MAPLE, Ontario, Wednesday, August 6, 2012 – In racing, as in life, maturity is developed through a series of experiences.
For 20-year-old race driver David Ostella, his performance in Sunday’s Grand Prix of Trois-Riviéres showed that he is rapidly maturing as a race car driver in the Firestone Indy Lights Series.
Good race car drivers know not to push a race car beyond its limits. If you have a car to win, you go for it. If your car is just not right, and you can run in the top 10, you do just that.
Often, young drivers will push a car past that limit to achieve a desired result. Rarely does that pay off. Ostella proved this weekend that he’s learned that important racing “life” lesson.
After the initial practice on Friday, Ostella’s goal was to just get the most out of his No. 22 Global Precast/LiUNA/Xtreme Coil Drilling Dallara, a car that didn’t seem to agree with him on the tricky 1.5-mile street circuit in Trois-Riviéres, Canada.
“It was immediately evident on Friday that we did not unload a car that was going to allow me to challenge for a podium on Sunday,” said Ostella. “Though we worked and massaged on it as much as we could, the car was challenging me all weekend. To end the race with a sixth-place is pretty good considering our weekend as a whole.”
As Ostella looks ahead to the next Firestone Indy Lights race in Baltimore, he is showing signs of even greater maturity.
“Though we struggled this weekend, I learn something every lap I’m in a race car,” said Ostella. “I was definitely learning out there this weekend. Completing the race on such a difficult street circuit without incident makes it easier for us to get ready for Baltimore. When the team can push an undamaged car onto the transporter, you already have a head start for the next race.”
The next Firestone Indy Lights race is Sept. 1 on the Streets of Baltimore.