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As Paul Aron embarks on his Formula E debut at the doubleheader event in Berlin, he expresses gratitude to Envision Racing for the opportunity, acknowledging the formidable task ahead – and how this might be the future path for Formula 2 drivers.
With no experience in this championship so far and amidst the competition, Aron recognises the complexities of the car and its systems, highlighting the importance of Saturday’s round as a learning opportunity.
“I have no prior experience in this championship, for sure, with the level of drivers that we have here, it’s not that easy jumping in. And for all these reasons, using the championship, regarding how complex the car is with the systems. So at least, you know, I have the round on Saturday to kind of get used to everything,” Aron explained to media, including FormulaNerds.
“And, you know, maybe we’ll get a good result at some point, but I can’t expect much, you know, especially my first time, and I’d rather not expect anything and just hope for a good surprise.
“But then on Sunday, you know, you have another go at it, and everything I’ve learned from Saturday I can apply on Sunday. So in that sense, there is a bit of time to kind of learn, and then put it to use.“
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What he'd be if not a racing driver ?Get to know a bit more about @PaulAron16 ahead of his Formula E debut this weekend!#BerlinEPrix pic.twitter.com/zHoGoKaC6h
— Envision Racing (@Envision_Racing) May 8, 2024
Aron explains the key preperations
Reflecting on his preparation outside the simulator, Aron emphasises the significance of the rookie session in Misano, where he gained invaluable insights into the intensity of the races and the nuances of managing the car and its systems.
“I mean, of course, the rookie session in Misano was a big part of it. It was only 30 minutes, and yeah, we weren’t really pushing flat out in that session. But at least I got a first view of the car, and that was very helpful. Because doing a lot of simulator, at least I had a correlation to life, and I knew what in the sim is realistic, and what is not.
“Because often the simulators can be a bit misleading in some aspects. And in the same token, that session’s very big for getting the first idea of how intense the session for me is, because driving is one part of it, I would say, for me, is a bit more about how to manage everything else, how to manage the systems and the car, and for that you need a lot of communication with the engineer, and that’s not something I’m used to.”
How to combine Formula 2 and Formula E
Despite his aspirations to contribute to Envision and secure points, Aron remains grounded in realism, acknowledging the challenges of his first weekend in Formula E. However, he maintains his unwavering commitment to Formula 2, dedicating his focus to the upcoming race at Imola during the break between events.
“It’s going to be my first weekend, and as you said, it could help me out in the future, but in the same token, I’m still a full-time Formula 2 driver, so the moment I leave this paddock on Monday, I’m going to be fully focused on Formula 2.
“But during this break, the fact that between the two races, that we are now coming up Imola in Formula 2, I’ve put all my effort and time into getting as prepared as possible to continue Formula E, the team’s be welcoming, and hopefully, all the preparation will bring some points.”
Addressing the risks associated with joining both the FE and F2, Aron emphasises the support and understanding of his F2 team, Hitech, in allowing him to pursue this opportunity.
“Like I said before, I’m still a full-time F2 driver this year, so we wouldn’t have taken this opportunity if the guys [Hitech GP] would not have allowed me, but I think they’ve been happy with the job I’ve done, and they thought I deserved this chance.
“So I always talk to them. They were happy to let me go, and I think, in a way, they also see that it’s an opportunity for me as a driver to grow and develop. I never believed in a path that if you want to get somewhere, you just need to follow that ladder.
“For example, some drivers just drive in the Feeder series to get to F1. I think whatever you do, you need to be quick in any car. You can develop as a driver in any environment, and following how big the teams are, how proficient the championship is, how high-level it is here.
“I think if anything, it will just benefit me from going forward. I’m sure I’ll have stuff like you’re here and applying for me, too. So they don’t do it the same way, and I feel like they also saw that the potential flows outweigh the potential risks.”
Feature Image Credit: Daniel Bürgin