”…. I think we will be in a good position to keep fighting for victories.”
Alexander Rossi’s recent race wins at Spa and Monza have moved him back into second place in the 2015 GP2 Drivers’ Championship and, with three race weekends remaining, the young American driver is determined to secure the runner-up spot at the end of the year. This weekend, at the Sochi Autodrom circuit in Russia, he will be forgoing his Formula 1 drive to return to the cockpit of his GP2 car and below he talks about combining GP2 with F1 and the challenges of the Sochi track.
You had busy weeks after your GP2 feature race win in Monza and can look back onto two very good debut races in Formula 1. Is there something you learned you think will benefit you during the remaining three GP2 races of the season?You learn things every time that you step into a racecar so for sure there are some things that I will carry with me into each of the remaining GP2 races this year. It’s also very nice to be able to race virtually every weekend as it keeps your mind and body fresh. I am very blessed to be able to compete in both F1 and GP2 and am very much enjoying my time at the moment.
Your upcoming weeks and months will be equally busy with the combination of GP2 and Formula 1. What’s the biggest challenge for you with this?
The biggest challenge will probably just be the amount of travel required to compete in both championships. It will be critical that I am able to manage the jetlag, nutrition, and fitness throughout these next couple months in order to be fully prepared each time that I step into the racecar.
The Russian GP2 round is up next and it’s the first time you will race in Sochi. How do you prepare for a race circuit you don’t yet know?
By spending two days in the simulator with the team working through different techniques based on the information that we have from last year. It is very important to understand what works and what doesn’t from the previous year so that you don’t repeat any of the mistakes that were made.
You are preparing for Sochi on the simulator. Where do you see the circuit’s main challenges for you and do you think it’s a track layout suited to your driving style?
It is a track with a lot of medium speed corners, which requires a very stable car in order to give confidence to the driver. On top of that it is a street track so it will be very low on grip levels, which should be a challenge, but one that I enjoy as these types of circuits are my favourite.
After wins in Spa and Monza, what are the chances to see you on the top of the podium again in Sochi?
Even though Spa and Monza were strong weekends for us, we are very aware of the weaknesses that we have and what we need to improve upon. If we can take steps forward this weekend in Sochi, then I think we will be in a good position to keep fighting for victories.
David Martin-JaniakMotorsports has always been a passion for me, I've raced in Karting and now I have my own Motorsports news website, so i can help other racers convey their passion to the world!
