September 27, 2002 -
EXCLUSIVE
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- It's been an up and down season for Sarah Fisher. The IRL Most Popular Driver ended on a high note as she drove around Indianapolis Motor Speedway's road course in a McLaren Mercedes for a demo run. After a smooth ride in front of all the audience at the track, Fisher sat down with me and talked about her experience in the high-tech F-1 car as well as her thoughts on 2002.
KEVIN MA: It's been quite a year Sarah. First, you couldn't find a ride, then a celebrate race at Long Beach. After that you got to sub for Robbie Buhl at Nazareth and finished fourth, and eventually led to an Indy 500 ride as well as a regular ride in the second half of the season. You took pole, you led, you are now the fastest women in the world, and today you got a F-1 demo ride. This is such an up and down year for you, how do you digest all these and what are your thoughts on the season?
SARAH FISHER: Well, it's been a teaching year. It is a really tough job to stay in, and it takes a lot of passion and desire to make it happen. It's been a long year. I visited Montreal as a guest of TAG Heuer and I made a comment, "It would be great to drive a F-1 car", then I got a call from Jean-Christopher [Babin]. "Well, do you want to do this, there is an opportunity for you!" I am very happy that they made an arrangement in which their partner Team McLaren gave me the opportunity.
KM: Did you get a test run before today's demo drive?
SF: No, I just hopped into the car and go. It was difficult and stressful. It was Kimi's car that I was using, and I didn't want to make an error and have them to rebuild the car for the race. I was very careful - within the three laps that I had, I did not overdo it and couldn't really see what the real potential the car has.
KM: Did you adjust your driving style since this is a complete differently race car you are dealing with in comparison of your IRL car?
SF: No, I really didn't have to adjust my driving style. These cars are quite a bit quicker in the corners as far as maneuvering and response, and feedback too from the driver. Just like a go-kart you have to give the response quicker back, which is something that a fast racecar driver has to do well, and you have to change your technique.
KM: Did the team put on maximum downforce for you for the demo?
SF: We have a little more that what Kimi wound up with just to be on the safe side since it is not as stable as the IRL cars.
KM: You were driving clockwise, how did you feel especially you were going into turn 1 backwards.
SF: Turn 1 was weird. When driving the IRL car, turn 1 is very narrow with the wall and the grandstands surrounding, you feel like you are running towards the wall at 230 mph and making a last minute decision to turn left. And running in these cars, the corner was very open, very wide, and the line isn't narrow. There is room to come down and come out, and it's a much more easier corner the other way! It's very different because the banking going to the right used to bank to the left, so my body today was kinda out of balance.
KM: You must be glad it stopped raining this morning.
SF: Oh yeah, I was glad it didn't rain. Because I'd have one more element that I'm not used to. Just jump into the car, do three laps in a car you never experienced before.
KM: Do you have the train differently in terms of muscles development for Formula One racing?
SF: Oh yes. If I am doing this in daily basis I'll have to strength the other side [right] because in IRL you only go one way, so you have to be very strong on the left side, but in Formula One you just need to be as strong on the other side.
KM: What about those groove tires?
SF: I think I'd need to have to have a test between grooves and slicks on the same car because compare to car to car the car itself is much more narrower and shorter, much more of a different setups. To say it is forward drifting because of the tires I don't think it is very accurate. It could be many other things that causing that.
KM: You have expressed that you had some problems with the driving position, can you elaborate on that?
SF: It just seem like I was in an awkward position because the pedals and the seating do not match my height. I think I was okay because it was for only three laps, but if I have to go out there and pull out some real speed, get serious to do all the testing, we'd need to make a proper seat that would fit that.
KM: Any thoughts of moving to F-1 in the future?
SF: I like the IRL, I like all the people, and that's my paying job right now. NASCAR is really not something I have a huge passion for. I've never driven one of those cars so I can't really say I don't like them. But I have the passion for open-wheel racing, and open-wheel racing includes F-1, I just need to have the right opportunity in order to do that.
