Interview with Reinis Nitiss about pre season - google translate and little corrections from Latvian site
http://sportacentrs.com/motoru_sport..._pretendeja_pi
After less than a month, the end of March in Spain will take place in the FIA World Rallycross championship in the new season of the first stage, in which the start of the current championship "EKS", composed for the first time will pass Reinis Nitišs of Latvian. This year the team will compete for the first time with the "Audi" factory direct support, but Nitišs already begun active preparations for the season, both practicing driving, both in physical terms.
While on the accession of Janis Baumanis Manfred Stol's "STRADT" team rumors were circulating for several weeks, Nitišs announcement came suddenly. In an interview broadcast "ZeKurbulis" racing driver recognizes that the 2016 world champion Mattias Ekström has called him unexpectedly and as early as next week, the two sides agreed on joint cooperation in the upcoming season.
"Everything happened in a single day," says Reinis Nitišs. "My plan was to buy Peter Solberg car and drive with my own team. Already wanted to go and do so, but in one afternoon, I was at school, Mattias Ekström called. He said: "Hi, you're already entered into a contract?" I said that I know where we want to go and what will be, but everything always can very quickly change. So it happened, mutually agreed that I have a week of time, during which I have to provide a definitive answer. We told what are our options and requirements, they said the same thing. it was a Thursday, but as early as next Tuesday called from the team the main man and said that if we can to ensure that we negotiated, then we go. You can not imagine how many different thoughts at that point ran through my head. I was thinking for future how everything will happen, it was three days before signing a contract with Peter and tell him that his machine I will not buy. we made his little meeting, and everything solved. There are no things that can not be resolved. "
Hence Nitišs this year in all races will be racing at the "Audi" factory prepared for the machine power, the track will serve 2016 Champion "EKS". Last year Nitišs drove in two different teams, but the fight for victories seemed too far, as well as future - uncertain. Now Nitišs passed quite a contest and is in the best team.
"Now I have a winning team," he says. "Funny happened, but I guess to say that from the very, very bottom, I ascended the very top. This leads to believe that we are doing the right thing and moving in the right direction." Reinis gueses that possibly demand for the third car came from factory. At the beginning hope did not seem great, because we had five riders in a bid for this place - there were two of the world's rallycross Championship, but three more - "Audi" factory suggested pilots. Ekström wants to lead a full season in the DTM race , so Heikinenu, who is a new driver, we are likely to spend more time together, and the third pilot may have been necessary for him to be a company. I would like to know why the team chose me and also will try to ask them. "
Less than a week Nitišs already spent "EKS" team training camp in Sweden, where spent fitness test just made many driving tests with both street and rally cars. The Athlete acknowledges that, although not being driven by Rallycross car, have been able to learn a lot.
"Sweden have played a one-week test camp, where the team welcomed me as a friend instead of rookies, marginalized," says Reinis. "At first it seemed that give the machine and simply will driv, because it seemed that both the street machine can learn driving on the frozen lake, but it turned out that you can learn, and learn even be very much. Lika perform tasks that went with wet backs. Internally was the feeling that made everything so I would be the fastest. we drove with the S2000 rally car and, entering it, really understood that what we taught driving a street car, come in handy. there were so-called slalom, where a single gas dismissal learn the machine weight to the other side and leave in good rhythm, it was retrospectively elbows, a total of three different tracks. One was very fast, another is carried out by the second, third gear. Do was what. It is four days drove more kilometers than ever in such a short period of time. at the moment I have already traveled so much as in other years half season time and know the plan, what we have in front - I will get alot driving. There are quite a lot of things off as yet may have been run. "
Nitišs hopes that he will have equal opportunities to fight for victories with teammates Ekström and Thomas Heikinenu: "Once a week I spent with the team, I realized that" Audi "factory do not care who wins - whether it's me, Thomas or Matthias. Belief and I hope that all of us will have the same equipment, cars. Otherwise, it may be the season in the second paragraph, then you can start watching, which go better, who worse, who drives the team championship, but everything is already dependent on my own - if I will be able to prove themselves first race I hope that they do not come to mind to offer me something worse. I am currently a full-time employee and try to do everything to show itself at its best and can achieve the highest score. My coach Kevin Stupeli has done a good job and I can say that I am in the form of he has kept in my upper level. both the look and feel good. last season at the end of a small pauzīte, but in January again started to run more. the same physical tests as in January make Latvian, just have played in Sweden, and really see my growth. This again is a good reference point, by the way I see that I go in the right direction. "
In order to better prepare for the season start, now Nitišs have hands full of work: "Immediately again going back to Sweden, the plan is tight, there will be a lot of driving training, including physical training and also have homework to be submitted by the team. Are doing is enough from early morning until late at night . At the new rallycross car steering wheel for the first time will sit already next week. Until the beginning of the championship is less than a month, so have to start to take action. "