CART Media Conference

Topics:  CART

Adrian Fernandez
February 26, 2001

T.E. McHALE: We're joined by Roberto Moreno's former Patrick Racing teammate, Adrian Fernandez. Good afternoon, Adrian, thanks for being with us today.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Thank you very much.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Obviously there's a lot of pressure in that respect, you know, the first race in our country that we have been waiting for a long time, the first race of the season and, you know, coming from a good strong finish last year, second in the championship. But, you know, it's something that you have to take as it comes, and you just have to try to avoid any distraction and avoid any pressure of that type. The team is doing really well at the moment, and that's giving me confidence that I will come to that race like any other race and try to do my best. You know, as long as I do my best that weekend, as a team, not just with me but also with Shinji, I will feel satisfied. It will be a very special moment. It will be a lot of fans, a lot of people trying to support us. You know, that will be quite an experience.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Well, right now for us it really works well because we need the time. As you know, we're building everything from zero. There is a lot of areas that we just didn't have enough time to finish, like trailers and pit equipment in some areas and things like that. So that time is going to be very, very important and very valuable for our team. We're going to really just get everything up to speed where we're going to make the big gain from Mexico to Long Beach. That month is going to be very important. That drop of Rio really benefit the team.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: I'd be against it. I mean, everybody has done their testing. I think, you know, everybody has been given the same opportunity. I don't think it should be open. I think it should stay the same way. That shouldn't change anything for anybody. You know, the rule is the rule. You know, by giving anybody more testing, is not going to do any better thing for anybody. So I think it's good the way it is.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: We should do it hopefully before Mexico. We haven't done that.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I would think so. Right now we're just trying to see exactly the timing of the sponsor. As soon as we know, you know, we will have to see if it's better to do it before or maybe in Mexico. So right now, to be honest, we don't know.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Yeah.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: I think Shinji is going to surprise a lot of people this year. That's my feel. He's been impressing the team in all areas. He's picking up and learning very quickly and I'm very, very pleased with the progress we've done with him. He's very hungry. He's very quick. He's learning fast. You know, as I say, I think Shinji is going to open some eyes this year.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Yeah, I would think so. I mean, it's always -- I mean, that's an obvious thing. That's always going to be a thing about trying to be the best in your country, the best in your team. As long as it's a nice and healthy competition, it's always good.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: It's a bit in the middle. It hasn't been that difficult because we have -- I always say that the most difficult part, which is the financial support, is always the difficult part to get. We have that in place a long time ago. We have it in place for quite a few years in the future. So that part is done. Basically here also having as a partner Tom Anderson, that's a big, big part of the situation that is already solved. He has a lot of experience, and that part, you know, it's been pretty good to work with. I mean, Tom and I, we've been able to work really well together and give our -- distribute the right responsibilities to each other. That has worked really well. The most difficult part has been just the time to bring a team from zero to where we are now to where we have I think now 35, 36 people. You know, two days ago we started with pit stops, started to get pit equipment. There's some areas that we don't have yet ready like the pit tanks and the pit equipment is not going to be (inaudible) a hundred percent. It's just been the time. Apart from that, we really haven't had any surprises. Actually the surprises that I have had have been just very rewarding. The atmosphere on the team is extremely, extremely good. I'm very, very motivated from what I've seen building on the team. It's exciting because it's something that I've been interacting with them and I just feel what I'm doing is the right thing for the team. It's a very natural way of doing things for me with the team, which is nothing apart from the (inaudible) of doing business for myself. It's something I have been concentrating more and was more work for me at the beginning, was looking into the new design of the car, uniforms, putting everybody together with the sponsors and the contacts and knowing who is who, things like that. But that big load of work really has now diminished for myself, so I don't have that much load. I've been just concentrating really hard on my fitness, working also with Shinji and things like that. It's going really well.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Right, well that's important. It's good to know that you have a team that is going to give you the hundred percent effort. If there is situations, you can make things change maybe quicker than has happened in the past. Also is good to know that we're going to give the same opportunity to Shinji, not less, not more, just the same opportunity. It's all in our interests to make Shinji a winner. And with that, you know, it would be stupid from our side to give him inferior equipment. So to be honest, it's a part that I never expected to feel like this, and it's very exciting.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: No. Actually I went to the doctor this morning and I will tell you exactly what it's called, what I have. They call it an intersection syndrome. It's the crossover. They call it like -- sometimes call it crossover tendonitis. There's two nerves and muscles that for some reason, is very strange because, you know, I did it by driving. I haven't done anything, haven't hit myself, I just did it by driving, which is very strange. The first day I felt a little sore. You know, there's a very tight corner and we have a very long steering arm. The steering was very long so I was crossing my arms too much. Somehow I damage it. You know, I hurt it while driving. So now I'm just in the process of healing.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: I'm going to jump in the car tomorrow and I'll see. (Inaudible) to the left, and it's very easy, I'm going to see how it works on my arm. As soon as I finish with you guys, I'm going to call (inaudible) and find out what would be -- he has a lot of experience in this, to get his opinion if I should do something on the testing side or not, or just the pit stops and things like that, just have the rest of the days from now to Mexico for the healing process. It's a little bit unfortunate, but I should be fine for Mexico. It may be a little pain there, but it's weird, you know, never had something like this happen to me.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Yeah, the right wrist, but this is my left wrist.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Two years ago. That's perfect now. This is my left wrist. Third day I couldn't really drive hard. I was just driving, working for Honda, things like that, pit stops. Shinji concentrated on speed and some other things. The inflammation is a lot less than what it was two days ago, so I'm encouraged that it's going to be better.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Yes. I think the track is not going to be as fast as we would like as the drivers. But it's a pretty nice track. It has a lot of different areas, I think opportunities for passing. To be honest, a lot of things that I may tell you now may change as soon as I jump on the racetrack because you just never know until you jump on the race car. Everything changes, even if you're in a rental car. But it has a lot of continued turns, a few tight corners, a few fast corners. It's very wide, which is a good characteristic of the track. So I think it's going to be a good track for racing. Hopefully it will provide also the opportunities of passing that we all want. For my side, in terms of what do I expect on Mexico for that weekend, I'm expecting a huge crowd and a lot of people trying to get our autograph (laughter). It will be a busy weekend, very busy. I will try to enjoy the moment every time.

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ: Thank you very much. Same to you guys.