The inside story of Red Bull's dominance with Calum Nicholas

Matt Baker is joined by Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician Calum Nicholas, to talk all things Red Bull and Max Verstappen's dominance.

Having worked with other Red Bull drivers, he discusses what puts Max on another level and how 'perfection' has led him to chase record after record.

Calum also tells us the moment he realised the RB19 was a world title winning car and reveals how they plan to take back their fastest pit stop record after McLaren timed in a 1.8 stop during the Qatar GP.

## Podcast Episode Summary: Celebrating Max Verstappen's Third World Championship Title with Red Bull's Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician, Calum Nicholas

### Overview:

In this bonus episode, Matt Baker engages in a lively conversation with Calum Nicholas, Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician at Red Bull Racing, to delve into the team's remarkable achievements, particularly Max Verstappen's third world championship victory. Calum offers insights into the team's dynamics, the RB19 car's performance, and the significance of their pit stop record.

### Key Insights:

1. **Team Atmosphere and Energy:** Calum describes the electrifying atmosphere within the Red Bull Racing team, fueled by their consistent success throughout the season. The team's focus remains unwavering as they aim to finish the season as strongly as they started.

2. **Max Verstappen's Exceptional Talent:** Calum emphasizes Max Verstappen's relentless pursuit of perfection, which has led him to break records and achieve remarkable feats. He highlights Max's ability to adapt and deliver consistently, regardless of the challenges.

3. **The RB19's Dominance:** Calum recalls the moment he realized the RB19 car had the potential to win the world championship. He attributes the car's success to its speed, reliability, and the team's meticulous attention to detail.

4. **Pit Stop Record:** While McLaren recently set a new record for the fastest pit stop, Calum expresses his determination to reclaim the title for Red Bull Racing. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork, coordination, and practice in achieving flawless pit stops.

5. **Work-Life Balance and Team Celebrations:** Calum acknowledges the intense workload and long hours required in Formula One, but he also highlights the team's efforts to maintain a work-life balance. He mentions that celebrations for Max Verstappen's world championship victory will likely take place at a later date due to the team's busy schedule.

6. **Bonuses and Motivation:** Calum confirms that the team receives bonuses for their achievements, including Constructors' Championship wins and race victories. He emphasizes that while bonuses are appreciated, the primary motivation for the team remains the pursuit of success and the desire to win.

7. **Max Verstappen's Unique Attributes:** Calum draws comparisons between Max Verstappen and other drivers he has worked with, highlighting Max's ability to combine raw talent, race management skills, determination, and a holistic understanding of the sport. He believes Max is currently in his prime and is capable of maintaining his exceptional performance.

8. **The RB19's Development and Performance:** Calum recalls his initial impressions of the RB19 during its assembly and testing phases. He mentions that while the car looked promising, it was only after the first few races that the team realized its true potential. He credits the designers and engineers for their meticulous work in developing a car that could challenge for wins throughout the season.

9. **Pit Crew Dynamics and Mind Games:** Calum discusses the competitive nature of pit crews and the psychological aspect of pit stop practice. He reveals that teams often engage in mind games, such as watching other teams' practice sessions to gain insights and potentially distract them.

10. **Christian Horner's Leadership Style:** Calum describes Christian Horner's open and approachable leadership style. He mentions that Christian regularly interacts with the team members, seeking their feedback and ensuring they feel valued. Christian also conducts debriefs after each race to keep the factory staff informed and motivated.

11. **Relationship with Adrian Newey:** Calum acknowledges Adrian Newey's reserved personality but highlights his immense contribution to the team's success. He mentions that Adrian's presence in the garage is always welcomed, as he is constantly seeking ways to improve the car's performance.

### Conclusion:

The podcast episode provides an engaging and informative look into the inner workings of Red Bull Racing, celebrating Max Verstappen's third world championship title. Calum Nicholas' insights offer a unique perspective on the team's dynamics, the RB19's dominance, and the significance of teamwork and individual contributions in Formula One.

**Podcast Episode Overview: "A Conversation with Red Bull's Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician, Calum Nicholas"**

* Matt Baker engages in a conversation with Calum Nicholas, Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician at Red Bull Racing, to discuss the team's dominance and Max Verstappen's remarkable achievements.

**Key Insights:**

* **Calum's Observation of Max Verstappen's Unique Traits:** Calum highlights Max Verstappen's relentless pursuit of perfection, constant sketching and note-taking, and his ability to identify areas for improvement.

* **The Moment Calum Realized the RB19's Championship Potential:** Calum pinpoints the Japanese Grand Prix as the moment he recognized the RB19's championship-winning capabilities.

* **Red Bull's Plan to Reclaim the Fastest Pit Stop Record:** The team aims to reclaim the fastest pit stop record, currently held by McLaren, which stands at 1.8 seconds.

* **Calum's Experience of the Red Bull Team Culture:** He emphasizes the strong sense of camaraderie and inclusivity within the team, where everyone contributes to the overall success.

* **Calum's Perspective on Adrian Newey's Work Style:** Calum describes Adrian Newey's unique approach to car design, involving constant sketching and note-taking, even in the midst of team activities.

* **The Importance of Team Chemistry and Diversity:** Calum stresses the significance of maintaining a positive team atmosphere, where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their role.

* **Calum's Role as Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician:** He explains his responsibilities, which include overseeing the build and service of power unit components, ensuring compliance with specifications, and managing the integration of the power unit into the chassis.

* **A Typical Race Week for Calum:** He outlines the sequence of events during a race week, including car preparation, pre-race checks, pit stop practice, and managing the car throughout the race weekend.

* **Calum's Preference for Smooth Race Weekends:** While he acknowledges the adrenaline rush of challenging weekends, Calum expresses his preference for stress-free race weekends, emphasizing the sense of pride that comes from overcoming adversity.

* **Calum's Social Media Presence:** He reflects on how his social media following grew, initially due to Drive to Survive and later because of his commitment to engaging with fans, inspiring young people, and promoting diversity in Formula One.

* **Calum's Role Models in Formula One:** He acknowledges the lack of representation for diverse backgrounds in Formula One during his early career but highlights the importance of finding inspiring mentors who can guide and support aspiring individuals.

* **Calum's Perspective on Lewis Hamilton's Impact:** He commends Lewis Hamilton for using his platform to raise awareness about the lack of diversity in Formula One and for initiating the Hamilton Commission report, which provided valuable data and recommendations for addressing the issue.

* **Calum's Opinion on Formula One's Efforts to Promote Diversity:** While he recognizes the progress made in recent years, Calum emphasizes the need for long-term solutions, such as educational programs, to create sustainable change in the paddock's diversity.

* **Calum's Goals for the Remaining Races of the Season:** He expresses his determination to secure pole positions, fastest laps, and race wins in the remaining races, maintaining the team's focus and intensity despite having already secured both championships.

* **Calum's Excitement for the Upcoming Races in Austin, Mexico, and Las Vegas:** He anticipates the vibrant atmosphere and enthusiastic fans in Austin and Mexico, while also looking forward to the unique experience of racing in Las Vegas for the first time.

# Red Bull's Dominance and Max Verstappen's Record-Breaking Season: Insights from a Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician

## Introduction

In this podcast episode, Matt Baker engages in a captivating conversation with Calum Nicholas, a Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician at Red Bull Racing, to delve into the team's remarkable success and Max Verstappen's extraordinary dominance in Formula One. Nicholas, with his firsthand experience working with Red Bull drivers, offers unique insights into Verstappen's exceptional talent and the factors that set him apart from his peers.

## Max Verstappen's Unparalleled Performance

Nicholas highlights the remarkable consistency and precision that Verstappen showcases on the racetrack. He emphasizes that Verstappen's relentless pursuit of perfection has propelled him to new heights, enabling him to chase record after record and establish himself as one of the most dominant drivers in Formula One history.

## Identifying the RB19's Title-Winning Potential

Nicholas pinpoints a specific moment during the season when he recognized the RB19's potential to secure the world title. He describes the car's exceptional performance during a particular race, which instilled confidence and optimism within the team.

## Reclaiming the Fastest Pit Stop Record

The podcast also addresses McLaren's recent achievement of setting the fastest pit stop record during the Qatar Grand Prix. Nicholas acknowledges the significance of this accomplishment and reveals Red Bull's determination to reclaim their title as the team with the quickest pit stops. He discusses the strategies and improvements they are implementing to regain their dominance in this crucial aspect of Formula One racing.

## Conclusion

The podcast concludes with Nicholas expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to share his insights and perspectives. He reiterates his congratulations to the team for their remarkable season and extends an invitation to listeners to join the upcoming episode featuring Nico Rosberg.

[00:00.000 -> 00:08.840] Hello everyone, a very warm welcome to this bonus episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast
[00:08.840 -> 00:13.960] and we're recording this the week after Max has won his third world championship. Qatar
[00:13.960 -> 00:17.740] was the weekend before and we're joined by a very special guest, someone who has been
[00:17.740 -> 00:22.960] there for all three of Max's world championships and you might recognize the clenched fist
[00:22.960 -> 00:25.840] from the celebrations, the slow-mo celebrations.
[00:25.840 -> 00:27.080] Callum Nicholas, hello, how are you?
[00:27.080 -> 00:29.080] Oh mate, I'm wicked, thank you very much for having me.
[00:29.080 -> 00:30.680] I'm gonna give you your full title at Red Bull,
[00:30.680 -> 00:33.600] Senior Power Unit Assembly Technician.
[00:33.600 -> 00:34.440] That is.
[00:34.440 -> 00:35.480] Yeah, we're gonna come on to what that means
[00:35.480 -> 00:36.300] in a little bit,
[00:36.300 -> 00:37.720] because I'm fascinated to hear more about that.
[00:37.720 -> 00:39.440] But this is an amazing time to talk to you,
[00:39.440 -> 00:42.400] because as we know, Max Verstappen won his third world title
[00:42.400 -> 00:44.000] this weekend in Qatar.
[00:44.000 -> 00:45.160] I wanna know, take us inside the team, we know Max Verstappen won his third world title this weekend in Qatar. I want to know
[00:50.080 -> 00:54.480] what, take us inside the team, what was the atmosphere like this weekend in Qatar? I mean obviously, you know, going into the weekend knowing that you had a strong possibility
[00:54.480 -> 01:00.980] you're gonna win a world title sort of brings a certain energy anyway, but on a whole that's sort of the energy
[01:00.980 -> 01:03.360] we've been carrying all season, you know.
[01:03.360 -> 01:07.000] I think once we realized we were sort of in a position where we were going to at least challenge
[01:07.000 -> 01:11.000] and then obviously later on we realised we were going to go on to have a really great season.
[01:11.000 -> 01:13.000] So it's just been high energy.
[01:13.000 -> 01:16.000] All year it's been like a real buzz in the garage.
[01:16.000 -> 01:21.000] Obviously to win it is now a little bit of relief
[01:21.000 -> 01:24.000] in that you know the job you set out to do is done
[01:24.000 -> 01:25.760] but the season
[01:25.760 -> 01:30.800] itself is obviously not done, so we're still fully focused. Everyone's like really, really
[01:30.800 -> 01:35.000] focused and really, really sort of intent on just making sure we finish the season as
[01:35.000 -> 01:37.520] strong as we started it.
[01:37.520 -> 01:41.720] You know better than anyone Formula One is a team sport, but in case there's anyone at
[01:41.720 -> 01:50.380] home who maybe doesn't quite understand just how much of a team is needed in Formula 1, describe how it feels when the whole team wins, you know,
[01:50.380 -> 01:54.440] when you win a constructors title, when you win a world championship with Max.
[01:54.440 -> 01:57.360] It's not just Max Verstappen, is it, that's winning the world title, it's everyone around
[01:57.360 -> 01:58.360] him.
[01:58.360 -> 02:02.040] Yeah, I mean, look, Max, he goes out there every week and he delivers, you know, and
[02:02.040 -> 02:07.240] then obviously that puts the pressure on everyone else, like us at the circuit, all of the people working back
[02:07.240 -> 02:10.000] in Milton Keynes to make sure that we deliver for him.
[02:10.000 -> 02:12.160] He will deliver on whatever we give him,
[02:12.160 -> 02:13.600] so if we give him the right product,
[02:13.600 -> 02:15.160] we know we're in a good place.
[02:16.720 -> 02:19.240] For me, it's always been an amazing thing
[02:19.240 -> 02:22.420] to be this tiny little part of what turns out
[02:22.420 -> 02:24.160] to be this great achievement.
[02:24.160 -> 02:28.200] And just knowing that you played a little role, role of the jobs that you do throughout the year,
[02:28.200 -> 02:31.600] I've sort of played a little part of making the success happen.
[02:31.600 -> 02:35.040] So it's quite nice, it makes me extremely proud.
[02:35.040 -> 02:39.000] You know, in some ways, it's quite humbling when you sort of realize the scale of what
[02:39.000 -> 02:43.120] you achieve every year, you know, the thousands of people working towards a goal.
[02:43.120 -> 02:47.920] It's sort of quite nice to sort of just see yourself as this tiny little cog in it.
[02:47.920 -> 02:49.960] Tiny cog. I reckon you're a bit bigger than a tiny cog.
[02:49.960 -> 02:55.920] I don't know man. I think in terms of just the sheer numbers and the work that goes on,
[02:55.920 -> 03:00.400] you know, you have to sort of consider that everyone's role is so crucial, you know, it
[03:00.400 -> 03:05.000] doesn't work. You know, like the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, you know,
[03:05.000 -> 03:08.000] like all of the little jobs that they all have to be done at the same time,
[03:08.000 -> 03:10.000] everybody has to sort of commit to it.
[03:10.000 -> 03:13.000] And obviously it's most visible in the pit lane, you know,
[03:13.000 -> 03:16.000] when you think of a pit stop in that sort of way,
[03:16.000 -> 03:21.600] you understand that it takes all of those 16, 20 people to all do their job perfectly,
[03:21.600 -> 03:23.000] all at the same time.
[03:23.000 -> 03:26.680] And it sort of really gives you an idea of what it is as a team sport.
[03:26.680 -> 03:28.400] And I guess we see you,
[03:28.400 -> 03:30.560] and we see a lot of the pit crew regularly,
[03:30.560 -> 03:32.000] but there are so many people on there
[03:32.000 -> 03:33.120] behind the scenes in Milton Keynes.
[03:33.120 -> 03:35.520] Just describe how large that team is.
[03:35.520 -> 03:38.200] And obviously, they're not traveling necessarily
[03:38.200 -> 03:40.580] to every race, but they are there working,
[03:40.580 -> 03:42.000] also working the race weekends,
[03:42.000 -> 03:43.160] but just for Milton Keynes, right,
[03:43.160 -> 03:44.000] and contributing in the same way.
[03:44.000 -> 03:46.040] Yeah, obviously, we've got lots of engineers
[03:46.040 -> 03:48.320] and strategists that are back in the operations room
[03:48.320 -> 03:49.800] throughout a weekend.
[03:49.800 -> 03:51.440] But, you know, as a business as a whole,
[03:51.440 -> 03:55.000] the sport has grown so much, even over the last 10 years,
[03:55.000 -> 03:56.880] that, you know, when I talk to young people
[03:56.880 -> 03:58.460] about careers in the industry,
[03:58.460 -> 03:59.880] I tell them, look, these teams now,
[03:59.880 -> 04:01.680] there's a job for everyone here.
[04:01.680 -> 04:03.760] You know, like, it's not just engineers and designers,
[04:03.760 -> 04:05.120] you know, you've got your strategists,
[04:05.120 -> 04:06.300] you've got mechanics and technicians,
[04:06.300 -> 04:08.040] but then also we branched out,
[04:08.040 -> 04:09.480] we've got so much social media,
[04:09.480 -> 04:11.820] so much marketing, hospitality,
[04:11.820 -> 04:15.360] from accounts and HR and all of these other areas
[04:15.360 -> 04:16.960] where I say to young people,
[04:16.960 -> 04:18.760] there is a skill that you have
[04:18.760 -> 04:21.640] where there can be the perfect job for you here in racing.
[04:22.480 -> 04:24.000] Take us inside then the party.
[04:25.960 -> 04:27.600] First question is, was there a party on Saturday night?
[04:27.600 -> 04:29.240] Because obviously you had a race on Sunday,
[04:29.240 -> 04:31.520] and then was there a party on Sunday night?
[04:31.520 -> 04:34.560] Do you know what, it was a little bit muted last week,
[04:34.560 -> 04:37.600] just because of the way the schedule for the race weekend.
[04:37.600 -> 04:40.120] Obviously, Saturday night we had a bit of work on,
[04:40.120 -> 04:41.280] we had a car we had to repair,
[04:41.280 -> 04:43.500] so we was probably there quite late.
[04:43.500 -> 04:46.920] And then Sunday, just because of the nature of it of it obviously was it an 8 p.m.
[04:46.920 -> 04:52.320] Start of race for us local time and then by the time that's done and then obviously we have to pack up
[04:52.320 -> 04:55.720] We've got a pack up all the garage all the air freight strip the cars do all of that stuff
[04:55.720 -> 04:58.160] So I don't think we left the garage until about 4 a.m.
[04:58.520 -> 05:03.680] Really morning and then we had really we literally had like an hour two hours in the hotel before we left for the airport
[05:04.360 -> 05:08.800] So I think it's probably a celebration that's just had to be like a bit of a rain check on that one
[05:08.800 -> 05:11.500] and we'll find it throughout the rest of the year at some point.
[05:11.500 -> 05:13.600] So you didn't get to sleep, essentially you just got straight on the plane.
[05:13.600 -> 05:15.400] No, no, I didn't get to sleep Sunday night.
[05:15.400 -> 05:19.400] I had a shower, packed the rest of my case and then it was off to the airport.
[05:19.400 -> 05:20.400] Goodness me.
[05:20.400 -> 05:24.400] I mean, yeah, if ever there's proof of the hard work that goes on in Formula 1, that is it.
[05:24.400 -> 05:27.360] But there must be some good parties at Red Bull.
[05:27.360 -> 05:32.760] There will be, I'm sure, right? There'll be a celebration of what Max and you've achieved.
[05:32.760 -> 05:37.480] I think the team's always had, it tends to sort of be an ethos of work hard, play hard,
[05:37.480 -> 05:42.400] you know, which is what we do. We push the limits at work. We do everything we can. And then yeah,
[05:42.400 -> 05:45.640] we're lucky, you know lucky as an employer, Red Bull
[05:45.640 -> 05:51.880] are brilliant at knowing how to celebrate and at some point, we will have a celebration
[05:51.880 -> 05:53.840] and we do throughout the year.
[05:53.840 -> 05:58.200] Yeah, is it Milson Keynes gonna go wild?
[05:58.200 -> 05:59.840] Where's the celebration gonna be?
[05:59.840 -> 06:03.480] I'm sure they've got things planned for the factory as well, it's not just us at the circuit,
[06:03.480 -> 06:08.760] I'm sure everyone gets an opportunity to let their hair down and enjoy the achievements.
[06:08.760 -> 06:13.240] I'm intrigued, and you don't have to answer this, do you get a bonus when you win?
[06:13.240 -> 06:17.680] We do, we get a bonus from the Constructors' Championship. And then obviously there are
[06:17.680 -> 06:21.680] various little bonus schemes for race victories and things like that.
[06:21.680 -> 06:23.200] That's pretty exciting, isn't it?
[06:23.200 -> 06:25.320] It's nice. I mean, look, I mean,
[06:25.320 -> 06:26.320] anyone's gonna sit here and say,
[06:26.320 -> 06:27.560] oh, it's not nice to get a bonus.
[06:27.560 -> 06:28.400] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[06:28.400 -> 06:29.240] No, of course it is.
[06:29.240 -> 06:32.080] Yeah, and I guess that really helps the team
[06:32.080 -> 06:33.120] all kind of move forward as well.
[06:33.120 -> 06:34.280] And I guess everyone's getting a bonus
[06:34.280 -> 06:35.120] right across the whole structure.
[06:35.120 -> 06:36.640] Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.
[06:36.640 -> 06:41.320] So, yeah, I don't think it motivates you anymore
[06:41.320 -> 06:43.320] purely because you're motivated to win.
[06:43.320 -> 06:46.240] I've always said that people who work in the sport,
[06:46.240 -> 06:48.240] they're there because they love racing.
[06:48.240 -> 06:50.240] So regardless of that,
[06:50.240 -> 06:53.000] I feel like the people who have chosen to be here anyway,
[06:53.000 -> 06:55.000] they're already motivated.
[06:55.000 -> 06:58.200] But it is obviously nice to get a nice...
[06:58.200 -> 06:59.200] No one's saying it's not nice.
[06:59.200 -> 07:02.200] No one's saying it's not nice, for sure.
[07:02.200 -> 07:03.200] Bring on the bonuses.
[07:03.200 -> 07:05.000] Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's keep winning.
[07:06.000 -> 07:09.000] Speaking of winning, let's talk about this season just as a whole
[07:09.000 -> 07:13.000] because some of the records that Max and the team have broken this year are insane.
[07:13.000 -> 07:18.000] 10 wins in a row for Max this season, 14 wins in a row for the team,
[07:18.000 -> 07:20.000] and you've won 26 out of the last 28 races.
[07:20.000 -> 07:22.000] That is just utter domination.
[07:22.000 -> 07:26.760] And then I saw that you put up an Instagram post. You said, I've never seen anything closer to perfection
[07:26.760 -> 07:29.280] than what Max Verstappen has achieved this year.
[07:29.280 -> 07:32.160] Tell me about that perfection that Max has achieved.
[07:32.160 -> 07:35.360] Well, I mean, it seems to be his nature
[07:35.360 -> 07:37.440] that he will just chase every last bit.
[07:37.440 -> 07:39.920] He'll leave nothing on the table.
[07:39.920 -> 07:42.720] And like I said, it's great to have,
[07:42.720 -> 07:45.360] you know, like it puts the pressure on us to make sure
[07:45.360 -> 07:46.680] that we deliver, which is great.
[07:46.680 -> 07:50.520] You know, like we have and the nature of the people in the garage, you know, we thrive
[07:50.520 -> 07:52.320] on that pressure.
[07:52.320 -> 07:56.520] It's what drives us, you know, we want to be the best every single week.
[07:56.520 -> 08:00.960] But yeah, watching what Max has done, you know, week in week out, and having the sort
[08:00.960 -> 08:05.640] of knowledge that, you know, every week, I know that as long as we do our job and the car is reliable
[08:05.640 -> 08:08.560] And it does what he needs it to do. I know he's gonna deliver
[08:09.600 -> 08:15.300] So it's it's just one of those things you go into a race weekend and it's nice because and I've always said this it doesn't
[08:15.300 -> 08:19.520] Matter where you are in the pit lane. It doesn't matter what garage you are you are doing the same hours
[08:20.160 -> 08:26.280] Everybody's working such long hours, you know, like you're even like, you know, Saturday or Sunday can be 16 hour day easily
[08:26.520 -> 08:32.520] So it's nice to know that you've got everything in place that you you've put yourself in the best position to get a result
[08:32.640 -> 08:38.060] From that work. Hmm. And what's max like to work with million-dollar question? I'm sure you get asked a lot
[08:38.060 -> 08:42.800] But what's it? What's it like? I do know what I've always thought this it's odd to me that people can't see
[08:43.800 -> 08:49.880] Sometimes how brilliant is like and like for me like as when he's in the garage when he's not in a race car
[08:49.880 -> 08:51.880] He's he's he's one of us
[08:52.240 -> 08:54.540] You know like he really is like, you know
[08:54.540 -> 08:59.480] He engages with us just as you want any of your other colleagues to engage with you. He's you know, he's kind
[08:59.480 -> 09:01.480] He cares about the people around him
[09:01.720 -> 09:05.480] And it's and it's brilliant and I like the fact that he can get into the car
[09:05.480 -> 09:08.240] and close his lid, and then he should be ruthless.
[09:08.240 -> 09:10.320] You know, you're a sports person.
[09:10.320 -> 09:12.520] We're here to win, he's here to win.
[09:12.520 -> 09:13.720] And I think it's great that he's able
[09:13.720 -> 09:16.600] to switch between the both, and he really does.
[09:16.600 -> 09:20.160] Yeah, I mean, you've worked with quite a few drivers
[09:20.160 -> 09:22.340] in your time, I mean, you've been at Red Bull since 2015?
[09:22.340 -> 09:24.160] Yeah, so you've worked with a few other drivers.
[09:24.160 -> 09:26.720] What attributes does Max have? And in terms of working with, I mean, you've worked 2015? Yeah. So you've worked with a few other drivers. What attributes does Max have?
[09:26.720 -> 09:29.640] And in terms of working with, I mean you've worked with Riccardo, you've worked with
[09:29.640 -> 09:33.440] Kvyat, you've worked with Gasly, Albon, what are their kind of traits?
[09:33.440 -> 09:34.440] What do they all share?
[09:34.440 -> 09:36.440] And maybe what are the differences between some of them?
[09:36.440 -> 09:42.040] I mean I think where I think Max is probably different to most of the others is that Max
[09:42.040 -> 09:47.000] over the years has managed to encompass so many of the great attributes
[09:47.000 -> 09:49.000] of the drivers that we've seen before him.
[09:49.000 -> 09:51.000] Like Max when he arrived in F1, it was clear
[09:51.000 -> 09:54.000] that he had this raw, unbridled talent,
[09:54.000 -> 09:56.000] you know, like this raw speed.
[09:56.000 -> 09:58.000] And then over the years, he's just grown and grown
[09:58.000 -> 10:01.000] and he's added everything to his arsenal.
[10:01.000 -> 10:03.000] You know, like his race management,
[10:03.000 -> 10:07.180] his way of seeing the holistic picture, like his determination, you know, like his race management, his way of seeing the holistic picture, like his determination, you know,
[10:07.180 -> 10:09.280] like all of these things, you know,
[10:09.280 -> 10:12.720] are what's put him in the position that he's in now.
[10:12.720 -> 10:15.640] You know, it's a way that he's been able to encompass
[10:15.640 -> 10:18.320] so many things that so many great drivers have had
[10:18.320 -> 10:20.320] and bring them all together to make them work.
[10:20.320 -> 10:22.220] Like when you see an athlete in their prime,
[10:22.220 -> 10:24.360] in their absolute prime, you know,
[10:24.360 -> 10:27.540] you look at them and you say, that's a package that right now no one can beat
[10:27.920 -> 10:29.880] You know and it's and that's what it is
[10:29.880 -> 10:33.640] You know so many drivers they saw their prime and I think when you're an athlete in that position
[10:33.640 -> 10:39.360] It's your job to try and stretch that out for as long as you can and stay in that that zone that little window
[10:39.480 -> 10:50.520] Of perfection and that's what max is able to do right now. He's just able to just extract everything from himself. And it's amazing to see up close. It really is.
[10:50.520 -> 10:53.680] Yeah, I mean I'm jealous that you get to see behind the scenes. I mean obviously we only
[10:53.680 -> 10:56.880] see the stuff on the television but I'm sure a lot goes on behind the scenes that we don't
[10:56.880 -> 11:01.120] see and yeah, it must be amazing to be up close. Talking about the car then for this
[11:01.120 -> 11:05.600] year, obviously the RB19 has been an incredible car so far.
[11:06.200 -> 11:08.400] Was there a point in the season where you went,
[11:08.400 -> 11:11.400] hold on a minute, this is a good car.
[11:11.400 -> 11:15.800] We might be, I mean obviously up until Singapore,
[11:15.800 -> 11:18.000] you know, it was likely you were going to win every race this season.
[11:18.000 -> 11:21.200] I think we kept asking Christian, I think you started getting a bit annoyed with Sky,
[11:21.200 -> 11:22.800] is that what you kept asking him?
[11:22.800 -> 11:24.200] I don't like talking about Singapore.
[11:24.200 -> 11:26.000] Yeah, yeah.
[11:26.000 -> 11:28.000] It upsets me, it was a bad week.
[11:28.000 -> 11:31.000] But there was a genuine chance you were going to win every race this season.
[11:31.000 -> 11:34.000] And that, just even saying that as a sentence,
[11:34.000 -> 11:36.000] when we're talking about a race like Singapore,
[11:36.000 -> 11:38.000] so far into the season, is crazy.
[11:38.000 -> 11:40.000] But yeah, when did you start to go,
[11:40.000 -> 11:42.000] this is a pretty good car?
[11:42.000 -> 11:47.860] Do you know what, it wasn't, I remember looking at the beginning of the season, the first time we fully assembled the car,
[11:47.860 -> 11:50.120] getting it ready for one of our filming days
[11:50.120 -> 11:51.740] before we went off to testing,
[11:51.740 -> 11:54.240] and I looked at it and I thought, that looks racy.
[11:54.240 -> 11:55.080] Yeah.
[11:55.080 -> 11:58.500] You know, it looks fast, but you just never know,
[11:58.500 -> 11:59.900] and then you sort of go through testing,
[11:59.900 -> 12:02.220] and obviously teams are never gonna show
[12:02.220 -> 12:04.180] their true pace through testing.
[12:04.180 -> 12:08.580] You know, everyone's running through their own programs, but as far as we were aware from what we knew
[12:08.580 -> 12:12.640] about our car, we were looking all right and everything was as expected.
[12:12.640 -> 12:16.540] And then, you know, Bahrain, you get to the Bahrain race and you come home with a one-two
[12:16.540 -> 12:19.600] and you're like, this is great, this is a perfect start.
[12:19.600 -> 12:22.960] But then it probably would have been maybe two or three more races before you really
[12:22.960 -> 12:29.880] thought, wow, we've really made something, we've really really built something here that's going to be able
[12:29.880 -> 12:35.600] to challenge for wins all year. And at first it was, you know, for us, we always see it
[12:35.600 -> 12:40.000] as a challenge. You know, maybe from a fan perspective you look and you think, oh well
[12:40.000 -> 12:44.240] Red Bull are going to win, like it's never that view going into a race weekend, it's
[12:44.240 -> 12:48.600] always like right, this is the challenge this week, we have to be on top of our game because the
[12:48.600 -> 12:53.320] moment you're not, somebody's gonna snatch that from you. So yeah, that's why I don't
[12:53.320 -> 12:59.000] like talking about Singapore. Like you know for me it's, it doesn't detract from what
[12:59.000 -> 13:03.800] we've done this year but you know I went into, by the time we were in mid-season, you know
[13:03.800 -> 13:05.080] I've decided, I've said to myself,
[13:05.080 -> 13:07.080] you know what, I want to win every single race.
[13:07.080 -> 13:08.360] And that's the mentality.
[13:08.360 -> 13:09.760] And I still do now.
[13:09.760 -> 13:11.400] We've got five more races to go this year.
[13:11.400 -> 13:13.300] I want to win every single one of them.
[13:14.520 -> 13:18.020] So that sort of knowledge that the car
[13:18.020 -> 13:20.680] was going to be that good didn't come until later on.
[13:21.840 -> 13:25.680] But yeah, once you realize it was quite a wonderful thing.
[13:25.680 -> 13:31.240] And as pit crew, are you looking up and down the pit lane in Bahrain in testing for example
[13:31.240 -> 13:35.760] at what other teams are doing? Do you look at the Mercedes at testing and go, wow, that
[13:35.760 -> 13:39.560] looks very different to what we've got here. I wonder who's right.
[13:39.560 -> 13:42.440] I would certainly, certainly at the beginning of 2022.
[13:42.440 -> 13:43.640] Yeah, of course.
[13:43.640 -> 13:46.200] I remember first seeing that Mercedes car and thinking,
[13:46.200 -> 13:47.800] oh, have they done it again?
[13:47.800 -> 13:50.480] Have they found something that no one else has found?
[13:50.480 -> 13:52.800] And then you talk to our own designers and engineers
[13:52.800 -> 13:54.120] and they're like, no, no, we're happy.
[13:54.120 -> 13:55.120] We're happy where we are.
[13:55.120 -> 13:57.220] And they sort of put your mind at ease a little bit.
[13:57.220 -> 13:59.440] But obviously until the times start coming in
[13:59.440 -> 14:02.360] and the race results, you're never sure.
[14:03.480 -> 14:04.600] And then the beginning of this year,
[14:04.600 -> 14:05.960] it was sort of, I guess
[14:05.960 -> 14:09.980] a little bit of relief that you'd seen that a lot of the teams had sort of started to
[14:09.980 -> 14:14.400] follow the path that we were already following and that sort of gives you a bit more confidence
[14:14.400 -> 14:18.240] and say okay we were on the right path, we're fine, we can keep building from here and keep
[14:18.240 -> 14:26.200] building. So during testing you sort of, you do look at other teams but you take it all with a bit of a pinch of salt
[14:26.200 -> 14:28.600] because you know that nobody's gonna be out there
[14:28.600 -> 14:29.660] showing their true pace.
[14:29.660 -> 14:31.800] Obviously, if teams have a really bad testing
[14:31.800 -> 14:34.040] with reliability and things like that,
[14:34.040 -> 14:35.880] then obviously you pay attention to that
[14:35.880 -> 14:37.380] because reliability is reliability.
[14:37.380 -> 14:39.180] You can either run the car or you can't.
[14:39.180 -> 14:40.520] But in terms of outright pace,
[14:40.520 -> 14:44.020] I don't think you look at other competitors in testing
[14:44.020 -> 14:46.040] and say, oh, this is worrying me
[14:46.040 -> 14:49.840] or whatever. I think you have to wait until you get into that first race weekend and when
[14:49.840 -> 14:51.600] everyone's cards are actually on the table.
[14:51.600 -> 14:55.600] Yeah, and people are running different fuel loads and all sorts of things.
[14:55.600 -> 14:58.720] Yeah, you might go out there and stand in the pit lane and watch other teams do pit
[14:58.720 -> 15:02.160] stop practice. It's a nice little mind game, you know, they know you're watching.
[15:02.160 -> 15:06.000] Yeah, like Jurgen Klopp when he watches the other team warm up.
[15:06.000 -> 15:09.000] People did it to us for so long, for years,
[15:09.000 -> 15:12.000] there'd be team bosses from other teams, McLaren, whatever,
[15:12.000 -> 15:15.000] they'd come down the pit lane, they'd look at us and they'd watch our practice.
[15:15.000 -> 15:18.000] I think on the one hand, obviously, they might have been trying to learn
[15:18.000 -> 15:20.000] and improve their own, but also on the other hand,
[15:20.000 -> 15:21.000] there's definitely that little bit of,
[15:21.000 -> 15:23.000] I'm just going to go and stand right there and watch them
[15:23.000 -> 15:24.000] and see if I can distract them.
[15:24.000 -> 15:30.320] I was going to ask you about the pit stop because this weekend. Yeah, you lost the world record for the fastest pit stop
[15:30.320 -> 15:34.880] Yeah, how annoyed are you with the Claren? I'm not annoyed at McLaren. I'm not annoyed at McLaren at all
[15:34.880 -> 15:39.680] They have done a fantastic job, you know, like that's the thing about the sport. It doesn't matter where you're at
[15:39.680 -> 15:43.900] There's always someone chasing you. You know, those guys have worked super hard on their pit stops. They put in the hours
[15:44.420 -> 15:45.280] What's G? Well? I'd like to say we've been yeah always someone chasing you. Those guys have worked super hard on their pit stops, they've put in the hours. Watched you.
[15:45.280 -> 15:51.240] Well, I'd like to say we've inspired them. But that's it, they've done an amazing bit
[15:51.240 -> 15:56.280] of work, so not annoyed at McLaren at all. On the other hand, I would very much like
[15:56.280 -> 16:03.760] it back. I think that, I imagine that all of my colleagues feel the same way, so now
[16:03.760 -> 16:08.900] it's just a case of get your head down, get practising and let's see if we can get it get it back to where we believe it belongs
[16:09.420 -> 16:13.540] 1.7. This is it. That's what we didn't say. That's what we need crazy
[16:13.540 -> 16:18.080] It was it's you know, and you know, it's an impressive feat from them because obviously the wheels are heavier
[16:18.340 -> 16:23.020] You know, the wheels are heavier there. There are have been changes to the way that you can do a pit stop
[16:23.980 -> 16:28.220] We know we're cat. I know I know that we are capable of beating that and it's just about
[16:28.220 -> 16:33.620] like I said with a pit stop you've got 16 whatever 20 people that all have to
[16:33.620 -> 16:37.780] do their job perfectly within that two-second window you know it's so many
[16:37.780 -> 16:41.300] things that are needed to come together so it will just be a case now of getting
[16:41.300 -> 16:46.440] your head down keep practicing we know we can achieve it and it would just be a case of putting it all into practice
[16:46.440 -> 16:48.640] and hoping that everything comes together.
[16:48.640 -> 16:52.440] ♪♪
[16:52.440 -> 16:58.240] ♪♪
[16:58.240 -> 17:01.760] Compared with 2021, and a season that was
[17:01.760 -> 17:04.040] right down to the last lap of the last race,
[17:04.040 -> 17:06.640] he's a little smile there.
[17:07.880 -> 17:11.240] When you look at the 2023 season and you've dominated the season,
[17:11.600 -> 17:14.000] what for you do you prefer?
[17:14.000 -> 17:16.400] Do you prefer something that is down to the line
[17:16.400 -> 17:18.840] and keeps the whole team moving right to the very end?
[17:18.840 -> 17:21.720] Or do you actually quite enjoy this stepping back a little bit and going,
[17:21.720 -> 17:23.920] no, we are dominating and there's...
[17:23.920 -> 17:25.320] I don't know.
[17:25.320 -> 17:26.160] How do you see it as pressure?
[17:26.160 -> 17:27.400] I prefer it without the stress.
[17:27.400 -> 17:28.220] Yeah.
[17:28.220 -> 17:30.780] Like, don't get me wrong, like 2021 was amazing.
[17:30.780 -> 17:34.000] You know, first, just the whole season was,
[17:34.000 -> 17:36.760] and I've said this before, it was my toughest year,
[17:36.760 -> 17:41.580] for sure, it was stressful, it was such hard work.
[17:43.240 -> 17:46.260] And it was great to get a reward at the end of it.
[17:46.260 -> 17:48.100] But if I'm honest with you,
[17:48.100 -> 17:49.820] I know that I'm still gonna do the same hours
[17:49.820 -> 17:50.800] and be just as focused,
[17:50.800 -> 17:53.760] and it'd be just nice to not have that stress.
[17:53.760 -> 17:55.640] That stress, like towards the end of 21,
[17:55.640 -> 17:58.400] like you know, those last four or five races,
[17:58.400 -> 18:00.140] it was, yeah, it was immense.
[18:00.140 -> 18:02.080] I can't imagine what it was like for the drivers
[18:02.080 -> 18:03.160] and some of the engineers.
[18:03.160 -> 18:04.320] I can't imagine what it was like for them.
[18:04.320 -> 18:07.580] Because us in the garage, you know turning spanners was stressful enough
[18:07.580 -> 18:09.120] You know every time you went out into the pit lane
[18:09.120 -> 18:14.520] You you knew that the consequences will be so severe if you if you messed one up. Yeah
[18:15.120 -> 18:18.760] It's nice to be able to operate with a little bit less of that pressure
[18:18.760 -> 18:19.160] Yeah
[18:19.160 -> 18:22.240] But it is it was that the mindset then you know
[18:22.280 -> 18:26.360] Especially in a pit stop where you go God God, if I don't get this right,
[18:26.360 -> 18:29.120] that could be the world championship, gone for Max.
[18:29.120 -> 18:32.680] Yeah, I mean, I think whenever we step out in the pit lane,
[18:32.680 -> 18:37.160] we recognize the importance of what we're about to do.
[18:37.160 -> 18:39.960] You can't let that pressure hamper you.
[18:39.960 -> 18:41.760] You know, you have to just say to yourself,
[18:41.760 -> 18:43.840] right, I know the skill, you know,
[18:43.840 -> 18:44.960] I've got the muscle memory,
[18:44.960 -> 18:47.960] I've done this hundreds and hundreds of times.
[18:47.960 -> 18:50.640] So really in your mind, it's just about being able
[18:50.640 -> 18:54.360] to put the circumstances out of your head
[18:54.360 -> 18:57.280] because ultimately the circumstances don't matter.
[18:57.280 -> 18:58.760] Performing the skill is what matters
[18:58.760 -> 19:01.440] and if you do what you've practiced, it's gonna be fine.
[19:01.440 -> 19:03.760] If you let things like the circumstances get into your head,
[19:03.760 -> 19:05.260] it only makes the job
[19:05.260 -> 19:06.260] harder.
[19:06.260 -> 19:10.800] You know, if I'm thinking about the fact that another team is boxing next door to me, and
[19:10.800 -> 19:14.280] that we're going to have a race down the pit lane, if I'm worried about that race, the
[19:14.280 -> 19:18.120] chances are I haven't got my full focus on hitting that wheel now.
[19:18.120 -> 19:22.760] So when I actually step out into the pit lane, my focus becomes very narrow.
[19:22.760 -> 19:25.480] But yes, there is obviously always an awareness
[19:25.480 -> 19:31.040] in that sort of situation that if you do have a shocker, as we call it, you know, well,
[19:31.040 -> 19:35.160] you know, that's if you do Christian likes that word. Yeah, this is it. If you do have
[19:35.160 -> 19:40.260] a shocker, then yeah, you know, the chances are that you the suck, you know, the repercussions
[19:40.260 -> 19:46.000] are going to be quite severe. Yeah. And no one wants to be the person that sort of be seen to be the one
[19:46.000 -> 19:48.000] that screws that up.
[19:48.000 -> 19:50.000] And what's so interesting, I find with that
[19:50.000 -> 19:52.000] side of the sport, is it's not just you
[19:52.000 -> 19:54.000] it's not just the guy next to you, it's all
[19:54.000 -> 19:56.000] of the people around the car
[19:56.000 -> 19:58.000] all have to be on the level that you've just described
[19:58.000 -> 20:00.000] and if one person is off
[20:00.000 -> 20:02.000] the whole pack of cards falls down
[20:02.000 -> 20:04.000] and that's what I find so remarkable about
[20:04.000 -> 20:05.720] a pit crew. Yeah, that's it.
[20:05.720 -> 20:06.560] You know, when you think of it,
[20:06.560 -> 20:09.360] a car's gonna drive towards you at 60 kilometers an hour.
[20:09.360 -> 20:10.320] Which is quite quick.
[20:10.320 -> 20:11.160] Yeah, yeah.
[20:11.160 -> 20:11.980] People forget that.
[20:11.980 -> 20:13.160] It's gonna stop in a white box
[20:13.160 -> 20:15.520] that's only the same size as said car.
[20:15.520 -> 20:17.840] And then 16 people are gonna try and change the wheels
[20:17.840 -> 20:20.500] and adjust the flap in under two seconds.
[20:20.500 -> 20:22.440] You know, it's quite a feat.
[20:22.440 -> 20:23.520] It's remarkable, yeah.
[20:23.520 -> 20:24.360] Yeah, yeah.
[20:24.360 -> 20:26.840] I think that's one of my favorite things to do
[20:26.840 -> 20:28.920] is see all of that stuff up close
[20:28.920 -> 20:32.720] because on TV you just don't get a full picture
[20:32.720 -> 20:34.520] and it's the preparation and it's the,
[20:34.520 -> 20:35.720] yeah, you see everyone's faces.
[20:35.720 -> 20:36.800] It's game face, isn't it?
[20:36.800 -> 20:39.720] I mean, pit stops was one of the reasons
[20:39.720 -> 20:42.000] why I took a huge interest in the sport.
[20:42.000 -> 20:44.480] So I'd never, the first Grand Prix that I went to
[20:44.480 -> 20:46.920] was Silverstone in 2009.
[20:46.920 -> 20:48.640] And I was doing the pit lane walk beforehand
[20:48.640 -> 20:50.520] and I saw mechanics setting up the garages
[20:50.520 -> 20:52.460] and doing pit stop practice.
[20:52.460 -> 20:54.000] And that was probably one of the first goals
[20:54.000 -> 20:55.880] that I set myself when I embarked on a career
[20:55.880 -> 20:57.760] is I said I wanna be on a pit crew.
[20:57.760 -> 20:59.200] You know, and then when I achieved that,
[20:59.200 -> 21:01.000] I think probably was it first season,
[21:01.000 -> 21:03.180] was probably 2011 when I was in Marussia.
[21:04.360 -> 21:06.600] And then once I achieved that, the goal changes and then it's like,
[21:06.600 -> 21:08.320] well, I want to be on a good pit crew.
[21:08.320 -> 21:08.840] Yeah, yeah.
[21:08.840 -> 21:10.480] And then, you know, when I joined Red Bull, I was like,
[21:10.480 -> 21:13.320] right now I've got an opportunity to be on the best pit crew.
[21:13.800 -> 21:17.400] And then, you know, once you start, those times started tumbling down,
[21:17.400 -> 21:21.400] then your goals just change, your goals get bigger and bigger and bigger.
[21:21.400 -> 21:23.200] And you say, well, we beat the world record last year,
[21:23.200 -> 21:25.420] I want to beat it again this week and this week and this week.
[21:25.420 -> 21:26.300] And that's what it's all about,
[21:26.300 -> 21:28.460] it's just about the goal setting for it.
[21:28.460 -> 21:30.740] Yeah, it's incredible.
[21:30.740 -> 21:33.100] Yeah, really amazing description of what it's like,
[21:33.100 -> 21:34.700] so thank you.
[21:34.700 -> 21:36.860] I wanna talk a little bit about the team and Red Bull
[21:36.860 -> 21:38.620] and some of the key figures.
[21:38.620 -> 21:41.420] And Christian Horner, the team principal,
[21:41.420 -> 21:42.700] always fascinates me.
[21:42.700 -> 21:44.340] And we see him obviously on Sky quite a lot,
[21:44.340 -> 21:46.120] and he's obviously on the pit wall with us sometimes,
[21:46.120 -> 21:49.440] and we see, we get a great version of Christian,
[21:49.440 -> 21:50.780] he gives us a lot of information,
[21:50.780 -> 21:52.880] but I'm intrigued to know,
[21:52.880 -> 21:54.720] when you're managing a Formula One team,
[21:54.720 -> 21:57.080] how does he communicate with everybody in the team?
[21:57.080 -> 21:59.480] Do you have big team meetings very often?
[21:59.480 -> 22:02.640] Do you have internal emails saying, good job everyone?
[22:02.640 -> 22:03.920] How does it work?
[22:03.920 -> 22:06.520] How does he play a role in your part?
[22:06.520 -> 22:07.360] Christian does a lot of that.
[22:07.360 -> 22:08.840] He does, he always, after each race,
[22:08.840 -> 22:10.160] he does a debrief in the factory
[22:10.160 -> 22:11.200] for all of our factory staff
[22:11.200 -> 22:13.880] because obviously they're not all at the circuit.
[22:13.880 -> 22:16.120] In terms of us, to be fair,
[22:16.120 -> 22:18.160] he's great at just walking around the garage
[22:18.160 -> 22:20.600] and just how are you, how's things going?
[22:20.600 -> 22:22.760] You know, how we're looking today,
[22:22.760 -> 22:24.800] you know, like things like that.
[22:24.800 -> 22:30.700] So for us at the circuit, we're really lucky in terms of it's quite an open sort of relationship Christian just comes and he'll have a chat with you
[22:31.740 -> 22:39.100] Yeah, I think there's obviously lots of we use our internal comms to congratulate everybody else. And yes, it's a very open. Yeah
[22:39.620 -> 22:42.500] Yeah, there's no big zoom call on a Monday morning. I don't know. I
[22:43.140 -> 22:46.560] Assume Christmas was a lot of time in his meetings.
[22:46.560 -> 22:50.440] I always think with the team principal's role, when do you actually ever have time off?
[22:50.440 -> 22:55.240] Yeah, I certainly imagine that I probably get more time off than him.
[22:55.240 -> 22:56.720] It's a very, very busy role.
[22:56.720 -> 23:01.760] And then the likes of Adrian Newey, people like that, I mean, probably the greatest designer
[23:01.760 -> 23:04.480] of Formula 1 cars now in Formula 1 history.
[23:04.480 -> 23:09.200] Do you have much relationship or do you spend much time with people like that? And when you're
[23:09.200 -> 23:14.720] working on a car like the RB19 as it is, I mean, it must just feel amazing to be part
[23:14.720 -> 23:16.560] of that piece of Formula One history.
[23:16.560 -> 23:21.120] You know, Adrian's brilliant. He's quite a reserved person anyway. But when he's in the
[23:21.120 -> 23:24.160] garage, it's quite funny. When you're in the garage and you're working and you're busy,
[23:24.160 -> 23:25.040] you can get quite annoyed
[23:25.040 -> 23:27.280] if people are like in your way.
[23:27.280 -> 23:29.360] Certainly like any guests or other people
[23:29.360 -> 23:31.480] that are sort of non-operational that happen
[23:31.480 -> 23:34.120] to be in the garage, it can get quite annoying
[23:34.120 -> 23:35.400] when people are in your way while you're working.
[23:35.400 -> 23:38.160] And when it's Adrian, you know what he's doing,
[23:38.160 -> 23:40.200] you know he's there and he's there working
[23:40.200 -> 23:41.880] and you know he's there and the chances are
[23:41.880 -> 23:43.360] he's gonna find a way to improve the car.
[23:43.360 -> 23:44.840] So you're always like, it's fine Adrian.
[23:44.840 -> 23:49.360] And he's really, he's always, you know, he'll be there sketching away and you'll be trying to get work done and you've he's there and the chances are he's going to find a way to improve the car. So you're always like, it's fine Adrian. And he'll be there sketching away and you'll be trying to get work done.
[23:49.360 -> 23:51.200] Really? So he's sketching in the garage?
[23:51.200 -> 23:51.680] Constantly.
[23:51.680 -> 23:52.000] Really?
[23:52.000 -> 23:55.520] He's constantly writing notes, making sketches, thinking of things.
[23:55.520 -> 23:56.880] That's what he does all day long.
[23:56.880 -> 24:00.320] And then you'll constantly be there and you'll be trying to get something done
[24:00.320 -> 24:02.560] and Adrian might be in your way and you're trying to work around him.
[24:02.560 -> 24:05.680] And eventually he'll be, oh sorry, sorry Calum.
[24:05.680 -> 24:08.000] And you're like, no, no, you carry on, you carry on.
[24:08.000 -> 24:09.640] You're gonna have a bigger impact
[24:09.640 -> 24:11.600] on making this car win than I am.
[24:11.600 -> 24:13.560] So yeah, you do whatever you need to.
[24:13.560 -> 24:14.400] That's incredible.
[24:14.400 -> 24:15.440] I know that he obviously loves,
[24:15.440 -> 24:17.200] he's still a drawer, isn't he?
[24:17.200 -> 24:20.760] In an age of obviously technology and computer design,
[24:20.760 -> 24:23.000] it's great that he's still there with a pencil.
[24:23.000 -> 24:27.180] I find that so interesting. And then in terms of, we spoke about the work hard,
[24:27.180 -> 24:28.260] play hard culture at Red Bull,
[24:28.260 -> 24:30.040] but who do you hang around with?
[24:30.040 -> 24:31.620] Who are your best mates in the team?
[24:31.620 -> 24:35.300] What's your experience of the culture of Red Bull?
[24:35.300 -> 24:36.180] To be honest, we're quite lucky.
[24:36.180 -> 24:39.260] Everyone in the garage, we're all sort of,
[24:39.260 -> 24:41.340] regardless of what area you're working in,
[24:41.340 -> 24:43.540] we all end up spending a lot of time together.
[24:43.540 -> 24:48.500] We try and do loads of team events throughout the year, like we do barbecues in places where
[24:48.500 -> 24:51.180] we can and things like that, and nights out.
[24:51.180 -> 24:56.220] So it's sort of very much a, I'll spend time with pretty much anyone kind of thing.
[24:56.220 -> 24:59.260] We're not sort of walled off from one another.
[24:59.260 -> 25:05.680] Yeah, it's quite lucky, like you know, it's very much a place of everybody has to fit in the team.
[25:06.320 -> 25:13.600] So, like, everybody sort of has their role, you know, we have the people that are serious and making sure no one's doing anything stupid.
[25:13.600 -> 25:18.640] Then also we have the people in the garage who sort of just general being can lift everyone's mood.
[25:19.000 -> 25:23.800] You know, there's some really tough days, there's some long days and we're lucky we've got people in the garage who can just make you smile.
[25:23.320 -> 25:27.820] days, some long days and we're lucky we've got people in the garage who can just make you smile. You know when you're having a bad day, they can lift the mood of everyone around
[25:27.820 -> 25:33.120] them and all of these sort of things are really important to have as part of the sort of community.
[25:33.120 -> 25:38.580] Yeah, I can definitely imagine. Those people almost become as important as anyone else
[25:38.580 -> 25:42.680] don't they? Literally, and it's not just your role in the garage, it's not just your role
[25:42.680 -> 25:46.520] in your job, it's just about the way you are.
[25:46.520 -> 25:50.480] We're quite lucky in that we sort of have a culture where everyone can just be them,
[25:50.480 -> 25:54.000] everyone can just be them and contribute what they contribute and their sort of soft skills
[25:54.000 -> 26:00.760] if you like, their way with people, their humour, their ability to keep everybody unified,
[26:00.760 -> 26:05.400] they're all skills that are just so valuable over the course of a long year.
[26:05.400 -> 26:09.320] Especially when you're away for like 180 days of the year, I think it is this year, something
[26:09.320 -> 26:10.320] like that.
[26:10.320 -> 26:13.200] And some of those weeks can be tough.
[26:13.200 -> 26:17.840] You think of even, you spend enough time with even your best friends, and if you're under
[26:17.840 -> 26:22.720] pressure and you're working long days, it could be quite easy to get sick of everyone.
[26:22.720 -> 26:27.920] So it's really important to have these characters in the garage that can just sort of maybe change your perspective about something if
[26:27.920 -> 26:31.760] you're having a bad day or just, you know, even when things are bad, just make you smile.
[26:31.760 -> 26:35.920] There are days where if you don't laugh, you'll cry. Yeah, so it's important to have people
[26:35.920 -> 26:41.040] that make you laugh. Yeah, yeah. I was hearing your dislike of house music in the garage.
[26:41.040 -> 26:45.240] I honestly, we got a great sound system. It's brilliant. And it's
[26:45.240 -> 26:51.360] not that I dislike house music. I dislike listening to the same house music week in,
[26:51.360 -> 26:54.320] week out. And especially if you're having a bad day, like if you're having a good day,
[26:54.320 -> 26:58.080] you can ignore it. Yeah, fine. You can get along with it. But if things ain't going right,
[26:58.080 -> 27:04.320] when you're really, really busy that constant. Yeah, oh my god. Oh my god, honestly, like
[27:04.320 -> 27:07.220] there are times there are days in the garage where I just put my headphones in.
[27:07.220 -> 27:10.220] I just put my headphones in, like, whatever.
[27:10.220 -> 27:11.220] Oh dear.
[27:11.220 -> 27:17.000] I don't know if there's any house music artists listening, but yeah, please, please, nothing
[27:17.000 -> 27:18.860] in the Red Bull garage.
[27:18.860 -> 27:21.260] So your role, let's come to talk about your role specifically.
[27:21.260 -> 27:25.200] So senior power unit assembly technician, you must be asked this a million times,
[27:25.200 -> 27:26.240] but I'm going to ask it anyway.
[27:26.240 -> 27:27.440] What does it mean?
[27:27.440 -> 27:28.600] What do you look after?
[27:28.600 -> 27:33.600] Okay, so essentially, I take care of our race and test PUs.
[27:34.760 -> 27:37.200] So, all of the ancillary systems,
[27:37.200 -> 27:39.780] so your cooling systems and all your pipe work,
[27:39.780 -> 27:41.620] exhaust systems, and all the parts
[27:41.620 -> 27:44.360] that help integrate that power unit into our chassis.
[27:45.380 -> 27:47.380] So, I sort of look after the build and the service
[27:47.380 -> 27:49.580] of those bits, planning for future events,
[27:49.580 -> 27:51.420] making sure that we've got engines,
[27:51.420 -> 27:53.940] that we've got parts we can build them on time,
[27:53.940 -> 27:56.100] make sure they're all built to the right specification,
[27:56.100 -> 27:57.620] make sure they're ready to go in the car
[27:57.620 -> 27:59.380] as and when they're needed,
[27:59.380 -> 28:01.740] getting bits back and forth to the factory for service
[28:01.740 -> 28:03.500] as and when they're required,
[28:03.500 -> 28:05.040] and just generally
[28:05.040 -> 28:09.120] overseeing and making sure that what we've got in terms of our power unit installation
[28:09.120 -> 28:11.000] is correct and as we want it.
[28:11.000 -> 28:17.180] Very good summary of what is no doubt a very complex job. And talk me through like a regular
[28:17.180 -> 28:21.680] sort of race week for you. How does that play out? When do you travel to the race? When
[28:21.680 -> 28:22.680] do you come home?
[28:22.680 -> 28:25.120] So, it kind of depends on where the race is,
[28:25.120 -> 28:27.160] obviously when you're going forwards in time
[28:27.160 -> 28:28.880] you might have to travel a day earlier or whatever,
[28:28.880 -> 28:31.160] but let's say we fly out on a Tuesday,
[28:31.160 -> 28:34.800] which is most races will end up flying on a Tuesday.
[28:34.800 -> 28:36.520] Wednesday's your sort of first day in the garage
[28:36.520 -> 28:38.000] to build the cars.
[28:38.000 -> 28:39.120] And you, sorry to interrupt,
[28:39.120 -> 28:40.920] are you building the garage from scratch?
[28:40.920 -> 28:43.920] Right, so we have, I think all teams now,
[28:43.920 -> 28:44.960] you have a set up crew.
[28:44.960 -> 28:45.320] Yeah. So there are people that might have teams now, you have a set up crew.
[28:45.320 -> 28:48.880] So there are people that might have flown out on a Sunday and there'll be some sea freight
[28:48.880 -> 28:53.240] that'll already be there at the circuit with them to build the main parts of the garage
[28:53.240 -> 28:56.400] and then the air freight will arrive probably on the Monday and whatever.
[28:56.400 -> 29:00.080] Our first day in the garage is on a Wednesday and when we arrive in the garage, for the
[29:00.080 -> 29:02.500] most part, the garage set up is done.
[29:02.500 -> 29:06.280] We do have garage technicians who'll be looking after the bits that need to be set up
[29:06.280 -> 29:07.960] from that point onwards.
[29:07.960 -> 29:09.160] But for us building the car, yeah,
[29:09.160 -> 29:12.460] Wednesday's our first day where we're just building the car.
[29:12.460 -> 29:15.060] We're getting it ready for the weekend.
[29:15.060 -> 29:17.560] So it's installing the engine, installing the gearbox,
[29:17.560 -> 29:20.740] doing all your pre-flight checks, if you like.
[29:20.740 -> 29:22.840] And then into Thursday, Thursday's the first day
[29:22.840 -> 29:24.840] you're allowed to fire the car up.
[29:24.840 -> 29:27.560] So obviously all the PUs, they're sealed by the FIA
[29:27.560 -> 29:28.920] at the end of an event.
[29:28.920 -> 29:30.580] And on Thursday, or Wednesday,
[29:30.580 -> 29:32.000] they normally come around and unseal them,
[29:32.000 -> 29:33.280] and then we get a time on a Thursday
[29:33.280 -> 29:35.320] where you're first allowed to fire your car up.
[29:35.320 -> 29:38.800] So Thursday is all of that stuff, so firing it up.
[29:38.800 -> 29:41.000] And then there's getting all the body work on,
[29:41.000 -> 29:42.600] and then getting the car on the setup patch,
[29:42.600 -> 29:44.760] making sure it's all set up to the setup sheet
[29:44.760 -> 29:46.600] that the engineers will have sent out to us.
[29:46.600 -> 29:47.840] Which is different every race.
[29:47.840 -> 29:49.360] It will be, it will be circuit specific.
[29:49.360 -> 29:53.080] So obviously there's constantly simulations going on back at home, the drivers will spend
[29:53.080 -> 29:57.000] time in the sim and then engineers will look at their start setup sheet and they'll give
[29:57.000 -> 30:00.360] you the sheet where they want the car to be for the start of the first practice session.
[30:00.360 -> 30:02.200] So Thursday is spent doing that.
[30:02.200 -> 30:05.220] And then the last thing we tend to do on a Thursday is pit stop practice
[30:05.320 -> 30:08.900] Which is like our longest pit stop practice of the week. We'll run through all the set pieces
[30:08.900 -> 30:14.220] So you run through nose changes or you know, and you have a puncture stop and we run through all of these things
[30:14.680 -> 30:19.120] So Thursday is your first chance to sort of get your eye in in the pit lane and be ready for pit stops
[30:19.120 -> 30:24.500] Mm-hmm, and then into Friday Saturday Sunday, that's where you sort of at the mercy I guess of what happens, right?
[30:24.500 -> 30:27.000] Yeah, you I mean you're at the mercy of the timetable then, you know.
[30:27.000 -> 30:29.600] Obviously, practice sessions are as scheduled.
[30:30.200 -> 30:33.000] You do any changes that you have to do in session,
[30:33.000 -> 30:35.000] and then in between sessions, you're basically...
[30:35.200 -> 30:38.000] Any scheduled changes, so anything that you've got that was already planned,
[30:38.000 -> 30:42.000] maybe you had test items or things like that, that you need to swap for P2.
[30:43.200 -> 30:45.540] And then, yeah, it's sort of from that point on,
[30:45.540 -> 30:47.120] you're just sort of nursing the car.
[30:47.120 -> 30:49.680] You just sort of hope that what you've built is right
[30:49.680 -> 30:50.720] and you just keep checking it
[30:50.720 -> 30:52.600] every time you get the bodywork off or the floor off,
[30:52.600 -> 30:53.880] you're just making sure that everything looks
[30:53.880 -> 30:56.080] like it's as it's supposed to be.
[30:56.080 -> 30:58.580] You'll have any issues or potential issues reported to you,
[30:58.580 -> 31:01.060] so then you'd be investigating any of those.
[31:01.060 -> 31:02.560] And then it's just a case of, yeah,
[31:02.560 -> 31:04.920] all the way up until sort of the lights go out on Sunday,
[31:04.920 -> 31:07.900] you're just sort of managing that, keeping the car, you know, we often
[31:07.900 -> 31:11.840] describe it as on life support in the garage, you constantly got the water heater plugged
[31:11.840 -> 31:17.520] in, you're draining and refilling oil. Again, more pit stop practice throughout the week
[31:17.520 -> 31:22.400] in between sessions and before sessions in the morning. And then yeah, up until lights
[31:22.400 -> 31:25.000] out that's that's pretty much what it entails.
[31:25.000 -> 31:28.400] What do you prefer? Do you prefer a weekend where nothing goes wrong,
[31:28.400 -> 31:31.800] it's all by the book and everything's as predicted?
[31:31.800 -> 31:34.600] Or do you prefer a weekend where you got a crash on Friday
[31:34.600 -> 31:37.000] and you're like, oh God, we gotta race around.
[31:37.000 -> 31:39.200] But I guess that does give you adrenaline.
[31:39.200 -> 31:40.800] But I'm not the one who prepared the car.
[31:40.800 -> 31:44.200] Given the choice, I'll always take a smooth weekend.
[31:44.200 -> 31:49.640] With that said, some of the weekends we've had where things haven't gone to plan,
[31:49.640 -> 31:53.600] I think the crew that repaired Max's car in Hungary,
[31:53.600 -> 31:57.060] those are some of also our best days.
[31:57.060 -> 32:00.700] That's where mechanics technicians get their chance to really shine.
[32:00.700 -> 32:02.700] I think everybody looks back at that race,
[32:02.700 -> 32:09.440] I wasn't on that crew at the time, but what that crew achieved then, that day on the grid, it was amazing.
[32:09.440 -> 32:13.600] 20 minutes, just in case you can't remember, 20 minutes to change the front.
[32:13.600 -> 32:20.560] Pretty much a whole front corner. And make the car safe and reliable and Max again delivered
[32:20.560 -> 32:30.160] and came home with a great result for the position we were in So given the choice, I would take stress-free, but it is worth noting that those those tough weekends or those tough days
[32:31.020 -> 32:35.520] You sort of leave them with a real sense of pride, you know, you know that you achieved
[32:36.200 -> 32:38.200] Something that should have been impossible
[32:38.200 -> 32:43.320] You know, I always think back to the year in China with Daniel Ricciardo and it was like, you know during p3
[32:43.320 -> 32:45.280] We had an engine failure.
[32:45.280 -> 32:47.760] And we just, honestly, I've never seen so many people
[32:47.760 -> 32:50.760] work so well in a group to get that car out.
[32:50.760 -> 32:53.080] And we got it out the door and, you know,
[32:53.080 -> 32:55.240] across the line with like a minute or something to go
[32:55.240 -> 32:56.560] and qualify him for him to qualify.
[32:56.560 -> 32:59.640] He ended up qualifying P6 and then went on to win the race
[32:59.640 -> 33:00.480] the next day.
[33:00.480 -> 33:03.000] So it's a great story, the fact that, you know,
[33:03.000 -> 33:05.100] and honestly, there were times when we were
[33:05.100 -> 33:10.800] doing that work where even I, like I try and stay positive, but we were in a position where
[33:10.800 -> 33:15.220] I genuinely thought that there wasn't a chance we were going to complete this in time.
[33:15.220 -> 33:16.580] Was this the one where you dropped the spanner?
[33:16.580 -> 33:18.660] It was the one where I dropped the spanner.
[33:18.660 -> 33:20.100] I've heard this story.
[33:20.100 -> 33:24.820] Well, in case anyone hasn't heard this story, it was tough, man.
[33:24.820 -> 33:25.800] Like I said said it was hot
[33:25.800 -> 33:30.040] I've never seen so many people working around a car like everyone around the car
[33:30.040 -> 33:31.200] You were working with like, you know
[33:31.200 -> 33:33.660] Your elbows tucked in because everyone was in this space
[33:33.960 -> 33:36.900] trying to get something built on this car to get out the door and
[33:37.120 -> 33:41.160] Your hands are slippery and I dropped a spanner and I looked at it and as it went down there literally
[33:41.160 -> 33:44.000] I remember just pausing for a moment and going well, that's not coming back and
[33:44.800 -> 33:45.040] Then and and then you know, it got to the point where I said literally, I remember just pausing for a moment and going, well, that's not coming back.
[33:45.040 -> 33:48.200] And then, you know, it got to the point where I said,
[33:48.200 -> 33:49.480] so I remember saying to the chief mechanic,
[33:49.480 -> 33:50.760] I said to him, look, just so you know,
[33:50.760 -> 33:52.880] there is a spanner in there,
[33:52.880 -> 33:54.240] and there's nothing I can do, I can't get it out.
[33:54.240 -> 33:56.000] And he said to me, well, it's in there now,
[33:56.000 -> 33:57.760] we've got to get it out for qualifying,
[33:57.760 -> 34:00.560] let's get the car out and hopefully we can retrieve it.
[34:01.640 -> 34:03.840] And we ended up not retrieving it.
[34:03.840 -> 34:05.680] And then I just sat there with my foot tapping
[34:05.680 -> 34:10.760] and my hands shaking for the entire race waiting for something on the car to fail because I
[34:10.760 -> 34:15.480] dropped a spanner. It's one of those things, it's a great story, one of my colleagues,
[34:15.480 -> 34:17.840] it wasn't even my spanner obviously, it was one of my colleagues' spanner.
[34:17.840 -> 34:21.200] It's good you owned up then otherwise you would have been responsible.
[34:21.200 -> 34:26.240] Oh no, that's actually a rule for life. And I think it's one of those things.
[34:26.240 -> 34:28.520] No one in a situation like that,
[34:28.520 -> 34:32.760] no one's gonna give you a hard time for making a mistake
[34:32.760 -> 34:34.680] when you're working in those sorts of circumstances.
[34:34.680 -> 34:36.040] Mistakes happen.
[34:36.040 -> 34:38.520] You know, I have not, I've made plenty in the past
[34:38.520 -> 34:40.540] in my career, and I'm sure that I will make more
[34:40.540 -> 34:41.380] in the future.
[34:41.380 -> 34:44.000] I try and ensure that it's never the same mistake.
[34:44.000 -> 34:46.360] I think that's the biggest thing is to learn.
[34:46.360 -> 34:47.860] But one thing you have to do
[34:47.860 -> 34:49.980] is you have to take accountability.
[34:49.980 -> 34:53.280] You know, there's no point in having an issue
[34:53.280 -> 34:55.120] and just being like, well, I don't know.
[34:55.120 -> 34:56.100] It doesn't help anyone.
[34:56.100 -> 34:57.280] You don't learn from it.
[34:57.280 -> 34:59.480] And the T, you know, you can't introduce anything
[34:59.480 -> 35:01.080] to prevent it happening again
[35:01.080 -> 35:03.440] if no one's willing to just take some accountability.
[35:03.440 -> 35:05.400] Like I said, these things happen.
[35:05.400 -> 35:08.960] You know, I'd much rather make a mistake and be able to put my hand up and say,
[35:08.960 -> 35:13.880] you know what, this has happened, than everybody chasing something that doesn't exist
[35:13.880 -> 35:15.640] because no one wants to talk about it.
[35:15.640 -> 35:17.320] And that's the culture I guess it's created.
[35:17.320 -> 35:18.320] Yeah, for sure.
[35:18.320 -> 35:19.320] Red Bull, that's all part of it, isn't it?
[35:19.320 -> 35:22.640] If you created a culture where everyone was scared to own up to stuff like that,
[35:22.640 -> 35:24.120] you'd probably have a very different culture.
[35:24.120 -> 35:26.520] Yeah, exactly. It would change the entire dynamic
[35:26.520 -> 35:27.560] of everyone working in the garage.
[35:27.560 -> 35:32.160] I think all of us accept that we're not perfect.
[35:32.160 -> 35:34.040] We aim for it every single week.
[35:34.040 -> 35:35.360] We will strive for perfection.
[35:35.360 -> 35:37.960] I don't think there is such a thing in motorsport
[35:37.960 -> 35:40.140] because it's something that moves forward so quickly.
[35:40.140 -> 35:41.480] But yeah, you have to have a culture
[35:41.480 -> 35:44.960] where people can just be open about things that go right,
[35:44.960 -> 35:55.920] things that go wrong.
[35:55.920 -> 36:01.260] And then your social media profile, I don't know how that kind of came about.
[36:01.260 -> 36:06.400] Just tell me how that all started because last check this morning, 175,000 followers,
[36:06.400 -> 36:11.280] which I think is probably the most followers in the pit lane, apart from drivers maybe
[36:11.280 -> 36:12.280] or team principals.
[36:12.280 -> 36:14.080] I was going to say, I think a few of the drivers.
[36:14.080 -> 36:17.760] Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, fine. Charlotte Clare and Nando Norris aside.
[36:17.760 -> 36:20.720] They're much better looking than me, so I can understand.
[36:20.720 -> 36:23.280] But yeah, how did that come about?
[36:23.280 -> 36:28.760] I guess it sort of started probably with Drive to Survive.
[36:28.760 -> 36:36.640] I think obviously with the paddock not being the most diverse workforce, I tended to stand
[36:36.640 -> 36:40.560] out anyway and Drive to Survive sort of exacerbated that.
[36:40.560 -> 36:45.000] And then I think at first I didn't really have that much interest in it.
[36:45.000 -> 36:50.000] But then what happened was as sort of followers grew, loads of people,
[36:50.000 -> 36:52.000] so many people started contacting me.
[36:52.000 -> 36:55.000] Firstly, just loads of young people contacting me saying,
[36:55.000 -> 36:59.000] you know what, I love seeing your passion and seeing your energy on the screen
[36:59.000 -> 37:05.200] and I'm really interested in motorsport and asking for advice and things like that.
[37:05.200 -> 37:07.760] And at that point, it sort of was like a realization
[37:07.760 -> 37:09.240] that actually, you know, it's great.
[37:09.240 -> 37:11.260] I love, like I spent yesterday in a school
[37:11.260 -> 37:13.720] talking to young people about possible careers
[37:13.720 -> 37:15.480] and I love doing that.
[37:15.480 -> 37:16.640] I love talking to young people
[37:16.640 -> 37:18.600] about the opportunities that are available.
[37:18.600 -> 37:20.680] And then the other thing was I got so many messages
[37:20.680 -> 37:23.680] from young black kids in schools
[37:23.680 -> 37:25.640] and people that look like me saying, you know
[37:25.640 -> 37:30.480] what, just to see somebody working in that environment who looks like me has sort of
[37:30.480 -> 37:33.560] made me realize that I could do that too.
[37:33.560 -> 37:39.160] You know, and representation is so important and whilst I never consider myself necessarily
[37:39.160 -> 37:45.100] a role model, but I do think with the experience I sort of have in the industry, I have a responsibility
[37:45.100 -> 37:48.220] to try and help other people that want to pursue these careers.
[37:48.220 -> 37:51.900] I'm a huge advocate for how amazing these careers can be.
[37:51.900 -> 37:56.260] And you know, I consider myself so lucky to have traveled the world.
[37:56.260 -> 37:59.940] So when people contacted me and they were saying, look, you know, I just love seeing
[37:59.940 -> 38:04.740] you on my son love seeing you on my daughter's really, really amazed at seeing you every
[38:04.740 -> 38:05.000] week she looks out for you on the telly, it sort of just became more of like, I felt like or my son loves seeing you, or my daughter's really, really amazed at seeing you every week,
[38:05.000 -> 38:06.160] she looks out for you on the telly.
[38:06.160 -> 38:07.560] It sort of just became more of like,
[38:07.560 -> 38:09.640] I felt like I had a responsibility
[38:09.640 -> 38:11.760] to try and engage with people.
[38:11.760 -> 38:13.720] And obviously once you start engaging with people
[38:13.720 -> 38:16.400] and people realize that there's other voices out there
[38:16.400 -> 38:18.600] in F1 and people that they can really relate to
[38:18.600 -> 38:20.360] or that are involved in the sport,
[38:20.360 -> 38:22.400] then it just sort of, the following grows from there
[38:22.400 -> 38:24.560] and then you get more opportunities to do this stuff
[38:24.560 -> 38:25.720] and it just all sort of snowballs
[38:25.840 -> 38:26.340] Yeah
[38:26.340 -> 38:30.980] And and and that role I was gonna ask you who your role models were in Formula One
[38:30.980 -> 38:33.560] Did you look up to anyone and go I want to be like them?
[38:33.560 -> 38:38.640] Well, this is this is the thing when I started out racing or when I decided I wanted to have a racing career
[38:39.080 -> 38:43.280] Obviously, we had Lewis fresh off the back of his first World Championship and that was great
[38:43.280 -> 38:46.040] It was amazing to see that
[38:46.040 -> 38:49.040] people who looked like me could break into a sport
[38:49.040 -> 38:52.600] that traditionally people like me hadn't got involved in.
[38:52.600 -> 38:54.560] So that was great, but I also understood
[38:54.560 -> 38:57.040] that I wasn't gonna be a race driver.
[38:57.040 -> 38:58.240] I don't have the talent.
[38:59.560 -> 39:01.560] I don't have the talent, I think I'm too tall for it
[39:01.560 -> 39:04.080] and I'm certainly not willing to put the hours in the gym
[39:04.080 -> 39:05.500] to lose the kilos that I'd have to.
[39:05.500 -> 39:06.500] Very honest.
[39:06.500 -> 39:08.000] Which is the reality of it.
[39:08.000 -> 39:14.500] But you know, once I sort of discovered that there were engineering careers to go and work in these garages and do these things,
[39:14.500 -> 39:16.000] there was very few.
[39:16.000 -> 39:20.500] Like, when we look at the Formula One paddock now, especially in the last 3-4 years,
[39:20.500 -> 39:24.500] it's changed dramatically and we are seeing some amazing faces, amazing people,
[39:24.500 -> 39:27.380] that are doing great work in the paddock and inspiring more.
[39:27.380 -> 39:33.520] But when I started out, when I first embarked on it in 2009, and certainly in junior formulas,
[39:33.520 -> 39:38.600] it wasn't, you know, I don't think I worked with another person who looked like me until
[39:38.600 -> 39:41.840] 2015, until I, you know, probably until I joined Red Bull.
[39:41.840 -> 39:46.760] So it wasn't like there were loads of people that I could look to for representation.
[39:46.760 -> 39:49.280] Thankfully, I was really lucky in that I just had
[39:49.280 -> 39:53.400] some great role models that I met once I began.
[39:53.400 -> 39:55.020] You know, like I pursued it anyway,
[39:55.020 -> 39:57.400] I didn't really let that discourage me.
[39:57.400 -> 39:59.040] And thankfully, when I got there,
[39:59.040 -> 40:02.160] I then met some great people who inspired me to push on.
[40:02.160 -> 40:03.360] You know, like I always think about
[40:03.360 -> 40:06.120] one of my first chief mechanics when I was doing GP3,
[40:06.120 -> 40:08.160] a guy called Paul Bellringer, who was brilliant.
[40:08.160 -> 40:10.160] He's like, you know, my race dad.
[40:10.160 -> 40:11.760] You know, he taught me all of the little things
[40:11.760 -> 40:13.480] that I needed to know at the beginning of my career,
[40:13.480 -> 40:15.160] all of the little things that I still sort of
[40:15.160 -> 40:18.240] think about now and I carry with me when I'm working now.
[40:18.240 -> 40:20.000] And that's what I say to people.
[40:20.000 -> 40:23.720] I get that there's not that much representation for you now,
[40:23.720 -> 40:25.560] maybe in technical roles,
[40:25.560 -> 40:28.000] but you will meet some people that will inspire you.
[40:28.000 -> 40:29.720] You just gotta sort of give it a chance,
[40:29.720 -> 40:31.480] and you will, you will meet some people that inspire you.
[40:31.480 -> 40:33.600] And if I can be one of them, then that's great.
[40:33.600 -> 40:35.120] Like, I love that, that's brilliant.
[40:35.120 -> 40:40.120] Yeah, and how important has Lewis been in getting,
[40:40.120 -> 40:41.600] and I think, from my point of view,
[40:41.600 -> 40:43.400] what Lewis has done amazingly well at
[40:43.400 -> 40:44.480] is getting people interested
[40:44.480 -> 40:45.960] in not just being a racing driver.
[40:45.960 -> 40:47.720] He's all about the STEM subjects
[40:47.720 -> 40:52.300] and getting kids, any kid, just interested in knowing,
[40:52.300 -> 40:54.240] actually in Formula One, a bit like you were saying earlier,
[40:54.240 -> 40:55.480] there's all sorts of roles.
[40:55.480 -> 40:57.520] There's the engineering and technical roles,
[40:57.520 -> 40:59.640] but there's also marketing and social media, et cetera.
[40:59.640 -> 41:01.320] And I think Lewis has done a really good job of that.
[41:01.320 -> 41:02.160] Do you agree?
[41:02.160 -> 41:03.760] Do you think that he's been important?
[41:03.760 -> 41:06.480] He's an icon, you know, at the end of the day.
[41:06.480 -> 41:12.800] Lewis, for me, that will always be his greatest achievement, is what he does for the industry
[41:12.800 -> 41:15.000] and for the sport in particular.
[41:15.000 -> 41:20.880] He used his platform, and it's so important, you know, people with platforms use them well,
[41:20.880 -> 41:21.880] and he really did.
[41:21.880 -> 41:26.320] He embraced it, and he used his platform to firstly get the conversation started,
[41:26.320 -> 41:27.560] because that was the biggest thing.
[41:27.560 -> 41:28.840] When I first started,
[41:28.840 -> 41:30.720] there just wasn't a conversation about it.
[41:30.720 -> 41:32.040] I talked to my colleagues at the time,
[41:32.040 -> 41:34.040] and they say, Kyle, why are no black people
[41:34.040 -> 41:36.400] ever interested in racing?
[41:36.400 -> 41:38.640] And that was it, that was one of the biggest barriers,
[41:38.640 -> 41:41.880] was that people just didn't have awareness of the careers,
[41:41.880 -> 41:44.500] and Lewis getting the conversation started,
[41:44.500 -> 41:45.320] and obviously the
[41:45.320 -> 41:51.080] Hamilton Commission report, it did two things, it made people who weren't previously aware
[41:51.080 -> 41:57.520] of these careers aware of them but then also it gave the sport and the industry a starting
[41:57.520 -> 42:02.320] point to sort of say, yeah look, because the sport has always recognized that there's been
[42:02.320 -> 42:07.240] a lack of diversity, it's not like it was some big secret that was only discovered in 2020.
[42:07.240 -> 42:12.660] This is something the sport has always known, but I think from a lot of situations, businesses
[42:12.660 -> 42:18.280] and sectors in the sport, they didn't really know why there was a lack of diversity.
[42:18.280 -> 42:23.960] So the Hamilton Commission report was really important in providing firstly data sets so
[42:23.960 -> 42:26.400] that the industry could see where it was right now.
[42:26.400 -> 42:28.000] Because I know that in the past,
[42:28.000 -> 42:30.040] loads of journalists have tried to sort of ask teams
[42:30.040 -> 42:31.680] and businesses this question about,
[42:31.680 -> 42:33.080] what is diversity like?
[42:33.080 -> 42:35.800] And I think a lot of the teams simply didn't have the data.
[42:35.800 -> 42:36.880] They didn't know.
[42:36.880 -> 42:39.520] So the report was really important in that
[42:39.520 -> 42:41.720] it provided that base set of data to say,
[42:41.720 -> 42:45.240] look, this is where we're at in terms of, compared to our population and the makeup of the population, this is where we're at in terms of, you know,
[42:45.240 -> 42:48.920] compared to our population and the makeup of the population, this is where we're at
[42:48.920 -> 42:50.080] as an industry.
[42:50.080 -> 42:52.920] And then teams were able to say, okay, fine, now we know where we're at.
[42:52.920 -> 42:58.320] And then the commission went on to make suggestions and how it can break down these barriers that
[42:58.320 -> 43:01.340] are preventing it from currently being diverse.
[43:01.340 -> 43:07.160] So the report and Lewis's influence, you know, it was a game changer. You know,
[43:07.160 -> 43:11.280] I know he spent a lot of his own money to fund independent research into it and then
[43:11.280 -> 43:15.960] he used his massive platform to promote it. And it's certainly, I've certainly seen a
[43:15.960 -> 43:20.920] change in the conversations and sort of the way people think about it. And also just giving
[43:20.920 -> 43:27.680] people an understanding that it's about providing opportunities to those who currently don't get them.
[43:27.680 -> 43:32.800] And have you, you mentioned in terms of the data and the changes that have been made there,
[43:32.800 -> 43:37.760] but have you noticed a tangible difference in the paddock in the last four years?
[43:37.760 -> 43:44.440] What I have noticed is the growth in the programs that are going to make long-term change, because
[43:44.440 -> 43:45.960] that's what I've always been an going to make long-term change. Because that's what I've always been an advocate for,
[43:45.960 -> 43:47.360] is long-term change.
[43:47.360 -> 43:49.520] Like, I'm not going to be in this paddock forever.
[43:49.520 -> 43:53.600] I know that some of the other mechanics and technicians
[43:53.600 -> 43:54.600] from more diverse backgrounds,
[43:54.600 -> 43:56.320] they're not going to be in the paddock forever either.
[43:56.320 -> 44:00.720] So, there's no point just employing someone to fill a role.
[44:00.720 -> 44:02.840] We need to educate people
[44:02.840 -> 44:05.680] so that more people are applying for these jobs.
[44:05.680 -> 44:09.040] You know, there's a short term solution is exactly that.
[44:09.040 -> 44:13.920] You know, so when we see these programs who are promoting the education of, you know,
[44:13.920 -> 44:18.760] engineering in schools, I want to see all these programs that are sort of going to reach
[44:18.760 -> 44:23.100] out to people and say, look, these are the careers, these are the long term and these
[44:23.100 -> 44:26.360] are the long term solutions to sort of changing
[44:26.360 -> 44:28.200] the makeup of the paddock.
[44:28.200 -> 44:32.360] But that's where I've always sort of tried to focus my energy.
[44:32.360 -> 44:34.000] And do you think F1 are doing enough?
[44:34.000 -> 44:37.640] Do you think enough is being done just generally across the paddock or do you think there's
[44:37.640 -> 44:38.640] still a long way to go?
[44:38.640 -> 44:39.840] There's still more that needs to be done?
[44:39.840 -> 44:41.240] I mean, we're not there yet.
[44:41.240 -> 44:42.240] No, of course.
[44:42.240 -> 44:46.920] But like I said, I don't think this is something you can expect to see an overnight change
[44:46.920 -> 44:47.920] in.
[44:47.920 -> 44:52.080] I think if you could, you could manufacture an overnight change but it wouldn't be a lasting
[44:52.080 -> 44:53.080] one.
[44:53.080 -> 44:57.760] So I think we have to give the industry time to implement a lot of the recommendations
[44:57.760 -> 45:01.180] that were made from the Hamilton Commission Report and we need to give the industry time
[45:01.180 -> 45:04.480] to make these changes work for the long run.
[45:04.480 -> 45:07.160] It's such an interesting conversation.
[45:07.160 -> 45:10.800] And yeah, I mean, your profile and what you've done on social media has been incredible.
[45:10.800 -> 45:14.200] And yes, I imagine it's probably a bit overwhelming now in terms of the amount of people that
[45:14.200 -> 45:17.560] probably message you asking for advice.
[45:17.560 -> 45:21.640] I mean, yeah, look, I sit here and I'm happy to do podcasts like this because it's another
[45:21.640 -> 45:26.640] resource that I can send people to go and listen to. You know, and talk about the way that I got
[45:26.640 -> 45:28.400] to where I am now.
[45:28.400 -> 45:30.400] Just some of the basic information
[45:30.400 -> 45:32.240] is what people are asking for.
[45:32.240 -> 45:33.080] Yeah, yeah.
[45:33.080 -> 45:34.160] How do I become a mechanic?
[45:34.160 -> 45:35.000] Yeah, that's it.
[45:35.000 -> 45:36.840] That's it.
[45:36.840 -> 45:38.040] Is there a career change on the table?
[45:38.040 -> 45:39.040] Maybe I could do it, I don't know.
[45:39.040 -> 45:42.040] Probably not, probably not.
[45:42.040 -> 45:44.840] Just before we let you go, we've got five races left.
[45:45.920 -> 45:48.960] You said it earlier, you want to win every race.
[45:48.960 -> 45:51.600] What are you hoping for for the next five races?
[45:51.600 -> 45:53.500] What's the focus, what's the target?
[45:53.500 -> 45:55.760] I mean, exactly that.
[45:55.760 -> 45:58.440] I want every pole position, I want every fastest lap,
[45:58.440 -> 46:00.040] I want to win every race.
[46:00.040 -> 46:01.480] That has to be the mentality.
[46:02.580 -> 46:04.560] I think we're seeing the rate that obviously
[46:04.560 -> 46:06.320] teams like McLaren have improved this season.
[46:06.320 -> 46:08.880] I think that the moment you take your foot off the gas,
[46:08.880 -> 46:11.600] somebody's gonna snatch a win from you.
[46:11.600 -> 46:13.120] The moment that you drop the ball
[46:13.120 -> 46:14.720] or you just let something slide
[46:14.720 -> 46:16.880] or you spend one minute just being
[46:16.880 -> 46:19.040] a little bit too relaxed.
[46:20.200 -> 46:21.760] And the house of cards starts to fall down.
[46:21.760 -> 46:23.520] So yeah, it's one of those things.
[46:23.520 -> 46:25.200] The mentality can't change.
[46:25.200 -> 46:27.760] Just because both championships are done,
[46:27.760 -> 46:30.080] the mentality's got to be exactly the same.
[46:30.080 -> 46:33.200] And Austin, Mexico, pretty good locations, right?
[46:33.200 -> 46:34.320] Yeah, I love it.
[46:34.320 -> 46:37.840] Obviously, Austin's a bit of a, I guess it's a paddock favorite.
[46:37.840 -> 46:39.200] Yeah, yeah.
[46:39.200 -> 46:40.880] It's a party city, you know.
[46:40.880 -> 46:43.600] Everybody enjoys theirself in Austin.
[46:43.600 -> 46:46.600] Mexico, I love the atmosphere.
[46:46.600 -> 46:49.560] Certainly the track in that stadium section, the atmosphere is like something else. You've
[46:49.560 -> 46:54.840] got some amazing race fans, they love racing, so it's always good to go to.
[46:54.840 -> 46:55.840] And Vegas.
[46:55.840 -> 47:00.840] And Vegas. I've not done Las Vegas. I've never been to Las Vegas. Some of my colleagues that
[47:00.840 -> 47:04.480] have say it could be a wild weekend. We'll see how it goes.
[47:04.480 -> 47:06.440] It's going to be difficult to keep everyone under control,
[47:06.440 -> 47:07.280] right, everyone's gonna be, yeah.
[47:07.280 -> 47:09.440] I'm glad that that's not my problem.
[47:09.440 -> 47:12.000] I have to keep myself under control,
[47:12.000 -> 47:14.480] I'm capable of doing that, I'm just gonna worry about me.
[47:14.480 -> 47:15.520] Yeah, there you go.
[47:15.520 -> 47:16.760] Callum, thank you so much for coming in,
[47:16.760 -> 47:17.800] really appreciate your time.
[47:17.800 -> 47:18.640] Thank you for having me.
[47:18.640 -> 47:20.320] Congratulations on this season as well,
[47:20.320 -> 47:22.920] because obviously it's been a remarkable season.
[47:22.920 -> 47:30.640] We're gonna be back next Tuesday with Nico Rosberg, so I hope you can join us then. Bye for now.