Fisichella expects a lot from the Brazilian GP

After a year that turned out to be more difficult than expected, Fisichella would like to end this season on a high note, with perhaps a podium finish, reminiscent of a certain Brazilian Grand Prix in 2003 where he stood on the top step.

With the arrival of a novice F1 driver in the person of Kovalainen in the French camp, it was normal to think that the Roman could claim the leader position within the team. This was not the case, so Fisichella must score as many points as possible to reassure the management about his ability to stay in the team.

Because for the 2008 season, nothing is official, especially with a certain Fernando Alonso who could make his grand return and take the place of the Italian driver…

Giancarlo, what is your view on the Interlagos circuit?

« It’s one of the most special tracks in F1, and I can’t wait to go back. We’ve won championships in Brazil the past two years, and it’s also the circuit where I took my first Grand Prix victory in 2003. I love the country, the city, the layout: achieving the perfect lap there is a challenge and there’s always an extraordinary atmosphere. I hope we’ll be successful there again this year. »

Your race in Shanghai was difficult…

Yes. Everything started on Saturday: we found a problem with my car at the end of free practice, then I made a small mistake on my fast lap in qualifying. The performances were so close that it didn’t allow me to get past Q1. Then, we knew the race would be difficult but I drove at the limit. I overtook quite a few competitors and showed that the car was competitive as I clocked the fourth fastest time in the race. However, we were very heavy on fuel at the start because we thought the rain would be much heavier. This unsettled us for the first stint. It’s a shame because there was potential to do much better.

Can you describe Interlagos for us?

« It’s a challenging circuit, with a good balance between slow and medium-speed corners. There are significant elevation changes, and, of course, the fact that it runs counter-clockwise doesn’t help the drivers. It’s never easy to find the right setup because the circuit’s two faces require almost opposing technical characteristics. You want excellent top speed on the long main straight, but plenty of grip in the tight corners and hairpins. If you add the uneven surface, you can understand that finding the right compromise is a real challenge for the engineers. We usually use relatively low aerodynamic load and work hard on mechanical grip, especially on the corner exits. »

According to ING Renault F1 Team