BRC Racing Team’s Luca Filippi says his previous test experience in the Hyundai i30 N at the Red Bull Ring paid dividends en route to pole position for the opening TCR Europe race.
This weekend at the Red Bull Ring marks the first in which the single-seater veteran has previous experience to fall back on in a TCR car, having completed a test at the Spielberg circuit during the off-season.
Filippi told TouringCars.Net this helped him to “reset” his mind in terms of driving style and gave him confidence around the 2.7-mile circuit.
“It’s a good start to the day, it’s the first time that we got to a race weekend at a circuit that I’ve tested with a TCR car,” said Filippi.
“We had a test here this winter, and definitely this helped me just because I was able to reset my mind a little bit on the driving side with this specific car and this specific circuit.
“I feel confident, I think through the sessions we’ve been very competitive all the time. It wasn’t just a matter of putting one lap together. The only thing is that we were so strong that we could have saved a little bit more tyres for the races.
“But we’re looking good, could have had a little bit more in the pocket but it’s good.”
After years of racing single-seater cars both competitively and as a highly-esteemed development driver, Filippi admitted he was happy to feel he is adapting to the “completely new world” of touring car racing and the switch in driving style.
“It was important to have a good turnaround during the season because we started OK but I was never able to find exactly what I needed from my driving, from many different details,” he explained.
“For me it’s a completely new world – I’ve never raced front-wheel drive cars in a touring car championship – so the challenge has been not so easy so far.
“Especially with so much experience like me, sometimes it’s probably even more difficult to change things that you’re used to doing for so many years and then suddenly they don’t work anymore.
“Going to a circuit like Hungary or Spa that I know by heart for years and I’ve been fast all the time, and then you think the same things would work, and why doesn’t it work anymore? You just have to deal with it and understand the way to move forward.”
For the opening race [starting at 13:30 CEST], Filippi feels relaxed and confident, citing the fact he feels his nearest rival Josh Files has to take care to secure points in his championship bid rather than necessarily racing all out for victory.
“I feel confident because finally I start from the front, so I expect a little bit more respect in that part of the group,” Filippi said.
“People around me, they can’t waste the opportunity to score points, so I think it’s going to be cleaner racing compared to what I’ve had so far which has been very, very rough.
“From this point of view I’m quite relaxed, quite confident, I think more than anybody else Files is the guy who has more to lose, so I think he’s the guy that has to watch out and not take any risks.
“From my side I’ll do my thing and try to win the race.”