MAPLE, Ontario, Wednesday, August 1, 2012 —David Ostella and his No. 22 Global Precast/LiUNA/Xtreme Coil Drilling entry heads into the last stop on the Firestone Indy Lights Series Canadian tour with renewed drive and enthusiasm thanks to the support of his family, friends and local sponsors and supporters.
As the only Canadian driver in the series, the three back-to-back events north of the border have inspired the 20-year-old to bring his “A-Game” this weekend to Quebec for the Grand Prix Trois-Riviéres.
The historic 1.5-mile, 10-turn street course in Trois-Rivières, Quebec has played host to many top-level racing series since its inception in 1967. The Firestone Indy Lights series returned to the famed circuit in 2011 after an extended absence. Many major Canadian drivers have raced on the Monaco-inspired street course including Gilles and Jacques Villenueve, Jacques Duval and Alex Tagliani.
Practice begins this Friday at 2:10 pm (Local). Saturday will feature an 8:25 am practice, followed by a driver autograph session at 12:30 pm. “Knock-out Qualifying” will wrap up the day at 2:30 pm. This popular format was introduced last year and has been brought back by popular demand in 2012.
The first round of qualifying will feature a 30-minute session open to all teams with overall ranking determined by each car’s lap time at the end of the session. Much like the IZOD IndyCar Series Firestone Fast Six—the top-six cars will move on to a second session. These six cars will then participate in a 10-minute shootout following a short break to determine who will win the $5,000 Sunoco Pole Award by turning the fastest lap in the session.
Sunday’s 60-lap race feature will begin at 1:45 pm and will air on NBC Sports Network on August 16 at 5:00 pm ET.
Follow David Ostella on Twitter and Facebook for updates. For trackside news and updates, follow @OstellaCorsa.
Click here for a recent video feature from the Honda Indy Toronto.
Q&A WITH DAVID OSTELLA
Q: This is your third race in a row on a Canadian track, how does it feel to be on home soil in front of family and friends?
A: “It’s amazing to be racing in front of family and friends here in Canada, but I would have their support no matter where I raced.”
Q: What are your thoughts on the size and magnitude of the Grand Prix Trois-Rivières?
A: “The race in Three Rivers is always a great race. The track might be a little smaller than the others, but the event is huge! There are always amazing fans that come out to watch and the people love their racing.”
Q: How do you think this affects your performance?
A: “With all those fans of racing there, it makes me just want to put on a show for them and give them the greatest race I can.”
Q: What are your thoughts on this track?
A: “It is an awesome track to drive, but is hard to pass. With it being a small track, there’s not much time to rest so it really makes you work.”
Q: How many times have you raced on this track?
A: “This is my fourth time racing at . I raced on it two times in Star Mazda and once last year in Indy Lights.”
Q: Coming off your performance in Edmonton, what is the biggest challenge of the GP3R course from a car and driver standpoint?
A: “With the track being tight and no time for rest, the brakes sometimes overheat. One thing we have been working on is our braking, which we think we solved in Edmonton, so we should be good for GP3R. The other challenge is grip. It’s a street course, which normally has no grip, and the IZOD IndyCar Series will not be sharing the track with us and laying down their own rubber, so I anticipate it will take a long time for the grip to come in.”
Q: Now that we’re over the halfway point, what are some of the key things you’ve learned since the beginning of this season?
A: “Every time I go out on track I learn something new. This season I’ve learned the most about car setup. I’m also always learning something new about race craft every time I’m on track.”
Trois-Riviéres Weekend Schedule: (All times local)
Friday, August 3
2:10 – 2:55 p.m. – Firestone Indy Lights practice
Saturday, August 4
8:25 — 9:10 a.m. – Firestone Indy Lights practice
12:30 — 1:00 p.m. – Autograph Session
2:30 — 3:15 p.m. – Qualifications
Sunday, August 5
1:45 — 2:45 p.m. — Race (60 laps), NBC Sports Network (Taped) 5:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, August 16