No question of resting for Nicolas Prost and Sébastien Buemi. The whole team has been working flat out to prepare the second North American round of the championship.
Prost, who scored a great victory last month in Miami to take the lead in the drivers’ championship, is keeping his cool and is 100 per cent concentrated: “Since the start of the season we’ve been in the mix and winning the race in Miami has done us a lot of good. But it hasn’t changed the way we prepare for the next event and we’ve no intention of reducing the pressure.”
Sébastien Buemi, though, has been hit by bad luck in the last two rounds, which hasn’t dented his optimism: “The last two events were a bit difficult for me. However, Nicolas is in the lead in the drivers’ championship and e-dams is in first place the teams’ classification. So it’s just a question of success and I know the wheel’s going to turn in my favour.”
Prost lived in the United States for four years so he’s in familiar territory. For Sébastien, on the other hand, it’s a first in Los Angeles. And they both like the track!
Nicolas: “It’s quite a lot different of Miami. There are several straights so it’s quicker. It should also be cooler and that’s a help. The keys to success will again depend on a good result in qualifying and in energy and temperature management.”
Sébastien too is feeling pretty optimistic: “The layout uses part of the Indy car circuit. It’s very wide and that changes things compared to the previous tracks. It’s also got some good, quick corners and it’ll be an interesting challenge from a driver’s point of view. As the temperature won’t be as high as in Miami we can try a few new things in the way we use the batteries. In any case we’re ready for a great race.”
There’s no doubt that e.dams-Renault has arrived to ramp up the voltage at Long Beach!
Fanboost
Virgilia Landrain (marketing manager): “Remember that the fanboost gives the three drivers chosen by on-line voting the opportunity to enjoy an extra forty bhp in the race for five seconds on each car they use. For Long Beach the provisional classification gives this boost to Nelson Piquet, Sam Bird and Jean-Eric Vergne. Fanboost is a real innovation in this Championship because the fans can be part of the race and create a possible difference to the final result. We’re inviting all Nicola’s and Sébastien’s fans to subscribe and vote for them. This push to pass might help to get a new victory!
The classification before Long Beach
Drivers’ championship. 1. Prost, 67 points ; 2. Di Grassi (Audi-Abt), 60 points ; 3. Bird (Virgin), 52 ; … 5. Buemi, 43.
Teams’ championship. 1. e.dams-Renault, 110 points ; 2. Abt-Audi, 79 ; 3. Virgin, 78.