Pic and Glock want to shine for Marussia’s 50th Grand Prix
The Marussia team (formerly Virgin) will compete in its 50th Formula 1 Grand Prix this weekend, and the two drivers of the Russian team, Timo Glock and Charles Pic, hope to achieve good performances to celebrate this symbolic milestone.
John Booth, the director of the Marussia team, revealed that the summer break was beneficial and the whole team is eager to resume competition for what will be the team’s 50th Grand Prix this weekend at Spa: « Timo and Charles seem refreshed, so we expect to enjoy good moments in this second part of the season. Spa is a great place to kick things off. Not only do we love this circuit, but this year, it will be the setting of our 50th Grand Prix, which is an important milestone for the team. »
Timo Glock shares his team manager’s opinion and is eager to get back into a Formula 1 car: « After such a long summer break, everyone on the team seems refreshed and ready to embark on the next phase of the season. I myself had a mix of rest and training and am now looking forward to getting back into competition. »
Charles Pic, on his side, believes that these few weeks of recess have allowed everyone to recharge their batteries, which will be useful for tackling the final part of the season: « The summer holidays have been very good for the whole Marussia F1 Team and everyone seems rested and brimming with enthusiasm for the next nine races, most of which are far from Europe, so it will be a busy period. »
The French driver took this moment to reflect on his first half of the season: « I ended the first part of the season on a positive note, partly due to the enhanced performance of the team, and I am pleased with my progress at this start of the season. The break gave me time to reflect on these eleven races, which seem to have passed so quickly, and my goal is to consolidate everything I’ve learned from the team and the car and put it all together to hopefully have an even better second half of the season. »
Timo Glock expects to experience an intense second half of the season, considering the schedule planned: « In the next nine races, we will work hard to optimize our current package while also doing important work for next year at the same time. These races will take place over just 14 weeks, so it will be a period of non-stop work. »
The German driver is delighted to return to racing in Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps, a track he greatly appreciates: “Returning to competition at Spa is the best way to start this end of the season. It’s one of my favorite races, with a historic circuit that has a fascinating layout. The track is very fast and long with a few tricky corners, so any mistake ruins your lap. The weather is often a factor, particularly due to its variability. Rain can arrive very quickly, but that’s part of the fun of racing here. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Charles Pic will discover the toboggan of the Ardennes for the first time at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, and the native of Montélimar is eager to experience this: « Spa is a fantastic track, so I’m looking forward to racing there this weekend. The experience is a real challenge for a driver, the circuit has such a special atmosphere given its heritage. I’m eager to race there for the first time at the wheel of a Formula 1 car and to pick up where we left off in Hungary. »
John Booth, the director of the Marussia team, hopes that the Belgian event will allow the Russian team to continue to close the gap on the rest of the field.
