Pal Tamas Kiss, from Hungary with love
The Hungarian leg of the World Series by Renault will be his only appearance this season in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. But the driver from Miskolc just couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to race on home soil, and he’s determined to shine.
"It's really great to be here," commented the Hungarian. As a driver, the opportunity to race in front of a home crowd, well it’s a dream come true. I hope lots of fans will come to support me. And from what I heard, the crowds here in recent years has been impressive, so I’m not too worried. I know the track well. This is the circuit that I started out at in single-seaters. In Eurocup Formula Renault and in the Formula Renault 2.0 UK championship (which he is currently leading with three wins, two second places and a third) the cars are similar."
"I’m trying not to put myself too much pressure on myself, or set myself too high a goal, because the level in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 is extremely high. With the team we’ve still got lots of room for improvement. In particular, we must get used to this F1 type circuit, different from the narrow tracks we find in the UK. "
After learning the ropes and paying some dues in karting and in various local championships, Tamás Pál Kiss decided to go into “exile” in the UK. Not the easiest of choices, but far from illogical.
"I had to go there if I wanted to continue to progress, he explains. I went at the right time, at 17. It was important not to leave it any later. It was very difficult at first because I didn’t speak any English and knew absolutely no one. So I had to take intensive courses. I lived a crazy life for a while, because I continued my studies in Hungary in parallel. I was constantly going back and forth. It was really difficult. Now it’s a lot easier. I no longer need to take English classes and I even got my "A" Levels with my lowest score at 64% and my highest at 91%, which is good.
Now it's less stressful because I no longer have to stay so long in England. I will decide my programme for next year in September. I would like to continue my studies along with a programme to become a racing driver. At my level it is still possible to combine the two. My goal is to become a pro driver, but it is very difficult. Next season, I would like to move on to a new level, and participate in another championship, perhaps in the World Series by Renault. "
Official Renault Sport Press Release