Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari says the key to success at Suzuka is getting everything right in the first sector.
If you took the best bits from every F1 track and strung them together, there’s a very good chance the circuit you finished up with (and feel free to model this with Scalextric) would look something like Suzuka. Drivers queue up to explain how good a circuit it is, and not just because the track is fast and flowing but also because Suzuka is a place where the man behind the wheel can really make a difference.
“Here, the driver plays a part everywhere,” says Jaime Alguersuari, in preparation for his third Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. “The first sector is the really crucial bit though, and if you get the first corner wrong, then you get it all wrong and lose a lot of time. Every corner at Suzuka is special, but it’s the first sector that makes it a special track. You need to get it right to make a perfect lap.”
Alguersuari qualified in 16th, but was upbeat about his chances and still confident of challenging for points on Sunday, having sacrificed qualifying speed for race pace. “We could have had a much better qualifying in performance terms, but we had concentrated on the race in terms of our set-up and aero balance. Therefore, even if the grid position is not so good, I am quite happy because I feel that I will have a car strong enough to score some points. I could have gone quicker, but we decided to save tyres as well as run with a race set-up. I expect we can see a situation similar to Valencia and Monza, being very quick in the race.”
While Jaime expects to have a competitive race, like everyone else he expects the focus of attention tomorrow to be on a different alumni of the Red Bull Junior programme, with Sebastian Vettel on pole and expected to collect the point he needs to win a second world title. Alguersuari says he looks up to the older Red Bull driver, and views him as a role model. “He’s definitely the right example to watch. He keeps it clean, makes no mistakes and he’s always there. Whatever the circumstance, wet, dry, dark! he always puts in a performance – and right now he’s having one of those seasons that every single driver in professional motorsport dreams about. I hope one day I have that sort of opportunity!”
Comments
Add a comment