Abu Dhabi 2 Race 1 - press conference

Quotes from Turvey, Valsecchi and Bianchi

By Franck Drui

5 February 2010 - 19:07
Abu Dhabi 2 Race 1 - press conference

Starting with you Oliver, congratulations on a superb result. It seems the win was made at the very beginning with an awesome start.

Oliver Turvey: Yes exactly, I got a fantastic start. I had put a lot of effort into finding out as much information about the start because last time here in November we had two not so good starts. So I worked hard with the team to make sure I understood everything about the start. I got a fantastic getaway and was quite clear into turn one and from there on I was able to have a fairly comfortable first few laps and try to make a bit of a break. From there I was trying to control the pace, control the tyres, look after the tyres, make sure we didn’t work them too hard and you know just make sure no one got too close. Yes it was a fantastic race, the pit stop went well and the team did a good job there. We were able to lead the whole way.

Any worries about Safety Car being deployed having Davide so close to you the whole time and thinking about the re-start.

Turvey: Yes obviously I had a little bit of a gap to Davide and obviously when the Safety Car came out it wasn’t great as he got right on my tail. I was pretty happy with that and I got a good re-start and was able to get away again got and he didn’t have any chances in the last few laps.

What happened when you and Davide touched after your pitstop?

Turvey: I held the inside line into the top chicane and Davide had a good slipstream, he got on the outside of me but then in the braking zone he came across, I had nowhere to go and we just touched a little bit but I am sure it wasn’t a problem. From then on we were able to have a very good race and it was fantastic for the team. iSport have done a fantastic job and the car has been really strong all weekend. Throughout the race I had no problems and I felt really confident with the car and so thanks to them.

What about tomorrow starting from eighth with only the top six scoring points. What will be the trick as now you know how to get a good start?

Turvey: Yes exactly. Obviously it is great to get a win today in the feature race in only my second ever weekend in GP2 . That is a fantastic feeling but tomorrow we have got to focus on trying to get back into the points, try to get a good start. I think we have good pace and on those two long straights you have a great opportunity to overtake and so we will be aiming for the podium again tomorrow.

Thank you and good luck for tomorrow. Davide, good start but you still had to overtake Charles to get in a position to scare Oliver. I think you overtook Charles in the same place as before.

Davide Valsecchi: I don’t know, just Pic I think we took him on the main straight on the first lap. We were a bit quicker at the beginning just in the first laps so I had the chance and overtook him. Then I tried to follow Turvey who was really fast at the beginning, so it was not so easy for me keep the pace. But anyway my car I think today was the best of the paddock and so I made a good race and I am really happy to finish second. I tried one time to overtake Turvey and it was a good chance, but the team said maybe it was a bit incorrect so I let him pass again, and I think it was the right choice because maybe it was a bit risky to keep going. In the braking I was on the outside, but perhaps I was a bit too close to do this so it was right like this. He made a good start, he was first in the race and it is right that I finished second and he won.

There were five or six cars together very close. Did you focus on just what was in front of you or behind as well?

Valsecchi: No I had to control a bit Bianchi. I think it was after I tried to overtake Turvey. I had to let him pass again and there was a bit of a misunderstanding because the team said to me let him pass so I had to brake to let him pass but maybe he didn’t realise immediately and so we lost some time and Bianchi regained the gap. There I had to control the situation a bit because it was not easy. There was a car in front of me really close, three cars behind me really close, so it was a bit difficult from that lap.

Pressure on Oliver until three laps to the end and then Jules was slowing down a bit. Did you say “right I am never going to win”?

Valsecchi: I don’t know as three laps from the end I realised it was not so easy to overtake him, because I was trying all the race so I think it is not so easy in the last three laps and I had the chance before. So I was focusing a bit on setting the best lap time and with three laps to the end I braked on one lap as I just needed to cool down the tyres and then tried to set the fastest lap. I was quite sure I could get it as when I realised it was not possible to win I tried to make the fastest lap and I hope to have it. So I gained one more point with the fastest lap so eight and with fastest lap nine. Anyway it is not bad for second position.

You are still leading the Series, even more comfortably now. Tomorrow you want to get more points or go for the podium like last time?

Valsecchi: It is not so easy tomorrow because overtaking was not so easy today because with the teams down to sixth any times that it was down the straight they were always there trying to gain something and it never happened so I don’t think it is so easy tomorrow. And the start it seems I am not so fit at the start this time and also today I started third and after the first corner was third so I have to improve a bit to make a good race tomorrow. We will try to do our best and we will see.

Yes, we will. Jules, fourth yesterday, third today on your very first GP2 weekend… It must feel really great.

Jules Bianchi: Yes it is really good to be on the podium for my first race in GP2. I came here to learn a lot because our main goal will be to win the championship in the main series so I came in GP2 Asia to learn, to learn how to make the start, how to make pit stops. So obviously to be on the podium it is really good for us.

After your pit stop you had a scare on the exit.

Bianchi: Yes it was a bit slippery in the tunnel so I was really close to the wall there. It was not easy with the cold tyres and everything. It was the first time for me so at the end it went well. I still have to work a lot because I have to improve to finish in the first position and so we are going to work and will see what will happen in the future.

Then, you found your way passed Villa to claim third. That was a very nice move…

Bianchi: We are going in the inside on the last corner so we just say okay stay on the outside because I had no place to go and he braked a bit too early so I just overtook him and I tried to catch Davide but he was so fast at the end so it was not possible. I just stayed on the track and finished P3 as obviously it is good for my first race in GP2.

You seemed to slow down towards the end of the race?

Bianchi: Yes at the end, a bit. But with Filippi behind me and because he was very fast I had to stay on a good pace all the way through the race. I was pushing at the end also.

What is your goal for tomorrow?

Bianchi: My goal tomorrow will be to make a good start because today was not so good, and then yes if I can go on the podium of course I will do it. Obviously it is going to be difficult I think but I will try to finish the race and make more kilometres possible to learn.

Did the fact that this was a night race change anything to your driving?

Bianchi: No because the circuit is fantastic so for me it was like racing in the day.

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