Silvia Renaldi
| Silvia Renaldi | |
| [[Image:|150px]] | |
| Age | 20 |
| Nationality |  Italian
|
| International Formula Reject Challenge | |
|---|---|
| Car # | 9 |
| Years Competed | 2016- |
| Debut Season | 2016 |
| Current Team | ZimSport |
| Championships | 0 |
| Pole Positions | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Fastest Laps | 0 |
| Points | 23 |
| First Start | 2016 IFRC Round of Australia, Heat A |
| RWRS Canon Driver | |
Silvia Renaldi (born January 16, 1996 in Milan, Italy) is a race car driver in the International Formula Reject Challenge. Renaldi was signed to drive for ZimSport early in the off-season after impressing in tests. Renaldi is reportedly bringing along sponsorship from MaiaSoft and Cilogie. She is teamed with Emma Kickert, forming the first all-female driving lineup in the series.
2016
Renaldi and teammate Emma Kickert both showed flashes of serious pace during preseason testing. Despite the promise, Renaldi played down expectations of a strong outing early. "With more experience, I think we could do better... if a good result comes, then that's great, but we can't get overconfident."
Renaldi might have been wise to listen to her own advice during preseason testing, as it was overconfidence that took her out of the lead in her Penrith heat. "I think I hit a really wet patch. I just lost it and hit the pit wall..." Renaldi told reporters. "Its a big shame because of all the Holden people here... I'm not hurt so that's positive, Emma [Kickert] and I were both fast, so lets hope for better things tomorrow."
Despite the early exit, Renaldi qualified for the Final, and stormed her way into the lead after incidents wiped out the cars ahead of her. She spent the rest of the race trying to hold off Marco Bizzari, but ultimately lost out to Bizzari in the waning laps of the race. Regardless, Renaldi claimed her first podium in her first final, an effort team owner John Zimmer called a "brilliant drive". Renaldi had a much more bullish attitude towards her first podium.
"Of course this is a good result for ZimSport and all the Holden people here today... I felt that with more experience I could have fought for the win, but it's a long season... we may have looked great today, we must not get complacent and we must keep fighting."
Renaldi's heat in Mexico was much the same as her Penrith heat, a strong start ended with an early retirement when she was involved in an early accident. This time, however, Renaldi did not qualify for the final.
"They just started crashing in front of me and I tried to avoid it. Was hard to avoid when I committed to one lane and they crash in the brake zone... we have the pace, but perhaps I should have seen that coming before it happened." Renaldi told reporters. "I wasn't really sure who to blame for the crash, and it doesn't really matter whose fault it was, because it doesn't change the fact that we are out."
Rejectrucks
Rumors circulated that Renaldi would join Ryan Knittefeld in running both the IFRC and Rejectrucks Super Series events at Mexico City, but a deal for Renaldi to drive for David Bloom in a second entry did not materialize in time. Renaldi expressed interest in running a road course in the Rejectrucks series, but was not keen on running an oval.
Helmet Design
Silvia Renaldi has a dark blue helmet with a few random golden yellow spots on it.
