Gastaldi: I think we can do well at Silverstone

Deputy Team Principal Federico Gastaldi homes in on another double points finish at Silverstone, whilst praising the fighting spirit of Team Enstone.

What’s great about the British Grand Prix?

The Great British Grand Prix really is a fantastic event and one which everyone enjoys visiting. For so many people in motorsport Silverstone is like a home from home and has been part of so many of our histories. It’s a great circuit which gives drivers and engineers something to think about and the crowd’s enthusiasm and knowledge is legendary; we can’t wait for the event to start.

What’s the outlook from the team for Silverstone?

I think we can do well. We keep showing the pace of the E23 at different tracks and both Romain and Pastor are doing a superb job. Our race weekends are running quite smoothly, and we will arrive off the back of a positive test in Austria. This year we are arriving at each venue very positive of a decent result and Silverstone is no different.

Will racing at home and so close to the factory be an advantage?

First and foremost it is the home event for the factory and we get so much support from our employees and their friends and families. We’ll see so many familiar faces in the crowds and speak to so many people over the course of the event. I know that I’ll probably lose my voice by the end of the weekend! Logistically, being down the road from the event certainly can make things easier in terms of time, but the planning and logistics are the same as ever, except for at this race some of the crew can sleep in their own beds for once! From a motivation point of view we never lack that, wherever we race. But there is still an added ambience to a race that is on our doorstep. We want to achieve something for everyone at Enstone to have an extra special spring in their step on the Monday after the British Grand Prix.

How much of a ‘home’ race is this for you personally?

I have spent a lot of my life in the vicinity of Enstone. There’s even an Italian restaurant where I eat regularly where the owner and staff all come join me at my table at the end of the evening! There is some beautiful countryside though I must admit that sometimes I expect to see penguins walking down the street as the weather can get so cold compared to Southern Europe or South America! That said, this year looks very promising indeed for a hot race which puts a smile on my face and warms my heart.

How much would you like to see the team retake fifth spot in the Constructor’s Championship at Silverstone?

That would be good. Force India jumped us in Austria, but we did get closer to Red Bull in fourth position. We were unfortunate to have to retire Romain but Pastor showed the pace and potential of our package once more. If we get both cars across the finish line in the points we should make good inroads to the gap to those currently ahead of us. There’s still over half of the season left to go, so there is plenty of opportunity for us to move forwards. We will be fighting all the way!

The final test day of 2015 has been and gone; how does this impact on the team’s development?

It’s certainly different this year with no end of season test, but it’s the same for everyone. I know from speaking to our technical department that there are still things to come from the car and we will continue to get faster as the season progresses. Certainly, the feedback was positive after the test in Austria so we’re looking forward to putting everything into practice for a super Silverstone weekend!