Pete Olson Q&A: I will focus on performance, not results

Sept. 25, 2013 - PRLog -- After finishing 10th in his first full season of Asia Formula Renault last year in Champ Motorsports, American driver Pete Olson moved to PS Racing this year under the tutelage of triple-Formula Renault champion Pekka Saarinen. Olson is currently tied for third in the season points standings with just one final race weekend to go, December 21-22.

With the hopes of the team pinned on Olson’s last two races on the final weekend, to put PS Racing on the podium in the overall season driver’s standings, the pressure is definitely on - as Asia Motorsports Network [www.asiamotorsportsnetwork.com] notes, “a lot is on the line for PS Racing”.

We asked Olson his thoughts going into the final race weekend of the season and his most recent Round 7&8…

Q: Pete, obviously the biggest question is, what you think your chances are in December to be earn a coveted spot on the overall season podium, and if the pressure is on your mind. Going into the final races tied in points with Asmasoebrata, a seven-year Formula Renault veteran, you must be a bit worried. The hopes of the team are pinned on you as the top driver…

PO: There is no need to think about these things, because they are a distraction. The only thing you can focus on is your race performance: to brake as late as possible in every corner, to come off the brake in the best way for corner speed, to get on the throttle as quick as humanly possible – to break down a race into a series of corners, of passing opportunities, to be the best that you can be. Nothing in my life has made me focus as much as racing – when I get in the car, the only thing I don’t like is the waiting. I have a fantastic car, a champion coach who is a master at setup, and I will give everything I have from practice to the last corner of the last lap of the final race, and then after, I will pay attention to points. In terms of pressure – I don’t particularly like it, but I’ve found that I’ve always thrived on it. In many ways, it brings out the best of us, as human beings, not only as a driver. And of course, it’s always the most exciting to fans, when things come down to the wire in the Final Moment.

Q: This year has been going quite well for you, better than some expected. To what do you attribute your success, from struggling to finish in the top ten last year to being able to fight for podiums every race?

PO: Definitely a large part of it last year was the car – I didn’t have the proper equipment to get the job done right, and that was especially easy to see when I’d test my teammates cars and immediately be a second or even two seconds faster, with exactly the same setup. However, last year was also guesswork on my part in terms of setup – and for this year, I can’t think of anyone better than Pekka to coach me – he is a master at setup, and knows how to ‘read’ a driver. What I mean is, before I needed a proper push, and I didn’t always have it. Now, I’ve got that. Perhaps it is not always the nicest thing to deal with, but as a driver, and a person, I need that. We are always growing or dying, not just physically but mentally as well – if you don’t keep pushing, you will only slide.

Q: Any thoughts on last weekend? Many were expecting at least one podium from you and you finished 1.1sec behind Asmasoebrata in the 2nd race. That must have been frustrating, to say the least.

PO: The entire weekend goes back to qualifying Saturday morning – I really blew it as I went out and spent several laps looking for space. My strategy backfired, as when I was really getting up to speed, the red flag came out due to a car stopped on track. I qualified 9th of 18, which really messed up both races, as you’ve only got 10 laps this year – 25 minutes. A tire-smoking start in the first race set me back further, but I did manage to pick up some positions to start 7th on the grid for race two. With a good start, all was in hand but I just didn’t have enough laps to get on the podium.

Q: For next year, what are your plans?

PO: To win the series. Definitely.