F1 | Toro Rosso, Gasly ready for the UK GP: “Weekend full of emotions”

In the classic preview published on the Toro Rosso website, Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley talked about the next British Grand Prix, the tenth round of the 2018 Formula One world championship.

The Scuderia di Faenza arrives in the county of Northamptonshire after a string of absolutely disappointing results, especially in terms of points, which is why the English track, historically the scene of lively races full of twists and turns, can be a wonderful opportunity to give a clear swerve to this world championship.

Here are the words of Brendon Hartley: “I lived in Milton Keynes, not far from Silverstone, for about seven years, a good chunk of my life and I have fond memories of it. The entire area can be considered the home of Formula 1, because most of the teams are based nearby, even the Toro Rosso aerodynamic department facilities are based right nearby, in Bicester. I have often raced on this circuit and have good memories. Silverstone is steeped in history and is a very fast track. Everyone loves Copse, Maggots and Becketts curves. The track was resurfaced this year, so there will be even more grip."

“And the fact that there are so many high-speed corners means that it will be difficult to overtake here, so qualifying will be really important”, he added. “I think we can be in good shape here, after the power unit update in Canada and the aerodynamic one in Austria, which came at the right time: on this track, in fact, it is necessary to have as much downforce as possible. I can't wait to tackle this circuit in a modern Formula 1 car, because it will be crazy."

“Silverstone is a track that often offers great races, especially when the weather comes into play: it is a great classic with great character and a very particular atmosphere. I hope for a competitive weekend and a little more luck compared to the last races", he added.

Here are Pierre Gasly's impressions: “In a way, it will be strange for me to return to Silverstone. The last time I raced there was in 2016, when I won my first race in GP2. It was great, but it was also the weekend we got into a car accident with my parents, just on the way to the track. It was a pretty violent accident and I also broke a vertebra. But my mother suffered the most serious consequences and she spent two months in hospital, in intensive care, risking dying. So that weekend, I really felt all sorts of emotions.”

“As for the circuit, I love it. The layout is very complicated and there are some simply legendary curves”, he added. “Facing Maggots and Becketts in a Formula 1 car will be really impressive. And then there is always a special atmosphere here, with the enthusiastic English public. It really is a great weekend and I can't wait for it to arrive. We'll be staying in Bicester, where Toro Rosso have their wind tunnel, and before the weekend starts I'll visit Honda's F1 factory in Milton Keynes for the first time. I intend to motivate everyone to continue pushing hard and making progress for the rest of the season."

“On Wednesday, all the drivers of the Red Bull family were invited by Christian Horner to take part in a clay pigeon shooting event: it will be the first time for me, I will try not to shoot anyone by accident! Several years ago I actually lived in Milton Keynes, for a year and a half. I spent a lot of time working with the Red Bull Racing simulator, so it will be nice to get back to it."he concluded.