Néstor Girolami, Esteban Gurrieri and Yann Ehrlacher attended the post-Race 1 virtual press conference. 

Press Conference Room, Autodrom Most, October 10, 2021

In attendance:
Néstor Girolami (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport), first position
Esteban Gurrieri (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport), second position
Yann Ehrlacher (Cyan Racing Lynk & Co), third position

Q:
Bebu, what a race. But that wasn’t easy, was it?

NG:
It wasn’t. I was really worried before the start, in front of me T1 is really tight and I knew that somebody can overshoot easily from the inside line because it’s very dirty, so I was already downshifting to first gear so that was the secret to try to come back from that hit, because I went flat out to try to recover and make it happen for T2 and it worked. But the important thing is that we were working very well in terms of how much grip was available at the start because it was completely different as before and also in the starts earlier where we take practice. So the engineers did analysis and it worked, so thanks to them. And then during the race we tried to keep conserving the tyres. I got in info that Attila got a puncture and that was in the middle of the race and there were still five or six laps left. I tried to not complicate Esteban with dirty air so I made a gap every time the engineers asked me, but at the end I think we managed very well. So congratulations ALL-INKL.COM, all the team, all the crew, my crew especially. They are really hard workers and they deserve it, and also for Honda it’s a very nice 1-2, so congratulations Esteban. I missed this feeling to get a 1-2 so thank you to the team. And congratulations to Yann for your P3.

Q:
It seemed to be managed quite well between the two of you.

NG:
Yeah. Every time he needed me to be faster I think I responded very well to try to make that gap and not make his car under the dirty air, so this is the way that we work and at this stage we cannot fight. We had to be smart and we did it today.

Q:
You have moved up to P5 in the standings, 28 points behind Yann. And Esteban, congratulations too. You went from P9 to P2 in the race. What a start, you really capitalised on that drama.

EG:
Thank you very much. Well I have to say it was a long time without a podium, so you guys behind the camera, you’re all looking older from my last podium! Probably me as well, yeah? I’m just joking, but in the end it was a good race. A good start. Like Néstor says it was a very strange asphalt we were starting on and we had to manage with the throttle and the mapping to get the best out of it. I did a very good start, I got alongside Yann and I think that was a good move because then… Actually my strategy was to go around the outside since yesterday, but something told me in my guts that I needed to stay on the inside as I was approaching T1, which I did and it paid off. When everyone crashed in front I saw a gap at the first corner and I accelerated quickly to try to gain positions and it happened, so that was great. I sat behind Néstor and we did a very good strategy. I’m so happy because obviously it is not easy to overtake, we are all very close to each other in the speed.

Q:
You did a very good job of holding Yann off

EG:
Yeah, Yann was faster in the first sector. Actually we discussed before he tried to make a move from T1 to T2 but he actually hit me in the back so I kind of discovered his potential trick, so after that I started closing the door more. I know it wasn’t on purpose but in the end I was just more aware to keep that P2 and it worked. And then our good sector was the last one, so I could keep the distance, so very happy for that.

Q:
Presumably the track lended itself to that, given that there are so many corners and few opportunities for the tow, I guess?

EG:
Yeah, exactly. The only tow you get is in the straight and as I say, Yann was probably best placed to try at the chicane which is the only place you can try a move. And then after that obviously clean air in front of you being too close to a car in front helps which is why I was trying to let Néstor make a gap, for him to push and for me to get some distance. So then Yann, if he wanted to make a move around the esses he would be behind me which is dirty air obviously and he would get more understeer. It was a tight race, I had to manage it pretty much I had Néstor in front and Yann behind. But it paid off and I’m really happy for that.

Q:
Yann, a nice fact is that the last time you didn’t score was October 27 2019. You are consistent…

YE:
Yes, thank you. First of all, congrats to the two gents next to me. They did a great race. It was really intense. We knew at the start having such a tight chicane to start with, and with a super-strong field as we have in WTCR, it would have been difficult to do – and it was actually the case. I just managed to avoid the crashes and stuff. And then the pace was not bad, following a car and being in the dirty air from Esteban. And you know he is entering the old driver club, so I have to be a bit more focused when I want to make a trick! As he said I tried, but I kind of failed because I touched him a little bit so he knew I went for T2 so he covered it. I just had no chance to go for it. So well done to him for his defence. Then at some point I didn’t want to take too much risk because P3 starting P7 is already a good result, even if as you say we are leading the championship. But we are still so far away from the end that I still want to enjoy the races and take the max out of it. I want to win races and stuff, and then I will look about the championship.
 

ENDS