Ross Ross, Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso discussed on The Autosport Podcast

Automatic TRANSCRIPT

And yeah, he had a great day. He was on cloud 9 when we spoke to him afterwards and he said that when I signed I was 90% happy because the team was, I thought it would be good, but they had not had a superb stars this season. Then when they finished the season said, I was a 100% happy because they'd made this massive improvement and he said now I'm a hundred plus percent happy. So it's going up and up. Yeah, he said that the atmosphere he could feel was so special. He said it's amazing, strive for another iconic brand, having driven for Ferrari as well. He said that he had a bit of left back pain because the seat wasn't quite fitted correctly and things like that in terms of his adjustment so his little things, but he said basically today I was about getting used to all the systems and everything but he's really, really pleased with what he found. So yeah, very happy Fernando Alonso he's I think fully on board thinking I made the right move for next year and there was an interesting comment that someone asked him about the engine reliability, which obviously was such a weak point for our pen this year and cost him so many points and he said that when he was told the mileage of the engine when he got into the car this morning he was a bit worried because he said by my standards that's like really, really high, but around without missing a beat and he said the reliability is outstanding. So yes, already little maybe little veiled digs going towards his former team. About halfway through the day, as you pointed out earlier on your Twitter, Luke Smith, F one, if Alice has won a follow you, he was the first out this morning. I think he was asked halfway through the day how it's going. I forget who it was posted that and I think his answer was, it was different. And it kind of made me think of that. That Friends seen dredging things out of the memory banks where Ross Ross hasn't. Well, tell me about it, then if you want to talk about it, was it better or worse? He goes, wow. It was just different. And I'm like, no, Fernando. Just say it's better. You've left your old team. He was then asked. Was it better? Better different. And he just smiled and didn't say anything. Funny. And let's talk a little bit about Haas actually. And their drivers today. Yeah, Nico hulkenberg, he's back in an F one car. He's finally obviously announced last Thursday. He swept him yesterday as well, and he's ready to return to F one for the first time in what three years next year. And today was important for him to get fully up to pace, obviously. He said he was dragging a little bit physically towards the end said there was sort of human degradation going on in terms of just doing the laps. He did a 110 laps, so I think that's to be expected. For any number fans out there, I'm treating all the fans of various niches today. He did a one minute 27.000 and his number is 27, so that's a brief moment of satisfaction in the media center. Let's talk, oh, and who was he driving with today? Pietro Fittipaldi. Yes, as you say, Emerson's grandson. He's been reserved, obviously, for the past couple of years, made two Grand Prix starts at the end of 2020 when Roman Grosjean had his accident, but as the rules say it's two or less starts, he is eligible as a rookie for this test. And yeah, it's unclear what he's going to be doing next year with Haas if he's going to continue with the team or not against Steiner said in Brazil, it kind of depends on what Pietro wants to do in terms of racing, how available is, but yeah, that's something to keep an eye on. AlphaTauri, just to finish off the last couple of teams, who was driving for them today. So they had Nick de vries making his debut for them, he's on loan from Mercedes still he's been Mercedes reserve driver for the past couple of years. We didn't get a chance to speak to him. He was also in unbranded overalls, but the car was fully decked up. He did more laps than anybody else there, a 151, so that's a real mammoth, stint by him in the car, but a good chance for him to kind of get scripts with where things are at. And they had Yuki Snowden on the other side of the garage here. Yeah, also did a huge number of laps a 135, so what two 8 6? That's a lot of laps in the day for Alfa towery. So yeah, very productive by them. A different running and different intensity, but almost doing a three or two and a half race distance over a day again. It's going to take its time a little bit sore. I imagine tomorrow, but he's fine. He can he can cope with that. And finally, Williams, fill us in. Yeah, Logan Sargent confirmed finally as a Formula One driver yesterday, we knew he had the super license we knew it was coming, but they made that final announcement yesterday after noon. And he said, yeah, it felt a little bit different today getting in the car knowing like I'm not this isn't an FP one and it's not like I've got to be super gentle and make sure that I don't crash it and also I get my hundred kilometers in the super license point that he can now just go for it with

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