Davide Rigon’s GT World Challenge Europe season started with great expectations and confidence but ended abruptly early in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The Italian suffered an unfortunate accident that kept him off the tracks for some months. After a patient recovery and many hours on the simulator, Rigon returned to competition in the Italian GT Endurance Championship at Monza.
This year your primary commitment was the GT World Challenge, where you also played the role of “guide” for the two young talents of Fuoco and Ilott. How did you get on in this new capacity?
“It’s been an exceptional year. I was always the youngest guy on the team, but I was by far the oldest in the cockpit this year, considering Ilott is 23 years old and Fuoco 25. It almost felt like we were from different generations, thankfully not on the track. I felt good about it straight off because, although it was clear that they lacked experience and had to learn, I saw great willingness and speed of learning. I already knew Fuoco as much from the Italian championship as from the work we do on the Formula 1 simulator. A few more question marks hung over Ilott, not so much in terms of talent, which is undeniable, but how quickly he would learn how to best drive GT cars, which are very different from single-seaters. However, he came on very quickly from the first tests, and I was happy he came to talk to me and ask for advice on improving.”
What is your goal for next season?
“To work well to get the most out of myself and the car. I hope to drive again with top-level teammates and find the understanding there this year with Ilott and Fuoco. I hope to fight again in a competitive and entertaining championship. I’m very hungry for payback, podiums and victories.”