Charlotte, North Carolina – FIRST Motorsport called a press conference at the team’s headquarters in Charlotte to announce their 2019 driver lineup. Participants in the press conference included Team Principal Adam Blocker and drivers Oleksandr Zozulya, Felix Perez, and Stefan Klien. A full transcript of the press conference is included below.
Reporter: Let’s get straight to it. Adam, what will FIRST’s driver lineup be for next season? Adam Blocker: “I am pleased to announce that FIRST Motorsport will carry over its lineup from 2018 into 2019. This means that Oleksandr and Felix will continue to be our race drivers, while Stefan will continue in his role as the team’s test driver. We have been impressed by the performances of all of our drivers and decided that it was in the best interests of the team to have some continuity in our driver lineup.” R: Awesome. To each of the drivers: what is your take on the 2018 season so far and why have you decided to remain with the team in 2019? Oleksandr Zozulya: “The 2018 season has definitely been rough compared to 2017. I got used to fighting for points and even podiums but recently it has been a stretch to even fight for points. Ultimately the decision to remain with the team was not a difficult decision however, as I have seen the potential of this team first hand and I have had lengthy discussions with the engineers on the team about why 2018 has gone the way it has. I think the team’s engineers have a good handle on what needs to change for 2019 and I think our performances on track will dramatically improve. In addition, FIRST has been behind me for a long time. They funded my progression through the youth system and without their support I might not be in Formula Virtual in the first place. It would mean everything to me to accomplish my dreams with a team that has given me so much.” R: Wow, great answer Oleksandr. Felix? Felix Perez: “Similar to Oleksandr, the team has been behind me since early in my youth career. I have found a home here and I see the potential for the team to grow into something big. 2018 has not gone as well as I hoped but it has also provided me with an opportunity to become accustomed to Formula Virtual in an environment with less pressure. I have learned a lot this season and I hope to apply what I have learned next season when we will have a more competitive car.” R: Stefan? Stefan Klien: “So far VWRS has been rollercoaster for me. Lots of retirements but also lots of good results. Despite the retirements, I am still in contention for the title. This is really encouraging for me and if I win the title it will prove that I am ready for Formula Virtual.” R: Adam, how do you deal with keeping Stefan as a test driver for 2019 when his results in VWRS have been as good as they are? AB: “For sure Stefan is making the driver lineup decision tough at FIRST. But that is a sign of a strong set of drivers, we should have this internal competition if we are going to become better as a team. Personally, I think that Stefan has a good shot at the VWRS title and is probably ready for Formula Virtual in 2019, but we do not have any seats available for him. If a great offer comes up for Stefan to race next season in the top tier I am open to entertaining that, but generally I would prefer to have Stefan stay within the team to continue to learn how we operate and to develop both his driving and his knowledge of the car.” R: Adam, all the drivers up here are a product of FIRST’s youth academy. What are the plans for FIRST’s youth academy? AB: “As you mention, our youth academy system has been one of the most successful in the paddock. All three drivers that have entered it are now in our FV team and are on track to have successful careers in Formula Virtual. And our drivers have regularly competed for FV2 and VWRS titles from the beginning of the program. At the beginning of 2018 we did not see any talent that interested us, so we did not sign anyone. This meant our youth system was a little empty. Fortunately, we found some talent in the form of a young American: Scott Jackson. Scott currently leads the VARS championship as a rookie. He is still early in his career, but we hope to support him and hopefully help him become the next American Formula Virtual star, something that FV needs for it to catch on more in the United States.” R: Lastly, we have not heard any news regarding where FIRST and Ford are in the engine market for 2019. Can you give us any information there? AB: All I can say is that FIRST are actively in discussions with a couple of teams regarding potential engine partnerships. So there you have it. FIRST Motorsport's FV lineup remains the same for 2019 despite the team's 2018 struggles. It will be interesting to see how Perez and Zozulya perform in 2019 with what hopefully will be a better car for FIRST's sake. Hopefully the promising Stefan Klien gets a shot at FV in the future as well. Comments are closed.
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