ALEX PERONI BACK ON TRACK AND FASTEST IN F3 TESTING

Four Australians took to the Bahrain International Circuit in the Sakhir desert for the official FIA F3 test prior to the start of the championship season at the same venue in a little over 15 days. While three of these Australians (Oscar Piastri, Callan Williams and Jack Doohan) were debutants in the category, the fourth driver was back for a second season, desperate for another crack at the title.

For Alex Peroni, the return to action was something that had been at the forefront of his thoughts since the penultimate round of the 2019 championship at Monza.

Everyone came to hear of Alex Peroni as the images of his horrifying crash at the high speed Parabolica curve at Monza sent shockwaves across the world. His escape from the crumpled wreck of his Dallara and subsequent return to Australia featured on news broadcasts across the globe.

His return to competitive racing with Campos Racing, the same team he raced with in 2019, was announced in mid February as the young Australian headed back to Spain in preparation for the official test in Bahrain. With his F3 seat confirmed, the motorsport community wondered if the young Australian was ready for a return to racing, both physically and mentally.

It took less than one day of the three day test for Peroni to put to rest any suggestion that the accident may have compromised the skill, precision and bravado that Alex had shown behind the wheel of the F3 Dallara.

Peroni posted the second fastest time in the afternoon of day 1 and backed that up with the third fastest time during the same session on day two. Peroni saved his best for last and logged the fastest time in the final afternoon runs. His time of 1.46.173 was not only the fastest for the third day, it was also the top time recorded over the three days.

Velocity Motorsport Magazine spoke exclusively with Alex about his return to the sport and his experiences during the test.

How did it feel to get back behind the wheel of an F3 car? Was there any trepidation, second thoughts or uncertainties?

“It felt amazing to be back in the car. I had been waiting for what felt like an eternity as I went through the recovery period and then the European winter, so I had been counting down the days for the test to commence. Driving the car was a feeling that I had really missed, and being back in the cockpit felt so normal, just like I remembered from 2019. In terms of my approach and mentality  in the car, there was no difference to last year, so that’s a good thing for me looking ahead to the 2020 season.”

What were the feelings after those first few laps in the car? Was it a confidence booster, or more a sense of excitement to get back to doing what you want to do?

“There was definitely a lot of excitement, though testing is always difficult with the stop and go nature and there is a lot of work to get through. There was no apprehension, no niggles of pain, it just felt good immediately and I was super comfortable in the car. I felt confident to push the limits of the car.

I guess that the feeling was like going back to the office after a break, mind you it is the best office in the world.”

Did the familiar surrounds of the Campos team help with your return?

“It felt like I was back home. I spent a year with the Campos team and lived in Valencia. It didn’t take me long to get back into the groove, settling back into a routine, seeing familiar faces and old friends. It felt good.

From the first day I could concentrate more on what was happening with Campos as a team and the set up of the car, rather than having to develop an acquaintance with an unfamiliar environment. So, for sure, it has helped.”

You held the fastest time for a period in the afternoon session and finished in P2. You followed that with the third fastest time on day, then finished the test in P1 with the quickest time over the three days. That must have been a real vote of confidence for you and the team?

“It was good to see my name up there. However, it is just testing and you have no idea of what the others are doing in terms of sand bagging and run planning. It is hard to know exactly where you stand, but it was both satisfying and encouraging for us. There is still an immense amount of work to complete and I wasn’t entirely happy with the car, nor were Campos completely satisfied with the car’s performance.

There is a long way to go and a great deal to learn before the first race of the season. I guess it is an excellent start, but it doesn’t really mean anything in terms of the championship.”

I hear that you have a new engineer in 2020?

“Yes, I do have a new engineer for 2020, but that’s pretty much the norm in any team. There’s always people changing roles and teams. My engineer is vastly experienced in Formula 3 and the upper formulas, including Formula 1. So far we have worked well together and are beginning to gel i our professional relationship.”

Were there any lingering issues or niggles from your time in the car today?

“I was fine, both physically and mentally with no side effects from last year. The car, being new, had a few niggles across the first day of testing, but nothing major. There are a few things to be changed or improved, but that is normal for a new car and a new season.”

The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to run from 20 -22 March.

Photos: Dutch Photo Agency

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