Q&A with Federico Gastaldi (Lotus)

"Singapore should see an improvement in pace"

By Franck Drui

14 September 2014 - 16:44
Q&A with Federico Gastaldi (Lotus)

How beneficial is it for Formula 1 to visit an important business hub like Singapore?

It is a very important market for us as a team. We have seen increasing attention and interest from Singapore companies and have regular contact with many of them. The business centre of Singapore is one of the best, influential and most active in the world so we undertake lots of meetings and hospitality at the race. I must say the Singapore people have embraced F1 completely. They are passionate about the sport and they are proud to have a race right in the heart of their fantastic country.

You knew Monza would be tough but Pastor’s race in particular saw some positives?

Pastor drove a very strong race at Monza. He had a great start and his pace was pretty good throughout. I thought he dealt with some difficult circumstances very well during the whole event. He had the measure of the Saubers and brought the car home in a solid finishing position. It is also nice to get both of our cars to the finish line, especially after some technical issues in recent races. Romain had a few concerns, including other cars hitting him but we take some satisfaction in getting more data and ensuring we can go to Singapore hopeful of a much stronger overall weekend.

Will there be more expectation for a stronger showing in Singapore?

Yes, Monza was always going to be very hard for us. Singapore should see an improvement in pace as the track characteristics will suit us more. The drivers are fighters and they really enjoy street circuits, so I think we have the potential to extract a good level of performance from the E22 there. Pastor and Romain will have a stronger package relative to Monza, so I am sure they will grasp this and make the most of it.

What is the latest on plans for next season?

Firstly, there is a lot going on behind the scenes and a lot of positive plans being made to ensure we are still pushing right to the end of this season. A lot of technical and commercial work being undertaken also for 2015, as you would expect. We are doing things step by step but at the moment but already things look positive for next season.

The flyaway schedule from now until the end of the season is challenging. How do you prepare the team?

For sure it is a tough, tough schedule. The team are away from their families for a long time. But they are highly professional people and experienced in this level of intensity in F1. It is my job to ensure that we have a high level of morale in the team. This year has been a challenge on many fronts, but the Enstone team is famous for being tough, highly-skilled and having the focused aim of making things better when times are tough. We are collectively looking forward to the rest of the season because we know that hard work and application will put us in the best position to achieve our goals and reap some rewards.

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