EXCLUSIVE! Q+A Frederic Vervisch

The kick-off of the World Series by Renault at Zolder are approaching and the teams are preparing for the first race weekend of the 2006 season. Frederic Vervisch, a Belgian FR2.0 driver, found the time to answer the questions of F1Technical. Here follows the interview with the young gun.

"I’m a 19-year-old, single guy who lives in Kortrijk (Belgium). I started karting in 1997 and in 2000 I drove my first 2-stroke race which I won. The first season, I became the Belgian junior-cadet champion. I drove until 2003 in karting. Afterwards, I did a test in Formula 3 and the year after this I did French F3 where I gained a lot of experience. I ended 2nd in the championship because I only did 6 out of 9 races, due to financial problems. I won 4 times, one time 3rd and one time 4th."

"I think to drive in front of your home crowd is always very special, I’m really looking forward to drive for the Belgian crowd. I’ll try to defend our colours as good as possible."

"I want to gain as much experience as possible and I’ll try to end up close to the podium. The team, SL FORMULA RACING, won the German FR2.0 last year, so it will be an interesting year with them."

"In 2005 I did 4 races in the World Series Formula Renault3.5. You need a lot of experience in this class and that is something I didn’t have last season. For this season, we’ve decided to race in Formula Renault 2.0 which is a step back, but I think this is a very good decision for the future. This year I want to gain as much experience as I can."

"It is difficult to say because there are lots of favourites, but I think the experienced FR2.0 guys will have an advantage, such as Van dam, Zaugg, Baguette, Albequerque, Mustonen, Strous,…."

"Yes and it’s not easy to combine the two. I have one advantage, though, because I’m studying autotechnology and that is in the same direction as motor racing. It helps me to technically understand the car. But too pass the exams, without going a lot to school is a fight as it is in motor racing. So far I’ve always managed, so it can be done."

"I think F1 is an almost impossible target, but it is my target, and I ‘ll keep fighting no matter what. I want to get as high as possible in motor sport."

"Le mans, I don’t know why, but I think it is the Dunlop chicane that I adore. But Spa-Francorchamps makes a good chance of becoming my favourite track, once I’ve driven there. With the NEC we drive there after Zolder."

"It is a cliché, but Ayrton Senna was for me the greatest, and will be forever!"

"We all want to win, but winning so early in the season will be very difficult. I only did 3 test days, and I still have to learn a lot about the car. But I’ll push as hard as I can. And on Sunday we’ll see. At last I want to thank my father and uncle together with ISOMO, who all realised this for me."

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