GT – Davide Rigon “The nightmare is over”

The first race of the Blancpain GT Endurance Series on Monza track marked the return to competitions of the talented Davide Rigon, after a year deeply compromised by the terrible accident occurred at the Istanbul Park, whose effects were shinbone and fibula fractures and 21 pins in his left leg.

After a long period of rehabilitation marked by surgeries, decompression chamber, many hours of training and physical therapy at the Driver Program Center, the 8th May 2011 is for Davide a far remembrance: “ Nightmare is over. I’ve recovered and my physical conditions are the same as last year. Monza has been a very important test for my leg and figure and I have to admit that I’ve got it through with full marks. The leg pain is almost over. That accident made me grow up so much and it belongs, in a certain way, to my experience. Now I’m fully concentrated on my work with Ferrari Team and on the Championship.”
How was your return to competitions?
Exciting and great. I was looking forward to get back to races. I had this chance and I didn’t let it out. Great Championship with an expert team such as Kessel Racing. I would say It’s the best way to restart before getting back to open wheels.
First race on the verge of the podium.
It was a great week end, even if we were unlucky because of so much traffic at boxes. We have to understand why we lost so much time. On track, we were 2’’per lap faster than the others. In the first pit stop we lost 25’’ and further 20’’ in the second one. These are the reasons why we didn’t manage to get the podium. Now we’re working to find a solution and understand what didn’t work.
This Championship’s level is very high and see constructor teams personally engaged. It will be a hard season, but I like challenges.
Did you find it hard to drive a GT car again?
In 2008 I had a short experience in the FIA GT with BMS and I won the 24h in Spa. This was just before going back to GT when I won the first of two titles in Superleague Formula. Going back to open wheels made me realize how the drive style changes and how heavy the car is, even if I found a well balanced and easy to drive 458. I haven’t tried it yet , so I have to adapt to braking system, which is very different from a Formula, specially on dry. It’s equipped with an electronic system that makes you better exploit car’s brakes.
Next race will be in about one month. What are your next engagements?
In the near future I want to go to the factory and see the team to do some pit stop simulations and better analyze the week end in Monza. The Championship is not so long so we can’t leave anything to chance. We have to try so hard and avoid giving further gifts to opponents. Together with the team and according to his engagements in the other Championships, we’re thinking about making some test. On wet we were about 2’’ faster, on dry I’d like to make a few more kilometres and become more familiar with the Ferrari.