The British former F1 driver, who combines his busy FIA WEC racing programme with technical analysis duties for Sky TV’s Grand Prix programmes (as his schedule allows) in Britain, is very much looking forward to the coming races and to taking the challenge to Audi in the LMP1 category. Together Sébastien Buemi and Stéphane Sarrazin, he will be piloting the No.8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid and here talks about the second half of the season.
1. How have you kept race fit during the summer?
The summer break has allowed me to focus on my training a bit more than normal, so I'm feeling good, but you can never replace the real thing. Brazil is a physically demanding circuit as its anti-clockwise, thus giving the left hand side of the neck a proper work out. Preparing the best you can for this is important. Also the high altitude of around 800m above sea level means the driver - along with the aerodynamics and power output of the engine - suffers more than normal too.
2. Which track are you most looking forward to racing at in the second half of the WEC season?
I'm most looking forward to driving around Austin as it will be a new circuit for me which is always a nice challenge for any driver, and it has already produced some good racing in lots of different series from around the world. I'm also looking forward to racing at the team's home race in Fuji as well later on in the year.
3. With five races on three continents in the next few months, how do you cope with the travelling and jet lag?
I've always struggled more heading East than West when it comes to fighting jet lag. The best way I've found is to try and top up with sleep as much as possible before travelling. Staying hydrated whilst flying and choosing the right flight times helps a lot too. An early morning arrival always makes it hard to push on through the day.
4. What is the best thing about racing in Sao Paulo?
São Paulo has always been a top venue for a great race and has decided many championship battles. The team had its first victory in the WEC there last year so it has good memories, and hopefully we will be able to repeat that success this year.
Fiona Miller
