Interview to Alvaro Parente

Hello! (The interview was translated by me, so errors are mine, and not of Alvaro Parente…)

Today the interview is to Alvaro Parente, the Portuguese driver, who will drive for Ocean Racing Technology team in GP2 Series 2009 season. Now, is driving to MyTeam Qi-Meritus Mahara in GP2 Asia Series championship. He also has done a test with a Renault F1 car, impressing the people of the French test team.

Alvaro Parente already competed in championships as Spanish F3 (2001, 12^th; 2002, 4^th), with 1 win and 1 pole, European F3 (2003, 25^th), Italian F3 (2003, 9^th), with 1 win and 1 pole, British F3 (2003, 22^th; 2004, 7^th; 2005, 1^st), with 12 wins and 11 poles, A1GP (2005-06, 9^th; 2006-07, 17^th, only with 6 races in last season), World Series by Renault (2006, 5^th; 2007, 1^st), with 5 wins and 2 poles, GP2 (2008, 8^th; 2009, ?). This driver also competed in GP2 Asia Series in 2009, taking in Malaysia Sprint Race the best result, 9^th, with the fastest lap. In GP2 Asia Series 2008-09, was 31^st in the Championship. Now is driving to Ocean Racing Technology in GP2 Series 2009, and in 4 races, the best result was 11^th. Alvaro Parente is now in 18^th in the Championship.

Here are the interview:

1) – How started your passion by racing cars?

[The passion] started with 4 years old, because my family was connected to car competition.

2) – In your opinion what was the best moment in your career? Why?

I had various but perhaps my 1^st victory in GP2 and the victory in Monaco. To win the 1^st race of GP2 was something very special and to win in Monaco is always special.

3) – In your opinion what was the worst moment in your career? Why?

Various also. The most recent was in SPA when I was without brakes when would be 5th in the 2nd Race, and I crashed in the tires over 200kms.
4) – What is the driver (or drivers) that you like most to face in the tracks?

I would like to face Alonso. In GP2 perhaps Grojean. I liked very much to compete with Vettel.

5) – In some moment in your career you thought to be part of a Project almost 100% Portuguese, in a championship as GP2 Series and, it seems in the tests, with chances to win?

No, because  I also don’t thought that there was a portuguese team. The tests are always tests. We should not forget that the team is very new.

6) – In your career you has been, or already had, difficulties to find people that supported you and believe in you?

Of course. All of we in Portugal have lack of supports. Fortunately I was able “surviving”, to have the conditions to advance in career, still that obviously with different conditions of drivers of other countries.
7) – What are the expectations that you have to your future? The test with Renault, in 2008, left some contacts that may help you in the future to get F1?

The engineers that tested with me know my value. To get F1, you need that a lot of things hit right and I can to control the results, so I try to do the better, always.

8 ) – Putting the bad scenery, not to get F1, in which other categories you would like to race in your career?

I am focused 100% in F1, I don’t think in other options.

9) –  Have you some superstition to before the races?

Only the fact of to enter in the car always by the same side, but, perhaps, this is more a question of habit than superstition.
10) – Can you leve a message to your fans?

Thank you by all the care and support that they have accorded me. Besides great followers, they are very participatory. Simply go to the foruns to see that they vibrate with my results and they are always with me, believing in me. Thanks.

If you want, you can to read original interview, in portuguese, here:

http://motorsandworldnews.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/entrevista-a-alvaro-parente/

Next week, the interview will be to Rodolfo Avila. Bye!