Exclusive Interview with James Calado

Let’s first talk about this GP2 weekend. In yesterday’s (Friday) qualifications, you finished 8th but were less than a tenth from 4th place. Today, in the feature race, you finished 6th, which allows you to gain a few points in the championship. What do you think of this weekend so far?

« It was a difficult weekend. The car is not behaving the way I would like it to. We couldn’t find the right balance during the free practice session. We are generally lacking grip, especially with the harder tires. It was better with the medium tires, but I think we can still make progress.

I am lucky to have maintained the gap between 1st and 5th place in the championship. Today (Saturday), I was able to gain some points on Coletti and Nasr. If tomorrow (Sunday), I manage to get on the podium, I could even be third in the championship.

You arrived at Monza in 5th position in the championship, 24 points behind the leader. You have thus managed to overcome a difficult start to the season to completely reignite your title race. Did you feel a sense of relief with your victory at Spa?

« Winning at Spa was a good result, but I knew we still had a lot of work to do for the race here at Monza. I was happy with that victory, but it was certainly not a reason to rest on our laurels. »

“You are currently in your second season in GP2 with ART Grand Prix, a team with which you were vice-champion in GP3 in 2011. Is this stability important for you?”

The GP3 was fantastic. The team was great. It’s the same in GP2. The team has significant experience and knows the championship well. Even if we go through tough times, we never give up. That’s why I’m still in the running for the drivers’ championship.

This week was also marked by the announcement of your hiring as the third driver at Sahara Force India, which will allow you to drive on Friday mornings. How did your first official session go this Friday morning?

« It was really great! It was extraordinary to be able to drive the car here in Monza. Especially since it’s a Grand Prix weekend. It was very nice to be able to drive at Silverstone (Editor’s note: during young driver tests), but here it’s really different. The atmosphere is different, it’s so huge. I managed to do a good job without making any mistakes. So for me, it was a successful morning. »

Was it a problem to switch from an F1 to a GP2 in the span of a few hours?

« No, that wasn’t a problem at all. Everything went well. »

For which other races this season will we see you behind the wheel of the VJM06?

« It is planned that I will do a few more sessions by the end of the season, but I don’t know which ones yet. »

Pirelli has chosen to offer different tires in GP2 than last year. Do you think this is one of the reasons explaining your difficulties this year?

« The tires are different but ultimately, they are the same for all teams. Some teams have found the key to being in the ideal usage window for these tires. We’ve had a bit of difficulty in properly targeting these tires, but I think we’re approaching their optimal usage. »

This season, you joined Nicolas Todt’s management company, All Road Management, which has already advanced several F1 drivers (Felipe Massa, Pastor Maldonado, and Jules Bianchi). How does this represent a significant step compared to your experience with Racing Step Foundation, which has supported you since the beginning of your career? What has changed in your daily life because of this decision? In your preparation?

In my daily routine and/or preparation, it hasn’t changed much. I am still supported by Racing Step Foundation. All Road Management is in addition to what I already had. It’s a combined effort of both. Without these two groups of people, I wouldn’t be competing today.

Does being a member of ARM allow you to interact with the drivers to benefit from their experience, particularly with Jules Bianchi, who was in your position at Sahara Force India last year?

« Not really, as our schedules are quite busy and different. I know Jules quite well. But we do things differently. It really is a program for each driver as an individual. »

What are your avenues for getting into F1? Is it hoped for as soon as next season?

I like to believe that this is my last year in GP2. I have to do a good job. Take each session, each qualification one by one. Impress people during the sessions and we’ll see what happens.

Would you see yourself doing another season in GP2 or would you be ready to do like Davide Valsecchi, the 2012 champion, who is a third driver at Lotus but doesn’t have a competition program this year?

« I really have no idea. For the moment, I’m staying focused on my end of season in GP2 Series with ART Grand Prix. »

From our special correspondent in Monza