What is the first sport you remember taking part in?
“To be honest the first sport I competed in was motocross, as a kid. My father never bought us go-karts or anything like that, in our house four wheels was always a no go and we were told we were not allowed to use them.
“But he thought that if he bought us two motocross bikes that this sport is so physically tough that after a while we would stop. But, for my brother and me, it was the thing we were into from when we were 10 years old until we were around 18. We both raced in motocross in the Austrian and Spanish championships and we took it very seriously - motocross is a very good sport.
“When I started conventional motor racing I stopped with motocross as it was just too dangerous and there is a big chance of injuring yourself, especially over the jumps.
“So yes, my first sport and my first motor race was motocross.”
When do you remember being at a race track for the first time.
“I have to think back now. I think that the first time, because I grew up in Salzburg, was at the Salzburgring when my father took me there to see the MotoGP race - so I saw a MotoGP race live before I ever saw a Formula One race live, as the ‘Ring was just five minutes away from our place.
“It was quite a crazy place for a MotoGP race! In the old days they had a chicane and they were jumping over it with its high kerbs and they were actually jumping like five metres, which is crazy, but it was really good to watch.”
If you hadn’t have become a successful racing driver, what other sport would you have liked to have excelled in?
“I am a real sports fan and follow a lot of them. I love surfing and it is my main hobby and my big passion away from racing.
“If I could choose between being a professional racing driver and being a professional surfer then I wouldn’t know which one to choose, as surfers also have a very nice life. I follow the World Surfing league so if I couldn’t be a pro racing driver, then I would love to be a pro-surfer.
“I grew up in Ibiza and this isn’t so good for surfing, and it was when I began travelling a lot, like to France and to Indonesia that I really started. You can surf okay in Ibiza and Barcelona in the winter time but not in the summer as it is too flat.”
Which sports people do you admire
“As a big surf fan if I had to choose one star right now that I like, then I would have to say Kelly Slater who is the best surfer in the world.
“What I admire about him is that with all kinds of sports, after a certain age there is a drop, but he is 44 and competes at the same level as all of the young kids in surfing. I like that someone can still be so good at an older age.
“I also like Valentino Rossi, from MotoGP. I like him because now he is 38 years old, but again he can still compete with the best guys. Having a career for such a long time is really great. A lot of people can be fast at their peak, but then for all great sports people even Michael Schumacher the speed can then get less; Rossi is still quick. In the last three years he has been second in the championship against competitors who are like ten years younger than him, but he is still right there.”
Which sporting venue, or maybe event, other than a racing track would you like to visit?
“I am lucky enough to have already been to some great places. I am a big Barcelona fan, a big football fan and I was lucky to see a great match at their stadium, the famous Camp Nou.
“Then I have already seen a surfing competition in Bali, for the World Surfing League, and I have also been to a few Formula One races, but I have to say they get more and more boring every time I go.
“But one I would like to go to would be the surfing event, ‘Pipeline’ in Hawaii, which is the final event of the year. It is a great highlight and the waves are really big.”
Which circuits which aren’t on the WEC calendar would you like to compete at.
“I would like to race in Barcelona because it is my home town, so I could invite my friends and family to come and see me, as the races are all overseas which makes it very hard to bring friends. Also Barcelona is a good track with a lot of fast corners and it would be great to sleep at home and show my friends what it is like to be there.
“I have raced there in a DTM car, but never in a GT car.”
If you could share the cockpit with two racing heroes, or drivers from the past who would you choose?
(Laughing) “I think I would choose Pedro (Lamy), as he is already an old guy and he is my hero, so I already have one in my car and he is one of the best teammates I have ever had.
“The second would be Jean Alesi; I was a big fan of his. He was the only one I always wanted to win when I was watching Formula One as a kid. Then I was very lucky, as he was my teammate in DTM and again, same as Pedro, he has been one of the best teammates I have ever had and he is also a nice guy.
“Maybe it is also their age, well Jean is a bit older than Pedro, but with both of them I have had a great time. They are both great guys and a lot of fun.
“I remember one time I went with my father and brother to Monza when my father was working for Ferrari. Jean was leading the race and had built a massive lead when the car broke down. I heard that his manager had gone with Jean from the track to drive home in his Ferrari back to France or somewhere. The manager was so scared for his life as all Jean’s anger he left out on the highway with his Ferrari going at like 300 all the way home, and he was really scared. He is a real character and I think that is great.”
Your father is obviously renowned for what he did in Formula One, but he also had some great endurance races, do you remember them
“I think he won what was at that time the Nürburgring 24 hours, now the 12 hours, and he raced for BMW. He never raced at Le Mans but I want him to come one day and experience it for himself, he will love it.”
