27/05/2010
NEWS STORY
Canadian Robert Wickens heads into the second weekend of GP3 action looking to extend his points lead on the tough Istanbul Circuit after arriving in Turkey atop the championship standings.
"Going into Istanbul as the points leader is a definite confidence boost. That being said we cannot change our approach and strategy because we are only going into the second event of the season," Wickens said.
"But I am also looking forward to Turkey, we have made a few more improvements to the car, and I feel like I am as confident as ever."
The 21-year-old from Guelph, Ont., delivered back-to-back top-5 finishes in the first two races of the GP3 season three weeks ago in Barcelona to take an early one-point lead in the title standings.
Unlike the first stop in Spain, the 14-turn, 5.338-kilometre Istanbul Park Circuit offers several overtaking opportunities that eluded the Status Grand Prix driver on the tight Barcelona track.
In the first race in Spain, Wickens could not find a way around the leader to take the win despite feeling he had a quick car. He finished a strong second. The second race brought similar frustration as he tried to score his second consecutive podium but played it safe and settled for fourth rather than risk disaster by trying to pass an overly aggressive rival for third. The mature drive ensured he left Spain with the points lead.
While Wickens couldn't stretch his legs as much as he would have liked on the track in Barcelona, he did make some inroads in the Formula One paddock during his weekend in Spain.
"I was able to go into the F1 paddock with a friend and met a few important people. Hopefully, I can keep making a name for myself and in the near future have some serious talks with some teams," he said.
"Being in front of F1 teams could pay dividends by the end of the season. There is no way around it: Some of the right people will be hearing my name and watching my races, even if they are busy and have the race on the TV's in the background."