Bruno Senna has admitted that 2008 is the most important season of his motor racing career, as the Brazilian revs up for what he hopes will be a leap into Formula 1 in 2009 – or 2010 at the latest.
Having come to professional racing relatively late in life – after his family request he put his burgeoning career on hold following the death of his uncle Ayrton in the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994, 14 years ago this week – the 24-year-old has since fast been making up for lost time, and has recently begun his second season in the GP2 Series, widely considered to be F1's ante-chamber.
Though the inaugural Asia Series earlier this year fell a long way beneath expectations – with myriad problems conspiring to destroy Senna's championship charge – the main championship has begun on a far brighter note, with second and fourth-place finishes in the season curtain-raiser at Barcelona last weekend earning him a joint share of the lead in the drivers' standings heading towards round two in Istanbul in just over a week's time.
“This is obviously the most important year in my career until now,” the former British F3 ace told the
Irish Sun. “It is now or never.
“If I can be [GP2] champion, I can have the opportunity to be in Formula 1 next season.”
A gearbox issue may have cost Senna – competing for reigning title-winning outfit iSport International in 2008 – a shot at pole position in qualifying around the Circuit de Catalunya, but he rebounded by racing well at the scene of his maiden, and to-date only, series triumph last May.
“This is a new car,” he added, speaking to the official Formula 1 site. “It's more physical and amazing at high speed – totally different to last year.
“The new car works well and has a lot of downforce, and the team have done a good job in pre-season testing. Overall the weekend was good, and I am happy to be near the top
“I want to be in F1 in 2009 or 2010. I am fast enough, and this season I want to prove that. This is the year when I'll have my best opportunity to achieve great results.”
Senna is also a close friend of Scuderia Toro Rosso co-owner Gerhard Berger, who partnered Ayrton at McLaren-Honda from 1990 to 1992.
