K&N Sponsored Michael Lewis Earns First Win and 6th at Spa Formula 3 Italia Event
- 11 Aug 2011
As with all loves, you only get one chance at the first time, and for Lewis that landmark memory will forever be associated with one of his favorite venues, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. Lewis, driving his K&N Eibach sponsored Prema PowerTeam Dallara, came to Spa-Francorchamps this past weekend and first qualified on the pole, and then, with up being the only place to go, Lewis capitalized on his P1 starting position by earning the Round 7 win on Saturday. Lewis led every lap of the race. The victory marked Lewis' first Formula 3 Italia Championship Series win. In Round 8 on Sunday Lewis started in the eighth position because of the invert, he finished that round with a solid sixth place. Currently he now sits in second for the overall Championship Series, and he has the clear lead for the Rookie of the Year title.
You qualified on the pole Friday and then won on Saturday in less than favorable conditions (it rained); give us some insights on what sort of emotional ride the weekend was for you and your team? "Honestly, I really enjoy racing at Spa and it is kind of a home track for me. In that sense, I am very familiar with the track. In testing I was very fast and Prema has been developing the car in the F3 Euroseries category, so we had a strong package for when we arrived at the race weekend. In every session I was having a lot of fun perfecting my line and trying to squeeze the most out of the car. The same applied for qually. I just went and drove the car, with the necessary driving and car improvements from practice, and that was it. For me, you must be positive and have fun in what you are doing, this is essential. Grabbing pole position was great! Also the win in the wet was nice!"
Was there one definitive factor that made this weekend a huge success for you, or is it simply a matter of you continuing to feel more comfortable out there? "Every time I drive I feel more comfortable and confident. Also, my engineer, driver-coach, and I, put together an excellent plan for each time I hit the track. I love to race, and I enjoy every moment I get to drive."
If I counted correctly you have eight races left in this series, have you modified anything about your approach to the rest of the season, or are you still holding firm to your original race plan? "Basically, every session I am on the track I try to squeeze everything out of the car. The result may vary. Sometimes we will be on the pole, or sometime we will be fourth. In any case, it is the same objective and nothing has changed; push to be first place and that's it." Your schedule has you coming back home to race, will there be any celebrating with family and friends over this win, or will you hold the celebrating until the season is completed? "Unfortunately, I must stay in Italy. It was a change in my original plan, and I will not be able to see my friends and family this month. My parents and I spoke via Skype immediately when I returned to my home in Italy, and they are very happy. Although I will not be able to see my family and friends in person, I am continually in contact with everyone." As a point of interest, how do you keep yourself fit to be able to race at the top of your game each week, do you have fitness program or a trainer? "Basically I train all day and every day. My job is to drive well, and to drive well I must be physically fit, and to be physically fit I must train. So in a sense, my job is to train. My driver-coach will often train with me, and we will do a lot of cardio and also weights at the gym. You must be overall very fit, but one's shoulders, neck, and legs muscles must be worked on a bit more." "What's nice is my gym is very close to where I live, and since I have been going there so much, all of the trainers and people know me very well. It's nice to catch up with other people and work out as well." Lewis' next F-3 Italia Championship race will be Rounds 9 and 10 at the Adria Circuit, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy on September 3 and 4. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
