Kyrgios, Simon Get Speedy With Peugeot In Estoril

Gilles Simon and Nick Kyrgios visited the Autódromo do Estoril on Monday to test out some sport-tuned Peugeot cars with professional Portuguese drivers.

Simon and Kyrgios, who are the top two seeds at this week’s Millennium Estoril Open, took the passenger seat for some very high-speed laps.

“It was very nice and the first time on a track like this,” said Simon. “It was really impressive how fast the professional drivers could go, especially on the bends and their breaking. At times you think you’re doing a U-turn. It’s a lot of stress if you’re not used to it, but I had a lot of confidence in the driver.”

“It was really fun,” said Kyrgios. “To get in a car with professional drivers was scary at first, but when you get used to it you put your trust in them. They did an unbelievable job. It shook me up on the first corner, when he really hit the brakes and started drifting.”

Simon then took out one of the cars for a couple of laps under the tutelage of one of the pro drivers. Kyrgios, having only recently passed his test to drive a manual car, decided not to give it a go. “I like driving, but when I’m back home I drive a lot,” said Kyrgios.

Simon added, “My turn was slower! I did two laps, the first lap was good and saw how I could do with it. But in the second lap, I lost control on the grass. It’s a really nice place though, driving at a former Formula One track.”

Former Formula One champions Alain Prost (1984, 1987-88), Ayrton Senna (1985), Nigel Mansell (1990, 1992) and Michael Schumacher (1993) previously won Grand Prix races on the track. Senna won his first Grand Prix in Estoril.