Tatiana Calderón “Hopefully, a new season starts for us”
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| Written by: Fanni Váradi | Photos: Fanni Váradi / www.tatianacalderon.com |
Tatiana Calderón is the only woman driver on the GP3 grid this season. She started racing at the age of 10. Since that she achieved many great results, showing the power of women in motorsport. The Colombian driver is part of Sauber F1 Team’s program and completing her second year in GP3 Series.
After one year with Arden International, Tatiana decided to make a change and joined the French DAMS team for her second season in GP3 Series. “Sometimes there are circumstances, and many things happen in racing” started Tatiana about the change “I am really thankful for the time I had with Arden and appreciate their work very much. With my sponsors, we decided to go to DAMS, I think it is a very good team. We see how good job they did in Formula 2, and I think we need to find a little bit more in our way in GP3 but we are on the good way. They are hardworking people so I believe we can improve and catch up.”
Unfortunately, the season is not going in the best possible way for DAMS. The team is currently in the back with only 4 points in the championship. “I am new to the team also, and unfortunately to understand each other has not been easy since the beginning. I think now we are going to the right direction, but we also had some issues with getting the tyres work for us. Now we are finding the right approach, so I hope that from now a new season starts for us” said the Colombian driver.
Tatiana has not scored points in the season yet, however in
Hungary she had good chance after completing her best qualifying session where she finished tenth. “There was a little bit more left, because I was blocked on one of my best laps, but of course altogether I am satisfied. We have been struggling a lot on qualifying sessions with the team so I am quite happy to start in the top 10. This was my best qualy so far, so I am very happy.” Unfortunately, luck was not by her side. During the feature race, she had to retire on the first lap while on the sprint race she finished 13th.
In GP3 Series DRS is available for the drivers during the races. Tatiana shared her opinion of the new system with us. “It is a big step forward. The system is quite effective on different tracks.” Unlike in Formula 2 where the options are unlimited, in GP3 drivers can use it only 6 times during the feature and 4 times during a sprint race. “I wish it was unlimited like in Formula 2. Then it would make the races even more interesting but I think they wanted us to make a strategy.” said Tatiana “At the moment, everyone protects and then uses it at the same time so it is not promoting too many overtakes. Maybe in the future, they will take these comments from the drivers, and give it to us unlimited times.”
In the beginning of 2017 Tatiana became part of Sauber F1 Team as development driver. She explained us, what role she plays in the team. “I go to the simulator a lot in Sauber, with the engineers to work” she started “With this I am not just improving my driving but I also help to develop some parts of the F1 cars. I also attend some races with them, where I go to all the team briefings so I know what they expect from the drivers, and it helps me to understand all the information. When there is a chance I am ready. Basically, this is the work I do and of course it gives me a taste of Formula One.”