Sicard: “Ticktum is a rough diamond to be polished”

Why did you choose Dan Ticktum for this 2020 FIA season? F2 ?

Dan is an extremely talented driver with remarkable driving skills. It should be a rookie year, and for us he is one of those beginners in F2 who can be quick from the start. He does not have much experience in car, but he was able to win very quickly in new categories, notably in Macau for his first race in F3. Then we already knew him a little because we ran him in a few races in GP3 in 2017. So it seemed logical to us to turn to him.

With the reputation that precedes him, it seems like a gamble to bet on such a driver…

In terms of pure speed, no, because it is fast. Afterwards, Dan will have to learn the category. He only has one race in F2 under his belt, he is still green. There's always an element of risk, but he's not the first rookie we've trusted. It worked well with Alex Albon recently. Afterwards, it’s certain that we discussed a lot between us before starting this collaboration. He realized, after his failure in Japan, that talent was not enough. But it's clear that he has this character which makes you think that he will be able to do something in the future. It's a rough diamond to polish. Dan simply must progress in his way of approaching his profession, by being more robust and less sensitive to external factors. The challenge for him will be to grow as a champion. Some have tried and failed. This will be the challenge of the season.

Do you feel he is vindictive about the difficulties he encountered in 2019?

Yes, we feel that he really wants it. He knows that it is an incredible opportunity to ride with us and that he has no right to waste it, that he will have no excuse. He is already very involved. And there is a real desire to question oneself in relation to his time in Japan, which did not go well. Before reaching an agreement with him, we spoke at length. He was told that he was also responsible for his failure there, and that he needed to somewhat rethink the way he worked and interacted. He had time to mature all that because he found himself a little sidelined last year. He understood the message well. Between him and us, respect is already well established. He knows we're not going to make his life easy. We will be in a robust and strong management with him, because we want him to become a champion. He knows that this is the year or never, surely the year of the last chance. I don't sense a desire for revenge in him, rather a desire to show another image.

Have you already felt an evolution since 2017, when he did 5 races at DAMS in GP3?

Yes, we felt it. At the time, he was impatient, young, fiery. This year in testing in Bahrain he didn't ride as much as he wanted due to a technical problem, but he handled it well. Despite the frustration, he was able to stay focused on the essentials. I would say that he is more mature, colder, less in emotion, more in work. Talent is no longer enough, and he knows it.