Interview of Jean-Karl VERNAY Net-reporter: Jean-Karl VERNAY, you will represent the French Flag in Macau Mythic Grand Prix 2009, competing in the most demanding F3 race in the world for the 1st time. How is your mind today and how will you prepare yourself for Macau? Jean Karl VERNAY: It’s a fantastic opportunity to race in Macau. I’m simply happy and excited to race there for Team Of Paris, who support my debut on Guia track. The F3 Euro series championship will finish in October and Macau is just a month later, so there’s not enough time to forget what I learn this year. I don’t worry too much and hope I will not loose my driving! (Laughing!!!) N-R: You will team-up with the bike racers of Team Of Paris: Gerald MUTEAU, triple champion of French Endurance, Amaury BARATIN, Vice-world champion Endurance STK, both from France, and the 6 wins-record man of Macau, british Michael RUTTER. Although Bikes and Formula 3 are totally different, do you think their experiences in Macau will bring you advantages? JKV: Of course F3 and bike are completely different but Superbikes are surprisingly fast in Macau with a record lap of 2mn 26sec 6’, to compare with the 2mn 11sec 8’ for the F3. Of course, our cars are much faster in the curves and we can brake much later, but the bikes are reaching an amazing 280kph before Lisboa curve, much faster than our car. It’s very interesting as my “bike” teammates will have other views from the track and it’s always nice to know what they feel, especially from experienced Rutter who won 6 times, and Muteau who finished on the podium last year. Therefore, there’s a lot to share in the team and I’m happy to get their advices about the track. I never race on it, but that will make it more challenging. So, thanks to them in advance for main support. N-R: Macau Grand Prix is a major motorsport event in the world (over 5.4 Billions viewers worldwide), with Le Mans 24h and Monaco F1 GP. The constraints there are terrible: hot and humid weather, in-town track snacking between walls with no way to escape. What will be your strategy for qualification ? JKV: Interesting question and I’d like to get the answer (Laughing!!!). Seriously: during practice, I will learn the track and surely not try to be at 100% because I need to finish the session and to do a lot’s of laps. As usual, the hardest is the last qualification session because we have to take risk without crashing to finish in a good position and have a chance to be on the podium the next day. But because Macau track is so unpredictable, you have to manage the risk permanently and find the right balance. In the past, I was always fast in town track, so I think we will be able to fight for the front lines with my SIGNATURE-VOLKSWAGEN car and I will push for it in the last qualification session, just before the motorbike GP where I will support my teammates who race on Saturday afternoon. JKV: As most of drivers, my target is simple: to win! But like in Monaco or any other circuit built in a city, I know it will be very difficult, simply because of the nature of the track. Of course, I will be a rookie but I have one of the winning cars, with a winning engine provide by VOLKSWAGEN Germany managed by a winning crew and, last but not least, supported by the members of Team Of Paris, I’ve been told the most enthusiast team in Macau Moto GP with members from every continents. So, adding all this in the package is a must to create the conditions, physic + mental, to be in a good shape to reach the top! Anyway, at the end, you always end-up alone in the car and you have to do the job! (Laughing!!!) à bientôt, |