FIA GP3 - As The Sole US Series Driver; Daly Leverages Test Momentun In Preparation For Spanish Street Circuit

Noblesville, June 23, 2011: MAZDASPEED driver Conor Daly, second-generation formula car racer, heads to the seaside city of Valencia on the eastern coast of Spain set along the Mediterranean Sea for this weekend’s GP3 Series race. The 5.42 km temporary street circuit takes in the local port area crossing the waterways as cars pass the marina. This marks the second consecutive stop in Spain for the GP3 Series, which ran at the Circuit de Catalunya one month ago. The GP3 Series will again play a supporting role on a Formula One weekend. The Carlin Team recently completed a two-day official series testing program at the Valencia track where all three drivers were in action on June 16 and 17. Daly would go 16th fastest on each day.

“The test was all about tires; how to bring them up to ideal operating temperatures and how to conserve them long enough to work on the car and the driver. This is still a big learning curve for me,” comments Daly. “It’s not that difficult to learn the basics of the new circuits but it is a little difficult to learn where the last tenth of a second might be.”

The reigning Star Mazda Champion will look to use his street track experience as he heads into rounds five and six of the GP3 Series. Tire supplier Pirelli will debut the soft compound tire for the GP3 Series that has been tested this season. The soft tire will better suit the slower corners of the Valencia street circuit ensuring performance and durability in track conditions that are likely to be hot. Due to its smooth-road asphalt, a tire with a high level of grip is needed on medium-low speed tracks that require good grip, like Valencia.

“There will be a whole new experience coming at me this weekend driving the GP3 car on a street circuit. Street circuits have been good to me in the past and I’m very much looking forward to the weekend,” continues Daly, from Spain.