The much anticipated i1 Supercar Series will kick off on the 22nd of January in Sepang, Malaysia and head to Abu Dhabi on the 10th of March. The winner of the i1 Supercar Series will drive off with a whopping Dhs7.3 million prize. Former F1 race winner Giancarlo Fisichella will be racing in the event; Angela Beitz catches up with him for a chat to see what the Super Series is all about.
Is this your first time Abu Dhabi?
This is my third time in Abu Dhabi. I really like it here but it’s not easy to see the city because we spend most of the time going from the track to the hotel. I can say though from what I have seen that it is a really nice place, and I love Yas Marina, it’s a fantastic course and really impressive. The weather this time in Abu Dhabi is amazing. I can’t believe its winner. The atmosphere here is also great.
What do you love about F1 driving?
I like the competition but to be honest the thing I like most is to win!
Can you explain to our readers with the i1 Super Series is?
This is actually the first time I have been involved in the series. It is a new championship promoted by Machdar Sports and there are a few ex F1 drivers involved, myself included. It consists of 10 races with 9 teams representing different Indian cities and each team is represented by two drivers. The cars we are racing are the Radical supercar SR3 roadster. I think that it is a good format, and I think it will be a really interesting series to follow. The format is similar to F1 and the car is similar. Lap time is quite close. It will be very interesting to follow the race.
How is it different to Formula1?
It is hugely different to F1; F1 is F1. The car is quite good it has good grip and is easy to drive. There was a bit of a problem with over steering but that has been fixed up. There is a good compromise with better tyres and engines. The Radical SR3 supercar has been specially selected for both its drivability and safety features. The Radical SR3 is a two-seater, powder-coated carbon steel frame chassis with an integral safely cell and aluminum honeycomb front crash structure.
How did your career start?
When I was eight years old I started racing go-karts. My Father was a very big fan of the Formula 1, and I started to follow it because of him.
What was your favourite team that you drove for?
Since I was young my dream was to work with Ferrari, and now I am one of the Ferrari drivers. I am very happy and proud to be a part of the team, and I hope to work with them for a long time.
You have won 3 Formula1 titles in your career; how do you prepare for something like this?
Firstly you need to be in a good team with a good car, to have a good chance to win the race. You need to be in a good starting position up the front. You need to be very consistent during the race to be able to win and you can’t make any mistakes. You need to be very strategic in the way you drive. You also need to be fit physically and mentally, of course.
Do you miss it?
I did 231 races over 14 years, so I think I had a pretty good time and did enough. Now I can enjoy the Super Series and GT racing in Europe.
What other sports interest you?
I am very good at football and it’s my favourite hobby. I also enthusiastically follow football in Italy. And I like skiing, cycling and tennis.
The i1 Super Series is on in Abu Dhabi on March 10 at Yas Marina Circuit. For tickets and more information visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com or phone.
