Benoit Tréluyer looks back on his victory

After a complicated 2008 season, Benoit Tréluyer started the 2009 season in the best possible way by winning the first round on the Mount Fuji circuit.

“It was very important for me to be present at this first race, after a 2008 exercise made difficult by constant hull problems, but also because Formula Nippon experienced its greatest technical revolution during during the winter. »

Now equipped with a Swift chassis and an engine whose displacement was reduced from 4.0 to 3.4 l, this one-make formula offered many unknowns to drivers and teams. Crowned with the 2006 title, Benoît put all his experience at the service of the Lawson-Impul team for this brand new start. After a studious free practice session, he attacks the qualifications which are now identical to the format F1.

“After passing Q2 without problems, I wanted to test a new setting which caused me to lose 4/10th. I then almost missed Q3. »

He then returns to the initial settings and signs the 3rd beat.

“I limited the damage and favored the warm-up on Sunday morning to refine the settings. As we had never tested the car loaded with gasoline with the new tires, I did most of the driving in these conditions in order to learn more about the behavior of the tires and their wear. The tests were not conclusive at all and the car showed too much roll. We reworked the set-up without success, before analyzing the telemetry readings to find out more. After analysis, we managed to find a solution for the race.

Third at the end of the first turn, the Frenchman then opted for a waiting race.

“Having realized that I had more fuel than them without further degrading my tires, I reduced the gap on the leader Izawa before refueling a lap before him. I then started to push as hard as possible before seeing him come out of the pits right in front of me on the next lap. I then immediately launched an attack which he could not resist: his tires were cold. All I had to do was widen the gap.”

This is enough to reassure Benoit about the many uncertainties that this first round of Formula Nippon entails. Next meeting on May 16 and 17 in Suzuka.