Interview
Parra: Campos setting sights on victories after Zandvoort testing ‘proves our potential’
Campos Racing are leaving in-season testing at the Circuit Zandvoort on an upbeat note and Team Manager Gabriela Parra believes their strong pace could be a sign of things to come in Miami.
Heavy April showers were scattered throughout the two days of running around the Dutch circuit, but regardless of the conditions, the Spanish team were a firm fixture towards the top of the timing sheets.
Recording 10 top 10 times out of a possible 12, Tommy Hilfiger’s Nerea Martí went fastest in the opening session ahead of Haas’ Chloe Chambers, whilst Carrie Schreiner secured fourth in Day 2’s wet morning running.
Although the weather might have forced a change to the run plans, Parra says their preparations are on the right track as they have one eye on Round 2 in a fortnight's time, as well as looking forward to the European leg of the 2024 season.
“Despite the conditions being not the ideal ones for testing, I think it’s really positive that we’ve had different running in the wet conditions, especially in the full wet conditions and the damp as well,” Parra reflected.
“That made us test different things between the drivers and ourselves as a team. So, it’s really positive that we could try and extract more from this, especially if we have the opportunity to do some wet running in the future. Also, as a wake-up run for Miami in two weeks, which is really, really important to us.”
She added: “The hardest thing was to adapt their driving according to the conditions because we had moments in the session where the track was really, really wet. Then the driving changes in-between when it’s wet, when it’s damp or it’s fully dry. It was really tricky, they needed to adapt quite quickly to the feeling that they have as soon as they are on track.
“We try to help them on how they’ll need to be driving or if it’s what we expect it to be. In the end, it’s just about her feelings inside the car and what they’re going to tell her — the amount of water they have on track and how they should adapt their driving depending on those conditions.”
Totalling 408 laps across the four sessions, Campos took full advantage of the track time available. Praising the trio’s error-free efforts and seeing improvements in both race and Qualifying trims, Parra is happy with the progression shown across the board, with all three keeping apace with one another despite the varying levels of experience.
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“I think it was really positive and really beneficial in terms of the knowledge they get from here,” she noted. “For example, for Chloe it was her first time driving on this track and it was not the ideal conditions that you want when you go to a new venue. It was really positive for her to take as much knowledge from her two teammates that have already done some running on this track and then she showed really strong pace in the wet.
“For Carrie and Nerea, despite that they knew the track, it was limited the amount of time that they had in the wet conditions. So, it was really good for them to keep improving. Thankfully, we had two or three runs that we got the slick tyres at the end of the day, which was important for them to have a sweet taste of the track right before leaving.
“Overall, as a team we are quite happy. We were the only ones that didn’t have any major issues on the track, no mistakes from the girls, so that also proves what we have and the potential is there.”
She added: “It’s always positive the amount of track time that you can get. The drivers are like pilots — you get better the more hours you get inside. Every single time, minute and lap that they can get around each track with this car, it will get them more familiar with their car and to have a better feeling in how the car responds.
A promising start to the 2024 campaign saw the Campos trio all score points in Jeddah, with Martí promoted to the podium in Race 2. Sitting third in the Teams’ Standings, Parra isn’t shying away from wanting more next time out at Miami International Autodrome.
Fortunately for them, they have one advantage over their rivals. Both Martí and Chambers have raced around the track previously, with three of their rivals having only one experienced driver. With their preparations boosted by the pair’s familiarity with the American circuit, Campos’ Team Manager is confident that they’re setting themselves up well for success.
“We are aiming for the best — for the top step of the podium in both races,” Parra stated. “We are confident about our lineup and the way that we have been preparing. I think overall we are strong on it and we are trying to improve every single time that we go on track.
“So, the target will be to get as many points as possible from Miami. For sure, we have pressure because it’s a home race for Chloe, so it will be crowded as Miami is always like this. We will try to extract the knowledge that we have from two of our drivers having experience on this track, which is something that I think we can get a strong point from.”