BW:
Probably Surfers Paradise. I love racing on street circuits and I’ve been to Australia a couple of times with
Formula One. Judging by what I’ve seen on television previous years, it seems like the circuit has a very nice layout and it is a popular event for the fans.
Q:
What type of fitness do you think is the most important for Champ Car?
BW:
You need strong shoulders and good stamina in order to make it through a race distance. Without power steering, it gets very heavy after a while due to the down force and the way the suspension is set up. Fortunately when you get used to driving the car, you start to build better endurance and spend less energy. The longest race distance I’ve ever done was in F3000 when we raced in Monaco (one hour ten minutes) and Long Beach was one hour and 45 minutes. The steering isn’t different from the F3000 car so my only issue was the blisters I got on my hands. That won’t be a problem in the future as your skin gets stronger but because I missed out on most of the pre-season testing, my hands were not broken in.
Q:
What are you doing to prepare for the next event and the rest of the season?
BW:
I went back to Sweden for a couple of days as it was probably my last opportunity to see friends and family and my mental trainer for a while as I am planning to move to Indianapolis. I flew to Indy for a couple of weeks to find an apartment and of course we tested in Milwaukee, which I really enjoyed. I will move just before Monterrey and spend some time with the team before my next race.
Q:
What do you enjoy in your free time, your time away from the racetrack?
BW:
When I am not racing, I am preparing for the next race! I also enjoy spending time with my girlfriend, Ellen and try to live a normal life, as normal as it gets. During the days I do my physical training. During the winter, I’ve been renovating the flat where we live in the UK; I’m really into DIY at the moment!
Q:
What in your opinion has been your greatest achievement in your racing career?
BW:
Winning the International F3000 Championship and taking pole position on my first visit to Macau.
