F1 Racing - UK (2019-12)

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YOU ASK TH E

QUESTIONS

Two very different questions in

one. Growing up, Lewis Hamilton

wasn’t a huge inspiration to

me, if I’m being honest. He’s a

guy I looked up to, but I didn’t

aspire to be like Lewis...

F1R:Was there someone you

did aspire to be like?

GR:No, there’s neverbeen a standout person. I’ve

understoodsinceI’vebeena youngkidthatIneedtoexcel

in many areas tobecome anF1 driveror world champion.

I’ve wanted to ta ke a bit fromeveryone: probably Lewis’s

speed, Jenson’scha racter – ho w he was withthe media,

how everyone liked him and [considered him] ateam

player. Fernando’s skill, Montoya’s overtakingskills or

racecraft. Bits andpieces from everyone.

And yes, my mother did approve of my career choice.

When I first started karting my brother was still racing,

and there were a number of times when my dadwould

be off with my brother and my mum wouldtake me

to the track, so she would be my mechanic, push my

kart down to the grid. Even when I won the British

championships in 2009 and 2010, my mum, after

every session, would be writing all the set-ups down

in her little notebook. Shekept track of everything.

She’s properly into it.

What was your first

drivingexperience?

ChrisGaiter,USA

How much of an

inspiration wasLewis

Hamiltonto you, and did

your mother approve

of your career choice?

AngieBrabyn,UK

“

fighting for a win there’s always a buzz, and additional

pressurewhen leading a race, but at the moment I’m just

driving flat out and that’s something I’m enjoying. In our

situation we have to drive flat out, becausewe don’t have

as much downforce as the other teams. To keep the tyres

in the window we’ve got to do quali laps every lap. That’s

very intense, whereas if you’ve got a faster car you’re just

driving within the limits to not overdo the tyres.

Well, I’ll class this as a driving

experience: I have an older

brother who used to race karts,

and when I was a young kid I

had a pedal tractor, which I usedto drive around the

paddocks of the kart tracks. It had a water tanker on the

back, and I used to collect litres ofwater for the teams to

fill up their radiators with. It was my job every morning

to pedal my tractor to the nearesttap. I must have been

only three or four years old. I was the water boy!

AT THE

MOMENT I’M

JUST DRIVING

FLAT OUT

AND THAT’S

SOMETHING

I’M ENJOYING.

IN OUR

SITUATION WE

HAV E TO DRIVE

FLAT OUT

“

“

82 F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019

} }

YOU ASK TH E

QUESTIONS

Two very different questions in

one. Growing up, Lewis Hamilton

wasn’t a huge inspiration to

me, if I’m being honest. He’s a

guy I looked up to, but I didn’t

aspire to be like Lewis...

F1R:Was there someone you

did aspire to be like?

GR:No, there’s neverbeen a standout person. I’ve

understoodsinceI’vebeena youngkidthatIneedtoexcel

in many areas tobecome anF1 driveror world champion.

I’ve wanted to ta ke a bit fromeveryone: probably Lewis’s

speed, Jenson’scha racter – ho w he was withthe media,

how everyone liked him and [considered him] ateam

player. Fernando’s skill, Montoya’s overtakingskills or

racecraft. Bits andpieces from everyone.

And yes, my mother did approve of my career choice.

When I first started karting my brother was still racing,

and there were a number of times when my dadwould

be off with my brother and my mum wouldtake me

to the track, so she would be my mechanic, push my

kart down to the grid. Even when I won the British

championships in 2009 and 2010, my mum, after

every session, would be writing all the set-ups down

in her little notebook. Shekept track of everything.

She’s properly into it.

What was your first

drivingexperience?

ChrisGaiter,USA

How much of an

inspiration wasLewis

Hamiltonto you, and did

your mother approve

of your career choice?

AngieBrabyn,UK

“

fighting for a win there’s always a buzz, and additional

pressurewhen leading a race, but at the moment I’m just

driving flat out and that’s something I’m enjoying. In our

situation we have to drive flat out, becausewe don’t have

as much downforce as the other teams. To keep the tyres

in the window we’ve got to do quali laps every lap. That’s

very intense, whereas if you’ve got a faster car you’re just

driving within the limits to not overdo the tyres.

Well, I’ll class this as a driving

experience: I have an older

brother who used to race karts,

and when I was a young kid I

had a pedal tractor, which I usedto drive around the

paddocks of the kart tracks. It had a water tanker on the

back, and I used to collect litres ofwater for the teams to

fill up their radiators with. It was my job every morning

to pedal my tractor to the nearesttap. I must have been

only three or four years old. I was the water boy!

M ’M

JUST DRIVING

FLAT OUT

AND THAT’S

SOMETHING

I’M ENJOYING.

IN OUR

SITUATION WE

HAV IVE

F T

82 F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019