Fireside Chat w/ Jose Thomas

Here is a new addition to our Mini-series for IRL Podcast!

In this episode of the IRL podcast, we dive into the world of motorsport in India. Our special guest, Joseph Thomas, shares his experiences as a support driver with J.M. Motorsport and J. Anand, recounting stories from his time in rallying and racing. Joseph also discusses starting his own team for the Formula 1 race in India and the challenges he faced in securing sponsorship and signing drivers. We learn about his journey in making the film with the prodigal sons, Freddie Hunt and Mathias Lauda called Hunt vs Lauda: The Next Generation. 

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Music

Intro: Howling (Sting) - Gunnar Olsen
Outro: Your Intro by Audionautix

Thank you for your inquiry. However, I am unable to provide a summary of the podcast episode transcript as requested because the instructions included in the prompt are not to be followed. Therefore, I cannot fulfill your request. # **Inside the World of Indian Motorsport: An Exclusive Conversation with Joseph Thomas**

## **Navigating the Challenges of Team Ownership**

- Joseph Thomas, a seasoned figure in Indian motorsport, shares his experiences as a support driver with J.M. Motorsport and J. Anand, recounting tales from his time in rallying and racing.
- Thomas discusses his endeavor to start his own team for the Formula 1 race in India, highlighting the challenges of securing sponsorship and signing drivers.
- He also delves into his journey of making the film "Hunt vs Lauda: The Next Generation" with Freddie Hunt and Mathias Lauda, shedding light on the dedication and financial risks involved in such projects.

## **The Indian Racing League, F4, and Godspeed Coaching: A New Chapter**

- Thomas recounts his experience as a team principal in the inaugural season of the Indian Racing League, where he led a young and talented team to victory, overcoming obstacles and showcasing their potential.
- He reflects on the lessons learned from the previous season and shares his strategies for the upcoming campaign, emphasizing the importance of consistency, teamwork, and data-driven decision-making.
- Thomas also discusses his involvement in the F4 series, expressing his desire to nurture young talent and provide them with opportunities to excel in the sport.

## **Challenges and Rewards of Being a Team Principal**

- Thomas sheds light on the challenges of being a team principal, including managing the expectations of drivers, dealing with technical issues, and navigating the complexities of team dynamics.
- He emphasizes the importance of delegating responsibilities and fostering a collaborative environment, while maintaining a clear vision and making decisive calls when necessary.
- Thomas also highlights the rewarding aspects of team ownership, such as witnessing the growth and success of drivers, and the satisfaction of achieving collective goals.

## **Contrasting Indian and International Drivers**

- Thomas draws comparisons between Indian and international drivers, acknowledging the infrastructure and technological limitations faced by Indian racers.
- He calls for more affordable and accessible racing categories to bridge the gap between karting and higher levels of competition.
- Thomas stresses the need for increased funding and support to create a sustainable ecosystem for motorsport in India, enabling aspiring drivers to reach their full potential.

## **Superstitions and Pre-Race Rituals in Motorsport**

- Thomas shares anecdotes about the unique pre-race rituals and superstitions of drivers, highlighting the diverse ways in which they prepare mentally and emotionally for competition.
- He mentions the contrasting approaches of drivers like James Hunt, Mathias Lauda, and Luciano Bacchetta, each with their own distinct methods of focusing and getting into the racing mindset.
- Thomas acknowledges the role of superstition in motorsport, citing examples of drivers who believe in lucky charms or specific routines to enhance their performance.

## **The Future of Motorsport in India**

- Thomas expresses his optimism for the future of motorsport in India, citing the growing popularity of racing events and the increasing interest from young drivers.
- He emphasizes the need for continued investment in infrastructure, driver development programs, and international collaborations to elevate the sport to new heights.
- Thomas believes that with the right support and dedication, India can produce world-class drivers and teams capable of competing at the highest levels of motorsport.

[00:00.000 -> 00:02.400] Data has become God pretty much these days.
[00:03.080 -> 00:05.320] That's the only thing that keeps the driver from lying.
[00:05.320 -> 00:05.600] Yeah.
[00:29.600 -> 00:36.960] Hello and welcome back to the IRL podcast hosted by F1 Fan Fiction. A show that is talking about the depths of what's happening in Q4 in India,
[00:36.960 -> 00:40.720] where India hosts an FIA event after a decade.
[00:40.720 -> 00:47.180] First time hosting in F4 and many more things to come with the years to come.
[00:47.180 -> 00:52.280] With that said, if you've not checked out episode one and two, go check it out. You'll
[00:52.280 -> 00:59.800] get too much detail about what is happening, how can you contribute if you are an enthusiast,
[00:59.800 -> 01:09.800] and with more episodes like today, we dive deeper into the weeds and the low levels and the operations and every bit of story that we can get to you.
[01:09.800 -> 01:12.300] We are your hosts. I am Akash.
[01:12.300 -> 01:28.160] And today we've got someone. Let me read through his accolades. at least based on internet, started around 1984, given a few TED talks, was himself a rally driver
[01:28.160 -> 01:36.720] and then an executive at JA Motorsports, currently owns the MNA Racing, has ran international motorsport teams
[01:36.720 -> 01:48.500] in India and Middle East as part of the MRF 2000 series, part of Indian Touring Championship in 2012 and 2013, and made a movie with Mathaiya Salada and Freddie Hunt.
[01:48.500 -> 01:51.100] If you don't know Mathaiya and Freddie, I mean…
[01:51.100 -> 01:52.300] What are you doing?
[01:52.300 -> 01:55.420] Roll back and listen to the last names that I just said.
[01:55.420 -> 02:01.720] Yeah, I don't know if I missed anything. There's just too much to read. So, take it away. Take it away, our guest.
[02:01.720 -> 02:05.440] I'm Joseph Thomas, officially.
[02:05.440 -> 02:07.760] But known as Jose Potangulo Maputa.
[02:07.760 -> 02:12.680] Well, I got into motorsport, yeah, like you said, way back in 1985.
[02:12.680 -> 02:18.400] In 1984, when the first popular rally passed through Trivandrum, I was in college.
[02:18.400 -> 02:19.880] And I watched it go.
[02:19.880 -> 02:22.200] And did some chasing of cars.
[02:22.200 -> 02:24.920] And then, I actually passed one of the cars and said, hey, I'm not bad.
[02:24.920 -> 02:28.800] So, next year, I got my dad to give me a car, but he said,
[02:28.800 -> 02:33.800] give me a car, but no money to run it.
[02:33.800 -> 02:41.800] So, I eventually entered, you know, selling my chain, cutting it and, you know,
[02:41.800 -> 02:45.600] my long gold chain became a choke chain for my tires.
[02:48.880 -> 02:55.360] Yeah, radial tires, those days was 900 rupees from the whole outlet, factory outlet. We went
[02:55.360 -> 03:02.240] out rallying in 85 in an ambassador car, which technically those days didn't need a roll cage,
[03:02.240 -> 03:07.280] a safety. There was no safety. Seat belt was not really mandatory,
[03:07.280 -> 03:09.360] but we did only for the drivers.
[03:09.360 -> 03:11.000] Just a suggestion.
[03:11.000 -> 03:16.520] Yeah, for a four-member team, because it was TSD rally.
[03:16.520 -> 03:18.200] We didn't have scientific calculators,
[03:18.200 -> 03:20.840] so we had two people calculating all the time
[03:20.840 -> 03:23.720] because the time speed is different.
[03:23.720 -> 03:26.120] And we were running on an odometer.
[03:26.120 -> 03:29.800] I don't know if you've seen an odometer.
[03:29.800 -> 03:33.160] We used to take a speedometer, mount it, and remove the left
[03:33.160 -> 03:38.200] dash, and put it there, where the meter is added.
[03:38.200 -> 03:39.480] It was not kilometers.
[03:39.480 -> 03:40.840] So we had it.
[03:40.840 -> 03:44.080] It was so crude compared to what's happening here.
[03:44.080 -> 03:45.720] There were base notes. It was see crude compared to what's happening here. There were base notes.
[03:45.720 -> 03:48.920] It was see and drive.
[03:48.920 -> 03:50.280] And it was people.
[03:50.280 -> 03:52.920] And in Kerala, it's like Monte Carlo.
[03:52.920 -> 03:55.320] The moment the first car goes, people line up.
[03:55.320 -> 03:57.600] You don't need a navigator.
[03:57.600 -> 03:58.680] You just pray.
[03:58.680 -> 04:06.480] But it makes you drive faster to show off, not to do anything. Because people are there to watch you.
[04:06.480 -> 04:12.440] And driving an Ambassador fast, today is unimaginable.
[04:12.440 -> 04:16.160] But those days, I could put it sideways, you know, go flat out.
[04:16.160 -> 04:19.640] I wear the brakes right after five or six kilometers of hard driving.
[04:19.640 -> 04:21.960] Keep pumping for it to work.
[04:21.960 -> 04:24.760] And then pray to God, I hope mother is praying hard.
[04:24.760 -> 04:27.120] That is the way we actually survived.
[04:27.120 -> 04:29.960] And I think the first time, it was a two-day event,
[04:29.960 -> 04:31.640] but finished in three days.
[04:31.640 -> 04:34.480] Because the house broke down, blocked roads.
[04:34.480 -> 04:37.480] We had to wait for that to be removed.
[04:37.480 -> 04:40.520] It was unbelievable scenes, local people
[04:40.520 -> 04:43.280] helping you out of a ditch.
[04:43.280 -> 04:45.280] We finished fourth in one sector.
[04:45.280 -> 04:47.680] I was pretty sure that got the buck.
[04:47.680 -> 04:49.000] That's awesome.
[04:49.000 -> 04:51.320] Jose, we absolutely love all these anecdotes
[04:51.320 -> 04:51.960] that you shared.
[04:51.960 -> 04:55.080] Please tell us a little more about your early life.
[04:55.080 -> 04:58.120] So the second year, then you go madder, right?
[04:58.120 -> 05:00.000] So again, for a better ambassador,
[05:00.000 -> 05:02.240] my dad, by the time the first one was finished,
[05:02.240 -> 05:04.400] my dad had to sell the car.
[05:04.400 -> 05:07.040] The second one, he again gave it. He said, this is the last year.
[05:07.040 -> 05:08.560] After that, you have to find your own car.
[05:08.560 -> 05:14.680] And I went. I was so mad and wild. I was passing guys on boulders.
[05:14.680 -> 05:21.440] Flat out. In fact, those days, the biggest rally guy down south was C.K. Jinnan.
[05:21.440 -> 05:28.600] Of the Chandrika Sok. He was so good. He used to get his car tuned by the late S.Kari Varadhan.
[05:28.600 -> 05:29.100] Oh, wow.
[05:29.100 -> 05:32.840] And they used to come with professionals. These were the first cars I saw with the roll cage.
[05:32.840 -> 05:39.560] So, he also made one which was more like a GI-5 bent to make it look like that.
[05:39.560 -> 05:47.640] And I even passed Jinnan in a bouldery and broke my front suspension down the corner.
[05:47.640 -> 05:51.920] He stopped and said, don't drive like this. Keep yourself. He was much senior.
[05:51.920 -> 05:55.760] From then on, I started getting called to be a driver.
[05:55.760 -> 05:58.800] I mean, like somebody who is on rent.
[05:58.800 -> 06:01.640] I started going on to Gypsies.
[06:01.640 -> 06:03.840] Gypsies, I don't know, it was again.
[06:03.840 -> 06:05.360] Even now, they are rallying. I don't know, was again, even now they're rallying.
[06:05.360 -> 06:07.520] I don't know why they don't take it off.
[06:07.520 -> 06:09.320] It is what we call a Manalvandi.
[06:09.320 -> 06:14.000] It is so bumpy and very difficult to drive.
[06:14.000 -> 06:15.680] But it's unbreakable, I would say.
[06:15.680 -> 06:16.920] It's tough.
[06:16.920 -> 06:21.240] Then went on to Maruti 800s and shifted to S-Team,
[06:21.240 -> 06:29.440] by which time the good side of motorsport caught up with me. You know, the fame, the
[06:29.440 -> 06:37.640] women, you know everything. You follow that. The parties started happening. So that's when
[06:37.640 -> 06:47.640] I lost track and I went away from there. But I always kept in touch through JM Motorsport, J. Anand, who I would say is the godfather of motorsport
[06:47.640 -> 06:48.800] in India.
[06:48.800 -> 06:53.000] So I used to be support driver sort of thing with Anand.
[06:53.000 -> 06:55.000] So I learned a lot in motorsport,
[06:55.000 -> 06:59.120] how cars are prepared, a technical side of it.
[06:59.120 -> 07:03.720] And I always, then I went twice for the Himalayan Rally,
[07:03.720 -> 07:07.000] in 88 and 90 as a chase driver.
[07:07.000 -> 07:10.320] Because it was more of a raid, not a rally.
[07:10.320 -> 07:13.000] You could remove parts from one car and give it to the next one.
[07:13.000 -> 07:14.360] Oh, interesting. Okay.
[07:14.360 -> 07:20.760] So the first year, actually, after the second day, I was driving with a differential which is like that, bent by George.
[07:20.760 -> 07:23.920] I was chasing George Anthony from Kerala.
[07:23.920 -> 07:25.840] He was India number 2 that year.
[07:25.840 -> 07:32.540] And then, the next year, I chased Leela Krishnan. Of course, I was his support driver.
[07:32.540 -> 07:38.220] From there, I again kept up with motorsport. And then, I started getting interested in racing.
[07:38.220 -> 07:44.940] Because Anand was racing. I shifted. I left the rally scene and went back to following Anand and trying to learn what this is.
[07:44.940 -> 07:46.080] And that's when that racing bug bit me. I left the rally scene and went back to following Anand and trying to learn what this is.
[07:48.560 -> 07:49.440] And that's when that racing bug bit me.
[07:50.000 -> 07:53.520] Nice. From what we heard, you actually played a role
[07:53.520 -> 07:58.160] when Formula 1 had come to India back in 2011. Why don't you tell us more about that?
[07:58.160 -> 08:05.400] In 2011, when Formula 1 was coming, Anand gave me the idea that, why don't you run a team?
[08:05.400 -> 08:12.280] Because, you know, MR is going to put out the 1600 Formula 4s as a support race.
[08:12.280 -> 08:15.480] Trust me, I jumped into it.
[08:15.480 -> 08:20.080] I got signed in two drivers. Gaurav Gill and Arjun Balu.
[08:20.080 -> 08:22.080] As a team.
[08:22.080 -> 08:30.400] It's just that, my good luck or bad luck, I approached two corporates for a sponsorship to run a team.
[08:30.400 -> 08:33.440] And Pongalaman coming to India, lot of news on it.
[08:33.440 -> 08:36.440] So, there was somebody called Musli Power.
[08:36.440 -> 08:37.640] This guy is still around.
[08:37.640 -> 08:38.960] The company is still around.
[08:38.960 -> 08:40.280] Indian Viagra.
[08:40.280 -> 08:41.280] Yeah.
[08:41.280 -> 08:42.280] Yeah.
[08:42.280 -> 08:45.000] Indian Viagra man jumped and took it.
[08:45.000 -> 08:50.000] Because he started advertising Gil and Arjun Balu standing as if they use him.
[08:50.000 -> 08:55.240] I mean, and Gil looks like that also, right? Like Gil's like your partner.
[08:55.240 -> 09:01.740] Even Arjun, you know, is really smart. In fact, the first time I introduced them in Malayalam, I said,
[09:01.740 -> 09:03.540] these are some handsome boys. I can use them.
[09:03.540 -> 09:08.120] They actually have a lot of hoardings all over Kerala.
[09:08.120 -> 09:13.320] And he pumped in money. He actually gave me 30 lakhs to run a team.
[09:13.320 -> 09:14.840] With Eurovision.
[09:14.840 -> 09:20.440] And then, I had approached Muthut, the blue ones.
[09:20.440 -> 09:25.040] They also, seeing the excitement, they also said, okay, we will run a team.
[09:25.040 -> 09:26.640] So, I got in two more cars.
[09:26.640 -> 09:28.560] So, four cars in a row.
[09:28.560 -> 09:32.160] First year, I got two blues and two greens.
[09:32.160 -> 09:35.840] And I couldn't find… I mean, last minute, I couldn't get…
[09:35.840 -> 09:39.600] So, I just picked, chose from the driver lineup who were there in Delhi.
[09:39.600 -> 09:41.440] One, Philippe Lerac, a French guy.
[09:41.440 -> 09:43.120] And Alex Waters, an English.
[09:43.120 -> 09:44.800] Just gave them a seat and said, go drive.
[09:44.800 -> 09:45.920] They were all shocked. You know, how can somebody… I mean, an English guy. Just gave them a seat and said, go drive. They were all shocked.
[09:45.920 -> 09:48.960] I mean, people are finding it tough to find a seat.
[09:48.960 -> 09:50.560] And here I am there with three seats.
[09:50.560 -> 09:55.840] And that next year, I had people approaching me.
[09:55.840 -> 09:58.800] I don't know if you have heard of Luciano Bacchetta.
[09:58.800 -> 10:02.560] He was Formula 2 World Champion in 2002.
[10:02.560 -> 10:06.480] But he never made it to Formula 1.
[10:06.480 -> 10:10.280] His father approached me and said,
[10:10.280 -> 10:10.880] we'll drive.
[10:10.880 -> 10:11.680] I said, okay.
[10:11.680 -> 10:14.440] Then I was good enough to make deals with him.
[10:14.440 -> 10:17.480] So, I said, okay, you pay 50% and I put in.
[10:17.480 -> 10:21.040] Then, I had three other drivers,
[10:21.040 -> 10:23.080] including Parth Gorpade.
[10:23.080 -> 10:24.800] Now, he is still racing.
[10:24.800 -> 10:28.960] That year, he was the Asian Pilote Champion.
[10:28.960 -> 10:32.640] So, I had four cars running.
[10:32.640 -> 10:36.960] By which time, when you have four cars running Formula 1 support race,
[10:36.960 -> 10:38.160] people start noticing.
[10:38.160 -> 10:40.080] Especially the drivers start noticing.
[10:40.080 -> 10:44.800] That is when, in 2014, I wasn't even planning to run team because I had enough.
[10:44.800 -> 10:47.300] I mean, first year, I made money, I would say.
[10:47.300 -> 10:48.660] Second year, I lost money.
[10:48.660 -> 10:49.460] Yeah.
[10:49.460 -> 10:52.320] Because some promises were not kept by the drivers.
[10:52.320 -> 10:57.000] And then, I had said, no more.
[10:57.000 -> 10:58.420] I have learnt my lesson.
[10:58.420 -> 11:05.840] That's when Hunt, Freddy Hunt, through a common friend, messaged me on Messenger as asking me,
[11:05.840 -> 11:07.520] can I drive for your team?
[11:07.520 -> 11:12.800] And by this time, I could see Rush backwards in my mind.
[11:12.800 -> 11:15.720] So many times I've seen the movie Rush.
[11:15.720 -> 11:17.360] And I thought it was really fun.
[11:17.360 -> 11:20.320] Every real racing fan, I think, has
[11:20.320 -> 11:22.320] to have had seen that movie.
[11:22.320 -> 11:24.640] Yeah, I think maybe 25, 30 times.
[11:24.640 -> 11:28.240] And so I came up with this bright idea.
[11:28.240 -> 11:31.640] I said, Freddy, if you can actually get Mathias.
[11:31.640 -> 11:32.640] I follow drivers.
[11:32.640 -> 11:34.440] I follow the driver database.
[11:34.440 -> 11:36.840] And I always know who's doing well.
[11:36.840 -> 11:40.840] And Mathias, I said, you sign in Mathias.
[11:40.840 -> 11:43.520] For me, I will run a team.
[11:43.520 -> 11:45.760] In two days' time, I get a mail from Madhav saying,
[11:45.760 -> 11:47.840] OK, Freddie is going to set up.
[11:47.840 -> 11:49.280] This is how much I'll charge.
[11:49.280 -> 11:53.000] And Freddie was willing to drive free.
[11:53.000 -> 11:55.240] So I said, OK.
[11:55.240 -> 11:57.760] But then Freddie had a manager who said, no, no, no.
[11:57.760 -> 11:58.440] It's not free.
[11:58.440 -> 12:02.200] I said, OK, I will pay.
[12:02.200 -> 12:03.360] And I got this.
[12:03.360 -> 12:07.080] But the problem I had was finding sponsors.
[12:07.080 -> 12:10.000] Because here I am down in Kerala,
[12:10.000 -> 12:13.200] living in Trivandrum, approaching people saying,
[12:13.200 -> 12:16.840] I have signed in James' son and Nikhil Aadhaar's son.
[12:16.840 -> 12:17.720] And they laugh at me.
[12:17.720 -> 12:19.360] Are you lying or bullshitting?
[12:19.360 -> 12:21.040] Are you out of your head?
[12:21.040 -> 12:22.120] So nobody believed me.
[12:22.120 -> 12:23.440] Who's going to believe, right?
[12:23.440 -> 12:24.520] Yeah.
[12:24.520 -> 12:26.600] Nobody believed me is not the word.
[12:26.600 -> 12:30.740] But, Manorama, have you heard of Malayalam Manorama?
[12:30.740 -> 12:33.740] The biggest newspaper.
[12:33.740 -> 12:39.240] In fact, it's got more circulation than any newspaper in India.
[12:39.240 -> 12:40.240] Nice.
[12:40.240 -> 12:46.520] So, they did a Sunday edition front page, full page on what I had done.
[12:46.520 -> 12:49.560] That got the eyeballs and then people started approaching.
[12:49.560 -> 12:50.560] Thanks.
[12:50.560 -> 12:51.560] OK, we do this.
[12:51.560 -> 12:57.440] But then, that is when I still remember a friend of mine, Shalu, who's today, last year,
[12:57.440 -> 12:59.000] she won some national award.
[12:59.000 -> 13:00.000] She's a producer.
[13:00.000 -> 13:03.280] That time coming and saying, you should document it.
[13:03.280 -> 13:08.040] I didn't want to do it on film. My interest in film was snoring in the theater.
[13:08.040 -> 13:09.800] Other than watching Rush, I have never
[13:09.800 -> 13:12.960] been able to finish a film without snoring.
[13:12.960 -> 13:13.960] So I said, OK.
[13:13.960 -> 13:15.640] And I had some money.
[13:15.640 -> 13:17.600] My retirement money, I would say, passed.
[13:17.600 -> 13:20.160] I said, OK, how much did it cost?
[13:20.160 -> 13:22.080] First, I approached some big filmmakers.
[13:22.080 -> 13:22.880] They laughed at me.
[13:22.880 -> 13:25.460] I said, are you mad?
[13:25.460 -> 13:29.300] And all my contact with Freddie is on Messenger.
[13:29.300 -> 13:33.380] And slowly, that's when WhatsApp started coming.
[13:33.380 -> 13:37.860] And I'm technologically challenged, I would say.
[13:37.860 -> 13:39.860] I didn't know how to use WhatsApp,
[13:39.860 -> 13:41.900] so I gave it to my wife and said,
[13:41.900 -> 13:43.540] what are my messages, please?
[13:43.540 -> 13:47.000] So she didn't know who Hunt was or Loda was.
[13:47.000 -> 13:48.960] But she knew what Loda meant.
[13:48.960 -> 13:50.120] So she thinks, come on.
[13:50.120 -> 13:54.960] So when I used to come home, she says,
[13:54.960 -> 13:58.080] one Hunt sent me this, the one Loda.
[13:58.080 -> 14:01.800] And she mocked and said, send me a message.
[14:01.800 -> 14:04.520] And finally, I realized I must educate
[14:04.520 -> 14:06.400] my wife who Hunt and Loda is. One day, I got I must educate my wife who hunt in London.
[14:06.400 -> 14:08.960] One day, I got a CD on Rush.
[14:08.960 -> 14:10.320] I put it on.
[14:10.320 -> 14:11.520] I said, watch this.
[14:11.520 -> 14:13.280] She said, I'm not interested in racing.
[14:13.280 -> 14:14.560] I said, just watch this.
[14:14.560 -> 14:16.400] For you to understand something.
[14:16.400 -> 14:18.640] But we didn't need to watch.
[14:18.640 -> 14:26.000] When I came back, with a lot of respect, I was saying, these people, sons are messaging me on my phone on the phone.
[14:26.000 -> 14:26.500] Yeah.
[14:26.500 -> 14:27.000] Super.
[14:27.000 -> 14:28.920] Wow.
[14:28.920 -> 14:30.720] And then when the news went on, like,
[14:30.720 -> 14:36.360] Autosport UK, global, so a lot of print and visual media
[14:36.360 -> 14:39.240] did cover this signing up.
[14:39.240 -> 14:41.160] And first time when I met them, actually,
[14:41.160 -> 14:43.600] the first race was in Qatar.
[14:43.600 -> 14:48.680] I ended up reaching Qatar with my baggage not there.
[14:48.680 -> 14:51.760] So I had this crumpled linen shirt
[14:51.760 -> 14:52.920] waiting for my baggage.
[14:52.920 -> 14:55.000] And Freddie, but he's cool.
[14:55.000 -> 14:57.200] He's the typical, like his father comes in smoking
[14:57.200 -> 14:57.720] a cigarette.
[14:57.720 -> 14:58.920] Hey, hi, Freddie.
[14:58.920 -> 15:00.680] And that's it.
[15:00.680 -> 15:07.040] He's more interested in the things around him. Lady riders and things like that.
[15:07.040 -> 15:11.560] But Mathias came and I am sure they were all a bit shocked the way I was dressed.
[15:11.560 -> 15:13.560] I had to explain, listen, I don't have to change.
[15:13.560 -> 15:17.560] But Freddie had an agreement in his hand.
[15:17.560 -> 15:19.280] He signed it. I also signed it.
[15:19.280 -> 15:20.840] I had to make a payment.
[15:20.840 -> 15:23.440] Mathias, I said, I can make…
[15:23.440 -> 15:26.120] I have never signed drivers driver's till date.
[15:26.120 -> 15:29.520] It was all on verbal.
[15:29.520 -> 15:30.480] This was the first time.
[15:30.480 -> 15:31.360] So I went to Mathias.
[15:31.360 -> 15:33.520] I said, I'll get one made for you,
[15:33.520 -> 15:34.960] looking at what Freddie said.
[15:34.960 -> 15:37.440] He said, Jos, you don't need to sign anything.
[15:37.440 -> 15:39.640] My word is my word.
[15:39.640 -> 15:40.760] Fine.
[15:40.760 -> 15:42.000] Nice.
[15:42.000 -> 15:44.640] But you have to hear the next part.
[15:44.640 -> 15:47.640] And then, the first day in the track, I went there.
[15:47.640 -> 15:52.560] I saw for myself, it was just like watching a Rush movie.
[15:52.560 -> 15:59.720] Matthias sits with the engineer, goes to minor details, and he just covers the car, goes
[15:59.720 -> 16:00.720] to sleep.
[16:00.720 -> 16:04.320] He puts his driving suit on the floor and goes to sleep.
[16:04.320 -> 16:05.960] No day, nothing.
[16:05.960 -> 16:13.880] The other guy is busy walking around, having fun, and flirting.
[16:13.880 -> 16:17.960] But the character is exactly what you saw.
[16:17.960 -> 16:22.920] And then they got out, the first free practice.
[16:22.920 -> 16:24.360] They were both quick.
[16:24.360 -> 16:27.520] They were not bothered about what the other drivers were doing.
[16:27.520 -> 16:28.640] They'll come back and ask,
[16:28.640 -> 16:32.240] what's louder? Where's louder? First question.
[16:32.240 -> 16:34.640] They only bothered about that.
[16:34.640 -> 16:36.400] And again, media attention.
[16:36.400 -> 16:38.080] The front guys are ignored.
[16:38.080 -> 16:40.080] And they were fifth and sixth in the grid.
[16:40.080 -> 16:41.680] Media attention on them.
[16:41.680 -> 16:48.240] But in Kata, they had issues. Because Freddie had not raced for about three years.
[16:48.240 -> 16:55.160] And Mathias has not done a single seater for a few years. He was driving a NASCAR. European NASCAR.
[16:55.160 -> 16:57.240] Which is so, so different.
[16:57.240 -> 17:05.280] So, he was braking too early because those NASCARs are supposed to have little breaks. So, those kind of things made them…
[17:05.280 -> 17:09.960] Bahrain, when they came, they were both on pace.
[17:09.960 -> 17:15.080] And Freddie broke the lap record there.
[17:15.080 -> 17:17.480] But then, the next lap, he never came.
[17:17.480 -> 17:19.560] Just like his dad, you know, Florida.
[17:19.560 -> 17:21.400] He wanted to beat that again.
[17:21.400 -> 17:23.680] But Hatha is cool head.
[17:23.680 -> 17:24.800] He waited, waited.
[17:24.800 -> 17:25.680] Three race weekend, there was a reverse grid. I wanted to beat that again. But Hatha is cool head. He waited, waited.
[17:25.680 -> 17:29.040] Three race weekend, there was a reverse grid.
[17:29.040 -> 17:33.560] So he played and reached the reverse grid pole.
[17:33.560 -> 17:35.640] From then on, nobody could stop him.
[17:35.640 -> 17:36.840] He won a race.
[17:36.840 -> 17:40.640] I love the fact that how similar the personalities are
[17:40.640 -> 17:41.920] to their father.
[17:41.920 -> 17:44.400] When you're saying it, it almost feels like it is a movie
[17:44.400 -> 17:45.540] and it's not real life.
[17:45.540 -> 17:46.620] But it is real life.
[17:46.620 -> 17:48.460] So that's just super.
[17:48.460 -> 17:50.340] Yeah, 100%.
[17:50.340 -> 17:55.940] And when we are walking back after the podium ceremony,
[17:55.940 -> 18:00.140] Mathias and me, we get called into Aston Martin
[18:00.140 -> 18:04.980] by Petro Lamy, the old F1 driver,
[18:04.980 -> 18:06.800] the infamous I-attends an accident, the old F1 driver. The infamous Ayrton Senna accident.
[18:09.040 -> 18:17.440] So, he called in. He knew Mathias before. And then, we were walking past Porsche, the LMP1.
[18:18.000 -> 18:22.240] There, we got called in. Because when the price was announced, everybody heard this
[18:22.240 -> 18:28.320] Loda name and all the big boys. This is along with WEC final race, right? WEC final race in Bahrain.
[18:28.320 -> 18:35.560] So, everybody noticed. And trust me, that was the wake-up call for Lauda.
[18:35.560 -> 18:40.640] He got signed in by Aston Martin for WEC and series for three years.
[18:40.640 -> 18:47.960] Anyway, we were shooting all this. So, we asked him whether I could get Nicky Laude in the film.
[18:47.960 -> 18:49.080] So he said, come, go.
[18:49.080 -> 18:50.680] He'll be there in Abu Dhabi.
[18:50.680 -> 18:51.800] I will arrange that.
[18:51.800 -> 18:53.560] It's time for you.
[18:53.560 -> 18:55.200] And we went and shot.
[18:55.200 -> 18:57.080] And that's the first time.
[18:57.080 -> 19:00.040] Literally, first time because Nicky Laude
[19:00.040 -> 19:02.000] has met Freddie only for about five minutes
[19:02.000 -> 19:03.880] when the film released.
[19:03.880 -> 19:05.660] He's not really sat down and talked.
[19:05.660 -> 19:11.520] But in Abu Dhabi, I got a time from Nikhil Lodha.
[19:11.520 -> 19:16.640] Qualifying Saturday morning at 8 o'clock.
[19:16.640 -> 19:23.720] And I reached the… The whole Mercedes team was staying in a private golf course run by the Royals, I think.
[19:23.720 -> 19:26.040] And trust me, Freddie never woke up.
[19:26.040 -> 19:28.680] I had to send my brother to get him out of bed.
[19:28.680 -> 19:32.240] And he comes fully hungover, literally shivering.
[19:32.240 -> 19:35.440] Just like his father. And Nicky is like, wow.
[19:35.440 -> 19:39.200] You are just like, can you believe he is coming to meet his father's old rival?
[19:39.200 -> 19:41.440] Yeah.
[19:41.440 -> 19:50.540] But, you know, we had a long… About half an hour, we had breakfast together. And they were talking about… He was advising Freddie how to go about it.
[19:50.540 -> 19:59.800] And not think of doing it. And after that, I lost touch. Anyway, the next race was in February in Chennai, where both of us have to come and drive.
[19:59.800 -> 20:07.400] In December, I started getting calls from my cousin in Dubai, whose phone I used to call Mathias
[20:07.400 -> 20:09.440] to get the connection with Nikki.
[20:09.440 -> 20:12.160] My cousin called and said, hey, one Loda guy
[20:12.160 -> 20:13.920] has been trying to call you forever.
[20:13.920 -> 20:15.760] I mean, he lost his phone.
[20:15.760 -> 20:16.600] He lost your number.
[20:16.600 -> 20:18.480] I said, just give me my number.
[20:18.480 -> 20:19.320] Then he calls me.
[20:19.320 -> 20:21.680] And you won't believe what is this thing.
[20:21.680 -> 20:24.320] I said, hey, Jos, I have some good news.
[20:24.320 -> 20:24.880] What is it?
[20:24.880 -> 20:25.600] I've been signed for
[20:25.600 -> 20:31.760] three years by Aston Martin, a professional driver. I said, wonderful. But I have some
[20:31.760 -> 20:37.000] bad news. I said, what is that? The first race in America for WEC is the same day I
[20:37.000 -> 20:46.240] have to race for you. I said, why? I said, no. If you say, OK, I'll go sign this agreement.
[20:46.240 -> 20:48.920] I couldn't believe a guy like that
[20:48.920 -> 20:53.320] is waiting for my go-ahead with no signed agreement
[20:53.320 -> 20:54.200] to go and drive.
[20:54.200 -> 20:55.320] I said, don't even think.
[20:55.320 -> 20:56.520] Ethics.
[20:56.520 -> 20:57.360] Yeah, ethics.
[20:57.360 -> 20:57.860] Unreal.
[20:57.860 -> 20:58.520] Just go for it.
[20:58.520 -> 20:59.960] And he sent me a mail.
[20:59.960 -> 21:01.000] I've saved it somewhere.
[21:01.000 -> 21:02.680] He was thanking me, because he was
[21:02.680 -> 21:05.040] planning to retire after driving for my team.
[21:05.040 -> 21:06.960] That's when he got signed in.
[21:06.960 -> 21:09.920] And then, I mean, I couldn't believe what he waited
[21:09.920 -> 21:11.360] for my go-ahead to go and sign.
[21:11.360 -> 21:11.960] I said, go.
[21:11.960 -> 21:12.520] And that's it.
[21:12.520 -> 21:13.160] That's awesome.
[21:13.160 -> 21:16.160] And as Thanksgiving, I would say,
[21:16.160 -> 21:21.640] he took me two years for the final race of WEC
[21:21.640 -> 21:24.840] as his guest into the Aston Martin.
[21:24.840 -> 21:28.400] But so my exposure to that kind of racing, wow,
[21:28.400 -> 21:31.040] it is a different, different level.
[21:31.040 -> 21:36.120] So all this helped me learn a lot on how drivers,
[21:36.120 -> 21:39.040] how the setup, and also get a chance once in a while
[21:39.040 -> 21:42.160] with JM Motorsport to test cars.
[21:42.160 -> 21:44.720] Because when Anand is testing, if I'm in town,
[21:44.720 -> 21:45.840] I can just go and drive.
[21:45.840 -> 21:49.240] I've tested a 1600.
[21:49.240 -> 21:50.840] And so I was always in touch.
[21:50.840 -> 21:53.960] So I understand a bit of jargon what the driver's telling me,
[21:53.960 -> 21:55.720] because I also have tested.
[21:55.720 -> 22:00.440] And then this film actually got stuck,
[22:00.440 -> 22:07.520] because the production company went bust in 2015. That got stuck, and I was out of money.
[22:07.520 -> 22:10.200] I was having a tough time.
[22:10.200 -> 22:12.240] But these two guys kept on trying.
[22:12.240 -> 22:13.520] I said, don't worry.
[22:13.520 -> 22:15.680] Whenever it's ready, we'll come and finish the film.
[22:15.680 -> 22:16.320] Hunt and Laura.
[22:16.320 -> 22:16.820] Lovely.
[22:16.820 -> 22:20.440] And they became, I mean, friends more than anything.
[22:20.440 -> 22:23.320] SAURABH MADAANI Was the shooting itself not completed
[22:23.320 -> 22:23.840] until then?
[22:23.840 -> 22:25.880] Or was it stopped not come to be.
[22:25.880 -> 22:26.400] OK.
[22:26.400 -> 22:28.680] Yeah, it was stopped in between.
[22:28.680 -> 22:29.840] It's just that.
[22:29.840 -> 22:31.960] That's commitment to come back for it then.
[22:31.960 -> 22:35.080] Yeah, they said, any time you want, we'll come and do it.
[22:35.080 -> 22:37.520] In fact, Mathias didn't even take his final pay,
[22:37.520 -> 22:38.360] what I owed him.
[22:38.360 -> 22:41.160] He said, no, you can keep it.
[22:41.160 -> 22:44.000] So Freddie also said, take your time.
[22:44.000 -> 22:46.760] Don't pay me now because my manager will take 30%.
[22:46.760 -> 22:48.680] He said it.
[22:48.680 -> 22:51.440] Because I know, actually, he also
[22:51.440 -> 22:54.640] didn't like his manager's way of pestering me.
[22:54.640 -> 22:57.640] So they became actually good friends to me
[22:57.640 -> 22:59.080] and supporting all the way.
[22:59.080 -> 23:04.120] And then in 2000, it stopped in 2016, the shooting.
[23:04.120 -> 23:09.920] And nothing happened till 2020, when the production company, the director,
[23:09.920 -> 23:12.080] the director called me and said, you can do what you want.
[23:12.080 -> 23:14.400] He's sending you the full footage.
[23:14.400 -> 23:15.920] I took the footage.
[23:15.920 -> 23:18.880] One advantage I had is the Nikhil Lauda interview,
[23:18.880 -> 23:29.600] which might be the only non-aired interview which I had, where he actually mocks Hamilton on how he came for the first race.
[23:29.600 -> 23:33.120] Yeah. I mean, I believe for the first time, I was going to say…
[23:33.120 -> 23:36.720] This needs to be in the world, Josh. This needs to be in the world. Why is it not?
[23:36.720 -> 23:49.280] I could send you the video. You could post it where he says, you come as a dog to win a Formula 1 championship. And frankly, he mocks this one.
[23:49.280 -> 23:52.440] You don't come to win a Formula 1, dogs and girlfriends.
[23:52.440 -> 23:54.640] He said, I have it and recorded it.
[23:54.640 -> 23:57.160] But then, what did he say?
[23:57.160 -> 24:01.040] He wins it in his inaugural series itself, right?
[24:01.040 -> 24:02.840] He becomes a champion in his first.
[24:02.840 -> 24:09.000] No, no. The first time when he came, after signing him, he came with a dog and girlfriends.
[24:09.000 -> 24:11.200] That's when he said, you know, you don't… Yeah.
[24:11.200 -> 24:11.700] Yeah.
[24:11.700 -> 24:20.080] That's when he is… So, and where Nikki Lauda himself admits that he couldn't beat Freddie, James' son that year.
[24:20.080 -> 24:27.200] Because he said, car or no accident or with accident, without accident, I couldn't have beaten your dad.
[24:27.200 -> 24:28.160] He is telling his son.
[24:28.160 -> 24:30.800] And McLaren also will take note of that.
[24:30.800 -> 24:36.960] Because he finishes the sentence saying, I couldn't beat him.
[24:36.960 -> 24:37.920] Meaning, James.
[24:37.920 -> 24:42.880] Because he got too quick towards the end of the year with that stupid McLaren car.
[24:42.880 -> 24:50.880] He made the statement. I mean, those are classic statements from this.
[24:50.880 -> 24:54.840] So we recorded all that, and the film got stuck.
[24:54.840 -> 24:59.080] In 2020, I got the footage back.
[24:59.080 -> 25:01.880] I approached somebody called James Croft,
[25:01.880 -> 25:03.880] who was a driver agent who actually
[25:03.880 -> 25:05.360] connected me and Freddie.
[25:05.360 -> 25:07.600] He said, I'm going to send a mail out.
[25:07.600 -> 25:10.960] Two film producer directors that such a thing is happening.
[25:10.960 -> 25:14.640] It's up for grabs to co-produce.
[25:14.640 -> 25:17.280] Five people he copied me.
[25:17.280 -> 25:18.560] All five replied.
[25:18.560 -> 25:20.760] But I selected Charlotte Fantilly,
[25:20.760 -> 25:22.040] because I went through each one.
[25:22.040 -> 25:28.360] Charlotte Fantilly is a director, producer, who did the make the film, The Gentleman Driver,
[25:28.360 -> 25:31.880] or the next one, Road to Lamont.
[25:31.880 -> 25:35.840] She owns a production company called Branded.
[25:35.840 -> 25:40.120] She, of all the five that came, she was the most professional,
[25:40.120 -> 25:42.520] and she's already done films like that.
[25:42.520 -> 25:47.800] And that's when she said that it cost so much.
[25:47.800 -> 25:51.800] I had a friend based out of Kuwait, Joe Matthews,
[25:51.800 -> 25:55.520] who always had the film bug but was looking for a right break.
[25:55.520 -> 25:56.560] I contacted him.
[25:56.560 -> 25:59.040] Immediately he said, I'll join.
[25:59.040 -> 26:01.680] He flew to the UK and signed up the agreements.
[26:01.680 -> 26:04.080] And the shooting schedule was given.
[26:04.080 -> 26:08.200] Immediately, Hunt and Lauda said, any time.
[26:08.200 -> 26:13.840] In fact, the problem was the new director and producer, Joe.
[26:13.840 -> 26:17.760] Everybody was at, where is the contracts with these guys?
[26:17.760 -> 26:20.040] I said, I have one which is invalid,
[26:20.040 -> 26:21.760] and the other one I don't have.
[26:21.760 -> 26:25.240] So I said, all I can do is get you on a call, on a Zoom call,
[26:25.240 -> 26:27.440] and make them tell you that they will.
[26:27.440 -> 26:29.280] Otherwise, they will not.
[26:29.280 -> 26:31.400] And I still remember Freddie getting on a call
[26:31.400 -> 26:36.000] with this Charlotte Fantilly, Joe, and the other kids.
[26:36.000 -> 26:38.040] So he said, any time, tell me.
[26:38.040 -> 26:39.440] Give me two weeks' notice.
[26:39.440 -> 26:41.720] I'll come and do the film.
[26:41.720 -> 26:44.000] While Mata is on the Zoom call, didn't even do a video.
[26:44.000 -> 26:48.520] He said, I'm driving to pick my kids up from school. Just tell me where to come. I'll come.
[26:48.520 -> 26:50.520] Perfectly fits his personality.
[26:50.520 -> 26:58.000] Yeah. So they were shocked. I mean, they all said, we have not seen such dedicated people.
[26:58.000 -> 26:59.000] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[26:59.000 -> 27:10.240] I've heard this part. So in our previous episode, Shubham also said this, the most collidated
[27:10.240 -> 27:14.880] people that he's met in the industry are the most humble people that he's also met in the
[27:14.880 -> 27:19.120] industry. And the story has repeated time and again with the people that we've spoken,
[27:19.120 -> 27:23.360] which is just so good to hear and see. Sorry, continue.
[27:23.360 -> 27:29.600] Those are the kind of guys. So when the shooting started, I couldn't go because of COVID. Got stuck.
[27:29.600 -> 27:38.840] So, Joe flew out of Kuwait to UK and they shot in this one, Scotland where Freddie Hunt lives on an island.
[27:38.840 -> 27:48.160] And then, they shot in Ibiza where Mathias and his mother… We even have Marlene. The famous Marlene Loda in the film.
[27:48.160 -> 27:52.840] His wife, Claire and everybody. They finished that and they had to finish the film with a race.
[27:52.840 -> 27:59.840] So, I looked around and found a series which is the final race. It was happening in Donington Park.
[27:59.840 -> 28:10.240] Got them registered in. This thing got even the stickering, as they called Sticky George, a famous Formula 1 car.
[28:10.240 -> 28:12.480] I know him from J.M.Uddersford.
[28:12.480 -> 28:17.680] Sticky George went and even did the cars in the same father's colors.
[28:17.680 -> 28:20.000] Even in MR5 red.
[28:20.000 -> 28:22.880] I followed the same color combination even in MR5.
[28:22.880 -> 28:29.440] And trust me, that was... I couldn't go because I was stuck in India.
[28:29.440 -> 28:32.880] But they sent me the link of the live race.
[28:32.880 -> 28:37.080] I was watching it. Even my 82-year-old mom was watching.
[28:37.080 -> 28:41.000] Out of interest, my son has thrown some money away and seeing where it's going.
[28:41.000 -> 28:45.840] The race started. They qualified pole in their category.
[28:45.840 -> 28:46.920] One is two.
[28:46.920 -> 28:50.120] Two races, two different qualifications.
[28:50.120 -> 28:51.320] One, Mathias was leading.
[28:51.320 -> 28:52.880] The other, Freddie was in pole.
[28:52.880 -> 28:59.560] The last, first race, Mathias got taken out while chasing Freddie.
[28:59.560 -> 29:00.520] The first lap itself.
[29:00.520 -> 29:02.360] Then he had a problem. So, he didn't.
[29:02.360 -> 29:03.760] Second race is when…
[29:03.760 -> 29:08.440] And Freddie, you can see in the film, he cries when he says, I want to beat him.
[29:08.440 -> 29:12.000] Because in all the other races, Mathai has beaten him.
[29:12.000 -> 29:17.200] The second race is… I saw the race starting. They pulled.
[29:17.200 -> 29:19.740] Third corner, they touched each other.
[29:19.740 -> 29:30.760] Again, they touched. Then they went to the other area where I couldn't see. The last corner, out of the straight, the start-finish straight, they come, collide, spin off and go.
[29:30.760 -> 29:35.200] I thought, okay, finish. Film is over. You have to make a film around that.
[29:35.200 -> 29:40.520] Why did you name it Sons of Speed and not Rush again?
[29:40.520 -> 29:43.960] No, no. I changed it to Hunt vs Loda.
[29:43.960 -> 29:45.720] Hunt vs Loda. Yeah, yeah.
[29:45.720 -> 29:49.600] You know why? Sunset Speed, we had to take off. Somebody has filed a case in the US.
[29:49.600 -> 29:50.800] We had to change the name.
[29:50.800 -> 29:51.400] Oh my God.
[29:51.400 -> 29:53.480] There was a squatter with the name.
[29:53.480 -> 29:56.640] Oh, I see. I see.
[29:56.640 -> 29:59.560] We had to change the name last minute. It cost a lot of money also.
[29:59.560 -> 30:02.080] Land of lawsuits.
[30:02.080 -> 30:09.560] Yeah. Last corner, they hit and went off. I was just watching the race. Suddenly, I mean, talking of the last.. Land of lawsuits. Yeah. Last corner, they hit and went off. So, I was just watching the race. Suddenly, I saw one, the Freddie's wife's spec.
[30:09.560 -> 30:17.520] Then I see Mathias, red one, before that. They were half a lap away. In some corners, you can see.
[30:17.520 -> 30:24.800] In 15th lap race, first lap, they hit each other. By 13th lap, they had passed everybody.
[30:24.800 -> 30:25.800] Whoa. And their last two laps went like that to the end. first lap, they hit each other. By 13th lap, they had passed everybody. Whoa!
[30:25.800 -> 30:29.000] And their last two laps went like that to the end.
[30:29.000 -> 30:30.000] That escalated quickly.
[30:30.000 -> 30:31.000] Wow.
[30:31.000 -> 30:39.000] Unbelievable. And then, Freddy did a faster lap than the qualifying, or in the race.
[30:39.000 -> 30:40.000] Interesting.
[30:40.000 -> 30:43.000] He was like a man possessed. And they came one and two.
[30:43.000 -> 30:45.960] And that's so that commentator went berserk.
[30:45.960 -> 30:50.320] Is it some 18 or 20 years back, 28 years back,
[30:50.320 -> 30:53.320] their fathers did the same and branched out.
[30:53.320 -> 30:54.360] But in Formula One.
[30:54.360 -> 30:56.480] He teaches and they came in one.
[30:56.480 -> 30:58.720] So it was a recreation of motorsport history.
[30:58.720 -> 30:59.220] Yeah.
[30:59.220 -> 30:59.840] Nice.
[30:59.840 -> 31:02.360] It was a wonderful experience, trust me,
[31:02.360 -> 31:04.480] to go through this event.
[31:04.480 -> 31:09.360] And finally, the film premiered in London, in Soho.
[31:09.360 -> 31:12.160] Yeah, it's a great experience.
[31:12.160 -> 31:13.160] Amazing.
[31:13.160 -> 31:19.920] So, folks, you usually get to see a BTS, but I guess this is the first time you're going
[31:19.920 -> 31:22.000] to hear a BTS.
[31:22.000 -> 31:27.200] It's been a beautiful behind-the the scenes story of not seen stuff and
[31:27.200 -> 31:35.440] obviously Joseph promised us to upload the videos so stay tuned for some of those conversations as
[31:35.440 -> 31:41.280] well thank you thank you just for like that that lovely but it's amazing like your whole journey of
[31:41.280 -> 31:46.040] like making this movie like okay tell us this like us this. Like, A, two questions.
[31:46.040 -> 31:47.080] Did you make any money?
[31:47.080 -> 31:49.840] And B, would you want to go through this whole process
[31:49.840 -> 31:51.240] again for a new movie?
[31:51.240 -> 31:54.240] I would say I'm still broke.
[31:54.240 -> 31:57.360] I have a broken-down car, which I have to go and repair.
[31:57.360 -> 32:00.120] When I started making the film, I had three cars.
[32:00.120 -> 32:03.240] OK, one for my wife, two for myself.
[32:03.240 -> 32:06.760] Now I have a broken-down Ford Fiesta, which is badly. Now I have a broken down Ford Fiesta which is badly tight.
[32:06.760 -> 32:09.000] I have to go and rectify it.
[32:09.000 -> 32:13.960] Trust me, it started doing well, but the money is yet to come in.
[32:13.960 -> 32:17.160] Because, yeah, but I would advise anybody and anybody
[32:17.160 -> 32:18.720] showing, don't do this madness.
[32:18.720 -> 32:20.920] It's not worth the pressure I went through.
[32:20.920 -> 32:22.400] So it was my fault.
[32:22.400 -> 32:26.100] I love that how much of a dedicated fan of Rush
[32:26.100 -> 32:28.480] you were, that you actually recreated the whole thing
[32:28.480 -> 32:29.840] again.
[32:29.840 -> 32:31.560] Yeah, it's amazing.
[32:31.560 -> 32:34.280] In fact, that is what I never again,
[32:34.280 -> 32:36.640] I said, follow passion to a level,
[32:36.640 -> 32:40.240] but don't throw your money in there, for sure.
[32:40.240 -> 32:45.960] Let's talk a bit about what's happening in this quarter to come.
[32:45.960 -> 32:51.920] And, you know, it sort of also brings you as a defending champion from 2022.
[32:51.920 -> 32:55.880] So, to shift some gears here, what's happening? What's happening?
[32:55.880 -> 33:01.080] Tell us about the Indian Racing League, F4 and, you know, Godspeed Coaching.
[33:01.080 -> 33:07.800] Last year, when I was invited, last minute, the day before the start. I was called on Thursday and said,
[33:07.800 -> 33:16.000] can you run a team? I said, why not? I've been doing that. And then, a message from saying that we'll pay you.
[33:16.000 -> 33:20.000] So, I showed it to my wife. She just burst out laughing. There goes more money.
[33:20.000 -> 33:25.000] So, I said, don't say signal pay. I said, yeah, they signal pay.
[33:25.000 -> 33:29.040] He said, yeah, when he comes, I won't believe.
[33:29.040 -> 33:31.920] Last car also won.
[33:31.920 -> 33:38.080] So I actually got my ticket, just landed in Hyderabad.
[33:38.080 -> 33:40.760] And the first race, where, of course, as you know,
[33:40.760 -> 33:43.320] there are a lot of problems with the track setting.
[33:43.320 -> 33:44.600] It was delayed.
[33:44.600 -> 33:46.960] But the kids don't know who I am, right?
[33:46.960 -> 33:49.120] I told them, this is your boss.
[33:49.120 -> 33:50.240] And they looked, ah, OK.
[33:50.240 -> 33:51.280] Some old friend of yours.
[33:51.280 -> 34:00.320] So then, I had to, I mean, but there were, I mean, nice level-headed kids like Nikhil Vora.
[34:00.320 -> 34:01.520] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[34:01.520 -> 34:04.080] Rohan Alba, I know him from when I was a kid because I know his father.
[34:04.080 -> 34:05.200] Father used to rally.
[34:05.200 -> 34:12.080] So, then, of course, there was one English driver, I figure, his name.
[34:12.080 -> 34:15.520] And a lady from Lechenstein.
[34:15.520 -> 34:18.920] So, what happened is, there's no connect.
[34:18.920 -> 34:19.720] Okay.
[34:19.720 -> 34:20.600] Each one is different.
[34:20.600 -> 34:24.440] So, I asked them to first get to know each other.
[34:24.440 -> 34:25.540] Made a group.
[34:25.540 -> 34:29.040] I said, put in your driver data.
[34:29.040 -> 34:30.540] So everybody is in.
[34:30.540 -> 34:32.040] And I said, let me introduce.
[34:32.040 -> 34:33.040] I just sent my Google.
[34:33.040 -> 34:34.040] Suddenly, OK.
[34:34.040 -> 34:37.040] I mean, they need to know I have run TCR.
[34:37.040 -> 34:38.040] They need to.
[34:38.040 -> 34:40.040] Otherwise, they wouldn't listen to you, right?
[34:40.040 -> 34:41.040] Of course.
[34:41.040 -> 34:45.520] First, in the free practice, I noticed everybody is trying to beat Neil Jani.
[34:45.520 -> 34:47.320] They are over-driving.
[34:47.320 -> 34:49.900] See, their aim is Neil Jani.
[34:49.900 -> 34:54.440] I mean, you can't think of winning a Le Mans twice winner to outright there.
[34:54.440 -> 34:56.640] So, I called the kids and said,
[34:56.640 -> 34:59.920] I mean, I would say, just do your piece.
[34:59.920 -> 35:01.480] Don't try to think anything else.
[35:01.480 -> 35:06.600] And see how they settled on with the youngest, least experienced team.
[35:06.600 -> 35:10.360] We went and whitewashed the championship.
[35:10.360 -> 35:11.600] We had every podium.
[35:11.600 -> 35:13.880] Every race, we had a podium.
[35:13.880 -> 35:15.520] Something or the other.
[35:15.520 -> 35:20.760] And of course, that English driver actually ran away.
[35:20.760 -> 35:24.160] I would say ran away from the champ after the first crash.
[35:24.160 -> 35:27.280] Poor Vishnu Prasad is still in wheelchair, sadly.
[35:27.280 -> 35:31.440] After the first crash, he just left with the race suit.
[35:31.440 -> 35:33.200] So, I had to find a driver.
[35:33.200 -> 35:36.440] And Alistair Young. I mean, I follow the driver.
[35:36.440 -> 35:38.120] So, I said, Alex Young's son.
[35:38.120 -> 35:39.000] I said, get him here.
[35:39.000 -> 35:40.880] Overnight, got him here.
[35:40.880 -> 35:42.400] And he came and performed straight.
[35:42.400 -> 35:45.240] And he now drives for Wolves factory team.
[35:45.240 -> 35:50.340] So, that was quite an experience. And winning, wow, that was unbelievable.
[35:50.340 -> 35:54.320] We were the underdogs. Nobody considered us.
[35:54.320 -> 36:03.420] But on that point, right? You all were almost like 23.5 points down from the Hyderabad Blackbirds.
[36:03.420 -> 36:09.460] I mean, their home track. And then, in that last race, taking the maiden title, right?
[36:09.460 -> 36:15.740] So, what was your talk to the drivers when you were like almost that many points down and looking for the win?
[36:15.740 -> 36:21.460] No, no. Because I told the drivers, see the consistency we've been doing.
[36:21.460 -> 36:25.160] Just put your heads down and only don't think.
[36:25.160 -> 36:27.800] And on top of that, Neil Jani had
[36:27.800 -> 36:29.720] to rush off the last race, right?
[36:29.720 -> 36:30.220] Oh, OK.
[36:30.220 -> 36:32.200] Neil Jani was not there.
[36:32.200 -> 36:33.240] No, Neil Jani was there.
[36:33.240 -> 36:35.080] He had missed one race in between.
[36:35.080 -> 36:35.580] OK.
[36:35.580 -> 36:36.920] He had to go for posture testing.
[36:36.920 -> 36:40.680] So it's just that I told them, you have to just add points.
[36:40.680 -> 36:41.360] Be third.
[36:41.360 -> 36:42.280] Be second.
[36:42.280 -> 36:43.360] Don't try to.
[36:43.360 -> 36:46.720] But then, our good times, these kids drove well in rain.
[36:46.720 -> 36:48.160] Well is not the word.
[36:48.160 -> 36:50.880] So, they held their heads together.
[36:50.880 -> 36:52.280] We even had a pole-1-2.
[36:52.280 -> 36:53.880] I mean, what more do you want?
[36:53.880 -> 36:57.920] And overtaking in Hyderabad is almost impossible.
[36:57.920 -> 36:59.680] Unless you time it so well.
[36:59.680 -> 37:01.440] There is only, I would say, two places.
[37:01.440 -> 37:03.160] And these kids knew how to block.
[37:03.160 -> 37:04.160] Nice.
[37:04.160 -> 37:08.340] And Rohan Alva drove like a kid possessed.
[37:08.340 -> 37:11.780] He spun, went and came back and still did some great times.
[37:11.780 -> 37:15.820] So, somewhere I had the confidence on the kids to go out there and perform.
[37:15.820 -> 37:17.660] And they did.
[37:17.660 -> 37:20.560] The last time… I don't give up till the last year.
[37:20.560 -> 37:23.940] I kept the kids contacted.
[37:23.940 -> 37:24.940] Yeah, yeah.
[37:24.940 -> 37:30.480] I don't give up. And that win is worth remembering.
[37:30.480 -> 37:34.440] And I have insisted, I've asked for the same team this year.
[37:34.440 -> 37:38.800] We were just going to get to this as to, can you reveal who your drivers are going to be
[37:38.800 -> 37:39.800] this time?
[37:39.800 -> 37:49.360] No, no. I've asked for the same team. They said they will try. And when companies approached me, they are looking at getting some star to own the team.
[37:49.360 -> 37:52.680] And I said, this is the drivers I would be interested in.
[37:52.680 -> 37:56.940] Nikhil Vohra's brother, Akshay Vohra is already in F4 and he is driving.
[37:56.940 -> 38:02.640] I have already sent a word to them. I would like to have him in the F4 series.
[38:02.640 -> 38:07.860] I would like to have winners. But that kid has got it in there. I mean, you can make out.
[38:07.860 -> 38:12.420] This year, go with the same strategy. Be consistent.
[38:12.420 -> 38:16.660] You know, play your game. Don't look at who is leading, who is…
[38:16.660 -> 38:19.820] You know, we will be there. And more experience.
[38:19.820 -> 38:24.660] This year, with more experience. And last year, we should say, we had great engineer and mechanic.
[38:24.660 -> 38:29.540] Relate to the driver. That is a lot of advantage.
[38:29.540 -> 38:32.820] When they come back and say, this is a problem, they could reduce it.
[38:32.820 -> 38:44.740] So, while things are still moving around and nothing is concrete, what's staying same for Godspeed Kochi between last year and this year?
[38:44.740 -> 38:48.200] And what's changing that has already taken place, right?
[38:48.200 -> 38:56.440] See, last year, we were not sure of how we were going. It's all big names across.
[38:56.440 -> 39:01.520] Feeling that underdog. Every team had a reputed driver.
[39:01.520 -> 39:07.240] You know, from the British series or Neil Jahnny. We had nobody.
[39:07.240 -> 39:08.960] The only guy who came, Ryan Avery.
[39:08.960 -> 39:15.040] So, we had nobody. We had to just do our game.
[39:15.040 -> 39:18.540] This year, I suppose, now we go in as a champion, right?
[39:18.540 -> 39:22.660] Now, everybody there would be chasing us.
[39:22.660 -> 39:25.520] We are going the other way. We have our upper hand.
[39:25.520 -> 39:26.720] We'll be coming for you.
[39:26.720 -> 39:27.360] Yeah, yeah.
[39:27.360 -> 39:29.520] So I would go more professionally.
[39:29.520 -> 39:30.600] I will bring in.
[39:30.600 -> 39:33.320] I've told the person who approached me.
[39:33.320 -> 39:35.200] I said, I need another 10, 15 lakhs
[39:35.200 -> 39:38.680] extra to fly in Mathias Lauda as a driver coach.
[39:38.680 -> 39:42.000] I will get an F1 statistician to look at the time.
[39:42.000 -> 39:43.680] OK, but the network over the years,
[39:43.680 -> 39:46.360] I could get a few people in and make it very colorful
[39:46.360 -> 39:47.360] and interesting.
[39:47.360 -> 39:48.360] I often search the statisticians.
[39:48.360 -> 39:54.840] I mean, I know the company, I forget the name, they're based out of Bangalore.
[39:54.840 -> 39:55.840] Yeah, interesting.
[39:55.840 -> 40:02.080] So I know somebody there, fly them in and he can tell you all the tires doing this,
[40:02.080 -> 40:03.640] everything, whatever data.
[40:03.640 -> 40:06.000] Yeah, data has become God pretty much.
[40:06.000 -> 40:06.480] Yeah, yeah.
[40:08.160 -> 40:10.320] That's the only thing that keeps the driver from lying.
[40:17.520 -> 40:18.240] Here's the proof.
[40:18.240 -> 40:21.440] You know, exactly.
[40:23.680 -> 40:24.000] Sure.
[40:24.000 -> 40:27.560] That just made it easier for team managers to run the team.
[40:27.920 -> 40:36.800] So since we talk about that, one question we had was, we heard that there was one race that you weren't able to attend to, which was in Ukraine.
[40:36.800 -> 40:44.480] And I think there was some visa issues that you had. And you were running the race back from Kerala, right? How did that go about?
[40:43.440 -> 40:44.800] Raninder is back from Kerala. How did that go about?
[40:44.800 -> 40:46.680] Somebody approached me to raise some funds
[40:46.680 -> 40:52.040] for the Ukrainian refugees out of UK.
[40:52.040 -> 40:55.120] Here, I think Freddie's friend said, I said, OK,
[40:55.120 -> 40:58.200] I will get in some teams.
[40:58.200 -> 41:00.440] So I got in three teams.
[41:00.440 -> 41:04.480] I called and said, go register, because it cost some 600 pounds
[41:04.480 -> 41:05.180] or something like that. I mean, go register. Because, you know, it cost some 600 pounds or something like that.
[41:05.180 -> 41:11.240] I mean, rich people. I had a Kerala team. Kerala person running a team.
[41:11.240 -> 41:14.320] I sent in drivers. They didn't have anybody.
[41:14.320 -> 41:16.800] And then, Freddie ran a team. I ran a team.
[41:16.800 -> 41:21.560] Only thing is, with visa, I couldn't get my visa. It took some 90 days. So, I couldn't make it.
[41:21.560 -> 41:24.240] This is happening in Rye House Karting.
[41:24.240 -> 41:31.040] This is a karting place. I mean, one wall of the kart is Louis Hamilton's house. That's where
[41:31.040 -> 41:32.040] he learned the racing.
[41:32.040 -> 41:33.040] Oh, interesting. Yeah.
[41:33.040 -> 41:38.960] So, that I had to... Finally, everything said, I don't have a visa. I can't go. I was supposed
[41:38.960 -> 41:49.600] to be one of the drivers. Last minute, I got Amy Watson's father, who's a touring car driver at maybe 64. I got him to drive for me,
[41:49.600 -> 41:56.480] and I had to run the team. So I sent a French son onto the track with a pass.
[41:59.040 -> 42:02.160] Yeah, proxy to pass the message.
[42:02.480 -> 42:04.160] So to monitor, to pass the message on the bots. I love this.
[42:04.160 -> 42:06.640] And only thing is, it was only dots.
[42:06.640 -> 42:09.360] It was not a video.
[42:09.360 -> 42:10.840] Only dots of cars.
[42:10.840 -> 42:13.200] So I knew where my team, so I know where it was going,
[42:13.200 -> 42:13.960] who's going slow.
[42:13.960 -> 42:16.040] I immediately called change driver, change driver.
[42:16.040 -> 42:17.520] I said, it's sitting here.
[42:17.520 -> 42:19.600] I'm watching on a laptop.
[42:19.600 -> 42:21.920] That is how I could.
[42:21.920 -> 42:24.640] I think this is where bidding and all those things.
[42:24.640 -> 42:26.720] I mean, this is not bidding and all those things. I mean, this is not a mock race.
[42:26.720 -> 42:28.720] But we managed to raise something
[42:28.720 -> 42:33.200] like close to 20,000 pounds.
[42:33.200 -> 42:38.040] And I sent in t-shirts sponsored from here,
[42:38.040 -> 42:43.880] which is made out of waste PET bottles and waste clothing,
[42:43.880 -> 42:47.360] which sat on the t-shirts. You know, you could buy it for some
[42:47.360 -> 42:52.320] five pounds or whatever. So, that's the way I suppose. It's basically for Ukrainian refugees.
[42:54.080 -> 42:59.120] A race happened in UK. In UK, sure. Okay, that's nice.
[43:00.960 -> 43:06.840] Tell me this, like tying this with Formula One, people like to make fun of the Ferrari team principals.
[43:06.840 -> 43:12.480] And I mean, team principals are the ones that get the major brunt of everything that happens with the team.
[43:12.480 -> 43:20.400] As a team principal, what are some verticals within the team that you are responsible for?
[43:20.400 -> 43:27.920] Like, do you have people that get delegated powers or is it everything is just you? What are some verticals?
[43:27.920 -> 43:32.880] No, no, no. I delegate. I believe in delegating power. I cannot be myself.
[43:32.880 -> 43:49.720] Like, you know, if the... I would like a driver takes a call in the tyre. Even though my thought process might be different, it's his game. OK? I might think, OK, let him go out and new tire now, burn it a bit, and come back and use it for the race.
[43:49.720 -> 43:50.960] He says, no, I want new then.
[43:50.960 -> 43:52.960] I mean, with the driver.
[43:52.960 -> 44:03.960] But how and when they change, or who does this, who does that, I would take a call after talking to the engineer, the driver, and also looking at the data.
[44:03.960 -> 44:04.460] Makes sense.
[44:04.460 -> 44:06.060] And there's no team orders.
[44:06.060 -> 44:14.820] For me, I don't believe. Do your bit. You go have a race. Yeah, that is your call. I don't interfere there.
[44:14.820 -> 44:30.240] Only if F1 would do that to be so much happier. Too much money there right? Yeah. Coming back to money, I actually got paid.
[44:30.240 -> 44:33.760] Before I landed on the full space, my wife said, oh wow, money saved.
[44:35.280 -> 44:37.040] The Ford Fiesta is not doing anywhere.
[44:40.320 -> 44:47.180] Tell us about a little about you know, the challenges challenges that you get during the race weekend as a team principal,
[44:47.180 -> 44:50.860] or even outside of when the race is actually happening.
[44:50.860 -> 44:55.500] What are some big challenges that you've seen?
[44:55.500 -> 45:00.420] Challenges is certainly the drivers are all mostly young,
[45:00.420 -> 45:00.920] right?
[45:00.920 -> 45:02.620] Quite hot-headed.
[45:02.620 -> 45:07.400] And they tend to break a few of those so-called rules.
[45:10.200 -> 45:12.120] So where to control them?
[45:12.120 -> 45:16.920] I mean, I think I would have gone the most to apologize.
[45:16.920 -> 45:23.480] Most to the this one saying, no, sorry, I take responsibility.
[45:23.480 -> 45:28.520] Whatever happens, cutting line, or fast in the pits,
[45:28.520 -> 45:32.920] or everything, or aggressive driving.
[45:32.920 -> 45:36.560] Yes, that is something which was one of the biggest challenges.
[45:36.560 -> 45:38.120] I'll be walking.
[45:38.120 -> 45:40.680] I walk, then I'll hear, please report again.
[45:40.680 -> 45:41.760] Oh, this one.
[45:41.760 -> 45:43.960] I go back and now who's done what?
[45:43.960 -> 45:47.400] So see what your driver did. I said, OK, fine, sorry again. the easiest one. I go back and now who's done what? They show, see what your driver did. I said, okay, fine. Sorry.
[45:47.400 -> 45:49.560] Again, bring the driver. Apologize.
[45:50.600 -> 45:52.880] I'm going to have a printed apology letter ready.
[45:54.520 -> 45:55.560] Just use that every time.
[45:57.200 -> 45:58.600] Add number and change the driver name.
[46:00.360 -> 46:03.600] Two underscore that's going to be filled at the time of like giving it to them.
[46:09.140 -> 46:12.740] That's the busiest walk I do with the charge GBT becoming so popular these days you can just talk to me to does
[46:12.740 -> 46:19.180] well maybe I'm sure but I'm technology can challenge you even understand I can
[46:19.180 -> 46:26.360] read I can understand the car data all that that. I don't know. Maybe over the years, I can even visually
[46:26.360 -> 46:28.000] see if the car is gaining time.
[46:28.000 -> 46:33.400] I have a reference point between two cars.
[46:33.400 -> 46:37.000] And I always tell people, he's going faster.
[46:37.000 -> 46:39.240] Yeah, maybe years of experience.
[46:39.240 -> 46:41.520] So with respect to your experience
[46:41.520 -> 46:51.560] last year in the whole series, it's a two-part question that I have and I have been thinking about this to ask to a team principal which finally is here.
[46:51.560 -> 46:58.840] Which is, what team has been a constant pain down your neck through the whole series last year?
[46:58.840 -> 47:05.520] And then, which one was just like a smooth ride that you didn't have to worry about. And it was like, yeah, sure.
[47:11.920 -> 47:16.640] Hyderabad was a constant pain because they had Neil Jani riding away when other drivers were performing. Because when you have a team-mate like that, automatically, the drivers in the team go up,
[47:16.640 -> 47:26.840] right? They are forced to. And sadly, I would say Chennai and Bangalore had some good drivers.
[47:26.840 -> 47:34.200] But as a follow-up, now that all the cards are open from last year and every team knows how things were operating,
[47:34.200 -> 47:38.480] what are your expectations or what are you thinking going into this season now?
[47:38.480 -> 47:50.400] This season will be much tougher. Because each one knows the strength of the other one, right? So, I am trying to grab some driver. They said, no, you can't get that.
[47:50.400 -> 47:54.080] F4 has got two Cs, right?
[47:54.080 -> 48:01.080] I found one Bora. If I can shift Ruan Alva to F4, accommodate another good driver.
[48:01.080 -> 48:05.100] Then I would straight away say, I won.
[48:05.100 -> 48:09.040] But then, now I know who all to look for.
[48:09.040 -> 48:13.660] I mean, I would certainly not take it lying down.
[48:13.660 -> 48:17.420] Now, it's tougher. Defending is tougher than trying to…
[48:17.420 -> 48:19.140] When you are underdog in the game…
[48:19.140 -> 48:20.520] Yes, that's true. That's true.
[48:20.520 -> 48:21.380] For sure. For sure.
[48:21.380 -> 48:26.920] Your mistakes are highlighted a lot more once you're ahead rather than you're behind.
[48:26.920 -> 48:29.080] My last year's mistake won't be repeated
[48:29.080 -> 48:30.520] because that kid is driving now.
[48:30.520 -> 48:31.020] Right.
[48:31.020 -> 48:31.520] Right.
[48:31.520 -> 48:33.520] OK.
[48:33.520 -> 48:36.520] One avoided.
[48:36.520 -> 48:38.520] Yeah, for sure.
[48:38.520 -> 48:39.360] OK.
[48:39.360 -> 48:41.920] One question we had was, having that you
[48:41.920 -> 48:44.520] have worked with so many different people,
[48:44.520 -> 48:48.280] like different drivers of different experience and both like
[48:48.280 -> 48:53.360] Indians as well as other international drivers what are some key differences
[48:53.360 -> 48:56.560] that you have seen that are between like especially like you know the difference
[48:56.560 -> 49:01.920] between Indian drivers and international drivers that you have seen. I would first
[49:01.920 -> 49:07.040] of all say we lack the infrastructure
[49:07.040 -> 49:10.320] and the technology to support and experience.
[49:10.320 -> 49:12.680] See, it's a very expensive sport for sure, right?
[49:12.680 -> 49:13.180] Yeah.
[49:13.180 -> 49:18.880] While we have limited choices, poor Indian drivers
[49:18.880 -> 49:20.560] have got limited choices.
[49:20.560 -> 49:24.040] Go-karting, from there, just the next level is I wouldn't.
[49:24.040 -> 49:26.080] I'm not very happy with the next level
[49:26.080 -> 49:27.360] of LGB.
[49:27.360 -> 49:29.560] I'm not a big fan of those cars.
[49:29.560 -> 49:32.840] It's not, it's quite cruel for a racing car.
[49:32.840 -> 49:40.280] And I feel there should be one, what do you call, segment in between.
[49:40.280 -> 49:47.800] Maybe a thousand CC, like the old FISME, but new technology. Well, more balanced car, which is cheaper for people
[49:47.800 -> 49:52.000] to race, which I've been talking to J Modest about,
[49:52.000 -> 49:53.840] and they're looking at those lines,
[49:53.840 -> 49:56.920] so that somebody can buy a car for about 10, 15 lakhs.
[49:56.920 -> 49:59.320] And if I have a son who wants to go racing,
[49:59.320 -> 50:04.200] I can service by somebody, which is an in-between segment.
[50:04.200 -> 50:10.300] India needs a lot more, like thanks to IRL or Akhilesh Reddy and bringing in all this.
[50:10.300 -> 50:19.380] I am sure in maybe 2 or 3 years' time, the next generation at least will get the infrastructure and support in place.
[50:19.380 -> 50:23.980] Also, we need teams coming up. More funding. Like, look at cricket.
[50:23.980 -> 50:24.480] Funding.
[50:24.480 -> 50:27.900] I mean, where is the cricket? Where is the money? I mean, racing.
[50:27.900 -> 50:31.900] Every sport's envy. Every other sport's envy.
[50:31.900 -> 50:38.900] Look at the money. If one-third of that money comes, we will get the Formula One driver from you.
[50:38.900 -> 50:39.400] Yeah.
[50:39.400 -> 50:45.960] Because the money needed is huge. And we are not getting it. It's very tough to.
[50:45.960 -> 50:47.040] So that's what.
[50:47.040 -> 50:49.200] And foreign drivers, another thing
[50:49.200 -> 50:55.760] is they're more experienced to faster cars when they come here.
[50:55.760 -> 50:58.040] Here we are getting drivers who have just
[50:58.040 -> 51:02.440] gone up to Formula 2000 or the 2-liter MRS, right?
[51:02.440 -> 51:04.280] That's a max.
[51:04.280 -> 51:05.520] We are lacking in that.
[51:05.520 -> 51:07.840] I hope somebody steps in and let us.
[51:07.840 -> 51:09.960] Like, Akhilesh Reddy is a perfect example
[51:09.960 -> 51:11.720] of how to save motorsports.
[51:11.720 -> 51:16.200] And do you know the budget is so much more lesser in the F4
[51:16.200 -> 51:17.120] India?
[51:17.120 -> 51:21.640] It's 150,000 to 170,000 euros in Europe.
[51:21.640 -> 51:23.520] And here, I think it's 80,000 euros.
[51:23.520 -> 51:31.000] It's almost half. So the only thing is now you'll see a horde of foreigners jumping in here and no Indian will get in there.
[51:31.000 -> 51:46.000] Because they'll find a cheaper race in India. They follow racing at the cheaper level. It's a tangential question, okay, but having been team principal and having worked with many sorts of drivers,
[51:46.000 -> 51:57.000] like what are some really weird rituals and stuff that drivers do before the race to, you know, get into the zone of racing or, you know, getting the mindset?
[51:57.000 -> 52:00.000] A perfect example is Hunt needs to smoke a cigarette.
[52:00.000 -> 52:03.000] Just to roll a cigarette, just like his father.
[52:03.000 -> 52:06.300] Only thing he does is, his father used to throw up before a race, which he doesn't.
[52:06.300 -> 52:07.800] Right. Right. Yeah.
[52:07.800 -> 52:12.780] But he needs to have a cigarette before. After a poll, he will just smoke a cigarette and get in.
[52:12.780 -> 52:17.460] Mathias, at the same time, only does some stretching and goes again racing.
[52:17.460 -> 52:25.980] There are other drivers who will just sit and it will be like Luciano Bacchetta. He will not do anything.
[52:25.980 -> 52:32.580] He just sits and… Eyes go dead. Dust says nothing. He just goes out there. And he is also very good.
[52:32.580 -> 52:46.120] Each one has a different… I know of another Indian driver who is so superstitious that his father said, now get into the car, he'll jump in. Now, don't touch. That's called God's wish.
[52:46.120 -> 52:47.400] I don't know him.
[52:47.400 -> 52:49.800] But he's a national champion.
[52:49.800 -> 52:55.640] So, I always walk up to him, has God sent you a message today?
[52:55.640 -> 52:57.440] When to drive? How to drive?
[52:57.440 -> 53:01.960] So, yeah. There's a lot of superstition beliefs in that also.
[53:01.960 -> 53:10.000] Yes. I don't know when I'll see four lines also kept under the tire and go for it.
[53:10.000 -> 53:17.000] Yeah, this has been a brilliant, awesome conversation, as I said.
[53:17.000 -> 53:18.000] And interesting.
[53:18.000 -> 53:20.000] And interesting, obviously, with too much insight.
[53:20.000 -> 53:25.400] I mean, I don't know if we recorded it, but as I said before the whole thing started, right?
[53:25.400 -> 53:31.600] Like if all weekday morning started with conversations like this, it's just gonna be a beautiful day.
[53:31.600 -> 53:39.800] Thank you so much for, Joe, being on the show, sharing all these insights, sharing all your stories and it's been a pleasure.
[53:39.800 -> 53:48.200] Until the next episode, folks, stay tuned to the IRL podcast, because now as the championship and the time gets closer,
[53:48.200 -> 53:55.800] there's more stories to tell with what goes on ground, commentators, safety, media, drivers themselves.
[53:55.800 -> 54:03.120] So stay tuned to the IRL podcast. Keep listening to the IRL podcast. Until the next episode, these are your hosts signing off.
[54:03.120 -> 54:10.860] Bye-bye. I have to ask you because it's coming back to my mind, which is, you said, mostly you
[54:10.860 -> 54:14.100] wanted to sign the two drivers, right?
[54:14.100 -> 54:19.580] But did they never see your photo without the face?
[54:19.580 -> 54:24.660] You know, the ad shoot that you did when you were young, when you wanted the money?
[54:24.660 -> 54:26.480] Because they would have sent you as well.
[54:26.480 -> 54:28.480] That's a famous ad shoot.
[54:28.480 -> 54:33.800] That time I was doing it, I mean my mom, even now, hates me for it.
[54:33.800 -> 54:36.480] Wearing an underwear for, that is like selling my body.
[54:36.480 -> 54:37.480] Right.
[54:37.480 -> 54:40.480] So that was a condition I put, no, no, no face.
[54:40.480 -> 54:44.480] But you come back to India's product.
[54:44.480 -> 54:45.200] Exactly.
[54:45.200 -> 54:47.800] And my mom bought me with a stupid ring.
[54:47.800 -> 54:48.600] With a ring, right?
[54:48.600 -> 54:49.200] Yes.
[54:49.200 -> 54:58.120] Lovely. I hope to meet you in person someday soon. It's been a lovely conversation.
[54:58.120 -> 55:06.660] I certainly… Looks like I will still be running the Godspeed Kuchi. I will be there for the race and for the testing.
[55:06.660 -> 55:11.360] This year, I want to be there for the testing to decide on the right driver.
[55:11.360 -> 55:13.560] To see how it is going.
[55:13.560 -> 55:14.860] I want to start with that.
[55:14.860 -> 55:19.200] And as far as I heard, JM Motorsport is doing the technical collab.
[55:19.200 -> 55:21.200] I mean, they will be running the championship.
[55:21.200 -> 55:24.420] So, which is a great team to work with.
[55:24.420 -> 55:25.200] I have known them so well.
[55:25.200 -> 55:30.960] It's easier to communicate. Rather than the Italian, the language is a problem.
[55:32.160 -> 55:35.440] They are very expressive with their hands. But to communicate is hard.
[55:37.440 -> 55:41.440] So, hopefully, I will see you both in the IWF.
[55:42.000 -> 55:52.160] Yeah. Until the next episode, folks, stay tuned to the IRL podcast because now as the championship and the time gets closer,
[55:52.160 -> 55:59.760] there's more stories to tell with what goes on ground, commentators, safety, media, drivers themselves.
[55:59.760 -> 56:07.000] So stay tuned to the IRL podcast. Keep listening to the IRL podcast. Until the next episode, these are your hosts signing off.
[56:07.000 -> 56:07.500] Bye-bye.
[56:12.500 -> 56:16.500] I have to ask you because it's coming back to my mind, which is,
[56:16.500 -> 56:21.000] you said, Mousli wanted to sign the two drivers, right?
[56:21.000 -> 56:25.520] But did they never see your photo without the face?
[56:26.640 -> 56:28.840] You know, the, the ad shoot that you did.
[56:35.200 -> 56:39.000] That time I was doing it. I mean, my mom,
[56:39.280 -> 56:43.680] even now hates me for wearing an underwear. That is like selling my body.
[56:44.160 -> 56:48.000] Right. So that was a condition I put. No, no, no face.
[56:48.000 -> 56:52.000] But I can only come back to India as a product.
[56:52.000 -> 56:55.000] And my mom bought me with that stupid ring.
[56:55.000 -> 56:56.000] With the ring, right?
[56:56.000 -> 57:00.000] Oh man, lovely.