On the occasion of the Vallelunga Racing Weekend, we had the opportunity to interview David Tonizza. The driver from Viterbo told us his story, starting from motorsport in the virtual world to the real one, also mentioning some anecdotes and curiosities.
David Tonizza before race 1
At 22 years old, the sports career of Tonizza is certainly a reference point for many of his peers and not only. In 2019 he made his debut in the F1 Esports Championship with Ferrari, winning the world championship in the last race, in Brazil. Today, David not only runs esports with the Lamborghini team, but his career has expanded further into real motorsport. A year ago he debuted and won in the Predator championship. This year it seems that there may be a chance to seize success again with the Nem Racing team.
David enters the world of virtual motorsport as many of us: a simple guy who wants to have fun, but also emerge in an area that fascinates him more and more. The key moment comes in 2019, when Ferrari decides to focus on him. At 18 he has a huge opportunity that he does not want to waste, and so it was. He led Ferrari, also debuting in esports, to the final victory. David tells us that he had been dreaming of participating in this championship for a long time and, once it was over, his life and career changed profoundly.
He is aware of the fact that, having joined a company like Ferrari and having won at the debut, has contributed to the notoriety he has acquired, giving him several important opportunities. The final victory was an incredible emotion for him, he felt proud to be Italian and to have won for an Italian team like Ferrari. This success has been crucial for other future occasions, such as racing with Lamborghini in the virtual world, participating in the Predator championship in the real world and collaborating with other F1 teams for other activities.
As for the mental aspect or training in the simulator, gym or track, what are the main differences between motorsport in the virtual world and in the real one?
“Motorsport in the virtual world requires a different preparation: it is more a mental training, of nerves. In the simulator there are no major problems with regard to weight. Simulator training is about staying there, doing limited exercises, continuing to train as much as possible to make a difference. On the track, however, it is not so: in addition to a mental preparation, you feel a greater physical effort. That’s why you need good preparation, especially in summer races. It is essential to respect the minimum weight imposed and being out of shape leads to difficulties both in terms of speed but also on a physical level. I don’t like to do weights and gym, I prefer to do a lot of cardio, the important thing is to be consistent”.
Vallelunga is a track where you have already run. Is it a track that you like? Compared to other circuits, are there some features that you are particularly enthusiastic about or, on the contrary, in which you do not feel comfortable?
“Last year, during my second test with the Predator, I had a negative view of Vallelunga. I didn’t even like it in the simulator and, due to several difficulties on the track, my opinion was worse, until I hated it. This year, however, I changed approach, I trained intensively in the simulator, managing to put aside my prejudice on the track. The track is of high level, with fast sections, where aerodynamics is fundamental, and slow curves, where during the weekend I managed to make a difference. I love narrow racetracks, with many starts, tight turns and, in general, the stop and go tracks”.
Although you may not always notice, the work that is done to bring the car into the best possible condition is enormous. It confirms the same David but also the results on track. In the FX Racing Weekend, also held at Vallelunga in early September, David had difficulties with the single-seater already from the first session of free practice, managing to win only 6 points in two races. However, two weeks later, the result was completely different: pole position and win in both races. David points out that the improvements to the car were made possible thanks to the tireless work of the mechanics, who worked day and night, doing an extraordinary job.
With these machines, which do not provide much power, it is the details that make the difference. Many small changes have been made to make the car more balanced and faster. David also reveals that, after free practice, the team has found a short circuit in the electrical system, thus being able to recover the performance of the beginning of the year.
How complicated can it be for a pilot to establish future projects? Both in the virtual and in the real. David says that both worlds of motorsport have their difficulties. In the virtual you can hardly plan what will be done next year, sometimes it succeeds but is rare. At the end of September, after the last GT Word Challenge Esports race, he will evaluate future projects. With regard to real motorsport the situation is more complex: a key role has the budget and understand which categories are accessible. The goal is to race again with his current team, Nem Racing, with the FX Pro, the old generation Formula 4. There are other activities: David is collaborating with a company, without being able to reveal the name, linked to the world of motorsport, but not with real single-seater or esports events.
In recent years many lovers of motorsport have come very close to these minor categories, showing more and more interest in understanding the spirit of motorsport, thanks to figures who have a not indifferent audience or promises like Andrea Kimi Antonelli, which has grown thanks to ACI events. What can these categories offer the public and why should the public come to these weekends?
“These categories have a lot to offer, even more than F1 or Wec in my opinion. They are very affordable, going to see a F1 grand prix, especially for a family, is a very complex expense and not within everyone’s reach, unlike these weekends, since often the entry is free or cheap. The categories that run in these weekends are very fun and the cars that compete often have a very high displacement, you see fast cars and passionate drivers. In contexts such as F1 the driver’s mentality is different. In the minor categories, in addition to the desire to win that characterizes all drivers of all categories, the pilots just want to have fun, which is the spirit that should always be there, making great sacrifices to be able to race. This leads the public to become increasingly interested in this world”.
David Tonizza has shown himself to be a simple guy, passionate about motorsport and always positive. The notoriety he has acquired did not distract him from his passion, goals and principles. We wish David a good luck for the future and thank him for his availability!
