WTCR – Lag of Slovakia Lag 3 virtual press conference transcript

WTCR Lag of Slovakia, Slovakia Ring, October 9-11

WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup, rounds 5, 6 and 7 of 16

Circuit Lounge, Slovakia Ring, October 11, 2020

In attendance:

Nicky Catsburg, Engstler Hyundai N Liqui Moly Racing Team, first situation

Jean-Karl Vernay, Team Mulsanne, 2nd situation

Nathanaël Berthon, Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, third situation

Q:

Nicky, you had been side by side with Norbert Michelisz and then made a high-quality, dapper getaway. Talk us thru that originate of the urge.

NC:

The originate became in actuality immense. We’ve been struggling with our begins all weekend and we changed some parameters. I fair jumped two automobiles and went from P3 to comely mighty equal with the 2 automobiles in front. Into Turn 1 I mediate I braked the most fresh and then me and Norbi had been side by side, and I saved it around the exterior and he slowed down, and I mediate he got grew to turn out to be around into Turn 2, which gave me a small gap. I could perchance perchance preserve that gap, nonetheless it absolutely became now not easy because JK did now not develop any errors so I had to preserve on pushing up until about four laps from the highest. It began to turn out to be a small bit simpler, his tyres had been long previous and mine had been pretty OK. The crew did an phenomenal job with the location-up. We already noticed in Lag 2 that the car became fair correct, nonetheless constantly in traffic, so we didn’t in actuality extinguish any adjustments because we knew if the car became out in front the car would be immense. It became and it grew to turn out to be out amazing – my first score in WTCR and likewise first score for the crew, so immense result.

Q:

We conception perchance your tyres had been dropping off, nonetheless you are obviously comely overjoyed how your automobile became going thru them.

NC:

There became a drop after the first two laps. I knew that first lap, I became now not in a position to extinguish that all all over again and then the gap went from 1.2s in front to 0.9s and I believed ‘oh shit, here we recede. He’s coming towards me’. But fortunately the gap more or less maintained and in the highest I ogle it became becoming simpler so my tyres had been lasting a extensive longer than his.

Q:

It’s been a true a hit trot for you, hasn’t it, following the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Indianapolis 8 Hours.

NC:

It’s been going in actuality successfully the final couple of weeks and for sure you want to some success as successfully. Optimistically I’m in a position to proceed this trot next week and the week after since the season is now not carried out but.

Q:

Jean-Karl, you had a immense originate, then a small fight with Norbi. Talk us thru that.

JKV:

Yes, it became a immense originate. I became P7 on the grid and can overtake all people old to Turn 1 and I became correct in the support of Norbi, who became on the within. I fair wished to be on his butt and to come support with him to Turn 2, nonetheless he braked 50 metres old to the corner where it’s a flat corner. For some motive he braked comely onerous and I hit him. I’m sorry for him, it became now not my intention and I in actual fact enjoy fair correct family with Norbi, he’s a extremely vivid driver. But I mediate he fair wished to let Nicky previous on the exterior nonetheless I became there. Sorry for him nonetheless I couldn’t extinguish the leisure. After that I tried to come support support at Nicky, the car felt fair correct, nonetheless he became rather too like a flash and by the highest I became fair managing the tyres to be sure we carried out P2. Overall I’m colossal-overjoyed, total it became a apt weekend. Not overjoyed about what came about in Lag 2, the battle became fully pointless and what I wished to inform is to be sure that that that Néstor is doing successfully, even if I don’t enjoy to apologise for the leisure about that, nonetheless I hope he’s doing successfully. It shouldn’t be the ingredient I love, when other persons are getting so aggressive. It came about to me five cases on the first lap. I’m overjoyed to pass away and to return house, I serene enjoy it [in my heart] and I didn’t worship all of this.

Q:

Nate, it’s immense to pass making an strive to search out you on the rostrum, nonetheless I know you are going to in actuality feel you are in the harmful chair. Talk us thru your urge.

NB:

Yeah, for sure, it became an phenomenal weekend for us. I’m very grateful for my crew, they did an phenomenal job. Two pole positions, one score, one podium, it became very fair correct. My most high-quality weekend to this level, so I’m overjoyed with that. In Lag 3 due to the the incident in Lag 2 the guys couldn’t repair all the pieces in the car. In Lag 2 the car became phenomenal old to the contact. So a small bit of frustration certainly, nonetheless in the highest we managed some aspects.

Q:

How extinguish you recount you are going to vivid on the Hungaroring?

NB:

The Budapest circuit is one of my favourites. Within the previous I in actual fact enjoy constantly been lucky there. We’ll see. Thanks to our sturdy qualifying efficiency here we can enjoy 20kg more and in Hungary that will most likely be a extensive quandary. For sure, we’re looking ahead to now to now not be as like a flash as here, nonetheless we would be working to minimise it.