Jerome d’Ambrosio is looking forward to becoming the first Belgian to start his home Grand Prix since 1994 this weekend.
D’Ambrosio said: “I have been looking forward to my first Formula One Belgian Grand Prix for a very long time, and now that the weekend has finally arrived I have to say that I am really excited and I can?óÔé¼Ôäót wait to race in front of my home fans.
“It?óÔé¼Ôäós been a long time since Belgium had a Formula One driver ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ exactly 18 years since Thierry Boutsen last raced in an F1 car. So it’s going to be a very special weekend both for me and the fans and I?óÔé¼Ôäóm going to try to enjoy every moment.”
Boutsen was the last Belgian to enjoy success in Formula 1, winning three races.
The last Belgian to race at Spa was Philippe Adams for Lotus in 1994. He qualified last, 1.5 seconds slower than any other driver, and spun out after 15 laps.
D’Ambrosio added: “There?óÔé¼Ôäós nothing like racing at home and Spa is clearly one of my absolute favourite circuits.
“Its layout gives everything one could want as a driver ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ fast corners, hills and long straights. It really is one of the most challenging laps in the world. And we can?óÔé¼Ôäót forget the legendary corner of Eau Rouge. It?óÔé¼Ôäós just amazing!
“It?óÔé¼Ôäós been great to have a break and chill out with my friends and family, staying away from planes and hotels. I am now fully prepared for the weekend in Spa and I?óÔé¼Ôäóm really looking forward to getting back in the car and racing at home.”
2011 Belgian Grand Prix
- Rate the race result: 2011 Belgian Grand Prix
- In the Paddock Club and in the stands at Spa
- Leimer’s crash and in the pits at McLaren – fans’ videos from Spa
- 2011 Belgian Grand Prix: complete race review
- Vote for your Belgian GP driver of the weekend
- Red Bull: Newey relieved after “scariest race ever”
- McLaren: Button hit by debris in first-lap scare
- Ferrari: Harder tyres still the car’s weakness
- Mercedes: Schumacher climbs 19 places to fifth
- Renault: Petrov buoyed by R31 upgrades
Image ?é?® Virgin Racing
SoLiDG
22nd August 2011, 17:18
Adams was a pay driver with zero talent.
We don’t like to be reminded of him :)
PieLighter
22nd August 2011, 17:56
Remind you of anyone? Someone from last year, perhaps? ;)
matt90 (@matt90)
22nd August 2011, 18:33
Hardly surprising that Ambrosia decided to gloss over him.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
22nd August 2011, 21:33
He needs some good results, the way Robert Wickens is racking them up in WSR…
Alfie
22nd August 2011, 22:59
I bet Jerome does the same as Adams :P
Fixy (@)
23rd August 2011, 19:09
He might even qualify last, but his talent is superior to Adams’.
Tom
22nd August 2011, 23:10
Considering the great weekend Robert Wickens had at Silverstone, D’Ambrosio better have a very special weekend.
lachy
23rd August 2011, 0:54
i swear to god this guy has had the quietest season in entire paddock
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd August 2011, 7:22
Not necessarily a bad thing if you’re a rookie!
bosyber
23rd August 2011, 10:20
He had that nice pit-lane pirouette though :)
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd August 2011, 13:21
His talent is clearly wasted on F1 ;)
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd August 2011, 7:25
I hope he has a good weekend, I’ll keep an eye out for him.
OmarR-Pepper (@)
23rd August 2011, 15:22
In his favour it can be the local track (I guess he has raced here lots of times), but against him is the car performance. Probably it would be a good idea to make a strategy of running a single lap with soft tyres, usually the final lap, like Vettel and Massa did this year (which track was it?) because it’s hard to imagine him on the points. But let’s see. lso Belgium and its treacherous weather can help if he manages to survive a probable rain