After three days of tests in Bahrain, the driver says he is ready for the beginning of the season
The small Formula 2 pre season ended on Friday (31). 20 drivers were at the Sahkir racetrack in Bahrain, where they participated in the last three days of testing before the beginning of the 2017 season.
Sérgio Sette Câmara (SANEPAV | BELL), the only Brazilian driver in the category, which is the main entry door for F-1, was on the track with car # 14 of the Dutch team MP Motorsport. He completed 123 laps totaling over 660 km which, for him, was a complete novelty.
Following the guidance of the experienced engineers and technicians of his team, the driver from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, took advantage of every moment of open track to better assimilate the circuit that will open the Championship in two weeks.
MP Motorsport has different objectives for their two drivers. With Sette Câmara’s teammate, who will make his third season in the category, they chose to seek maximum performance, and with Serginho, the objective was to provide him with the greatest possible chance to learn how to handle both the car and the track.
Several situations were simulated during the three days, and even rain, very rare in this region of the Middle East, made its appearance in their preparation sessions. On Thursday afternoon, in the fourth official training, Câmara established the mark of 1m41s329 and finished in second place. However his times were not valid because of an 800-gram difference in relation to the minimum weight of the set.
On Friday afternoon, the sixth and final training session was held. In racing conditions, with full tank cars and tyres with hard compounds, Sette Câmara finished the day with the fifth overall place.
“I am very satisfied with all the work we have done here in Bahrain and there in Barcelona. Our car was reliable and, above all, fast. My teammate was always among the fastest and when it was my turn to get the most out of the car, I was able to impose my rhythm. Unfortunately, on Thursday’s practice I went to practice race starting at the end of the day and I ended up having one more lap on the track, which spent more fuel and, consequently, was a bit lighter. We practiced time trials as well as racing situations, wet track conditions, pit-stops and race starting. I feel I’m ready for the start of the year, but I’m still very humble and willing to learn every day, as I have done throughout my career,” added the 18-year-old.
The F2 season will have its first round between the 14th and 16th of April on this same track in Bahrain.