Alguersuari looks forward to first F1 testing session

The 19-year-old Spaniard said Monday he is better prepared mentally and physically for the strains of F1 after being put into the Italian team's car for the final eight races of last season without any prior experience in motor racing's premier sport.

Several F1 drivers were critical of his arrival, saying it amounted to a security concern.

“The comments from other people, I don't really care. I just care about the comments of my team and me,” Alguersuari said. “I understand the comments from all the other Formula One drivers, but I don't believe them.

“I do believe things will go different (this year) and we will be ready for Formula One. Things last year were so fast.”

Alguersuari and teammate Sebastien Buemi unveiled Toro Rosso's STR5 car at Valencia's Cheste Circuit, where the Spanish driver would have to wait until Wednesday to get on track as his Swiss teammate drove Monday and Tuesday.

Even though this is Buemi's second full season, technical director Giorgio Ascanelli said current testing rules were hampering the development of the “new generation” of drivers.

“The rules are not favoring their capacity to pick up experience,” Ascanelli said. “It's a tremendous task they have as any newcomer.”

Formula One bans in-season testing and offseason testing is limited to 15 days, which young drivers like Renault's Vitaly Petrov and Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi will be counting on for experience. Bruno Senna of Campos Meta won't even get a chance to test because the team won't be on the track before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14.

“Last year every race, every single Friday test, every qualifying was a test for me,” said Alguersuari, whose only testing before this week came in the team's simulator. “Nineteen cars last year were racing, (I) was just testing ... and I could not compete against the others because it was such a disadvantage.”

Alguersuari is hopeful of challenging for points and possible race wins this season but will only be able to assess his chances after testing finishes.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email