Fairuz Fauzy chosen for orientation at ING Renault F1 Team’s plant in Enstone
A true springboard to the upper echelons of Motor Sport, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series is a breeding ground for Formula 1 stars of the future. In order to acclimatize the Formula Renault 3.5 Series drivers to the rarefied atmosphere where research, high performance and high technology are the watchwords, ING Renault F1 Team welcomed Fairuz Fauzy and other selected drivers to its Enstone plant for a two-day orientation programme that took place on the 6th and 7th of July 2009, right after the Silverstone leg of the World Series. The bespoke programme was conducted by industry-leading instructors, where Fairuz Fauzy and the other drivers were given a taste of what will be expected of them should they achieve their ultimate goal to compete in Formula 1.
The first day of the orientation programme took place at the ING Renault F1 Team headquarters. Re?mi Deconinck, Renault Sport Technologies’ Managing Director welcomed the participants, followed by an introduction to the Enstone plant conducted by Rob Bell, ING Renault F1 Team’s Chassis Technical Director. A tour of the plant’s Technical Centre and its new Digital Fluid Mechanics centre, a state of the art installation for the study of fluid dynamics, followed suit.
The demands of Formula 1 require specialized physical training and deliberative focus, which was what Fairuz rediscovered and became acquainted to yet again during his orientation programme at the plant’s training centre, known as the Human Performance Center, during the afternoon.
Next, ING Renault F1 Team’s training instructor conducted a clinic to present and outline the typical expectations within an F1 driver’s physical training regime. The Formula Renault 3.5 Series drivers then moved from theory to practice with a real-life session that provided them with the exposure necessary to condition them with optimum physical expectations required out of an F1 driver.
The second day began with a presentation by Pat Symonds, ING Renault F1 Team’s Executive Director of Engineering, who explained in detail the processes involved within driver selection. The last stage of this fully-comprehensive programme was spent at the Public Relations centre. This line of training paid close attention to the fact that an F1 driver is essentially an ambassador for the brand and the sponsors they represent. In constant contact with the media, the driver’s task is to convey a structured message. As such, Fairuz and other drivers were given a session on media training, which concluded with a role-playing session to prepare them for all eventualities and expose them to all interview angles and approaches.
At the end of the season, the 2009 Formula Renault 3.5 Series’ champion will be given an F1 testing seat with the ING Renault F1 team, as were previous champions Robert Kubica, Alx Danielsson, Alvaro Parente and Giedo Van der Garde.
Now, more than ever, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series confirms its status as the fast track to Formula 1. Be sure to tune in to Fairuz’s next quest within the World Series, where the world-renowned Le Mans Circuit in France will play host to the next leg on the 18th and 19th of July 2009.
