F2
Mirko Bortolotti eyeing F2 return in 2010
Italian refusing to be distracted by F1 rumours Italian driver Mirko Bortolotti says he wants to focus on a potential second season in Formula Two rather than think about speculation linking him with a drive in Formula One. The 20-year-old ...
Published: Jan 22, 2010, 6:20 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Italian refusing to be distracted by F1 rumours
Italian driver Mirko Bortolotti says he wants to focus on a potential second season in Formula Two rather than think about speculation linking him with a drive in Formula One.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a whirlwind 18 months in motorsport, which has included an Italian F3 title, an F1 test with Ferrari, his first F2 race victory in Brno and a further Formula One test with Toro Rosso. Rumours persist that a number of F1 teams are monitoring Bortolotti's progress, but the Italian is in no rush to make the step up the highest level of the sport.
"F2 is still a major option for me in 2010 and I am not even thinking about F1 at the moment," said Bortolotti. "I am only 20-years-old and I think it is vital that you are fully prepared in terms of speed, experience and consistency before you make the step to Formula One. You have to have been through it all; you need to know how to be quick over one lap but also consistent over a race distance, you need to know how to turn bad situations into a good one for example. There are so many things that you need to learn and I want to reach Formula One when I am in the right moment of my career. F1 is F1 - it is not a game, so at the moment I am better to focus on learning and improving further for the future."
Despite his reticence over an F1 call-up in 2010, his recent test with Toro Rosso has certainly whetted Mirko's appetite for Formula One. "It was a great experience," he commented. "We had a different programme to the other teams of course, and mainly we were testing parts for 2010 on medium and hard tyre compounds. I would have been able to go a lot faster in terms of lap times but we didn't get the chance to complete a low fuel run. The most important thing however, is that the test was a real success and the team were very happy with the results.
"It was great for me to have the job of a real F1 test driver -- the team had a belief in me and I was trusted with some very important development work, which meant a lot."
Mirko's immediate future could consist of a second season in Formula Two after the Italian claimed one victory and a total of five podiums on his way to taking fourth in the overall standings in 2009. The youngster is no longer with the Red Bull Junior Team but he remains confident of securing a race programme for the upcoming campaign.
"Returning to F2 this season is an exciting possibility," he notes. "We were able to fight at the front last year but I had some bad luck, which meant I probably lost some positions in the championship. It was my first year in international motorsport so finishing fourth was a pretty good season -- it can always be better of course, but that's racing!
"I am looking forward rather than backwards anyway and I really liked being in F2 last season -- it is a great concept and a good championship. I know that the car is going to be improved and Jonathan Palmer and the team are working hard to push the championship forward in every way, which is impressive. I really don't know where I will be in 2010 at this moment, but if I am racing in F2 then I will definitely be targeting the championship."
-source: f2
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Andy Soucek pleased with F2 car upgrade progress
Next article Series testing summary
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Mirko Bortolotti
Lamborghini facing loss as Grasser Racing Team and star driver eye McLaren switch?
DTM
DTM
Lamborghini facing loss as Grasser Racing Team and star driver eye McLaren switch?
Mirko Bortolotti risked another disqualification: How Grasser saved second place
DTM
DTM
Mirko Bortolotti risked another disqualification: How Grasser saved second place
"We are going to FIA": Grasser appeal rejected - no DTM champion at finale?
DTM
DTM
Oschersleben
"We are going to FIA": Grasser appeal rejected - no DTM champion at finale?
More from
Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson rues Brazilian GP qualifying mistake despite third-place grid start
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Liam Lawson rues Brazilian GP qualifying mistake despite third-place grid start
Racing Bulls promises "right decision" as Liam Lawson's F1 future remains in doubt
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Racing Bulls promises "right decision" as Liam Lawson's F1 future remains in doubt
Latest news
Who slept worst last night: Fernando Alonso
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
25 min
Who slept worst last night: Fernando Alonso
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
55 min
Carlos Ezpeleta: Qatar GP “noise” left MotoGP unnecessarily exposed
Oscar Piastri splits from Mark Webber management
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Oscar Piastri splits from Mark Webber management
WEC drivers question lack of full-course yellow after heavy Monza crash
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
3 h
WEC drivers question lack of full-course yellow after heavy Monza crash
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe