Fairuz Fauzy’s quest for a place in the grids of Formula 1 continues with the Malaysian lad selected to undergo a special two-day orientation programme designed specifically to give aspiring drivers a taste of motorsports’ premier racing event. Organized by ING Renault F1 Team at their plant in Enstone, Fairuz’s participation in the programme, which took place on 6 – 7 July 2009,  followed up on his recent success finishing second in the Silverstone race of the Formula Renault 3.5 series. With two successive podium finishes, having won in Hungary the week before, Fairuz now stands at 6th place in a field of 23 drivers, while the six-month-old Team MOFAZFortec is fifth in the team standings.

Fairuz finished second at Silverstone.

On the first day of the programme, the participants were given a tour of the Renault F1 team HQ, before being shown the physical training centre of the plant, bombastically named as the Human Performance Centre. They sat through a clinic organised by the Renault F1 team training instructor to brief them on the physical demands of an F1 driver’s training regime. As the saying goes, action speaks louder than words, and so the drivers were then put into the actual training conditions to complete the lesson.

The second day of the programme began with ING Renault F1 Team’s Executive Director of Engineering explaining to the participants the stages involved in selecting drivers to ultimately compete in the sport. Now, most of you would imagine that the criteria of selecting and, ultimately, training of F1 drivers focuses on their on track performance – car control, strategy, physical fitness and focus.

There is one more aspect that most of us, me included, would not have thought of – media interaction. Before dispersing, the participants spent an extended amount of time in the Public Relations centre where they were trained to speak to the media as not just a driver, but also an ambassador of the various brands slapped on their cars and suits.

It should be noted that although participation in this programme represents a massive step forward for Fairuz in his quest for a place in F1, his task is by no means even at the halfway mark. Although the Formula Renault 3.5 Series can be rightfully regarded as the fast track to F1, Fairuz still needs to be crowned overall champion of the series before being offered an F1 testing seat with ING Renault.

The next step in Fairuz’s long road would be in the Le Mans circuit, where the next leg of the Formula Renault will be held on 18-19 July, which is this weekend! Tune in to Astro Channel 814 this weekend to follow Fairuz’s progress as he continues on his quest to become Malaysia’s next Formula 1 driver.

KON

See also: Fairuz Fauzy targets Formula Renault win at Silverstone

This weekend, aspiring Malaysian driver Fairuz Fauzy of MOFAZFortec Motorsport team is set to compete in the World Series Formula Renault 3.5 at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Having just secured his first win in the last round of the series at the Hungaroring Circuit in Hungary, Fairuz, with the help of teammate Sten Pentus is intent on keeping the run going with a second successive victory at Silverstone.

Fairuz powering his way to victory at Hungary

Regarded by many as the penultimate step prior to Formula 1, the World Series Formula Renault 3.5 began in 2005 as a merger of the Eurocup Formula Renault V6 and the World Series by Nissan. A total of thirteen two-car teams are invited, all competing in car with uniform design complying to stringent F1 safety regulations. The cars are powered by a 3,498cc V6 engine producing 425bhp @ 8,250rpm. Weighing only 600kg, the car is capable of a 300kph top speed.

Even with only a 3.5 V6, these cars are capable of 300kph

The sole Asian on the grid, Fairuz has been competing with senior go-karters in the international level at the age of 12, having been crowned Champion of the ASEAN Kart Prix for five successive years from 1996 to 2000. He has since moved on to the Formula Ford Zetec Championship, then GP2 before representing Malaysia in the A1 GP. Should he continue is path of excellence in Formula Renault entry into the prestigious, though now dishevelled, Formula 1 beckons for the aspiring driver.

Fairuz on the podium.

Racing alongside Fairuz is Estonian Sten Pentus, who joined MOFAZFortec only this year, having tested in GP2 and Formula Renault the year before. According to MOFAZFortec, Pentus receives great support from his government being one of the brightest racing prospects to have emerged from his country. Malaysians wishing to catch Fairuz in action can do so live by tuning in to Eurosport Channel (Astro Channel 814) on Saturday, 4 July 2009, at 8:30pm.

Can he do it again?

KON