How the drivers and teams are preparing for the challenge of Qatar

In less than a month’s time, Formula 2 will hit the track in Qatar for the first time bringing a new challenge to the teams and their drivers. So, we recently spoke to a few of them to get their thoughts on the upcoming event.
It will be the first time since Melbourne last season that a new circuit will be introduced those in the paddock, something that excites MP Motorsport’s Team Principal Sander Dorsman.
“I think first of all its always nice to have a new track on the calendar,” he said. “It makes it more exciting for the teams and the drivers.
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“You have limited knowledge about the track, you can prepare drivers like through the simulator and things like that to get yourself ready.
“The driver that picks it up quickest will do the best job. In the end, we saw the same last year in Melbourne, everybody does their own preparation and quite rapidly, the field gets competitive again. So, I don’t expect many miracles there, I think it will be more or less everyone fully on it.”
This is a feeling shared by ART Grand Prix driver Victor Martins, who is excited by the prospect of having to adapt quickest amongst his rivals and to make the difference.
“I always really like to discuss new tracks, new environments because it’s challenging,” added Martins. “You can make the difference dealing with a new situation, taking risks, getting some quick and good feedback straight away.
“Also, for the teams I think it will be mostly quite challenging for them because they don’t know the tracks and while we can drive it in the simulator, I am sure there will be drivers having done some F1 tests there.
“So, there will be a few knowing it but maybe 90% of the grid will not know it, so I like it. I like the challenge, and I like that I can make the difference against others when it’s all equal. We are on the same page, same level of knowledge of the situation, I really like this.”
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He later added: “You will really see the potential of the drivers, you really see how they adapt to the track, the atmosphere, and the environment. They will see how they feel with the car, how the team and the drivers set up the car, how they improve during the weekend, how they deal with Qualifying, the different sessions, and how are they are in races.
“These kinds of things when you go into a race in Barcelona, it’s not the same as when you go into a race in Qatar, where you have never been racing and you don’t know how to manage the tyres because you don’t know how they behave. It’s a blank card and you need to adapt.”
Martins was talking after jumping out of the simulator at Alpine where he has been working with the Formula 1 team on race weekends, supporting those at the track including their drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
With F1 having raced there on two previous occasions, he plans on picking their brains about Qatar. He also says he will be doing quite a lot of cardio to prepare for the heat as he is expecting a tough weekend.
As is Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagómez, who was also talking after time spent in the simulator. He spoke about his plans from now until the race weekend and how he will be getting ready.
“I’m excited for a new track, it’s going to be a challenge for everyone because we have very limited running time,” he started. “So, I need to be prepared as well as possible because we’ve seen in previous years that the drivers struggle a lot with that track physically, so I’m making sure that I am prepared as well for that side.
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“In the sim you can more or less get a feel, but you don’t know the kerb heights, how the track feels in terms of grip, so we are just doing a lot of work to make sure we are prepared for all scenarios.
“Physically also on a high-speed track, you know it’s going to be heavy on the arms and neck, so those are areas to focus. There is quite a bit of heat training you can do in order for the fatigue to not hit you as much, the one option is the sauna like we have seen with the F1 drivers, the other option is to work out in a hot room, so your body is a little bit more used to the temperatures.”
Heat training is a key focus for all spoken to, including Campos Racing’s Josep María Martí. He expects a demanding weekend but says Friday could be the most important of all three days.
“I feel like Qualifying is going to be very important,” Martí added. “We know that there is going to be little chances other than T1 with the long straight for overtaking even with the DRS effect.
“We are still on the tippy toes of knowing what racing is going to be like, so being in a good spot after Friday is going to be very critical for the weekend.
The Spaniard also mentions another factor that will make things a little bit more difficult and that is rust, given that plenty of them will not have driven a race car since Baku in September.
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“It’s really easy to lose the physical feel,” he explained. “There is no training for F2 or Formula 1 like driving the actual car. So, as much preparation as you go through the break, it’s still really hard to be a hundred percent in shape for the first race, so it being Qatar it is going to be quite challenging.
“The heat adaptation – we are still quite far away from the Grand Prix, so you have to take heat adaptation at a certain time. But there will be lots of preparation, and there is pretty much a whole month to go.
“Temperatures are dropping here in Europe heading to winter, so we are going to be headed on the other spectrum, high 20s and low 30s so I’m expecting it to be a nice change of temperature outside the car and maybe not the nicest inside the car.”