GP3: Five minutes with Renger van der Zande

Q:
Another year, another Championship how are you feeling before the first ever GP3 weekend?

Renger van der Zande:
I am feeling exited! It is time to go racing. After testing and preparing everything we are finally going to the first F1 race weekend. It will be very tense with the short track time and this will probably create some chaos on track. Most of all I am feeling ready for it!

Q:
Tell us how pre-season testing went?

Renger van der Zande:
We had four days in Paul Ricard which we mainly used to understand what the car is like and how it behaves. The last two test days were in Barcelona and compared to Paul Ricard, Barcelona is a lot more representative of the tracks that we will be driving on this year. We learned a lot about several different settings and being in the top 3 the full test was a real positive.

Q:
What is the new car like in comparison to other single-seaters you have driven?

Renger van der Zande:
Like every new category, it had some issues with the cars to solve - saying that, the car has a lot of grip and reasonable power. It is very sensitive on setup changes and not an easy car to drive what makes it challenging!

Q:
Tell us about the team - how involved is Ralf Schumacher who puts the RSC into RSC Mucke?

Renger van der Zande:
I have raced a lot against M?cke in F3 and tested with them in F3 and DTM so it is nice to finally join them! I rate Peter M?cke very highly and get along with him very well. Ralf is a very nice addition to the team and his F1 experience and knowledge about racing is huge. I was really impressed to see him at every test we have done. His input is invaluable with both myself and the team.

Q:
You start at Barcelona, which is a track you have won on before...

Renger van der Zande:
That`s right. I`ve been there three times, it was the scene of my first F3 Euroseries win and last year I won there too. I always enjoy driving there but I am really looking forward to driving there on an F1 weekend.

Q:
As one of the more experienced drivers out there, you are bound to be a championship favourite, is that realistic and how do you feel about the pressure?

Renger van der Zande:
I think experience can make a difference in a new series like this. I think there will be plenty of excitement and things we cannot plan for happening on track! Winning is everything but consistently scoring points will also be very important. I do feel the pressure - and I like it!

van der Zande has made a video of pre-season testing featuring interviews with Ralf Schumacher and other RSC Mucke team members - check it out HERE