engine and the options available to you. All the same, it was positive to finish fourth and fifth, which gives us a decent points haul from the weekend.”

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Infiniti: 2013 Spanish Grand Prix