Haas F1 test and reserve driver Louis Deletraz speaks about his expanded role along with F2 and Le Mans goal plus future in an exclusive interview.
With lockdown in place, FormulaRapida.net is trying to bring as many fresh content and for that reason we here have an exclusive chat with Haas F1 test and reserve Deletraz, who is to compete in F2 full-time in 2020 with Charouz Racing System.
He has Le Mans 24 Hours also line-up along with a GT race. Here Deletraz speaks about all those races while adding about his current training regime amid COVID-19 pandemic. He is to represent Haas along with Pietro Fittipaldi in F1 Virtual GP.
Here’s the full Lockdown Q&A with Louis Deletraz:
Q) First of all, how are you feeling these days? What are your main activities during the day to keep yourself entertained?
Louis Deletraz: “I’m feeling great. I’m healthy, everyone around me as well, so this is good news. It’s a really boring situation to be locked down in house but we have to be careful and try to stop the virus spreading. As an activities, I do sports, most of them indoor but I also do some cycling outdoor.
“Basically, I do a lot of simulator but also gaming, Netflix as well and then read some books. And of course I keep in touch with family and friends, calling, texting. There’s no much we can do, in general everything you can do at home.”
Q) Otherwise, what are you doing to keep yourself fit and with a good shape? What kind of training are you doing at home with the simulator, with physical activities?
Deletraz: “I train inside gym everything I can do with body weight: Push ups, Sit ups, not to much because I don’t have a gym at home but I also go running or cycling outside. Right now, I’m in the countryside so I have some space to these things which in the city center would be impossible, and I’m quite lucky and happy about it.
“I play a lot on the simulator with a lot of other racing drivers, we are good friends, we have some simulation races in ESports. So the cool thing is that everyone is at home and we all can play together, because it never happens that all the drivers are at home at the same time.”
Q) It was confirmed that you will keep going with your development role at Haas. How do you feel about it?
Deletraz: “It feels really good, actually I’m a reserve driver thanks to the superlicence, so that means I can get in the car anytime. I will keep doing my development role this year, of course, that’s my main purpose, I’ve been doing it now for almost two years, and we have a very strong relationship with Haas and all the engineers.
“Guenther Steiner and Gene Haas trust in me into this, into the job, which is a nice feeling and I’m very happy to be a reserve driver in F1, for me it’s a big achievement that gets me closer to the dream.”
Q) If you have a good season in F2 this year, let’s say you classify within the Top 4, would you have the chance to be in F1 with Haas in 2021?
Deletraz: “Well, hopefully I can get the chance. Basically, for sure, If we put it clear I don’t have a budget to buy a seat in F1, so it has to come from performance. I’m into F2, with a strong team, I’m experienced so I want to win, I want to be always fighting on the front and then we will see where we end up.
“I’m sure Haas with Gene and Guenther will follow the season and hopefully if it goes well they will give me the chance. I honestly don’t know, we didn’t speak about it but I will do all my best to impress them as much as I can.”
Q) As well, your programme was set to compete in Le Mans and Spa in the WEC with Rebellion, so if everything comes to normality you will have a very busy season ahead. Excited and ready to compete on the WEC?
Deletraz: “Yes, the truth is I have a crazy programme: F2, F1 as a reserve and development driver, WEC in Spa and Le Mans with Rebellion on LMP1, plus a GT Race with Porsche at Paul Ricard. We don’t know how everything is going to end up with the calendar but I’m really hoping FIA will make sure Le Mans doesen’t clash with F2 because that would be a very, very, very big shame for me.
“Also, for other drivers that are sharing duties like Formula E, DTM with Le Mans, is tough because we don’t want to miss this race. But for me it’s a very exciting season, being able to race in Le Mans on LMP1 in a car that can fight for the win in the general classification, I couldn’t dream better than this.”
Q) How do you see this pan out, when can we get back into racing, you reckon?
Deletraz: “Honestly I have no idea when everything will be started, I think that is all up to Governments. I’m not a doctor, so I try to listen the things on the media and some things are clear, some things are not clear. So I believe this quarantine at home for three weeks will not stop everything, it will not disappear.
“For sure it’s not ideal to be in this situation but you can’t be for two years alone at home, so I believe Government will find the right solution, hopefully they will find a treatment, and we will be able to keep going soon.
“F1 has said that wants to start around July, Le Mans is set for September, so it seems like they know circumstances around this time but probably not after. Most important right now is not really motorsport, it’s more about the health of people and the economy, so that’s the first thing for now.”
Louis Deletraz will streaming live later on on his Twitch channel, where he joins Fittipaldi to represent Haas in Virtual GP: https://www.twitch.tv/louisdeletraz
Here’s Haas confirming Pietro Fittipaldi and Louis Deletraz
Here’s Romain Grosjean speaking on multiple topics
Here’s Netflix releasing an unseen footage of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen
Here’s Guenther Steiner on prep by Haas for 2020
Here’s an exclusive interview with Romain Grosjean