Less then 3 weeks away for the RaceDepartment Formula Pro Championship to start. So lets sit down for a little interview with one of the drivers Martin Bulgin who will participate in this top notch open wheeler league for rFactor enthusiasts.
IS: You finished 5th last season with driving very consistent. Is the 5th place again a aim for you or do you think you can improve on that?
MB: I think it will be harder this season for me to finish in the top five, although i will be trying, there are a lot of fast guys on the grid and once again consistency will play a part for anyone who wants to finish in the top five at the end of the season.
IS: RD Formula Series is using a different mod then last season. Are you adapting oke to the new mod?
MB: The main difference in feel for me is that last seasons mod had a tendency to lose the rear end of the car quite easily, thats not to say you cant with the current mod but the car does feel more stable. I have enjoyed driving the new mod more and more as we progressed through the pre season events, I still need to do more testing to understand the tyre compounds a bit better.
IS: Your are a RD Formula Series regular and a well known driver on the grid. You think you have a edge on some new drivers this season with your experience?
MB: An edge, hmmm, maybe maybe not, some of the new guys may not be used to running full GP length races, it's a lot different to a twenty minute sprint, it can be quite intense and fatigue can start to set in, there is also the strategy side of running full length races, how many stops shall I make ? what compound tyres shall I use ? how much fuel do I take ? these are all things you need to test for in the weeks before a race.I go by the 7 p'sProper Planning and Preparation Prevents P*** Poor Performance
IS: Wich track are looking forward to and you think you can achieve the best result?
MB: All of the tracks chosen for this season I like, some more than others but it's a good mix, I am probably looking forward to Montreal the most, it's a proper F1 circuit and I always enjoy racing there, usually one mistake means you are into the wall and limping back to the pits for repairs, so if you are consistent and stay out of trouble a good points finish is possible, The Nurburgring is a bit of a favorite as well, it's got a bit of everything.
IS: You have any special practice routines to get ready for the race day?
MB: Not really anything special, I usually start work on a setup a couple of weeks before a race and then with a week to go I will do a little practice every day and tweak my setup, I think you can practice too much though and overdo it sometimes which can be counter productive. On race day I like to get on the server fairly early check everything is ok and have a look at some of the opposition, see how they are running try and work out how much down force guys are running from their top speeds that sort of thing, maybe pick up a tip or two, although it can be a big mistake if you decide to go with a completely different setup an hour or two before the race to the one you have been working on for two weeks.
IS: Thanks for your time Martin. And i wish you all the luck this season.
MB: Thanks Ivo it's been a pleasure.
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