DRIVER PROFILE // RUSSIA'S FIRST F1 DRIVER: VITALY PETROV

Vitaly Petrov will make history on March 7th 2010 as he will be the first ever Russian driver to compete in Formula One. The 25-year-old from Vyborg, Russia, graduates to the top of the sport off the back of a successful GP2 career having raced in both the GP2 Series and GP2 Asia Series.

Petrov enjoyed his most successful campaign in 2009, finishing as the GP2 Series runner-up with two victories. Prior to that he raced in European Formula Renault, as well as various national championships in Russia... [read more]

Racing Career Key dates:

1998 – 2001:

Russian Rally Sprint and Ice Racing
Petrov started his racing days competing in rally sprints and ice racing. He was crowned Russian Rally

Sprint champion in 2001.

2001 – 2002:

Russian Lada Cup, Russian VW Polo Cup, Formula Russia 2.0
Petrov competed in various national championships in Russia and won the Russian Lada Cup with a

100% winning record.

2003 – 2004:

Italian & European Formula Renault
A dual campaign in Italian Formula Renault and the Eurocup provided further experience in singleseaters.

He also raced in the Russian Sports Car Championship, finishing as vice-champion.

2005:

Russian F1600 and Russian Sports Car Championship
Another campaign in Russian Sports Cars saw Petrov win nine races to be crowned champion.

He also won the Russian Formula 1600 Championship.

2006:

GP2 Series and Euroseries 3000
A part-time campaign in GP2 was combined with the Euroseries 3000 where Petrov finished third in the championship with five wins. He also raced in Italian Formula 3000, ending the year in third place with four wins to his name.

2007:

GP2 Series
Petrov’s first full year in the GP2 Series with Campos Racing brought him his first GP2 victory in Valencia.

2008:

GP2 Series and GP2 Asia Series
Again racing for Campos, Petrov took part in the inaugural GP2 Asia Series, winning one race and finishing third in the championship. A further victory in Valencia followed in the GP2 Series as he finished the championship in seventh place.

2009:

GP2 Series and GP2 Asia Series
A fourth season in GP2 with Barwa International Addax Team proved to be Petrov’s most successful as he finished runner-up in the GP2 Series having taken two victories during the season.

Interview with Vitaly Petrov, Renault F1 Team Driver:

You’ve just been announced as a Renault F1 Team driver. You must be thrilled…

"Yes, absolutely! For me it was a very long winter and I felt rather nervous when I saw other drivers’ contracts signed one after another. But I always believed that one day it would by my turn, and now, thanks to the Renault F1 Team, this finally became a reality. When I first drove a Formula Renault 2.0 car back in 2003, I couldn’t imagine that one day I would drive for Renault in Formula One so this really is a dream come true. Now I just can’t wait to sit in the cockpit and do my very first lap in a Formula One car. I’m sure it will feel fantastic."

Are you looking forward to working alongside Robert Kubica? Do you know him already?

"I’ve followed Robert’s progress in Formula One for a couple of years and he’s a really nice guy. We’re both from Eastern Europe and we both like rallying and ice racing – so for me Robert is almost the perfect teammate. He’s been in Formula One for four years already and has won a race so I’m sure I can learn a lot from him. I know that Robert was keen for me to join the team so I’d like to thank him for his support."

How will you prepare for the new season both physically and mentally?

"The physical side is much easier as fitness training is a part of my life and I feel fit enough already. Maybe I should do some more work to build up my neck with the fitness trainer at Renault so that I don’t have any problems. The mental side is more challenging because it still takes time for me to realise that I am a Formula One driver and that I will be on the grid in Bahrain. Also, I will be the first Russian to race in Formula One so there will be a lot of interest and expectation. But I’m not worrying about it as I have enough time to get used to the attention and prepare for the season. The next four weeks will be particularly important at the test sessions as I get to know the team and work closely with everyone to make sure I am ready."

What are you most looking forward to this year?

"I’m really looking forward to any wet races and the street circuits. That’s because I started my racing career in Russia competing in rally sprints and ice racing so I feel comfortable in slippery conditions. Also, I won my first GP2 race on a wet track in Valencia when I started on slicks on a damp track. But first I need to see what an F1 car feels like in the rain."

What are your goals for the year ahead?

"То learn as much as possible from this successful team and from Robert during the year. I’m so proud to be here and want to do the best job I can. When testing begins we will be able to judge where the R30 is in comparison with the other teams so before that it’s too early to set targets. All I can say is that I will try to be as close to Robert as possible and hopefully score points regularly for the team."


Images and Info: Renault F1