Q&A: Pedro de la Rosa - EXCLUSIVE.
by Russell Atkins
For the past five years, Pedro de la Rosa has 📖formed an integral part of McLaren-Mercedes' Formula 1 efforts, as the Woking-based outfit's official test and reserve driver.
With the dawn of the 2008 campaign now not far away, the experienced Spaniard - who has competed in 72 grands prix in the top flight for McLaren, Jaguar and Arrows - spoke to mahbx.com Radio about th🎃e team's fight back 🦄from the controversy of 2007, and the honour of being the first person to get behind the wheel of its new MP4-23 challenger out on-track...
by Russell Atkins
For the past fi🌌ve years, Pedro de la Rosa has formed an integral part of McLaren-Mercedes' Formula 1 efforts, as the Woking-based outfit's official test and reserve driver.
With the dawn of the 2008 campaign now not far away, the experienced Spaniard - who has competed in 72 grands prix in the top flight for McLaren, Jaguar and Arrows - spoke to mahbx.com Radio about the team's🎶 fight back from the controversy of 2007, a♚nd the honour of being the first person to get behind the wheel of its new MP4-23 challenger out on-track...
Q:
Pedro, how excited are you a༒s we look to 2008, and how good a year do you think it will be for 🐼McLaren?
Pedro de la Rosa:
It's early days really - we're so far away from where we want to be and we have so much work in front of us. As a test-driver and someone who has alr𒉰eady driven seven McLaren-Mercedes'🃏, I know there's a lot still to come. I prefer to be cautious and do the best job possible, but we are keeping our feet on the ground.
Q:
You were the first driver to drඣive the new car in Jerez; how much of an honour was that for you?
PdlR:
It was a pretty special feature, especially because I've been in the te💮am since 2003 and this was the eighth McLaren-Mercedes car I have driven. It's quite something, when you ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚthink that I was the first one and that the team trusted me so much to give me that chance.
Q:
McLaren had a tough year off the track in 2007;🍨 how easily do you think the team will be able to bounce back from that in 2008?
PdlR:
We just have do work, keep our heads down and not change. I think the key is tಌo just be ourselves; we are a very strong group, the engineering side of McLaren is very strong and we just have to stay together. What we have achieved already is very, very good; we just need one step more.
Q:
Talking of h🧸ard work, has there been much rest within the team over the winter period, or has it remained flat-out since last season finished?
PdlR:
For a driver it's always easier; the winter is a period when you have time for a break, especially over Christmas. For the team back in Woking, Stuttgart and Brixworth, they have been flat-out all winter. It's the same for everyone. For us [drivers], though, we have an easy life during the winter; we can take a break whilst the engineers, mechanics and a lot of the people in the factory don't h💛ave that luxury.
Q:
On the subject of drivers, Heikki Kovalainen has obviouslꦬy joined McLaren this y๊ear. What has he brought to the team so far?
PdlR:
I don't know yet - I need to start working with him. He's a new team member and I will work closely with him, learn from him and start from there. It's early days - I'll know more in 🍸a few months' time - but he will have all my help.
Q:
Finally, h🤡ow tough a battle do you think it will be with Ferrari again this year, a💎nd are there any other teams that can maybe get in the mix too, like Renault or BMW?
PdlR:
I'm sure it's not going to be a head-to-head between two teams; it's going to be a more open championship, and the compet💟ition from many teams will be fiꩲerce. We just have to be aware of that and not be over-confident.