DANNY RICS COACH ON OUR SOFA.. Michael Italiano - PART 1

Welcome back to the Pitstop Podcast! On today's episode, we are joined by Daniel Ricciardo's close friend and Performance Coach, Michael Italiano! Michael is officially our FIRST International guest, and also an absolute legend! It was great having him at Pitstop HQ so we hope you guys enjoy this episode as much as we did. This episode is in two parts, so don't forget to check out part 2 for more crazy stories! You can follow Michael on his Instagram @michaelitaliano. Join us every Monday & Thursday for Q&As, guests, race predictions, and a whole load of laughter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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**Navigating the World of Formula One with Daniel Ricciardo's Performance Coach, Michael Italiano**

* **Introduction:**
* Michael Italiano, Daniel Ricciardo's performance coach, joins the podcast as the first international guest.
* Hosts Jake Boys and Fabio Bocca welcome Michael and discuss his unique Australian heritage.
* Michael shares his background in engineering and his transition to strength and conditioning coaching.

* **Friendship and Collaboration with Daniel Ricciardo:**
* Michael and Daniel's friendship dates back to their teenage years, where they met at a boxing gym.
* Michael recalls Daniel's unique training methods, such as wearing a racing helmet during runs to strengthen his neck.
* Despite their close friendship, Michael emphasizes the importance of maintaining professionalism and clear communication in their working relationship.

* **Adapting to Formula One:**
* Michael had to quickly learn about Formula One when he began working with Daniel in 2018.
* He spent time studying the sport's history and techniques to gain a deeper understanding.
* Michael initially took a backseat approach, observing Daniel's existing methods and offering suggestions at the end of the year.

* **Balancing Friendship and Coaching:**
* Michael discusses the challenges of maintaining a healthy balance between friendship and coaching.
* He emphasizes the importance of transparency, communication, and mutual respect in their working relationship.
* Michael believes that strong communication allows them to navigate any potential conflicts or disagreements.

* **Lifestyle Changes and Cultural Differences:**
* Michael shares his experiences of adjusting to life in London after moving from Australia.
* He highlights the differences in lifestyle, such as the lack of early morning joggers and the convenience of not needing a car.
* Michael also mentions his friendship with Brad Skainzon, Max Verstappen's performance coach, and their shared experiences in the Formula One paddock.

* **Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle During Intense Travel:**
* Michael explains that despite the hectic travel schedule, they prioritize maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
* They often take advantage of opportunities to explore new restaurants and enjoy local cuisine.
* However, they also emphasize the importance of getting adequate rest and avoiding excessive partying during race weekends.

* **Challenges of Transitioning Between Teams:**
* Michael discusses the challenges of transitioning between teams, particularly when it comes to adapting to different systems and building new relationships.
* He highlights the importance of building strong bonds with the race engineer and understanding the unique characteristics of each team.
* Michael emphasizes that the transition process can take time and requires patience and adaptability.

* **The Impact of Drive to Survive on Formula One:**
* Michael reflects on the impact of the Netflix series Drive to Survive on the popularity of Formula One.
* He believes that the series has helped to humanize the drivers and provide fans with a deeper understanding of the sport.
* Michael notes the increased popularity of Formula One events and the growing fan base in the United States.

* **Working with Daniel Ricciardo in the Present:**
* Michael describes his current working relationship with Daniel, involving online programming and occasional Zoom sessions.
* He highlights Daniel's experience and seniority, which allows for a more flexible and trusting approach to their collaboration. # Behind the Scenes of Formula One: Insights from Michael Italiano, Daniel Ricciardo's Performance Coach

**Navigating the Formula One Lifestyle:**

- Michael Italiano, Daniel Ricciardo's performance coach, sheds light on the unique lifestyle of a Formula One driver.
- The demanding schedule requires meticulous planning and a dedicated approach to training and recovery.
- Italiano emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between personal and professional life.

**Training and Preparation:**

- Italiano outlines the comprehensive training program he designs for Ricciardo, focusing on strength, conditioning, and mental resilience.
- The training regimen is tailored to complement Ricciardo's driving style and address specific areas for improvement.
- Italiano highlights the significance of injury prevention and the role of nutrition in optimizing performance.

**Race Weekend Routine:**

- Italiano provides an insider's perspective on Ricciardo's race weekend routine, from pre-race preparations to post-race recovery.
- The routine includes meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that Ricciardo is physically and mentally prepared for the demands of the race.
- Italiano emphasizes the importance of effective communication and collaboration among the team members.

**Challenges and Controversies:**

- Italiano reflects on some challenging moments during his time with Ricciardo, including an incident where he forgot to launder Ricciardo's race suit, resulting in an uncomfortable race experience for the driver.
- He also mentions an instance where he accidentally left the protective film on Ricciardo's visor, leading to impaired vision during a race.

**Key Takeaways:**

- Italiano emphasizes the importance of building a strong relationship with the driver based on trust and mutual respect.
- He highlights the significance of adaptability and the ability to handle unforeseen circumstances during race weekends.
- Italiano underscores the value of effective communication and teamwork among the driver, coach, and the entire team.

**Overall Message:**

Michael Italiano's insights offer a glimpse into the demanding world of Formula One, showcasing the dedication, meticulous planning, and teamwork required for success. He emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to driver development, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

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[00:56.240 -> 01:01.160] I just found this little pocket where these like crates were. And I think on the crates
[01:01.160 -> 01:06.360] were like, it's like McLaren had like all their vegetables or something, they took them off. So there's this blank pallet.
[01:06.360 -> 01:09.920] And I just like laid, he's like hot stocked out there.
[01:09.920 -> 01:11.400] I'm just standing there letting it dry.
[01:11.400 -> 01:12.360] I was too scared to leave it.
[01:12.360 -> 01:14.160] Cause I was like, someone's going to take this for sure.
[01:14.160 -> 01:16.360] They just see like a McLaren suit, they're taking it.
[01:16.360 -> 01:17.200] Yeah.
[01:17.200 -> 01:18.040] Yeah.
[01:18.040 -> 01:18.860] Yeah.
[01:18.860 -> 01:19.700] Yeah.
[01:19.700 -> 01:20.540] Yeah.
[01:20.540 -> 01:21.360] Yeah.
[01:21.360 -> 01:22.200] Yeah.
[01:22.200 -> 01:23.040] Yeah.
[01:23.040 -> 01:23.860] Yeah.
[01:23.860 -> 01:24.700] Yeah.
[01:24.700 -> 01:28.000] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Welcome back to the Pit Stop Podcast.
[01:28.000 -> 01:30.000] Fab, we've got a guest with us today.
[01:30.000 -> 01:32.000] We have a cool guest. I believe...
[01:32.000 -> 01:36.000] Am I right in saying this is our first international guest?
[01:36.000 -> 01:39.000] It is! This is our first ever international guest.
[01:39.000 -> 01:41.000] That is pretty amazing.
[01:41.000 -> 01:44.000] Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to let him explain what he does.
[01:44.000 -> 01:46.860] It's Michael Italiano. That is me. Yeah
[01:48.080 -> 01:50.080] That's a good intro
[01:50.320 -> 01:56.280] That is one of the coolest names ever name. Yeah. Yeah. Is that your real name? No, it's fake. Oh
[02:01.800 -> 02:05.160] I was wondering does that mean, are you a bit Italian?
[02:05.160 -> 02:06.000] A bit, yeah.
[02:06.000 -> 02:06.820] Yeah.
[02:06.820 -> 02:07.660] Yeah.
[02:07.660 -> 02:08.500] Yeah.
[02:08.500 -> 02:11.040] My father is, hence the surname.
[02:11.040 -> 02:12.360] Oh, that makes perfect sense.
[02:12.360 -> 02:13.200] Perfect sense.
[02:13.200 -> 02:14.040] Yeah.
[02:14.040 -> 02:15.520] Unfortunately you can't choose your surnames,
[02:15.520 -> 02:16.360] but you know what?
[02:16.360 -> 02:17.180] I'll roll with it.
[02:17.180 -> 02:18.020] I'll roll with it.
[02:18.020 -> 02:19.560] But you are, are you Australian?
[02:19.560 -> 02:20.680] So you were born in Australia?
[02:20.680 -> 02:21.520] Correct.
[02:21.520 -> 02:22.340] I was born in Australia,
[02:22.340 -> 02:23.360] so I am technically Australian,
[02:23.360 -> 02:27.560] but I have European heritage going back to my, my grandparents.
[02:27.560 -> 02:31.080] Got you. That's really interesting. I love that we've got an Australian voice on the
[02:31.080 -> 02:35.960] pod. We have a lot of listeners in Australia and we've never had any. Oh really? Yeah.
[02:35.960 -> 02:40.040] We have this thing where like, I don't know, I always do an Australian accent and I had
[02:40.040 -> 02:47.560] to pledge, I had to pledge not to do it today. Hang on. Okay. Because I find a lot of my Brit friends
[02:47.560 -> 02:49.000] think they can do an Australian accent
[02:49.000 -> 02:50.400] and they do a Kiwi accent.
[02:50.400 -> 02:51.760] And I'm just like, come on guys.
[02:51.760 -> 02:53.560] Oh, fam, you're gonna have to do it now.
[02:53.560 -> 02:54.400] Yeah, I'm gonna do it now.
[02:54.400 -> 02:56.280] Redo our intro in the Australian accent.
[02:56.280 -> 02:58.000] There's a foreign alarm between us.
[02:58.000 -> 02:59.320] I don't really-
[02:59.320 -> 03:01.080] That's, I keep going.
[03:01.080 -> 03:02.920] I don't really know if you can tell the difference
[03:02.920 -> 03:07.880] between Marwan and whatever your friends do.
[03:07.920 -> 03:09.320] Does it sound Australian?
[03:09.320 -> 03:10.160] That's good.
[03:10.160 -> 03:12.360] I mean, there's a slight weak Harvard
[03:12.360 -> 03:13.700] of South African in there maybe.
[03:13.700 -> 03:15.540] There is a little bit.
[03:15.540 -> 03:17.380] There is a little bit.
[03:17.380 -> 03:19.180] I respect that.
[03:19.180 -> 03:20.020] That was a good effort.
[03:20.020 -> 03:20.840] Thank you.
[03:20.840 -> 03:21.680] Yeah, I'll give you seven out of 10.
[03:21.680 -> 03:22.500] Thank you so much.
[03:22.500 -> 03:24.040] Every time we speak, I want to see about a nine.
[03:24.040 -> 03:24.880] All right.
[03:24.880 -> 03:26.760] That means a lot coming from an actual Aussie to say that's a seven out of 10. Thank you so much. Every time we speak, I want to see about a nine. All right. That means a lot coming from an actual Aussie
[03:26.760 -> 03:27.760] to say that's a seven out of 10.
[03:27.760 -> 03:28.960] Yeah, that was decent.
[03:28.960 -> 03:29.840] You don't want to hear mine.
[03:29.840 -> 03:31.960] So I'll practice for the next time.
[03:31.960 -> 03:34.440] Yours is like a suffering accent.
[03:36.920 -> 03:39.400] Yeah, so it's a really special guest today.
[03:39.400 -> 03:41.120] Really, really happy you're here.
[03:41.120 -> 03:43.360] Do you want to tell the people what it is that you do?
[03:43.360 -> 03:45.680] Yes, so I'm a performance coach in F1.
[03:45.680 -> 03:48.040] So I've been training at Daniel Ricciardo
[03:48.040 -> 03:49.720] for the last five years.
[03:49.720 -> 03:50.560] So cool.
[03:50.560 -> 03:51.380] That's big.
[03:51.380 -> 03:52.220] So cool hearing that accent
[03:52.220 -> 03:53.560] and hearing someone say Daniel Ricciardo.
[03:53.560 -> 03:54.400] That's really big.
[03:54.400 -> 03:57.240] You guys are both Australian.
[03:57.240 -> 03:58.680] Do you guys have any,
[03:58.680 -> 04:00.560] before we get into like Formula One
[04:00.560 -> 04:01.400] and everything that you do,
[04:01.400 -> 04:03.320] do you guys have history before this?
[04:03.320 -> 04:05.920] Like, did you just start working together in the F1
[04:05.920 -> 04:08.080] or did you know each other before?
[04:08.080 -> 04:12.280] Yeah, so I met him when I was about, I reckon 13.
[04:12.280 -> 04:13.120] Wow.
[04:13.120 -> 04:14.240] I met him through mutual friends.
[04:15.500 -> 04:18.920] Our friend was a boxer and he had like a,
[04:18.920 -> 04:20.240] he would train boxing every day.
[04:20.240 -> 04:24.000] So I would go down to our local boxing gym just for fitness
[04:24.000 -> 04:26.400] cause I was playing football playing football time in Australia,
[04:26.400 -> 04:27.560] Aussie rules, I should say.
[04:27.560 -> 04:28.800] Okay. Yeah.
[04:28.800 -> 04:29.640] What does that mean?
[04:29.640 -> 04:32.040] By the way, I watched that and I still have no idea how they
[04:32.040 -> 04:32.880] it's just a circle.
[04:32.880 -> 04:35.720] You know the egg ball that kick in between the big sticks.
[04:35.720 -> 04:36.600] Oh, like rugby.
[04:36.600 -> 04:38.840] Yeah. It's, it's a, yeah, it's kind of.
[04:38.840 -> 04:39.840] Yeah. It's not.
[04:39.840 -> 04:41.840] We'll explain that another day.
[04:41.840 -> 04:44.000] I'll show you some YouTube clips.
[04:44.000 -> 04:46.200] But anyways, I was going there for like for fitness
[04:46.200 -> 04:48.440] because boxing is great, great cardiovascular fitness
[04:48.440 -> 04:49.640] and it's great for strength endurance.
[04:49.640 -> 04:52.280] And Daniel was going there for fitness
[04:52.280 -> 04:54.840] because at the time he was racing karting.
[04:54.840 -> 04:58.320] And so I was pretty much there every day on my off season
[04:58.320 -> 04:59.320] and he was pretty much there every day.
[04:59.320 -> 05:03.960] So we kind of kicked it off in a local boxing gym.
[05:03.960 -> 05:05.420] At 13 years old. Yeah
[05:05.560 -> 05:10.640] Yeah, and I significantly remember him because obviously he's got these big thick black curls
[05:11.000 -> 05:16.560] But what I do remember is so there was a there was a football oval across the road
[05:16.560 -> 05:19.620] So for warm-ups, we would run around the oval like as a warm-up
[05:19.620 -> 05:22.720] Yeah, just to get the blood flowing through the legs go back go in the gym and start training
[05:23.360 -> 05:25.600] He would put a helmet on
[05:25.600 -> 05:27.400] and start running around the football.
[05:27.400 -> 05:28.520] No way.
[05:28.520 -> 05:30.920] So I'm like, you know, here I am like about to warm up
[05:30.920 -> 05:33.160] and I'm like, oh, like I'll jog with him, get to know him.
[05:33.160 -> 05:34.000] Is this guy okay?
[05:34.000 -> 05:35.840] And you're thinking who is this guy?
[05:35.840 -> 05:37.640] Who is this guy?
[05:37.640 -> 05:38.840] What is he trying to do?
[05:38.840 -> 05:39.680] Wow.
[05:39.680 -> 05:42.400] Like, does he realize that's not a boxing helmet?
[05:42.400 -> 05:43.440] Like that's a racing helmet.
[05:43.440 -> 05:44.680] And then I found out through my mate,
[05:44.680 -> 05:45.880] like, yeah, no, he races.
[05:45.880 -> 05:48.440] And I'm like, okay, like, well, what's this?
[05:48.440 -> 05:49.520] What's, why is he doing this?
[05:49.520 -> 05:52.320] And it was just a, it was pretty much just an old school way
[05:52.320 -> 05:53.520] of strengthening your neck.
[05:53.520 -> 05:54.360] Oh yeah, I suppose, yeah.
[05:54.360 -> 05:56.120] Yeah, so it was just, it was just his way
[05:56.120 -> 05:58.440] of just getting an extra bit of strength
[05:58.440 -> 06:00.480] of the neck in whilst training boxing.
[06:00.480 -> 06:02.720] So that's how I remembered him.
[06:02.720 -> 06:05.740] And then, yeah, we hit it off pretty cool.
[06:05.740 -> 06:07.700] And he was the type of guy in the boxing gym
[06:07.700 -> 06:08.660] that would come from behind
[06:08.660 -> 06:10.820] and just give you a little cheap shot and then run off.
[06:10.820 -> 06:12.780] Did you ever fight each other in the boxing gym?
[06:12.780 -> 06:14.820] No, I was too big for him.
[06:14.820 -> 06:16.260] I was gonna say you're a big guy.
[06:16.260 -> 06:17.100] I let him go.
[06:17.100 -> 06:17.920] Yeah, we noticed this.
[06:17.920 -> 06:18.760] Yeah, you are a big guy.
[06:18.760 -> 06:20.700] Cause F1 drivers are quite short, aren't they?
[06:20.700 -> 06:22.020] Not short, but like they're quite.
[06:22.020 -> 06:24.020] He's on the tall side, but yeah, he's definitely like,
[06:24.020 -> 06:24.860] he's thin.
[06:24.860 -> 06:26.360] Like I would say he's definitely
[06:26.360 -> 06:29.040] on the leaner side of most of the drivers
[06:29.040 -> 06:30.000] on the grid for sure.
[06:30.000 -> 06:32.080] He's always been quite lean.
[06:32.080 -> 06:33.840] Yeah, and then when you're in the boxing gym
[06:33.840 -> 06:36.600] with him back then, did the friendship just evolve?
[06:36.600 -> 06:39.320] And then that led to you working with him?
[06:39.320 -> 06:41.640] Like, how did that transition period happen?
[06:41.640 -> 06:42.480] Yeah.
[06:42.480 -> 06:43.300] To you now working with him?
[06:43.300 -> 06:44.840] Yeah, it wasn't planned.
[06:44.840 -> 06:45.520] It was just,
[06:45.520 -> 06:52.160] we never really discussed it. I was, when we first met, I was, my ambitions in life,
[06:52.160 -> 06:58.000] leaving school was to be, be an engineer. Yeah. So I studied civil and structural engineering and I
[06:58.000 -> 07:02.560] did that. I'm like civil structural, like design engineering for like seven years in Perth. And I
[07:02.560 -> 07:05.800] was sitting in office, just, you know, basic nine to five job.
[07:05.800 -> 07:08.320] And then I had a bit of an epiphany moment
[07:08.320 -> 07:10.640] when I was like, geez, well, I'll be pretty miserable
[07:10.640 -> 07:12.280] if I'm still in this office in 10 years time.
[07:12.280 -> 07:14.040] So I followed my passion,
[07:14.040 -> 07:16.280] which was strength and conditioning and coaching.
[07:16.280 -> 07:18.840] And I got qualified and I started, you know,
[07:18.840 -> 07:20.080] I started my own business in Perth,
[07:20.080 -> 07:22.440] training like a bunch of athletes, like golfers,
[07:22.440 -> 07:25.380] mixed martial artists, footballers, rugby players.
[07:25.380 -> 07:27.660] And during this whole time,
[07:27.660 -> 07:29.140] I stayed in contact with Daniel,
[07:29.140 -> 07:31.280] but he'd only come back for around Christmas time each year
[07:31.280 -> 07:34.240] because he moved to Europe at a very early age
[07:34.240 -> 07:37.140] to obviously aspire to make F1.
[07:37.140 -> 07:39.520] You can't stay in Australia and keep racing.
[07:39.520 -> 07:40.680] You need to go to Europe
[07:40.680 -> 07:42.760] because that's where the benchmark is, right?
[07:42.760 -> 07:44.740] So I'd only seen him for like a month, a year,
[07:44.740 -> 07:48.500] and he knew I was very into my training, my fitness.
[07:48.500 -> 07:50.540] I was still playing competitively.
[07:50.540 -> 07:52.260] So he'd always ring me when he'd come back,
[07:52.260 -> 07:53.900] and I'm like, cool, let's go for a run, let's train,
[07:53.900 -> 07:56.620] because I was always that guy that'd say yes.
[07:56.620 -> 07:58.460] So we stayed in contact that way,
[07:58.460 -> 08:00.700] and then he obviously knew what I was doing
[08:00.700 -> 08:02.500] from a coaching perspective,
[08:02.500 -> 08:04.360] and then the end of 2017,
[08:07.480 -> 08:07.880] my 5 a.m. alarm went off
[08:09.680 -> 08:11.480] ready for my first client at six and I had a message from him.
[08:11.480 -> 08:12.320] And it pretty much said,
[08:12.320 -> 08:14.480] hey man, coming back next week,
[08:14.480 -> 08:15.480] love to have a chat to you to see
[08:15.480 -> 08:17.560] if you want to come travel the world
[08:17.560 -> 08:19.320] with me next year as my coach.
[08:19.320 -> 08:20.480] What a text.
[08:20.480 -> 08:24.000] Yeah, and me being an absolute banana,
[08:24.000 -> 08:27.200] I messaged back and I think I wrote something smart ass back
[08:27.200 -> 08:30.200] because I thought he was joking, right? He was just having me on.
[08:30.200 -> 08:30.700] Yeah.
[08:30.700 -> 08:33.200] And he's like, no, no, I'm serious. Can we grab a coffee?
[08:33.200 -> 08:39.400] So, yeah, so end of 2017, we sat down and he labeled what he wanted and I told him like, you know,
[08:39.400 -> 08:44.200] a bit of my expectations on how I see things working and evolving because, you know,
[08:44.200 -> 08:47.460] being friends is one thing, yeah for sure working together is another
[08:48.520 -> 08:54.820] Yeah, there's always that old cliche like never do business with you with your mates. But yeah, you know, I I don't like that cliche
[08:54.820 -> 08:57.100] I think I think it can definitely work as long as a million percent
[08:57.100 -> 09:00.960] Yeah, like if the communications are you transparent you trust each other? I can't see why not
[09:01.600 -> 09:11.340] So I yeah started in 2018. He gave me four weeks to pack my bags and move to London so yeah it was quite a hectic start of 2018 and
[09:11.340 -> 09:15.120] then yeah the rest is history. So you come straight from Australia to London
[09:15.120 -> 09:19.620] so you primarily based around London? Yeah so I've been based in London for
[09:19.620 -> 09:26.840] five years now. I haven't started talking like you guys yet. I'm sure I'll pick up soon.
[09:26.840 -> 09:30.680] And then did you have to learn everything about F1 or did you already watch Formula
[09:30.680 -> 09:35.120] One? Like when Daniel said to you, come be my performance coach, at that point, did you
[09:35.120 -> 09:37.480] know everything he was doing or everything going on?
[09:37.480 -> 09:42.440] I started following Formula One very closely when Daniel made it. So yes, I think by the
[09:42.440 -> 09:46.360] time we started working together, he was already in the sport for five, six, seven years.
[09:46.360 -> 09:48.960] So yes, I did know a bit about Formula One,
[09:48.960 -> 09:51.800] but I did do the basics and I was like,
[09:51.800 -> 09:53.760] geez, I need to know a little bit about this sport
[09:53.760 -> 09:56.280] because I've never trained a motorsport athlete before.
[09:56.280 -> 10:00.380] So yeah, bought some books like F1 history
[10:00.380 -> 10:02.240] and some other basic stuff.
[10:02.240 -> 10:04.400] And I'm sitting there like a little kid,
[10:04.400 -> 10:05.680] pretending that I'm back in high school
[10:05.680 -> 10:07.240] trying to learn a topic.
[10:07.240 -> 10:10.080] And just to get to myself up to speed.
[10:10.080 -> 10:13.200] And I do vividly remember the first year
[10:13.200 -> 10:15.640] just being like just a big sponge.
[10:15.640 -> 10:17.200] Like I didn't want to over coach
[10:17.200 -> 10:18.480] to a point where, you know,
[10:18.480 -> 10:20.560] like I'm trying to force my coaching.
[10:20.560 -> 10:21.400] I was like, hang on a second,
[10:21.400 -> 10:23.440] I'm going to sit back for a lot of this year
[10:23.440 -> 10:25.720] and just soak in on how you work, how you operate,
[10:25.720 -> 10:27.520] because he'd been in the system for a while, right?
[10:27.520 -> 10:30.480] So he had techniques, he had methods,
[10:30.480 -> 10:31.320] he had preparation.
[10:31.320 -> 10:32.160] He set ways of doing stuff.
[10:32.160 -> 10:32.980] He set ways of doing stuff, right?
[10:32.980 -> 10:33.920] So I didn't wanna just come in
[10:33.920 -> 10:36.960] and just change the environment because I came in
[10:36.960 -> 10:39.560] and he was already booming on the scene.
[10:39.560 -> 10:41.120] So he was already doing very, very well.
[10:41.120 -> 10:41.960] So I was like, well, hang on,
[10:41.960 -> 10:44.680] there's obviously a lot of things that you're doing right.
[10:44.680 -> 10:47.080] So I'm just gonna sit back for most of the year
[10:47.080 -> 10:48.400] and just be a sponge.
[10:48.400 -> 10:49.800] And then I'll give you my interpretation
[10:49.800 -> 10:51.440] at the end of the year, what I think works well
[10:51.440 -> 10:53.800] and what I think we could probably do differently
[10:53.800 -> 10:55.060] or do better.
[10:55.060 -> 10:56.840] Did he get rid of his previous coach then?
[10:56.840 -> 10:57.680] And then when you come in,
[10:57.680 -> 10:59.400] or did the team fire their coach?
[11:00.800 -> 11:01.800] Where was the gap from?
[11:01.800 -> 11:04.400] Yeah, so his previous coach,
[11:04.400 -> 11:07.840] they parted ways for I think mutual reasons.
[11:07.840 -> 11:11.680] I think his old coach was moving more into like triathletes.
[11:11.680 -> 11:12.520] Okay, yeah, yeah.
[11:12.520 -> 11:14.240] He was moving away from motorsport in general.
[11:14.240 -> 11:15.200] Yeah.
[11:15.200 -> 11:16.200] Which then became,
[11:16.200 -> 11:17.640] which gave the position available to me.
[11:17.640 -> 11:19.600] So yeah, you could say luck,
[11:19.600 -> 11:20.440] you could say good timing,
[11:20.440 -> 11:21.920] but I always say you create your own luck.
[11:21.920 -> 11:22.760] Oh, without a doubt.
[11:22.760 -> 11:25.200] If I didn't make the transition I wouldn't
[11:25.200 -> 11:26.760] be here today talking to you guys.
[11:26.760 -> 11:31.240] I mean you kind of like moved to the UK and your life's just been I imagine completely
[11:31.240 -> 11:33.200] different to what it was like before.
[11:33.200 -> 11:38.760] It was like I remember the first week in London and I brought my winter clothes and I walked
[11:38.760 -> 11:44.720] outside and it felt like I was just the wind just pierced through my winter jumper. This
[11:44.720 -> 11:46.400] is definitely an Australian jumper.
[11:46.400 -> 11:49.360] This isn't ready for European weather.
[11:49.360 -> 11:52.200] So I had to literally go and just buy a whole new wardrobe
[11:52.200 -> 11:55.200] because January and February was freezing.
[11:55.200 -> 11:57.680] And also like I just started noticing
[11:57.680 -> 11:59.600] like some basic lifestyle like differences
[11:59.600 -> 12:02.520] like waking up early on the weekend and going for a walk.
[12:02.520 -> 12:05.280] There's no one out early mornings.
[12:05.280 -> 12:06.240] We're all hung over.
[12:06.240 -> 12:07.080] Yeah.
[12:07.080 -> 12:09.080] I was like, you get up at like seven or eight
[12:09.080 -> 12:11.680] and go for a walk and there's no one on the street.
[12:11.680 -> 12:14.240] And I'm like, geez, this is weird.
[12:14.240 -> 12:15.080] It's like a ghost town.
[12:15.080 -> 12:16.600] Yeah, where I'm from in Perth,
[12:16.600 -> 12:18.800] you go along the coast at 7, 8 AM
[12:18.800 -> 12:20.800] and it's like, it's full of people.
[12:20.800 -> 12:21.640] Really?
[12:21.640 -> 12:23.200] Yeah, just making the most of their day.
[12:23.200 -> 12:25.320] But so yeah this is quite
[12:25.320 -> 12:30.040] it's quite cool like to gather like different lifestyles of like you know in
[12:30.040 -> 12:32.840] Australia and being in London and yeah the one thing I do love about being here
[12:32.840 -> 12:37.040] is you don't need a car. No yeah I just got rid of mine. Yeah which is great I
[12:37.040 -> 12:41.840] don't like driving as you know so it's a it's quite convenient and us Brits and I
[12:41.840 -> 12:45.280] say us Brits, Brits and us Aussies, we're very similar, right?
[12:45.280 -> 12:46.120] We are very similar.
[12:46.120 -> 12:47.240] Yeah, I feel like we are.
[12:47.240 -> 12:48.640] I've always wanted to go to Australia.
[12:48.640 -> 12:49.880] I feel like I'd love it there.
[12:49.880 -> 12:50.720] Yeah. Never been.
[12:50.720 -> 12:52.320] The flags are fairly similar, I think.
[12:52.320 -> 12:53.160] Yeah.
[12:53.160 -> 12:54.000] And something like that.
[12:54.000 -> 12:56.400] So I found it a pretty easy transition to be honest.
[12:56.400 -> 12:58.320] Like, yeah, I think you get along quite well
[12:58.320 -> 12:59.360] with one another.
[12:59.360 -> 13:01.800] So yeah, it's been smooth.
[13:01.800 -> 13:03.640] You just said you don't really like driving.
[13:03.640 -> 13:04.480] I don't know if you know,
[13:04.480 -> 13:06.680] but we had a guy called Brad Skainzon.
[13:06.680 -> 13:08.200] He's Verstappen's performance coach.
[13:08.200 -> 13:08.960] He's a really cool guy.
[13:08.960 -> 13:09.520] Do you know Brad?
[13:09.520 -> 13:09.840] Yes.
[13:09.840 -> 13:12.880] Oh, well, I know of him, obviously, because he's within the paddock.
[13:12.880 -> 13:15.680] So yes, we've met and we've had a beer together.
[13:15.680 -> 13:16.480] Oh, OK.
[13:16.480 -> 13:17.360] Oh, that's cool.
[13:17.360 -> 13:17.760] Yeah.
[13:17.760 -> 13:19.320] Next time we're there, we'll all have a beer together.
[13:19.320 -> 13:19.880] Yeah, nice.
[13:19.880 -> 13:22.280] He said he drives Max to the race.
[13:22.280 -> 13:25.640] But if you don't like driving, I saw a video and it looked like Ricardo drove you to the race.
[13:25.640 -> 13:26.460] Oh, your dad was driving, wasn't he?
[13:26.460 -> 13:27.300] Yeah.
[13:27.300 -> 13:28.600] Or was that just one video?
[13:28.600 -> 13:29.440] Or do you drive him?
[13:29.440 -> 13:30.760] So, probably one video.
[13:30.760 -> 13:31.600] So you can use it.
[13:31.600 -> 13:33.640] Oh, just for the video, then he drove.
[13:33.640 -> 13:35.380] Was that, did we have helmets on?
[13:35.380 -> 13:36.560] I think we're in a...
[13:36.560 -> 13:37.400] I don't know.
[13:37.400 -> 13:38.220] Nah, nah.
[13:38.220 -> 13:39.360] No, it looked like an after the race.
[13:39.360 -> 13:41.240] He was trying to, he couldn't park it very well.
[13:41.240 -> 13:42.080] He was struggling to park it.
[13:42.080 -> 13:42.900] Oh, yeah, he couldn't park.
[13:42.900 -> 13:43.740] Oh, okay, yeah.
[13:43.740 -> 13:46.880] So there are rare times where he feels like driving, but most of the time it's either
[13:46.880 -> 13:51.520] myself or Blake, his manager, who will drive to the track.
[13:51.520 -> 13:57.800] One less thing for him to do and to like just try and save his brain, just let him rest
[13:57.800 -> 13:59.360] in the back seat whilst we drive.
[13:59.360 -> 14:00.360] Yeah.
[14:00.360 -> 14:04.640] Do McLaren sort you out with a nice car to drive every race?
[14:04.640 -> 14:09.000] The thing is, everyone thinks it's like that we drive in McLaren all the time,
[14:09.000 -> 14:10.000] but we actually don't.
[14:10.000 -> 14:13.000] Because there's three of us usually at a race, it's me, Blake and DR.
[14:13.000 -> 14:16.000] So, having a two-seater McLaren is actually very convenient.
[14:16.000 -> 14:19.000] And usually, you're picking up your hire car at the airport.
[14:19.000 -> 14:20.000] So, we've got luggage.
[14:20.000 -> 14:22.000] So, you can't actually use it.
[14:22.000 -> 14:25.100] The McLaren is actually quite convenient.
[14:25.100 -> 14:29.160] But like during Silverstone, it's convenient for Daniel.
[14:29.160 -> 14:31.040] So I think he would drive one in Silverstone.
[14:31.040 -> 14:33.200] And I think during a few locations,
[14:33.200 -> 14:34.720] he gets sorted out with the McLaren,
[14:34.720 -> 14:38.000] but unfortunately I don't get to take one for a spin.
[14:38.000 -> 14:39.400] It's only for Daniel use.
[14:39.400 -> 14:40.240] Yeah.
[14:40.240 -> 14:41.480] It's such a mad lifestyle.
[14:41.480 -> 14:43.500] You guys travel so much.
[14:43.500 -> 14:44.520] And we know that next year,
[14:44.520 -> 14:45.720] there's gonna be even more races.
[14:45.720 -> 14:48.280] So your calendar is gonna be like mad.
[14:48.280 -> 14:51.880] But do you get a chance to like party and like chill?
[14:51.880 -> 14:53.720] Like apart from on these like holidays
[14:53.720 -> 14:55.360] that we have obviously in August,
[14:55.360 -> 14:56.640] do you get a chance like during the week
[14:56.640 -> 15:00.280] to like have a drink or go out and party and get fucked up?
[15:00.280 -> 15:03.360] That's an easy way to say it.
[15:03.360 -> 15:07.000] Trying to get me in trouble.
[15:07.000 -> 15:08.000] Yes.
[15:08.000 -> 15:10.840] Yeah, to answer your question, yes, we do.
[15:10.840 -> 15:16.000] I would say, you know, the best time for us is usually if we fly into a particular location
[15:16.000 -> 15:21.480] on the Wednesday, we usually do have the Wednesday night and Thursday night to go out for a nice
[15:21.480 -> 15:29.840] meal at a nice restaurant and maybe have a glass of wine or a beer or a cocktail and just, I guess, enjoy the moment of being where we are.
[15:29.840 -> 15:34.980] Usually, you can find some pretty cool restaurants at most places that we go.
[15:34.980 -> 15:40.600] But then from Friday onwards, it's 12 to 14 hours at the racetrack and you're trying to
[15:40.600 -> 15:44.800] get your athlete to bed as early as possible because you want him to get maximized as much
[15:44.800 -> 15:45.680] sleep as he can get.
[15:45.680 -> 15:49.000] So yes, if you have a very good result that Sunday night,
[15:49.000 -> 15:51.600] you will find an extra little bit of kick
[15:51.600 -> 15:53.920] and you'll continue to kick on
[15:53.920 -> 15:55.600] and maybe have a drink or whatnot.
[15:55.600 -> 15:59.360] But most of the time we stay sensible as a group.
[15:59.360 -> 16:02.920] I like to practice what I preach, right?
[16:02.920 -> 16:04.880] So if I'm asking Daniel to go to bed early,
[16:04.880 -> 16:07.480] I'll be that role model and I will go to bed early with him.
[16:07.480 -> 16:09.640] I don't like to be that person.
[16:09.640 -> 16:11.680] I'll tell him to go to bed and then he sees on Instagram,
[16:11.680 -> 16:13.080] you're out there in the egg box.
[16:13.080 -> 16:13.920] Yeah.
[16:13.920 -> 16:15.120] And then, you know, wake up in the morning,
[16:15.120 -> 16:16.160] I'm smelling like tequila.
[16:16.160 -> 16:19.800] So for me, that doesn't, that doesn't sit well with me.
[16:19.800 -> 16:21.280] Like, you know, if you want to be a good role model,
[16:21.280 -> 16:22.200] you want to be a good leader, you know,
[16:22.200 -> 16:23.180] you should lead by example.
[16:23.180 -> 16:26.760] So yeah, whatever Daniel, whatever I asked Daniel to do,
[16:26.760 -> 16:28.200] I'll do as well.
[16:28.200 -> 16:29.640] So if we're having a quiet week and it's like,
[16:29.640 -> 16:31.680] no, hang on, full focus this weekend,
[16:31.680 -> 16:34.520] then I'm going to bed at nine o'clock with him
[16:34.520 -> 16:36.200] and I'm waking up the same time as him.
[16:36.200 -> 16:37.800] We're doing stretches in the morning.
[16:37.800 -> 16:39.220] We might do some movement together in the morning,
[16:39.220 -> 16:41.200] but we'll do everything together.
[16:41.200 -> 16:42.040] Yeah.
[16:42.040 -> 16:44.120] When you joined Daniel in his first Formula One year,
[16:44.120 -> 16:45.440] what team was he at?
[16:45.440 -> 16:46.440] Red Bull.
[16:46.440 -> 16:47.440] Red Bull, yeah.
[16:47.440 -> 16:50.800] One of my questions I wanted to ask you, because we completely forgot to ask Brad, and also
[16:50.800 -> 16:52.440] he's only ever been at Red Bull.
[16:52.440 -> 16:54.400] What's it like going from team to team?
[16:54.400 -> 16:59.040] Because you go with the driver, but how hard is it to adjust?
[16:59.040 -> 17:00.400] How different is each team?
[17:00.400 -> 17:03.440] Because I've seen a video where you said the hardest bits are names.
[17:03.440 -> 17:07.240] I'm terrible at remembering people's names as well. But how different is everyone's structure
[17:07.240 -> 17:12.240] and does a lot change or does your job stay pretty similar to the previous team just working
[17:12.240 -> 17:13.240] with the driver?
[17:13.240 -> 17:21.520] I'd say my job stays pretty similar, but I would say the transition, it does take time.
[17:21.520 -> 17:25.560] Like, you know, you build relationships, you build familiarity with everyone
[17:25.560 -> 17:27.640] and how people work, how people operate,
[17:28.560 -> 17:30.760] understanding what language to use
[17:30.760 -> 17:33.240] with different type of characters, of course.
[17:33.240 -> 17:37.160] So, and then, so every team has different systems in place,
[17:37.160 -> 17:40.080] you know, and then obviously you got different race engineer
[17:40.080 -> 17:44.200] that Daniel has to get accustoms with very quickly.
[17:44.200 -> 17:45.420] That bond is very important.
[17:45.420 -> 17:47.200] I don't know how much people actually understand
[17:47.200 -> 17:48.800] about that bond, but that is-
[17:48.800 -> 17:50.440] Between you two or between the race engineer?
[17:50.440 -> 17:51.920] The race engineer and Daniel.
[17:51.920 -> 17:53.120] Yeah.
[17:53.120 -> 17:55.480] There has to be some very strong synergies there.
[17:55.480 -> 17:57.520] And you know, so that,
[17:57.520 -> 17:59.920] I think the transition is harder than you think.
[18:01.360 -> 18:03.720] I noticed that the first move to Renault,
[18:03.720 -> 18:06.040] you know, here I was, I was very naive.
[18:06.040 -> 18:07.240] I just, oh yeah, he's just gonna get the car
[18:07.240 -> 18:08.080] and it's gonna be fine.
[18:08.080 -> 18:10.080] And I remember he came out of testing,
[18:10.080 -> 18:13.040] he's like, holy shit, this is very different
[18:13.040 -> 18:14.280] like to the Red Bull.
[18:14.280 -> 18:16.820] And I, you know, he needed to get used to a few things.
[18:16.820 -> 18:19.400] And, you know, fortunately after like four races,
[18:19.400 -> 18:20.680] he got up to speed quite quickly,
[18:20.680 -> 18:24.500] but I would say it probably took us a whole year
[18:24.500 -> 18:26.000] at Renault to really feel
[18:27.040 -> 18:32.320] comfortable within that team just because you know we're so used to the Red Bull systems and I think
[18:32.320 -> 18:36.640] yeah you know there is it has to be a bit of a transition period when you when you cross over
[18:36.640 -> 18:42.480] to a different team and yeah I guess at the end of the day on the race weekends it's the same right
[18:42.480 -> 18:45.440] you walk into a garage and you're there to race. It's the same thing.
[18:45.440 -> 18:47.840] But I think if you're looking deeper
[18:47.840 -> 18:49.200] into the actual team itself,
[18:50.320 -> 18:52.480] there are things that you need to work on for sure.
[18:52.480 -> 18:54.160] Like it's not as simple as what everyone thinks.
[18:54.160 -> 18:56.640] And I guess you could probably label Daniel's transition
[18:56.640 -> 18:59.600] from Renault to McLaren as a perfect example
[18:59.600 -> 19:01.920] that sometimes it can be more difficult.
[19:03.040 -> 19:03.680] Yeah, for sure.
[19:04.560 -> 19:06.440] And with that, does it get,
[19:06.440 -> 19:07.660] is there ever any sort of,
[19:07.660 -> 19:09.000] does it ever come between you two?
[19:09.000 -> 19:11.080] Because you know each other so well.
[19:11.080 -> 19:13.880] You have the business working relationship,
[19:13.880 -> 19:15.160] but you also have the friendship.
[19:15.160 -> 19:16.560] Is there any friction?
[19:16.560 -> 19:19.000] If he is having a bad day, things aren't going right.
[19:19.000 -> 19:22.720] Does that impact how you two are working together?
[19:24.240 -> 19:28.480] Yes, but when I say impact, I wouldn't say negatively,
[19:28.480 -> 19:31.840] I would just say that's on me to understand
[19:31.840 -> 19:33.600] when to put my coaching hat on
[19:33.600 -> 19:35.720] and when to put my friend hat on, right?
[19:35.720 -> 19:37.680] And that's where it comes to me to understand,
[19:37.680 -> 19:39.080] okay, hang on a second,
[19:39.080 -> 19:40.680] is this the time where I need to give him
[19:40.680 -> 19:42.080] some coaching advice or is this the time
[19:42.080 -> 19:45.240] that I need to be a friend and just be that sounding board
[19:45.240 -> 19:47.520] and be that someone that he just needs to just talk to
[19:47.520 -> 19:50.760] and just, yeah, essentially just hang out with
[19:50.760 -> 19:53.640] and just maybe just ignore the adversity that's coming.
[19:53.640 -> 19:57.520] But I found the first year quite challenging for that.
[19:57.520 -> 20:00.800] And he was also getting used to when to take me seriously
[20:00.800 -> 20:02.400] and when to not take me seriously.
[20:02.400 -> 20:04.440] That's fine, I knew that was gonna happen, right?
[20:04.440 -> 20:08.340] But all credit to him, like he put trust in me.
[20:08.340 -> 20:13.280] And now I find it quite, I guess,
[20:13.280 -> 20:16.200] quite natural when to be a coach and when to be a friend.
[20:16.200 -> 20:18.040] Like it's just something that I think you pick up
[20:18.040 -> 20:20.840] over time because I'm with him so often, so.
[20:20.840 -> 20:22.760] He must be one of the best people to work with.
[20:22.760 -> 20:24.480] Because he's just such an amazing guy.
[20:24.480 -> 20:28.360] We love his person. We got into this whole thing from Drive Survive. Nice. So when you
[20:28.360 -> 20:33.200] started working with him, that's kind of when Drive Survive started. First year. Yeah. So
[20:33.200 -> 20:38.240] you've watched the evolvement of Dan. He's become this, he's already massive, but he
[20:38.240 -> 20:43.480] became a true star through that show, I think because it showed his personality. He's great.
[20:43.480 -> 20:45.360] Yeah. He's authentic. He's authentic. And I think that's what,. Yeah. Like he's authentic.
[20:45.360 -> 20:46.180] He's authentic.
[20:46.180 -> 20:48.240] And I think that's what, that's what helps.
[20:48.240 -> 20:49.880] That's what, didn't Jensen Bunn say that?
[20:49.880 -> 20:51.920] He said that Daniel was exactly the same on camera.
[20:51.920 -> 20:52.740] Oh yeah.
[20:52.740 -> 20:53.580] That's what Jensen said.
[20:53.580 -> 20:54.420] Yeah.
[20:54.420 -> 20:55.240] Oh no, he is.
[20:55.240 -> 20:56.080] Yeah.
[20:56.080 -> 20:56.920] If you're tired and you need a quiet day,
[20:56.920 -> 20:57.760] you don't want to hang out with Daniel
[20:57.760 -> 20:58.600] cause he's nonstop.
[20:58.600 -> 20:59.440] Yeah.
[20:59.440 -> 21:03.520] I did, I did a 14 day quarantine with him two years ago
[21:03.520 -> 21:07.600] when we came back to Perth and that was fun.
[21:07.600 -> 21:08.440] Wow.
[21:08.440 -> 21:11.160] Your laugh sounded like Ricardo's.
[21:11.160 -> 21:12.000] Oh really?
[21:12.000 -> 21:12.820] That sounded like Ricardo's.
[21:12.820 -> 21:14.320] Oh shit, I'm gonna change that up.
[21:14.320 -> 21:18.220] No, yeah, Drive Survive obviously painted
[21:18.220 -> 21:20.480] an amazing picture of Ricardo and shared everything
[21:20.480 -> 21:21.920] and I love all the clips,
[21:21.920 -> 21:28.440] but did you see a change in the whole sport when it was all being filmed like because it hadn't really happened before
[21:28.440 -> 21:32.720] there wasn't as much cameras as there is now but do you feel there's like way
[21:32.720 -> 21:37.280] less privacy is there a camera always in always on everything you have to be so
[21:37.280 -> 21:41.280] careful of what said who sees what yeah I guess I don't know any better because
[21:41.280 -> 21:47.520] my first race was Australia 2018 and that was the first ever race Netflix started.
[21:47.520 -> 21:50.000] And it was Daniel's home race.
[21:50.000 -> 21:52.800] And here I was, and it was like eight cameras in his face.
[21:52.800 -> 21:53.940] And he just looked at me and he could tell
[21:53.940 -> 21:55.440] I was a bit like taken back.
[21:55.440 -> 21:57.320] And he's like, don't worry, they're not all like this.
[21:57.320 -> 21:58.680] And I was like, okay.
[21:58.680 -> 21:59.520] And they were.
[21:59.520 -> 22:00.360] And they were.
[22:00.360 -> 22:01.960] Probably got more.
[22:01.960 -> 22:05.680] Yeah, so like, I think the biggest thing I've seen
[22:06.520 -> 22:09.800] that drive to solve has done for the sport is over COVID.
[22:10.680 -> 22:13.040] Especially like this year has been the biggest year
[22:13.040 -> 22:15.760] that I've noticed where the sport has just transitioned
[22:15.760 -> 22:18.400] immensely from a popularity perspective.
[22:18.400 -> 22:20.960] Like if I'm looking back at 18, 19,
[22:20.960 -> 22:25.000] yes, the events were big and popular, but now it's crazy.
[22:25.380 -> 22:28.900] Like every race is like selling out six months in advance.
[22:28.900 -> 22:32.000] Like the fans at the hotels is ridiculous.
[22:32.000 -> 22:32.840] Like-
[22:32.840 -> 22:34.540] Oh really, did you get mobbed?
[22:34.540 -> 22:35.820] I mean, well, Daniel gets mobbed.
[22:35.820 -> 22:39.980] I just stand there and get crowded and crushed.
[22:39.980 -> 22:40.820] I'm like-
[22:40.820 -> 22:41.660] If we see you, we'll shout your name.
[22:41.660 -> 22:42.480] I'm like invisible.
[22:42.480 -> 22:43.960] I'm like invisible.
[22:43.960 -> 22:45.840] Yeah, we should go up to him and ban you and be like,
[22:45.840 -> 22:48.000] Michael, Michael, please can you sign this?
[22:48.000 -> 22:49.040] I won't know what to do.
[22:49.040 -> 22:51.840] That would be great.
[22:51.840 -> 22:54.680] Yeah, but no, it's some wonders for the sport.
[22:54.680 -> 22:55.520] Yeah.
[22:55.520 -> 22:57.480] It's one thing that I've noticed is 2018,
[22:57.480 -> 22:59.760] heading to like Austin, for example,
[22:59.760 -> 23:02.280] we could walk down Rainy Street and Sixth Street
[23:02.280 -> 23:04.000] and not get noticed.
[23:04.000 -> 23:07.680] Where last year it felt like it was our home race
[23:07.680 -> 23:09.000] and it felt like I was in Australia.
[23:09.000 -> 23:11.440] We just walked down and he's getting stopped
[23:11.440 -> 23:14.560] by hundreds of people instantly.
[23:14.560 -> 23:17.480] So I think it's definitely built
[23:17.480 -> 23:20.120] an Ameri strong American presence 100%.
[23:20.120 -> 23:20.960] Oh, in America.
[23:20.960 -> 23:23.360] From what I've seen and even just in 18,
[23:23.360 -> 23:25.120] I remember Daniel walking down in LA,
[23:25.120 -> 23:27.720] you know, we go to LA for some training sometimes
[23:27.720 -> 23:30.040] and man, we could walk along LA a whole week
[23:30.040 -> 23:30.880] and not get noticed.
[23:30.880 -> 23:33.920] Now, he can't leave his house without getting noticed.
[23:33.920 -> 23:37.440] So like, it's been, I've seen a big transition
[23:37.440 -> 23:39.040] for sure since Netflix.
[23:39.040 -> 23:41.380] So he's got a house in LA?
[23:41.380 -> 23:42.220] Yeah, that's where he is.
[23:42.220 -> 23:43.320] Is that where he is now?
[23:43.320 -> 23:44.760] Yeah, just enjoying some sun.
[23:44.760 -> 23:45.540] Yeah, good on him. How are you working with he is now? Yeah. Just enjoying some sun.
[23:45.540 -> 23:46.380] Yeah.
[23:46.380 -> 23:47.220] Good on him.
[23:47.220 -> 23:48.040] How are you working with him right now?
[23:48.040 -> 23:49.640] Like what have you like sent him something today?
[23:49.640 -> 23:51.680] Send him a, do some setups or something.
[23:51.680 -> 23:53.200] Couple of star jumps.
[23:53.200 -> 23:56.120] He's like, I'm going on this shit podcast today.
[23:56.120 -> 23:58.480] So I can't send you anything till later on.
[23:58.480 -> 23:59.320] Yeah. He's actually, he's actually,
[23:59.320 -> 24:01.320] he's actually listening right now.
[24:01.320 -> 24:03.480] Yeah. We were saying, imagine he turns up with Daniel.
[24:03.480 -> 24:05.520] I was going to sit over here. I could put him on the sim actually. Yeah, we were saying imagine he turns up with Daniel. I was gonna sit over here.
[24:05.520 -> 24:08.440] I could put him on the sim actually.
[24:08.440 -> 24:11.200] Yeah, when they're ready.
[24:11.200 -> 24:13.080] You just put him in your bag and bring him around.
[24:13.080 -> 24:14.800] Yeah, no, but usually I just send him
[24:14.800 -> 24:16.000] like an online program.
[24:16.000 -> 24:17.360] So I'll send him some programming
[24:17.360 -> 24:21.120] and usually sometimes we'll do like a Zoom session together
[24:21.120 -> 24:22.640] and sometimes I'll give him a program
[24:22.640 -> 24:24.640] and I'll just say, hey, that's what you gotta do.
[24:24.640 -> 24:26.300] You know what you gotta do, do this.
[24:26.300 -> 24:27.640] I'll check in every day to make sure
[24:27.640 -> 24:29.000] that everything's all good.
[24:30.040 -> 24:33.640] Because he's very experienced now and he's a senior driver,
[24:33.640 -> 24:35.000] I can put trust in him.
[24:35.000 -> 24:37.440] I know he's a professional, I know he'll do it.
[24:37.440 -> 24:38.360] If it was a younger driver,
[24:38.360 -> 24:40.140] I'd probably be a little bit more strict
[24:40.140 -> 24:42.480] and maybe jump on the Zoom every day
[24:42.480 -> 24:43.400] to make sure that they're doing it.
[24:43.400 -> 24:46.460] But yeah, I know Daniel is good like that
[24:46.460 -> 24:48.480] and he holds himself in high regard
[24:48.480 -> 24:49.760] and he's very professional like that.
[24:49.760 -> 24:53.640] So I can send him a program, he does his thing
[24:53.640 -> 24:56.160] and yeah, I just keep tabs on him
[24:56.160 -> 24:57.820] to make sure everything's going smoothly.
[24:57.820 -> 24:59.780] So when you guys aren't apart,
[24:59.780 -> 25:02.280] is he in London with you and you train together
[25:02.280 -> 25:03.760] on a one-to-one basis?
[25:03.760 -> 25:08.060] Yeah, so he'll come to UK when he has to do some sim work
[25:08.060 -> 25:09.240] at McLaren and working.
[25:09.240 -> 25:12.880] So when he's in the UK, yes, we will train together for sure
[25:12.880 -> 25:14.240] because I'm here.
[25:14.240 -> 25:17.000] Other weeks I will fly to Monaco
[25:17.000 -> 25:19.840] because he's technically mainly based in Monaco.
[25:19.840 -> 25:22.400] That's what Brad does with Max as well.
[25:22.400 -> 25:23.280] Correct, yeah.
[25:23.280 -> 25:25.280] So sometimes we'll run past. Which I found insane by the way, because the guy's literally flying does with Max as well. Correct. Yeah. So sometimes we'll run past.
[25:25.280 -> 25:26.760] Which I found insane by the way,
[25:26.760 -> 25:29.160] cause the guy's literally flying to Monaco every week.
[25:29.160 -> 25:30.840] And I know it's only what an hour and a half
[25:30.840 -> 25:32.720] on a plane or something, but I mean,
[25:32.720 -> 25:34.160] we don't like flying anyway.
[25:34.160 -> 25:35.840] We fucking hate flying.
[25:35.840 -> 25:37.480] We thought we were going to crash on our last flight.
[25:37.480 -> 25:38.560] We got hit by lightning.
[25:38.560 -> 25:39.400] It was crazy.
[25:39.400 -> 25:40.240] A plane got hit by lightning.
[25:40.240 -> 25:42.240] Yeah. And at the time, I know it doesn't mean anything,
[25:42.240 -> 25:43.080] but at the time we were like ricking it.
[25:43.080 -> 25:45.060] It was like the biggest, we were just sat on the plane
[25:45.060 -> 25:47.300] and he had his headphones on and I was just sat there
[25:47.300 -> 25:49.580] in dead silence, looking forward, coming into landing
[25:49.580 -> 25:51.420] and just bang from the inside of our plane.
[25:51.420 -> 25:53.680] It sounded like an explosion in our plane.
[25:53.680 -> 25:56.340] Like everyone was like looking around, people were crying.
[25:56.340 -> 25:57.180] It was petrified.
[25:57.180 -> 25:58.020] We don't really want to fly anymore.
[25:58.020 -> 26:00.300] Spikes going up the side of the plane.
[26:00.300 -> 26:02.260] I was absolutely shitting myself.
[26:02.260 -> 26:03.500] I don't want to fly anymore.
[26:03.500 -> 26:06.240] Was there any damage that you know to the plane?
[26:06.240 -> 26:07.080] Was it?
[26:07.080 -> 26:09.080] No, they actually, they can absorb the lightning
[26:09.080 -> 26:10.160] that they're built to absorb it.
[26:10.160 -> 26:12.280] But at the time you don't really realise what's going on.
[26:12.280 -> 26:13.120] Yeah, of course.
[26:13.120 -> 26:14.160] And then they started playing all the, all that,
[26:14.160 -> 26:15.840] you know, the exits are here, here, here.
[26:15.840 -> 26:17.120] In the event of an evacuation.
[26:17.120 -> 26:17.960] And we're like, we're like, what?
[26:17.960 -> 26:19.600] And all the student desk people, you know,
[26:19.600 -> 26:21.280] they like the people that come and do the seatbelt
[26:21.280 -> 26:22.360] and that, they just walked along
[26:22.360 -> 26:23.520] and they were picking up everyone's stuff,
[26:23.520 -> 26:26.000] just putting it straight in, not even asking, like picking up bags,
[26:26.000 -> 26:26.860] putting them in their whole-
[26:26.860 -> 26:28.060] He's freaking out the whole time,
[26:28.060 -> 26:29.520] I'm just jamming out to the Foo Fighters,
[26:29.520 -> 26:31.100] like this is sick, what's going on?
[26:31.100 -> 26:34.140] But I could listen to everyone crying and oh, it's horrible.
[26:34.140 -> 26:37.100] Oh no, I would have completely freaked out.
[26:37.100 -> 26:38.860] It was horrendous.
[26:38.860 -> 26:39.700] Oh wow.
[26:39.700 -> 26:40.980] And now we've got a flight next month,
[26:40.980 -> 26:42.820] because we're going out to the Dutch Grand Prix,
[26:42.820 -> 26:44.380] which is going to be exciting.
[26:44.380 -> 26:47.980] Yeah, yeah, that'll be good. That's the'd be good. That's a really really cool race.
[26:47.980 -> 26:53.460] We can't wait. I was very impressed with Zandvoort's GP last year. For what
[26:53.460 -> 26:58.900] reason? The atmosphere. Yeah. Yeah the Dutchies are crazy man. They're
[26:58.900 -> 27:03.520] super passionate. They just bring a cool vibe to the race and I do
[27:03.520 -> 27:05.680] recall their DJ being really good.
[27:05.680 -> 27:07.400] I think Arma Van Buren was playing.
[27:07.400 -> 27:09.400] So like he had some really cool beats
[27:09.400 -> 27:11.160] and like he got the crowd involved
[27:11.160 -> 27:14.320] and it was just a good atmosphere all around.
[27:14.320 -> 27:15.160] I really enjoyed it.
[27:15.160 -> 27:17.260] Yeah, it's gonna be a great one.
[27:17.260 -> 27:20.160] What's a race weekend like for you start to finish
[27:20.160 -> 27:21.840] and we got a load of stuff out of Brad
[27:21.840 -> 27:23.500] and I don't want to ask you the same questions,
[27:23.500 -> 27:25.000] but I want to put a few of them on you
[27:25.000 -> 27:26.200] and see whether it's the same thing.
[27:26.200 -> 27:29.640] Like he says he takes Max's race suit
[27:29.640 -> 27:32.660] and does all of that and he washes it and everything.
[27:32.660 -> 27:34.400] Do you wash Daniel's?
[27:34.400 -> 27:35.240] No.
[27:35.240 -> 27:36.560] No, no, you don't.
[27:36.560 -> 27:39.000] So Brad does wash the staffers.
[27:39.000 -> 27:40.360] Zach Brown does it.
[27:40.360 -> 27:41.360] Oh, does he?
[27:41.360 -> 27:42.200] So like,
[27:42.200 -> 27:44.440] No, no, no, Zach takes it.
[27:44.440 -> 27:46.780] No, the team does it. So I- No, no, no. Zach takes it. No, the team does it.
[27:46.780 -> 27:48.760] So I put in a laundry bag
[27:48.760 -> 27:51.940] and one of our team members get it laundered
[27:51.940 -> 27:53.780] and they actually bring it back to the track
[27:53.780 -> 27:55.420] and it's all nicely folded and clean.
[27:55.420 -> 27:56.260] Oh, Red Bull is-
[27:56.260 -> 27:57.100] I've actually bought-
[27:57.100 -> 27:57.920] Rich Brad right up there.
[27:57.920 -> 28:00.500] They're trying to save you money here.
[28:00.500 -> 28:02.780] I do remember at Red Bull, I was doing the laundry.
[28:02.780 -> 28:03.620] Oh, really?
[28:03.620 -> 28:05.240] That's obviously a process at Red Bull. Yeah, I was doing the laundry. So that's obviously a process at Red Bull.
[28:05.240 -> 28:06.360] Yeah, I was doing the laundry.
[28:06.360 -> 28:08.400] I've actually got a funny laundry story about McLaren,
[28:08.400 -> 28:09.240] but yeah.
[28:09.240 -> 28:10.060] Yeah, go on.
[28:10.060 -> 28:10.900] You got to tell it now.
[28:10.900 -> 28:11.740] Well,
[28:11.740 -> 28:14.480] You can't just say that and then not say it.
[28:14.480 -> 28:15.680] Yeah, it's gotta be said.
[28:15.680 -> 28:18.720] So essentially every race weekend,
[28:18.720 -> 28:21.440] I get his race suit and his unders
[28:21.440 -> 28:24.120] and it's all like, there's five pairs of them, right?
[28:24.120 -> 28:24.960] Cause-
[28:24.960 -> 28:27.080] Unders. So sorry. He's- his race suit and his unders and it's all like there's five pairs of them, right? Because- So sorry, he's-
[28:27.080 -> 28:28.120] Undies.
[28:28.120 -> 28:30.520] Yeah, so he's got his fire resistant unders
[28:30.520 -> 28:33.200] and then he's got his actual race suit on top of that.
[28:33.200 -> 28:34.040] Right?
[28:34.040 -> 28:34.880] Yeah.
[28:34.880 -> 28:37.280] So usually we get five pieces of each
[28:37.280 -> 28:38.840] because there's five sessions during the week.
[28:38.840 -> 28:40.960] So he has a fresh set every session.
[28:40.960 -> 28:43.520] And that way then I don't have to laundry anything.
[28:43.520 -> 28:46.200] Everything just goes into a dirty bag.
[28:46.200 -> 28:46.800] Yeah.
[28:46.800 -> 28:49.520] They deal with the sweaty mess at the end of the race.
[28:50.840 -> 28:54.600] For some reason, I can't remember, I think it was Miami, we only had four.
[28:55.640 -> 29:00.200] So I made a reminder to myself, okay, after Saturday qualifying,
[29:00.200 -> 29:03.000] I need to bring one back and wash it.
[29:03.000 -> 29:05.440] So he has a clean set for the race tomorrow.
[29:06.800 -> 29:09.920] Me just being completely,
[29:09.920 -> 29:12.880] probably just in the moment of Miami or how crazy it was.
[29:12.880 -> 29:13.720] I forgot it.
[29:14.960 -> 29:18.360] So I rocked up Sunday and I've just walked into the room
[29:18.360 -> 29:20.120] and I was seeing the dirty stuff and I'm just going,
[29:20.120 -> 29:21.120] oh shit.
[29:22.520 -> 29:23.840] How do I break it to my driver
[29:23.840 -> 29:25.560] that he's gonna wear this sweaty stinky
[29:25.560 -> 29:31.800] outfit. I don't know if you remember Miami was hot so like yeah this stuff was still
[29:31.800 -> 29:35.680] wet so I remember like grabbing it and like walking down to the kitchen and
[29:35.680 -> 29:39.520] like the Sun because we were in a stadium remember right so like I couldn't
[29:39.520 -> 29:43.700] find anywhere like to dry it yeah and I remember going like in the center of the
[29:43.700 -> 29:48.120] stadium where the where the kitchens were and the sun had just peeped through
[29:48.120 -> 29:49.520] and I just found this little pocket
[29:49.520 -> 29:52.000] where these like crates were.
[29:52.000 -> 29:53.880] And I think on the crates were like,
[29:53.880 -> 29:55.440] it's like McLaren had like all their vegetables
[29:55.440 -> 29:56.360] or something, they took them off.
[29:56.360 -> 29:59.360] So there's this blank pallet and I just like laid,
[29:59.360 -> 30:01.880] he's like, I'll stop down there.
[30:01.880 -> 30:03.320] I'm just standing there letting it dry.
[30:03.320 -> 30:04.320] I was too scared to leave it.
[30:04.320 -> 30:06.120] Cause I was like, someone's going to take this for sure.
[30:06.120 -> 30:07.400] They just see like a McLaren suit.
[30:07.400 -> 30:08.320] You're taking it.
[30:08.320 -> 30:09.160] Oh, I'd be taking it.
[30:09.160 -> 30:13.000] So I'm just standing there and people are walking past
[30:13.000 -> 30:13.840] like, what are you doing?
[30:13.840 -> 30:16.040] And I'm like, drying his clothes.
[30:17.440 -> 30:19.760] So unfortunately Daniel had to race
[30:19.760 -> 30:22.560] in a very sweaty outfit.
[30:22.560 -> 30:23.400] How did you break it to him?
[30:23.400 -> 30:24.240] What did he say?
[30:25.280 -> 30:26.120] To be fair, he was actually,
[30:26.120 -> 30:26.940] I bet he was all right.
[30:26.940 -> 30:27.780] He was actually, he was all right.
[30:27.780 -> 30:28.620] It's like, oh mate, don't worry.
[30:28.620 -> 30:31.000] I mean, I felt sorry for whoever was standing next to him
[30:31.000 -> 30:31.840] at the national anthem,
[30:31.840 -> 30:32.680] because he would have stunk.
[30:32.680 -> 30:36.500] And post race, he was even worse.
[30:36.500 -> 30:39.000] But yeah, that's probably, that was definitely on me.
[30:39.000 -> 30:39.840] I feel really bad.
[30:39.840 -> 30:42.240] So I'll make sure that I put like an alarm or something
[30:42.240 -> 30:43.160] if that ever happens again.
[30:43.160 -> 30:47.480] So I don't forget to launder his... That's great because that was actually probably
[30:47.480 -> 30:50.480] one of our questions the same thing we asked Brad the same thing have you ever
[30:50.480 -> 30:54.080] like messed up something for Max on the day so have you ever done anything
[30:54.080 -> 30:58.440] apart from the race suit like what did Brad say he basically yeah he did
[30:58.440 -> 31:01.760] something on the visor or he didn't take the inside film off I've done that
[31:01.760 -> 31:05.040] really yeah I've done that my bad whoa Yeah, I've done that. My bad. Um, whoa, whoa,
[31:05.040 -> 31:09.900] whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up now, guys. We really hope you're enjoying the pod so
[31:09.900 -> 31:14.280] far with Michael. However, that is the end of part one. We're bringing you a part two
[31:14.280 -> 31:18.000] today. We're going to make it an easier listening experience. We know not everyone has the time.
[31:18.000 -> 31:21.780] So we thought I'd break it up. Part one, part two. Exactly. You might be on your lunch break
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[31:24.640 -> 31:25.500] hectic moment and you think, I love this podcast so now, you might be doing something, you might be in the middle of a hectic moment
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