F1Weekly podcast # 625
The Swami is in Maryland and the Host is alone in the F1weekly palatial studios but thanks to Skype podcast # 625 their Grand Prix of Spain preview.
And for the Bonus round Here is an update from India Motorsports…
Young Indian racer Parth Ghorpade will test a Formula F3 car at the Ferrari Driver Academy in the second week of May as part of his prize for winning the Formula Pilota Asian Championship last year. The Academy is an initiative aimed at helping develop young talent taken from motor sport arenas worldwide with the aim of training them for a future in F1.
The programme is under the guidance of Luca Baldisserri, the race engineer to Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger, Eddie Irvine and most importantly 7 time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
Parth was excited at the prospect of heading to the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA). He commented, “I am really looking forward to testing the F3 car at the Ferrari Driver Academy. Ferrari is a name that goes hand in hand with Motorsport and it is an honour for me to be present at the Academy. The FDA not only helps in training the drivers, but looks at the physical and mental preparation as well. It will also give me a better understanding of how a big team works and what is required to be successful in racing. I met Mr. Luca Baldisserri in Vallelunga and had told him we had trouble fitting in the time for the test and he immediately fixed it for May so a big thank you to him and the entire FDA team and also BVM Racing who introduced me to him.”
Parth, who is currently participating in the Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS Championship, will have a tight month ahead of him as he continues to test and race with BVM Racing. Parth will head to Italy for a two day test in the Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS car before heading to Fiorano to the Ferrari Driver Academy. The second round of the ALPS Championship will be held at Imola, Italy on May 12.
Parth added, “The two day test will be very important to get a better understanding of the car and prepare us for the race in Imola. Imola is a circuit with so much history and one which looks very challenging to drive on. We should be in better shape for Imola so looking forward to racing there.“
The Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS, is one of the most competitive feeder series for the Formula Renault 3.5 championship. The Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS, powered by the Clio III Renault Sport engine, has a paddle-operated 7-speed sequential gearbox, with 210 bhp and push rod suspension.
19 year-old Ghorpade is the 2012 Formula Pilota Asian Champion, a five-time National Karting Champion, and runner-up in the inaugural 2010 Volkswagen Polo Cup India.
[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/mp3.f1weekly.com/podcasts/05-02-13f1weekly625.mp3]