Petrov comes home

Vitaly Petrov, who became the first Russian onto the F1 podium earlier this season, was delighted to take part at the Formula Sochi Festival yesterday. Representing the LRGP team as part of the city’s programme in his home country, and with his home fans, to promote motorsport ahead of the 2014 Russian Grand Prix meant a lot to him…

You went to Russia for the Formula Sochi Festival – how was it?

I have been having a fantastic time in Sochi where I have been demoing last year’s car, the R30, in front of all the Russian fans. This has been a great experience for me because I’ve been able to show my own fans what it (Formula One) is all about. The great thing is I can talk to them about motorsport, show them how fast the car goes and really bring the sport to them.

Has it made you proud to be able to bring F1 to the attention of your own fans?

I think it’s been very important to come to Sochi and demonstrate all the sport has to offer. Formula One is getting more popular in my country, and we have a Russian Grand Prix in a few years (2014) so now is a good time to say ‘look, this is what F1 is all about!’

What are your expectations for the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring?

Well, last year the German Grand Prix took place at Hockenheim, but of course this year driving at the Nürburgring will be different. The weather can be quite changeable there, which will again have an impact but the main thing we need is a strong set-up for the car. The car hasn’t performed at the level we know it can, and it has been off the pace for a few races now so we must get it right quickly to turn our season around. Additionally, it’s very important we reach Q3 in qualifying so that we can score more points come Sunday afternoon.

What’s the minimum you expect from the next two races?

Once again, we will be aiming for the maximum number of points, but we need to look at the whole weekend and get our performance up immediately from P1 right through until the race. Since Silverstone, we have been putting in the work to ensure we give ourselves the best possible chance at the Nürburgring. The speed with which we introduce our new upgrades is the critical factor in our success and I’m convinced that having these upgrades in place for Germany will give us more of a chance.