Driver preview quotes: Oschersleben, Germany
Formula Two returns to mainland Europe for Rounds 11 & 12
The F2 drivers are arriving at Oschersleben today
(Thursday) in preparation for rounds 11 and 12 of the FIA Formula
Two Championship. A selection have been talking to the official F2
website, giving their thoughts on the weekend ahead...
Tobias Hegewald: "I have raced here in Formula
Renault and Formula BMW, so I know the track quite well. Of course,
I want to give my best in every session and maybe my local
knowledge can give me a small advantage? At least I will be able to
work on the set up earlier here than somewhere like Brands Hatch
where I was still learning the circuit during practice. It is
always nice to race in your own country and in front of your own
fans. I will also have lots of family and friends there to support
me so I am looking forward to the weekend very much."
Robert Wickens: "I fell back in the
championship after Donington Park, so I need to run well at
Oschersleben. I've always been confident in my own pace, but
Oschersleben is going to be a bit of a dilemma in some ways - I
need to secure maximum points in order to catch up with Andy, but I
can't afford to push too hard and miss out completely. My mentality
is just to start afresh at Oschersleben and move on. Everyone
around me is giving it their all, so I need to start over, pull a
gap over third and then try to catch Andy."
Jens Höing: "Oschersleben will be a very
special weekend for me, as the circuit is close to my hometown of
Berlin and a lot of fans and partners of mine will be there -
including my main sponsor HASKAMP, who will be bringing nearly 40
guests. I had my first kart races on the kart track of Oschersleben
ten years ago, and in 2004 I won an important scholarship here from
the German ADAC organisation. It was very important to step up
to single seater racing with the support from ADAC and in recent
years I have had many races here in Formula BMW and German F3, so I
know the circuit very well. It will mean a lot to be racing there
this weekend."
Ollie Hancock: "I'm really looking forward to
Oschersleben - I just can't wait for my first race. I did
everything I needed to in a test at Bedford this week, so I'm
feeling confident. It's not going to be easy, but my engineer from
the test said my pace was good enough for the top ten. My aim is to
bring the car home in every session and get mileage in the seat,
but obviously if the chance of a strong finish arrives then I am
not going to hold back and I'll push as hard as I can.
Sebastian Hohenthal: "Unfortunately I don't
have any experience of Oschersleben, so I have been trying to watch
as much as I could on the internet. When you come here though it's
quite different to what you see in videos. I've walked the track,
and it's different to other venues - there could be quite a lot of
action. The good thing now is that I am very confident in the car,
but it's going to be tough for sure."
Jolyon Palmer: "I've never been to
Oschersleben, so the first session will have to be spent learning
the track. That's where the front wing comes into play, as it makes
changing set up much easier, allowing you to spend more time on
track, making changes to the car and getting used to the layout of
the circuit. My expectations are getting higher and I was
disappointed to have only finished 12th at Donington, whereas a few
races ago I would have been pleased with that. Hopefully I can
continue to improve in the final three rounds and we'll see what
happens."
Mikhail Aleshin: "I'm confident about the
weekend. I have been here before in Formula Renault 3.5, although
that was a long time ago and the track has changed quite a bit
since. Turn One could be interesting from the start, as they have
made it a lot more severe than it used to be, and it's now a slow
corner immediately after the start. Hopefully I can avoid any
incidents and have a good weekend!"
Germán Sánchez: "I don't know
Oschersleben, so that will be a bit of a disadvantage. However
I think my performance at Donington Park marks a point where I
have reached a new level, and I'm feeling a lot more comfortable in
the car. Now I have to make sure that I don't drop below this level
again. I hope that I can keep moving forwards and gain some points
in the future."
Philipp Eng: "I have been here before with
Formula BMW, where I finished fourth, so I'm feeling pretty
confident. I like the track, but is is quite narrow so qualifying
will be very important. I lost a bit of momentum at Donington
Park, but you have good and bad weekends in motor racing and that
was a bad one - hopefully the reverse will be true here."
Kazim Vasiliauskas: "I drove here in a test
with Formula Renault, but only for a total of about two hours. The
test went well and was very useful. The first corner in particular
could be interesting - I think four or five cars could be caught
out, and for that reason qualifying is going to be very important.
We'll see how it goes!"
Jason Moore: "I'm feeling pretty good for this
weekend, as we have been getting better ever since Brands Hatch
really. It will be key to qualify well, as that can make such a
difference - even if it's just gaining one or two places, it can
change your race completely. I've tested here in Formula Renault,
and the track is fairly good to drive - very twisty and technical.
Hopefully I can make the most of that experience and have a really
good weekend."
Pietro Gandolfi: "I don't know the track, but
at home I have spent more hours on the simulator and I hope that
will be good practice for this weekend. It's a difficult circuit,
but hopefully I can learn it as fast as possible. I have made big
improvements in my style, mentality and technical understanding,
and I hope to go well here before my home race in Imola."
Rounds 11 and 12 of the FIA Formula Two Championship
will take place in Oschersleben, Germany, this weekend (4/5/6
September). Both races will be screened live on
Eurosport.