Giovinazzi a little lost at the wheel of a Formula E very different from an F1 | F1only.fr
Italy’s Antonio Giovinazzi – who will be leaving Alfa Romeo at the end of this season to join the Dragon Penske Autosport team in Formula Electric next year – has admitted that driving a Formula E is very different from driving a Formula 1 single-seater.
Formula E has returned to school this week with the first private testing at the Valencia circuit in Spain. Giovinazzi, who will join his new team after the last race of the 2021 Formula 1 season, was able to test for the first time the single-seater with which he will ride from January in the all-electric FIA championship.
The Italian driver admitted having had a bit of trouble adjusting to his new machine, which is very different from what he’s been used to for three years now at Alfa Romeo in Formula 1: » It’s a completely different category. I have already driven a lot of cars, GTs, LMP2s, F1s. Then I got in this car and everything looks so different. » Antonio Giovinazzi explained to the media in Valencia on Tuesday.
“Yesterday I was really confused because I have a lot to learn. But the main problem for me is the braking, because in F1 we can really delay our braking because we have a lot of downforce. Here you can’t. So I have a hard time with that, but I remember when I drove the first GEN1 car in 2018 it was the same thing. «
The Italian also admitted that the mileage was limited throughout the tests, not least because he has to fly to Saudi Arabia where his Alfa Romeo team are waiting for him for the penultimate round of the 2021 F1 season. this weekend, will not leave him sufficient preparation for his first race next January.
“Yesterday afternoon I also lost a few laps, which is not ideal. It was the same this morning and I will also miss the last day because I have to go to Saudi Arabia. So it’s not great, but it is like that and I will focus more on the simulator to adapt to this car. But it is clear that before the first race of the season I will not have many kilometers. I will try to do a lot of simulations at the factory in December and January. «
“It will be a tough part of the season for sure, but we’re going to work really hard and try to be as fit as possible. I still have to race in F1 for two weeks, after that we have the Christmas period. But after Christmas I want to go straight to the factory and try to do a lot of miles in the simulator, just to at least review all the procedures. I won’t have much time of course, but that’s how it is. «
