Sailesh Bolisetti completes Euro Racecar test

Nogaro, France (19 March 2013) : Indian driver Sailesh Bolisetti had his first taste of Euro Racecar machinery at Circuit Paul Armagnac at Nogaro in Southern France today, to prepare for the season which commences at the same venue on March 31.

The 24–year old from Vizag will be the first Indian driver to compete in the Europe–based stock car championship, driving a Chevrolet Camaro SS for the reigning champion squad Scorpus Racing.

Uncharacteristically bad weather at Nogaro threatened to rain out the test but for some intermittent sunshine, although rain continued to fall at regular intervals.

Climbing out of the car’s window to mark the end of the test, Sailesh remarked, “It was a difficult day, the worst conditions to get to grips with a new car especially since it is so different and yet more powerful than anything I’ve raced before on a brand new circuit.”

“Even though we are bound to race in similar conditions during the season considering we’re in Europe, it could have been far better if we knew the limit of the car in the dry first”, said the 2012 British GT race–winner.

With low track and ambient temperatures, it was a struggle to get tyres and brakes upto operating temperatures and conditions were never good enough to put on slicks, with all running being completed on Michelin wet tyres.

“Everything in this car is quite physical as it has to be muscled around – especially the gearbox, which is similar to what is used in NASCAR. My hands hurt a bit right now since I’ve been using paddle shifts for quite some time [since 2011 in Scirocco Cup and British GT], but I’m already used to it now.”

The only series in the world to be sanctioned by the FIA as well as the NASCAR, Euro Racecar is an official feeder to NASCAR, which consists of Nationwide Cup, Camping World Truck Series and the Sprint Cup – the top tier of NASCAR competition.

With Euro Racecar featuring rounds at some incredibly historic European circuits including Dijon, Brands Hatch, Monza and Le Mans, Sailesh is hoping that the experience will enable him to learn the ropes of stock car racing which would help him when he decides to take the step up to NASCAR.

During the course of the test day at Paul Armagnac, Sailesh was able to complete around 30 laps, getting used to the Nogaro circuit and various facets of his new machinery at the same time.

“This is my first experience with a front–engined, rear wheel drive car so it would have been nice to get some more laps, with slicks and so on but that’s always the case.

“I think we did the best we could today and with more track time over the race weekend we will be able to continue improving.”

At the end of the test, Scorpus Racing Team Manager Alain Veyssière commented, “We have never experienced this kind of weather in South of France during this time of the year, but Sailesh did a great job on his first time out.

“The conditions were very difficult but after a few laps I could see he was in the rhythm and once the season starts, with some more time we will be able to start working on the finer points.”

The Euro Racecar season kicks off on March 31.

2013 Euro Racecar Series calendar

Round 1               31 March Nogaro, France

Round 2               11 May Dijon, France

Round 3               8 June Brands Hatch, UK

Round 4               6 July Tours, France

Round 5               01 Sep Aragon, Spain

Round 6               28 Sep Monza, Italy

Round 7               12 October Le Mans, France

 

SCORPUS RACING CHEVROLET CAMARO SS SPECS

ENGINE: 5.7–litre naturally–aspirated Chevrolet V8

POWER: 450bhp

TORQUE: 550Nm

FUEL: Bioethanol E10

DRIVETRAIN: Four–speed sequential, Detroit locker rear differential, triple–disc competition clutch

WEIGHT: 1200kg