Motorsport: First points for Simona de Silvestro
MOTORSPORT Simona de Silvestro has come through her first two Australian Supercars Championship races in Adelaide reasonably well. But as the Swiss explained to AutoSprintCH in the run-up, she still has a lot to learn. She passed her baptism of fire. The 3.2km street circuit in Adelaide was certainly not [...] for the premiere in a new racing series.
It passed its baptism of fire. The 3.2km street circuit in Adelaide was certainly not the easiest of places for the premiere in a new race series.
As the first and only woman in decades, Simona de Silverstro in her factory Nissan always stayed around positions 20 to 25 of 26 drivers in all practice sessions and both races over a distance of 250 km (78 laps). She left the second rookie, 16-year-old Alex Rullo, well behind at all times.
In Saturday's race, she just managed to avoid being lapped by the outstanding winner Shane van Gisbergen from the Red Bull Holden Racing Team in a good twentieth place. She had to start the second race from the last row of the grid due to the obstruction of an opponent in qualifying. The Swiss Missile again held her own and survived a bump from a colleague - for which, surprisingly, he was not penalized - with a subsequent spin unscathed.
The driver from Vaud again reached the finish line, albeit in 23rd place this time with a lap down. She thus collected her first championship points in both races, which, as in the American Nascar series, are awarded to all classified drivers. She therefore drew a thoroughly positive conclusion.
Simona de Silvestro: "I had a few nice fights. The car was good, but I still have to get faster. I made a few small mistakes, but at least I got through both races. I was able to learn so much and am now already looking forward to the next races on the last weekend in March at the Australian GP in Melbourne."
