McLaren driver David Coulthard highlighted the importance of a good engineer when he said, 'The engineers are very important. They translate what the driver feels, convert into technical speak and adjust the car accordingly. These cars are very complex. It's not a case of sticking a finger in the wind and making an adjustment to the front wing. It's all done by percentages and the engineer looks at all sorts of parameters like balance, either mechanical or aerodynamic, the wheel rates and the effect of tyre pressure on the springs and the contact patch of the tyres. The driver delivers the information and then waits for the engineer to come up with a magical fix. You build up a relationship with an engineer and you can develop a feeling, based on previous experience, but there are times when you rely completely on the engineer to work out the actual percentage balance change that is required.'

Jordan Grand Prix