Dario Franchitti: “It’s another step from that completely, a new learning curve”
Oct 31, 2007
CIA Stock Photos
THE MODERATOR: We’re joined by Dario Franchitti. Quick statement about how your day and a half has been here in Atlanta.
DARIO FRANCHITTI: Interesting. It seems like in the mornings we do better than in the afternoons. There’s a little more grip and it feels slightly closer to what I’m used to. In the afternoons when the track gets really slick, the car’s moving around a lot more and I’m just – the thing I’m getting used to is fighting the limit of this car. And following people actually I’ve managed to see exactly what they’re doing in the car and you can see how a lot of the quick guys the car doesn’t move quite as much as I’m used to.
So that’s the next project is just to get used to that and start searching out the lane that works when it’s hot and it’s kind of been thrown at the deep end coming here to one of the fastest mile and a half tracks never driven a COT or Cup car of any kind. Never driven on a one and a half mile track with a stock car.
So as I say, it’s certainly been a learning experience.
Q Dario, quite a long time ago you were driving in Germany, DTM cars, Burns. And also this is a totally different type of racing, NASCAR. Is there any kind of experience you can take over to NASCAR from the DTM times?
DARIO FRANCHITTI: No, not really. I think the physical side of the racing maybe a little bit. But as far as driving the car, no. It’s completely different. I think the DTM car really did a lot of things you wanted. You could program it to do different corner to corner, but with this car in the car you really have no adjustment and you have to adjust your driving. So, no, it’s another step from that completely, a new learning curve?
Q If all three of you could just kind of give your impressions of Montoya’s rookie season and also just for you three, I mean going into next season, what kind of benchmark or expectations do you think he’s maybe created for you.
JACQUES VILLENEUVE: Juan Pablo did a great rookie season, without any stock car experience. And after having driven one now, it’s obvious to me anyway how difficult a job it is and how good he’s done.
PATRICK CARPENTIER: Basically he’s pretty much the reason we’re all sitting here today because he did so well this year.
DARIO FRANCHITTI: Yeah, I mean I agree with these guys. Working in the team with Juan, you see how well he has adapted and it’s been really helpful to have him on the team because I’m going through that same thing right now. But he’s just done a terrific job this year. And again what Jacques said, having driven the car now, you realize what an impressive job he has done?
Q This question is for all three drivers. How much of your former fan base do you expect will follow you to NASCAR?
JACQUES VILLENEUVE: I guess the ones in Europe might find it a little difficult because it’s not easy to see NASCAR in Europe. But I know I’ve been chatting with people on forums. Some of them have got set up to be able to see what was going on. There’s a fan base in Canada obviously being Canadian, and after having raced in the states and in IndyCar and winning the Indy 500, there was a fan base in the states. So hopefully this will carry on.
PATRICK CARPENTIER: For me hopefully to build a fan base also over here but when we did the race in Montreal, the grandstands were packed with people and they loved it. And they wanted to see the race. I’m thinking about New Hampshire and the racetracks that are fairly close, there should be – Watkins Glen, there should be a lot of people coming. But to build a fan base would also be great.
DARIO FRANCHITTI: I’m hoping a lot of IndyCar fans will come to the races and tune into the Cup races and the Busch races.
In Europe as Jacques said it’s very, very difficult to get the races on live right now and that’s something that we’re going to try to change so we can get the European fans and the fans in the UK, get them into watching the races because when they see how competitive it is and how close it is, I’m sure they’re going to love it.
