Olivier Panis comments on Charles Pic’s start to the season at Caterham

What do you think of Charles’ and Caterham’s start to the season after the first seven races?

« The overall outcome is positive despite a difficult start to the season in terms of performance. Caterham is a young team and its shareholder, Tony Fernandes, wants it to progress. Many changes and investments were made during the off-season and things needed to fall into place. Charles adapted well to this new environment and, as usual, he got to work with great motivation. He quickly integrated into the team and a real relationship of trust developed with the engineers. The same goes for Renault, the team’s engine supplier. »

On the other hand, in terms of performance, the beginning of the season was difficult?

« Yes, that’s correct. As I was saying, there were a lot of changes during the off-season at Caterham: moving to new premises, a new team principal, new drivers. All of this led the team to retain last year’s car, unlike other teams that opted for new cars. The start of the season was therefore a bit complicated until the arrival of new developments in Bahrain. The most important thing in these moments is to maintain good team spirit, to stay focused and involved to make progress. That’s what the team and Charles did. »

Things then started to improve from Bahrain?

The Bahrain Grand Prix was a real turning point of the season for Charles and the team. Caterham began bringing new parts which proved successful and advanced the car. The work done paid off, which is always very motivating for both the team and the driver. Charles had a magnificent weekend with a very strong race. His ties with the team were strengthened.

Did the team do a good analysis of the car and the areas for improvement?

« Absolutely. The new parts worked well and this allowed the team to have good information and a way forward for future developments. There was then another « step » in Barcelona which also allowed the car to continue progressing. Unfortunately, the other teams also brought new parts to Spain, so the gains were less noticeable than in Bahrain. Nevertheless, I think the team is going in the right direction. »

What do you think of Charles’ speed?

« I have never had any doubt about this point. I know he is capable of being very fast on a single lap in qualifying as well as in the race. In Bahrain, he was up against Heikki Kovalainen in free practice. Charles was half a second faster. So there is no doubt about his speed. »

Has he made progress compared to last year?

Charles has made progress compared to 2012, especially in traffic. Race management is not the same for the lead drivers and those starting from the back of the grid. This situation had surprised him a bit last year, and it’s a field in which he has worked and made significant progress. He also has a better approach to races.

Charles has had very good starts this year. What is the reason for that?

He has greatly improved on this point this year with incredible starts like in Bahrain or Monaco, gaining several positions. He has a better understanding of what happens at the start and knows the drivers around him. This allows him to be more incisive from the moment the lights go out and gain places among the mid-grid cars. This was the case in Monaco where he quickly moved up to 16th place behind a Williams and the two Toro Rosso. This race should have been a great result for Caterham and Charles, possibly with a 10th place finish. Unfortunately, the mechanics decided otherwise; it’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the unpredictable nature of racing.

Do you think that Monaco was a missed opportunity then?

« Without this mechanical problem, Caterham and Charles could have achieved a fantastic result. He was also unlucky in qualifying after performing well during free practice. Traffic is always complicated in Monaco, the track was drying, and he was hindered during his best lap and couldn’t make it to Q2 like Giedo. It would have been nice to have both cars in Q2, but that’s part of racing in Monaco. Charles learned from it and will remember it for next year. »

What are Charles’s strengths?

« His top speed, his solidity and consistency in the race, and tire management. His determination and motivation are also strengths. He’s someone who never gives up, even in difficult times. I’ve always told him that it’s in those moments you have to be stronger than others. He’s very solid in that regard and very mature for his age. He approaches things very professionally and has a very good analytical ability. »

A lot has been said about the 2013 Pirelli tires. What is Charles’s opinion?

Charles is aware that Pirelli tires present a real challenge for the driver because their operating range is very narrow. He attaches great importance to this and has adapted well to this constraint. He has a good approach and understands that one of the keys to a successful race is to understand and manage his tires well. He has a real finesse in driving, which is also an asset.

Regarding the CT03, can we expect Caterham to make new developments?

« I hope so! Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul and his entire team are working tremendously hard to improve the car. Tony Fernandes continues to invest, thus giving the team the means to develop. New parts are planned and they should allow us to make progress. We trust the team: everyone is working hard and pushing in the same direction. It’s the same for Charles, who won’t give up until the end and will do everything to achieve the best possible result. »

With such potential, would you be surprised if a top team didn’t give Charles a chance?

I have always said that Charles’ talent will surprise many people the day he has a car to fight at the front. Charles is highly motivated and works hard. I am not worried about the future of his career, he has great potential and he is determined. His time will come.

Are there things about Charles, either in terms of his character or his driving style, that resemble your approach when you were his age?

Determination, motivation, and never giving up are character traits we have in common. His driving style is more refined than mine and adapted to the new tire characteristics. It resembles more of an Alain Prost style than mine because nowadays, like in Alain’s era, the tires don’t allow us to do what we did when I was racing. Grand Prix were then a sprint, and the philosophy was different. Modern Formula 1 is more akin to Alain’s time, with refueling and many different things to manage. I would say Charles’ style is closer to that of Alain or Jenson Button, who are very gentle on the tires. He is part of the new generation, but Charles possesses the same qualities as many of the great champions of the past.

According to a press release from Charles Pic’s press service