Q & A with Cesar Ramos

Ramos spoke to AUTOSPORT from Florianopolis in southern Brazil about the season ahead.

Q. Your Formula 3 team from last year BVM Target is entering Formula Renault 3.5 this season, you also tested with P1 Motorsport and Draco, what made you choose to enter the series with Fortec?

Cesar Ramos: I really think Fortec is the best solution. They've been very competitive in World Series and everything went well when I tested with them at Alcaniz last year. It was difficult to compare them to P1 and Draco because the second test I did was raining, but the thing I like about this team is that they work very closely with the driver.

Q. Daniel Zampieri, your Italian Formula 3 champion predecessor, scored a number of podiums with Pons in 2010, what are your hopes for the season?

CR: It will be my first year, but I have a lot of experience now. Fortec also has experience, so I think the aim should be to win races.

Q. Where will you be based this season?

CR: At the moment I will probably stay in Italy. It is where I know the most people and where my trainer is. I fly out to Europe on Monday. As the year goes on maybe I will look at moving to London, but at the moment it's Italy.

Q. Do you have any ongoing relationship with Ferrari?

CR: Unfortunately, the relationship with Ferrari ended after the test at Vallelunga. People think there was more to it, but it was just a prize test. Still, I got to know what a Formula 1 car feels like, and have an insight into what Formula 1 drivers are talking about when they describe their cars.

They're really amazing, the car feels easy to drive but it has so much performance, especially the brakes. I was the first of three drivers to take to the track. It was still a bit wet so I was on intermediates. Later I had a problem with the fuel pump. I did go out on dry tyres for about six laps, but then there was a problem with the suspension.

However, it was still overwhelmingly a good day, the dream of every driver.

Q. Coming off a difficult 2009 in the Formula 3 Euro Series, why do you think last season was so successful?

CR: I couldn't develop a good feeling with Manor. It was strange because before that in Formula Renault 2.0 things had been not bad. Afterwards I wanted to go back to Italy with a team that I knew would push for me. Perhaps the Euro Series that year was tougher than Italy, but I think last year's Italian series was still quite competitive.

To go back to what I was saying about Fortec earlier, they work very well with the driver, so I just want to say a big thank you to them for choosing me.