ARTURO MERZARIO | MAKE IT YOUR RACE. AN OPPORTUNITY THAT’S BEEN MISSING FOR 3O YEARS
Arturo Merzario, Italian coach for Make It Your Race 2012, raced this weekend in Dijon in the Trofeo Abarth Selenia Europe competing against other international Make It Your Race endorsers. After all of his success up until Formula 1, he returned to Dijon, on the circuit that was inaugurated with his very victory.
In thanking him for the spirit with which he got back into the game, we offer you this short, but intense interview dedicated to all the Abarth lovers out there.
ARTURO, AMONG ALL OF THE RACES IN YOUR SUCCESSFUL CAREER, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAD THE MOST FUN IN?
July 21st, 1969, everyone remembers it: Moon landing day. But while Armstrong was going for a stroll on the moon, I was winning a Grand Prix with an Abarth Cuneo two-cylinder engine, “stopping to drink a coke to quench my thirst”.
OTHER PASSIONS BESIDES ENGINES?
Women are my sport, engines are my hobby.
WHO WAS YOUR ROLE MODEL AS A PILOT?
Historic race car drivers such as Graham Hill and Jo Shiffert, because they raced and went above and beyond, but most of all, they always put themselves to the test. After them, drivers began focusing on a single category, rarely accepting new challenges. Instead, there was a time when young talents could look up to real drivers like them, who were able to get back on track and compete. And that’s how I started, challenging even amazing race car drivers like them, before participating in Formula1.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MAKE IT YOUR RACE AND THE OPPORTUNITY IT GIVES “COMMON PEOPLE” TO COMPETE WITH A RACE CAR?
It’s a brilliant idea, because it gives people the opportunity that has been missing for the past 30 years. There’s little you can do nowadays if you have talent, but no money. The people who participated last year, took a shot, they had fun and most of all, they made their dream came true. Unexpectedly this year, they can race in an entire season as if they were professionals. Life is also about being in the right place at the right time.
MAKE IT YOUR RACE’S FINALISTS WILL RACE IN THEIR FIRST SEASON AS PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THEM?
Talent always prevails. Nowadays you get results by using your head, not only your foot on the gas pedal!
WHO WILL TRIUMPH IN THE MIYR2012 FINALIST BENELUX TROFEO THIS YEAR?
Alberto Fontana, if he follows the advise I gave him during MIYR
BACK TO YOU: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CIRCUIT?
The old Nurburgring circuit, even though it was the most dangerous in the world. But danger is always right around the corner for a race car driver.
TELL US A SECRET ABOUT YOU THAT WE DON’T ALREADY KNOW.
What secret would it be if I told you?
ARTURO MERZARIO | MAKE IT YOUR RACE. UN’OPPORTUNITÀ COME NON SE NE VEDONO DA 30ANNI
Arturo Merzario, coach dell’Italia per Make it your race 2012, ha corso questo week-end a Digione nel Trofeo Abarth Selenia Europa sfidando gli altri testimonial internazionali di Make It Your Race. Dopo tutti i successi ottenuti, fino alla Formula 1, è tornato a Digione, sul circuito inaugurato proprio con una sua vittoria.
Nel ringraziarlo per lo spirito con cui si è di nuovo rimesso in gioco, vi regaliamo anche questa breve ma intensa intervista dedicata agli abarthisti.
ARTURO NELLA TUA STORIA DI SUCCESSI, IN QUALE GARA TI SEI DIVERTITO DI PIU’?
21 luglio 1969, tutti ricordano questa data. Il giorno dello sbarco sulla luna, ma mentre Armstrong faceva la sua “passeggiata”, io vincevo un gran premio con un’Abarth cuneo due cilindri “fermandomi a bere una coca cola al bar per smorzare il caldo”.
LA TUA PASSIONE OLTRE AI MOTORI?
Le donne sono il mio sport, I motori sono solo un hobby.
COME PILOTA CHI è STATO IL TUO MODELLO?
Piloti di un tempo come Graham Hill e Jo Shiffert, perchè correvano e vincevano su tutto, ma soprattutto si rimettevano sempre in discussione. Dopo di loro i piloti si sono specializzati su una categoria e fato il salto non si mettono più in gioco e non accettano le sfide. Invece un tempo i giovani potevano confrontarsi con piloti veri come loro capaci di tornare a lottare nella polvere. E così che ho cominciato, sfidando anche fenomeni come loro due, ben prima di arrivare in Formula1.
COSA NE PENSI DI MAKE IT YOUR RACE E DELL’OPPORTUNITA’ CHE DA A PERSONE COMUNI DI GAREGGIARE SU AUTO DA CORSA?
Idea brillante, perchè ha dato l’opportunità che negli ultimi 30 anni si è persa. Con il talento, ma senza i soldi oggi non si va da nessuna parte. L’anno scorso i ragazzi che hanno partecipato, ci hanno provato, si sono divertiti e soprattutto hanno realizzato un sogno. E quest’anno inaspettatamente possono correre un’intera stagione da professionisti. La vita è anche trovarsi al posto giusto nel momento giusto.
I FINALISTI DI MAKE IT YOUR RACE CORRERANNO NELLA LORO PRIMA STAGIONE DA PILOTI PROFESSIONISTI, QUALI SONO I TUOI CONSIGLI PER LORO?
Il talentuoso prevarrà sempre e comunque al di là del piede metterci la testa! I risultati oggi si ottengono con la testa non solo con il piede sul pedale.
CHI TRIONFERA’ NEL TROFEO DEI FINALISTI DI MIYR2012 CHE SI SVOLGERA’ QUEST’ANNO NELLE TAPPE DEL BENELUX?
Alberto Fontana, se ascolta i suggerimenti che gli ho dato in tutto il MIYR
TORNANDO A TE, IL TUO CIRCUITO PREFERITO?
Il vecchio Nurburgring, anche se era il più pericoloso al mondo. Ma per un pilota il pericolo è sempre dietro l’angolo.
SVELACI UN SEGRETO CHE ANCORA NON CONOSCIAMO SU DI TE.
Che segreto sarebbe se ve lo dicessi?
CHRISTIAN MENZEL | FROM THE F3 TO MAKE IT YOUR RACE
STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
Only weaknesses and a lot of those… No idea, better not talk about it…
CAREER HIGH
Winner 24 H Nürburgring 1998, Winner Porsche Carrera Cup 2005, Winner Porsche Carrera Cup 2009 and 2010.
WHAT IS YOUR PASSION APART FROM RACING?
I love achieving something with a team, making a car better, seeing a result after the good work. If the others also work with passion, that’s a great experience! And there are many wonderful people here, less wonderful people too, of course, but this scene is a great school for life!
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST DREAM?
Good health for me and my family! Everything else is fine!
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CIRCUIT WORLDWIDE?
Nürburgring North Loop and Spa.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DRIVER/ROLE MODEL IN THE HISTORY OF RACING AND WHY?
Harald Grohs from Essen/Germany. Why? A cool guy who was always fast in the touring car, very clever in relations with sponsors and the industry. Nobody has better stories to tell than this guy!
Senna was also someone very special!
TELL US A SECRET YOU WOULD NEVER TELL YOUR MOTHER!
Better not…
ON WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN FANS FIND YOU?
www.christian-menzel.com I am not on Facebook or Twitter – too much stupid stuff goes on there. Private stays private!
YOSHIKI OMURA - THE FORMULA ABARTH DRIVER FROM SWITZERLAND
STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
My main strength as a driver is that I can think ahead making a proper strategy, keeping cool and not losing my head in the moment.
My weakness is that I can be overly competitive sometimes
CAREER HIGH
Completing second in the Formula 2000 championship fighting all the way to the end.
THE RACE YOU ENJOY THE MOST
Hard to say
WHAT IS YOUR PASSION APART FROM RACING?
Riding my road and mountain bike
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST DREAM?
Race in 24H of LeMans
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT MIYR & THE OPPORTUNITY THAT GIVES TO NORMAL PEOPLE TO RACE?
I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for people to have a chance to enter the world of motorsports. It’s very hard to make the step into professional racing, especially if one starts later in life. Abarth gives people the chance to experience this through MIYR.
THE FINALIST OF MIYR2012 WILL RACE THEY FIRST SEASON AS PRO DRIVERS, WHICH IS YOUR SUGGESTION TO THEM?
Before the season they should take the chance to get physically and mentally prepared to compete in the championship. Of course, any chance they can practice on the circuit will be great and on the race weekend to Push, Push, Push!
YOUR PREVISION ABOUT THE WINNER?
I think it will be between Fabio (ndr Keller from Switzerland) and Alberto (ndr Fontana from Italy) for sure. It was a pity that Fabio had a handicap with the broken engine at the MIYR 2012 final in Franciacorta, so we did not have a chance to see a fair comparison between these two drivers. The 2013 season will give these two drivers plenty of chances of fighting each other to see who is the fastest. Of course I hope that Fabio wins in the end!
BACK TO YOU, WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CIRCUIT WORLDWIDE?
I really love Imola, it has a great mix of technical sections and high speed sections. It’s really the perfect combination and lots of fun to drive.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DRIVER/ROLE MODEL IN THE HISTORY OF RACING AND WHY?
I really look up to Arturo Merzario, now a days drivers come and go, but it’s incredible how long he’s been racing and still today he’s very fast.
TELL US A SECRET YOU WOULD NEVER TELL YOUR MOTHER
I never tell her about the accidents…..
ON WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN FANS FIND YOU?
Facebook, YouP…No, just kidding!
TIFFANY CHITTENDEN | LIFE IS RACING
Tiffany Chittenden
August 27th, 1981
Beckenham, Kent
31
1.6 m
55kg
Abarth UK
Tiffany (Tiff) Chittenden has been racing since the age of twelve. This was almost inevitable given her family’s motorsport heritage - father Mike Chittenden was a former Touring Car driver and her mother was associated with the Vanwall Formula one Team in the 60’s.
Beyond the heritage of her family, Tiff is making waves of her own. Since winning her first ever race at the age of twelve she has lived to race. The first female ever to win a British National Kart Championship, Tiff has succeeded in every level of Kart racing since and (has) shown her natural talent as a racing driver on every occasion she has driven a racing car – including winning her class in her first ever car race.
STRENGHTS & WEAKNESSES
Stengths are extreme competiveness, smoothness and race craft.
Weaknesses – No money for racing!!
CAREER HIGH
British Champion
3rd in Europe
Won first ever GT Endurance Race in Aston Martin
Selected VIP Porsche Carerra Cup Driver
Abarth Ambassador obviously!!
WHAT IS YOUR PASSION ASIDE RACING?
My Life is racing! No time for anything else!!
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST DREAM?
To not have to worry when my next race is… Full time drive!
WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE CIRCUIT WORLDWIDE?
Spa or Nordschlife
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER/ROLE MODEL IN HISTORY OF RACING AND WHY?
Senna! He was my hero growing up and would stop at nothing to win. He lived and breathed racing.
TELL US A SECRET YOU WOULD NEVER TELL YOUR MOTHER!
My Father brought me up and he is here this weekend…. So nothing!
My family were heavily involved in racing. My father raced saloons and my mothers family were behind the Vanwall Racing Team F1 Champions.
ON WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN FANS FIND YOU?
www.tiffchittenden.com
Twitter: @tiffchittenden
Facebook fan page : Tiffany Chittenden Fan Page
MARGOT LAFFITE | I LOVE WHAT I CAN DO EVERYDAY.
STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES
Regularity, calm, wise
Weakness? It’s hard to say, sometimes the concentration.
THE RACE YOU ENJOY THE MOST
GT3 Fia with a Morgan, MY first step in GT. Unforgettable.
CAREER HIGH
My first race in Renault World Series in 2009
WHAT IS YOUR PASSION APART FROM RACING?
Sports, tennis, I love every sport activity
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST DREAM?
I love what I do everyday, I don’t have the time to dream anything else, I just enjoy the everyday opportunities.
WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT MIYR & THE OPPORTUNITY THAT GIVES TO NORMAL PEOPLE TO RACE?
When my father starts racing it was normal. Today without money it is very difficult. This talent show it is what racing needed, I hope that other brands & countries will follow this idea giving new opportunity without looking only to the business.
THE FINALIST OF MIYR2012 WILL RACE THEY FIRST SEASON AS PRO DRIVERS, WHICH IS YOUR SUGGESTION TO THEM?
Don’t live this chance passing without giving everything you have and work hard because it is a unique chance.
BACK TO YOU, WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE CIRCUIT WORLDWIDE?
Hungary, but SPA in Belgium also.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DRIVER/ROLE MODEL IN THE HISTORY OF RACING AND WHY?
Alonso! Why not Vettel? They both have a great talent, but Alonso is much more consistent as driver.
ON WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN FANS FIND YOU?
On Twitter: @margotlaffite
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/margot.laffite
Trofeo Abarth Europa - #topdrivers
©ABARTH & C. S.p.A.
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿