Fat Burner Racing Engineering is looking forward to the sixth round of the 2009 GP2 Championship taking place this weekend at the Hungaroring, close to the Hungarian capital Budapest. The team's president, Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon, looks back onto the first half of the season, but also shares his thoughts about the upcoming events. Keeping in mind that the Spanish team 'tends to to well under warmer conditions', and both drivers are used to the heat, scoring good points should be the realistic objective for Lucas Di Grassi and Dani Clos.

Alfonso, the GP2 Series has now completed the first half of the 2009 season. Fat Burner Racing Engineering is third in the Championship with 26 points, Lucas Di Grassi is fifth in the drivers standings and Dani carries on gaining experience.

Would you say that things are going according to your initial plans or were you expecting more?
Alfonso de Orleans-Borbon: Yes and no. This is a very competitive championship where it's very difficult to always be on top. But saying that, we have a very good car which our drivers are happy with. It's also very reliable. Sadly, they just keep on having bad luck and drivers running into them, which obviously doesn't help with getting points. Overall, we are doing what is right, so I am not too worried. Both drivers are great to work with. They understand what it takes to win.

Since the beginning of the season we have seen a lot of competitiveness and all the teams and drivers are pushing hard for race wins. This must surely put some strain on drivers like Lucas Di Grassi, who has been tipped as one of the favorites to take the crown...
AdOB: Again, I don't think others are putting pressure on him. He just wants the best possible results and it must be frustrating when drivers crash into him. The good thing about Lucas is that he can switch off and get the job done. I think this differentiates him for the rest of the field.

We have seen how Dani Clos is improving steadily race after race, and he has surprised many with his overtaking skills and even his great starts, but then it seems like the results do not come. What do you think is going wrong?
AdOB: Nothing really. Remember, he is one of the youngest in the field. He has a lot to learn still and never makes the same mistake twice. He has tremendous talent and is one of the quickest drivers I have ever met. His time will come. Sooner rather than later.

Lucas has also had his part of bad luck as we saw two weeks ago at the Nurburgring...
AdOB: Like I said, if drivers run into him, it's not too much we can do about it. I am just surprised that the penalties are not harsher for incidents like that.

Low temperatures played an important role in the last two events in Great Britain and Germany, but the next races will take place in Hungary and Valencia, under warmer conditions. How will this influence the Fat Burner Racing Engineering drivers' performance?
AdOB: We tend to do quite well in warmer weather. So I don't envision a problem. Remember, we are Europe's Southern most team, so we are used to hot weather.

How challenging can the races at the Hungaroring be for the Fat Burner Racing Engineering team?
AdOB: No real difference to how we normally work except that the drivers need to be hydrated properly and hopefully the race will not cause them too much heat stress. Then again, a Brazilian and a Spaniard... don't think it should be a problem.