Interview
'Look forward and not in the mirror' – Team Manager Colombo explains PREMA's approach in Teams’ title quest
Reigning Teams’ Champions PREMA Racing have had a target on their back all season long, but Team Manager Camilla Colombo says the team are single-minded in their goal to retain the title.
Scoring two wins and a further 10 podiums, the Italian outfit hold a narrow advantage at the top of the Teams’ Standings, sitting seven points ahead of Rodin Motorsport.
However, it hasn’t always been that way. After leading the opening two rounds, PREMA dropped to third behind Rodin and Campos Racing following a disappointing visit to Barcelona.
Arriving to Qatar well-prepared after topping the timing sheets during Qatar testing, Colombo praised the team’s efforts in pushing forward to become title frontrunners once more.
“We are so positive for the last two rounds,” she said. “Now the team is working very, very well. It’s challenging to stay on the top of the Standings, but we are working for it and we want to win this title.
“I’m happy about my team’s performance. I think we have had some drops during the season, but it’s normal. After that, we’ve worked a lot to maintain our standard and grow event-by-event, so the result at the end is fully positive.”
The close competition has meant that PREMA can ill-afford an off weekend across either of the final two rounds, with their rivals prepared to capitalise at any moment.
Despite the intensity of the battle, Colombo is paying her competitors no heed. Instead, she’s dedicating her efforts to helping drivers Doriane Pin, Maya Weug and Tina Hausmann all net valuable points to aid their title aspirations.
“We are like the drivers, we have to look forward and not in the mirror,” Colombo noted. “We have to be focused on our goal and I think it’s the key to reach the final result.
“It’s very important that all of our drivers gain points in the next two events. All of them work hard to reach this result and I think all of them have the talent to gain points and to help the team to win this title.”
Refusing to rest on their laurels in their bid to retain the Teams’ title, Colombo stressed the importance of using their performance as a platform for long-term success going forward into the 2025 season.
“Every time there is something we can improve, and we know that the work and the path is so long to arrive at perfection,” she summarised. “So even if everything works well, there is something that we can improve and then we can do better.
“It’s a long process. It’s only the second year for this team in F1 ACADEMY, so I think we can grow a lot in the next year and we are focused on it.”
Colombo concluded: “It’s very important because we were the first Teams’ Champions in F1 ACADEMY and we want to maintain the same positive position. I think the team deserve to rewin the Teams’ title. So for us, it’s very important and this goal pushes all the team in the right way.”