Trulli will not go to Japan with a light heart
Asked about his feelings regarding the idea of traveling to Japan soon, just six months after the Fukushima disaster, the Italian driver is not the most enthusiastic but assures he will do his job.
Nearly six months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, it continues to spark debates on the organization of sporting events in the Japanese archipelago. Initially planned in Tokyo last March, the World Figure Skating Championships had to be postponed by a month and urgently relocated to Moscow. More related to motorsports, the Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix, held at the Motegi circuit, less than 200 kilometers from Fukushima, has been the subject of controversy, with the riders not hesitating to voice their disapproval. Just a few weeks ago, Valentino Rossi stated that he would not go to Japan, while his colleagues, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo, who are currently competing for the title, also do not seem enthusiastic about the Japanese stage. The Australian, currently leading the championship, is concerned for the health of his partner, who is currently expecting.
Formula One had been relatively spared from the debate until then, largely because Suzuka is located nearly 500 km from Fukushima, in the southern part of the main island of the archipelago. However, during the Fans Forum organized by FOTA at the Pirelli headquarters in Milan this Wednesday, the drivers present did not escape questions about their feelings regarding the upcoming trip to Japan: “There are people whose job is to study this kind of situation,” explains Nico Rosberg. “If they tell us that we can go there without problems, we can only believe them.”
Jarno Trulli, on the other hand, has a slightly different point of view: « Who is telling the truth? We just have to trust again and again. We have no way to intervene. I will not go to Japan with a light heart, but at the same time, I will do my job, as in any other occasion. Unfortunately, we live in a difficult world where we must rely only on ourselves » philosophizes the Team Lotus driver.
On the occasion of the last Belgian Grand Prix, our correspondent on site had already been able to interview the Italian driver on the subject, and the latter explained that there were, however, fewer concerns in F1 than for motorcyclists: “We are going to Suzuka, they are going much closer to the area where there were nuclear problems, so I think they may have reason to worry, but for us, the situation is different, so we will go there.”
Last July, alongside the German Grand Prix, Bernie Ecclestone himself assured that he would go to Japan as usual. The F1 financial chief additionally acquired 3,000 seats to offer to Japanese fans, ensuring in the process that the drivers would be present: I don’t know why the motorcyclists reacted this way, but, in Formula One, no one thinks it’s a problem.
But Kamui Kobayashi remains nonetheless one of the best-placed drivers to discuss the subject: “I went there, and I am fine. No one is worried in Japan. Going to Japan will show our support for the people. I expect people from all over the country to come,” confided the Japanese driver. When asked a few weeks ago by Diario Sport, Jaime Alguersuari showed the same confidence: “I have no problem going to Japan. The situation is calm.”
On his side, Fernando Alonso also joined the Sauber driver, stating that F1 could have its role to play: « I am always happy to go to Japan, also because Tokyo is one of my favorite cities. There are undoubtedly some, maybe not here but in motorcycle racing, who are not as much, but I think that sport, in certain situations, can help. »
