07/05/2009
NEWS STORY
Ocean Racing Technology will make its debut in the GP2 Main Series championship in Spain this coming weekend. After only 5 meetings in the GP2 Asia series, which were basically used as a dress rehearsal for the Main Series, the Portuguese team will make its first appearance in the Formula One feeder series on European soil. The circuit de Catalunya, located in the suburbs of Barcelona Spain, is a layout that the team's two drivers, Karun Chandhok and Alvaro Parente, know like the back of their hands and as the team's Indian driver points out, the results obtained by the team in winter testing are encouraging. "I think all the conditions are there for us to make a good debut in the championship. The tests that took place in Barcelona were very competitive and tight but our review was positive. The circuit de Catalunya is not one of my favourite but I think we could make a good impression there."
Alvaro Parente is also relying on his own capabilities and those of the Ocean Racing Technology team... "I have the deep conviction that we could get some very good results, and more precisely to fight with the leaders" explained the Portuguese driver who won in Barcelona last year. "I am really motivated to defend Ocean Racing Technology's colours."
Optimism is also in the hearts of the team's two directors of the team, Tiago Monteiro and Jose Guedes. Tiago knows that the races can be very close and that the smallest imperfection can compromise the weekend completely. However, Tiago is very confident ahead of Ocean Racing Technology's debut season. "Ocean Racing Technology was born in a very short space of time and we worked hard to create a structure which is able to be competitive at the highest level. We have to underline that this is our first victory. We succeeded in organizing a group of great professionals; they are our own dream team. We dominated the testing in Barcelona and showed that we could set ambitious targets for the championship. In Barcelona this weekend we will find out if we finetuned the car and got the best set-up for this track in these conditions. Moreover, we can count on two experienced drivers: Alvaro won the first race of Barcelona in 2008 and Karun is generally competitive on this track."
Meanwhile, Jose Guedes recognizes that Ocean Racing Technology is entering a crucial phase in its life and that the Barcelona weekend is a new challenge just waiting to be conquered in the team's very young career. "We had a few days to put everything in place for the Asian championship and we are satisfied with the points we secured. Obviously there is a long way to go and we have a lot of work ahead if we want to do better have gotten off on the right foot. We identified certain aspects of the race that we can improve. Ten race weekends lay ahead of us, they will be tight and the fact that we share the Formula One paddock is an exceptional show-case for the team and its drivers. One of Ocean Racing Technology's ambitions is to serve as a springboard for the pinnacle of the motorsport."
On May 9 and 10, Ocean Racing Technology will use its new livery for the first time. Weather forecast bodes well with a clear sky and maximum temperatures above 21 degrees C. Qualifying will take place on Friday May 8 at 14.00 GMT the first race on Saturday May 9 at 14.00 GMT and the second race on Sunday May 10 at 08.30 GMT.