Nick de Vries
“Miami was a great show. The organizers obviously invested a lot. Last year I didn’t race there but I was still there and I can say that this year they have managed to make the event even better: it was great! It’s very different from the European races. The Americans really know How to create entertainment around sport!Having said that, I’m still happy to be back in Europe to race at tracks I know so well, starting this weekend at Imola, the home race of Scuderia AlphaTauri.Having raced for Italian teams in other classes, I know how important this event is The factory is a few kilometers away from the track, so many employees will be able to watch and see the results of their hard work live and cheer us on, this will make everything more special The Imola track is interesting: it is very narrow compared to modern circuits, overtaking is difficult and there is a real mix From the corners.So it’s essential to have a machine that performs well in every way.We’ve had some pre-season testing here which will come in handy.A tough period lies ahead, with three straight races over the next two weekends.It can be tough, especially for the mechanics But personally, I don’t worry.
After the last race I went back to the UK to do some link work on the simulator and then I solved the next three circuits. Made a short stop home then went to Poland for an Orlen event with Yuki and we celebrated her birthday together.
It’s great that the first race in Europe is the team’s home race. We really hope for a good result. Of course, these past weekends have been complicated, but I think there have also been some encouraging moments. We just need to be able to put it all together and I’m sure the results will come.”
Yuki Tsunoda
“We have already covered about a quarter of the season, and although the start was very difficult, I think I can be quite satisfied with my overall performance, as I have never finished lower than eleventh, including one tenth. Miami was particularly difficult, So I wasn’t expecting to find the speed we had on Sunday. The team did a great job to achieve that result. It was a busy time: I flew to the UK to work on the simulator, and then, the following Thursday in Miami, I celebrated my birthday by Attending an event from the sponsor Orlin, Poland.I received a nice gift from them for my birthday: a Poland national football jersey from Robert Lewandowski, who plays in La Liga with Barcelona.
Now it’s time to think about Imola, the home race for the team and also for me, so I can’t wait. Last year I finished seventh after qualifying sixteenth; So, I have good memories of that weekend. It is an event that means a lot for several reasons. First, we will have several updates on the car and so I hope it will do well. We have high expectations and we believe they can allow us to take an important step forward. If this is the case, we will have to make the most of the opportunity to get to the points. To do that I have to get the most out of the car as I did in the first five races. Being the GP in the house, many of the team will be there and it is important for me to show them they are doing a good job and motivate them for the future.
Obviously I’m excited, because Imola is a fun track that I’ve already tried this year, during pre-season testing. It’s a great track to race and you have to be careful once you cross the white lines you end up straight on the grass. For this reason, it has some characteristics in common with Suzuka, with a mixture of “S” corners, such as the section from turns two through five. Moreover, the weather can be very treacherous at this time, as we have already seen in the past year. It’s a home race, too, because I can sleep in my own bed instead of staying in a hotel. It worked last year, with great results, so I guess it’s a good thing! “.
