Sergio Perez - Just The Beginning

On this edition of Talking Bull, we welcome the newest member of Red Bull Racing, Sergio Perez! He talks exclusively from the factory about his route into Formula 1, his ambitions for the year and he answers some of your questions.

- This episode of the Talking Bull podcast features Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing's new driver for the 2021 Formula One season.
- Host welcomes Perez to the show and expresses excitement about having him on the team.

**Perez's Journey to Red Bull:**

- Perez shares his upbringing in Guadalajara, Mexico, and his early involvement in karting.
- He recounts the challenges he faced as a young driver, including traveling long distances with his family and learning new languages.
- Perez highlights the support he received from his family, particularly his father, in pursuing his racing career.
- He emphasizes the determination and passion that drove him to overcome obstacles and reach Formula One.

**Reflections on Past Seasons:**

- Perez discusses his previous experiences in Formula One, including his time with Sauber and McLaren.
- He acknowledges the difficulties he encountered at McLaren but expresses gratitude for the opportunity to have raced for a top team.
- Perez emphasizes the importance of learning from past experiences and using them to improve as a driver.

**Joining Red Bull Racing:**

- Perez expresses his excitement about joining Red Bull Racing, calling it a dream come true.
- He praises the team's success and the opportunity to work with talented individuals like Christian Horner and Adrian Newey.
- Perez acknowledges the pressure of performing at a high level but is confident in his abilities and the team's support.

**Expectations for the 2021 Season:**

- Perez emphasizes his determination to make the most of the opportunity with Red Bull Racing.
- He aims to push the team forward, challenge Mercedes, and potentially secure the championship title.
- Perez acknowledges the challenge of adapting to a new car and a new team but expresses confidence in his ability to deliver results.

**Questions from Fans:**

- The podcast features questions from fans on social media, covering topics such as Perez's aggressive driving style, his rivalry with Max Verstappen, and his advice for aspiring drivers.
- Perez provides thoughtful and insightful answers, sharing his perspectives and experiences.

**Conclusion:**

- The episode concludes with Perez expressing his eagerness for the upcoming season and his commitment to delivering strong performances for Red Bull Racing.
- Host thanks Perez for joining the podcast and looks forward to the upcoming races.

[00:00.000 -> 00:07.000] Hi there, this is Christian Horner.
[00:07.000 -> 00:09.000] You've won the Austrian Grand Prix!
[00:09.000 -> 00:11.000] This is Sergio Perez.
[00:11.000 -> 00:12.000] Hi, I'm Max Stepan.
[00:12.000 -> 00:15.000] You are listening to Talking Bull, the official Red Bull Racing podcast.
[00:15.000 -> 00:17.000] Oh, this feels good!
[00:17.000 -> 00:19.000] We're back.
[00:19.000 -> 00:22.000] Welcome to Talking Bull, the official Red Bull Racing podcast.
[00:22.000 -> 00:31.120] It's a new year, it's a new season and we have a brand new driver. Sergio Perez joins the team and we're very happy to have him.
[00:31.120 -> 00:36.320] We thought it only right to devote the first episode of Talking Bull of the new season to him
[00:36.320 -> 00:42.240] so we can really get into his story. Plus he's going to be answering some of your questions.
[00:42.800 -> 00:46.040] Hola Checo, welcome to Red Bull Racing, welcome to Talking Bull. Thank you, I'm so happy to be answering some of your questions. Hola Checo, welcome to Red Bull Racing, welcome
[00:46.040 -> 00:47.040] to Talking Bull.
[00:47.040 -> 00:54.440] Thank you, I'm so happy to be here. I still have to pinch myself a couple of times because
[00:54.440 -> 01:03.280] it's just a dream to be part of the brand and to be part of this amazing team.
[01:03.280 -> 01:06.080] You're at HQ right now, you're drinking a white Red Bull, you're fully on brand.
[01:06.080 -> 01:08.080] How have your first few days with the team been?
[01:08.080 -> 01:14.080] They've been amazing. Obviously there are a lot of things that we have to go through.
[01:14.080 -> 01:20.080] A lot of meetings with the engineers, a lot of things that are coming there.
[01:20.080 -> 01:25.680] It's been a very positive week. We've got a lot of work ahead of us,
[01:25.680 -> 01:30.080] but things are getting there and I'm pretty happy.
[01:30.080 -> 01:32.880] I can see why the team has been so successful
[01:32.880 -> 01:36.640] and I'm all switched on for this season.
[01:36.640 -> 01:38.880] We want to find out a little bit more about you.
[01:38.880 -> 01:41.400] Can you tell us where you grew up
[01:41.400 -> 01:42.760] and how you got into motorsport?
[01:42.760 -> 01:46.800] Yeah, I grew up in Mexico, in Guadalajara,
[01:46.800 -> 01:48.920] which is where I live.
[01:48.920 -> 01:52.200] And so basically I started in karting.
[01:52.200 -> 01:56.120] I got into karting because my dad has always been related
[01:56.120 -> 01:57.880] to the sport.
[01:57.880 -> 02:00.840] He used to be working for a Mexican driver
[02:00.840 -> 02:02.760] called Adrian Fernandez.
[02:02.760 -> 02:07.040] And at a very young age, it's what I saw, it's what I wanted to do.
[02:07.600 -> 02:13.280] And we obviously, I come from a very normal family, so it was very difficult
[02:13.280 -> 02:19.960] to think of Formula One or to come abroad into Europe, but luckily we managed to
[02:19.960 -> 02:26.240] find sponsors and especially Carlos Slim at a very young age he started
[02:26.240 -> 02:32.520] supporting my career. He sent me to Europe at the age of 15 and since I came
[02:32.520 -> 02:39.880] to Europe I've never been back in Mexico in terms of racing there or all
[02:39.880 -> 02:47.640] my careers have been in Europe. So just like Max, you started off karting. We had Max on the podcast last year
[02:47.640 -> 02:50.140] and he was telling us about some of the journeys
[02:50.140 -> 02:52.200] around Europe, taking part in competitions.
[02:52.200 -> 02:53.640] Sometimes it wasn't that much fun.
[02:53.640 -> 02:55.280] He spent a lot of time traveling around
[02:55.280 -> 02:57.540] with his dad in a van, like the travel
[02:57.540 -> 03:00.240] and the journeys wasn't particularly enjoyable,
[03:00.240 -> 03:02.560] but that hard work really paid off
[03:02.560 -> 03:05.200] and gave him the education to be an incredible driver.
[03:05.200 -> 03:09.200] Did you have a similar journey through the various levels of motorsport?
[03:09.200 -> 03:16.800] Yeah, I did. I mean, from a very young age, I was travelling very long distances with my dad and my brother.
[03:16.800 -> 03:28.240] My brother was also a racing driver and the three of us with our mechanic, we used to do 10-15 hours in the motorways to get to
[03:28.240 -> 03:34.360] the race weekend after weekend. That was just in karting. And then when I came into Europe,
[03:34.360 -> 03:44.160] I had the opportunity to come to Europe, but we only found the sponsor to race the cars.
[03:44.160 -> 03:45.080] So when I came to Europe,
[03:45.080 -> 03:47.720] I had to figure out where I was going to live.
[03:47.720 -> 03:49.120] And how old were you at this age Sergio?
[03:49.120 -> 03:49.960] How old?
[03:49.960 -> 03:50.800] 15.
[03:50.800 -> 03:52.640] 15 and you came to live in Europe on your own?
[03:52.640 -> 03:53.560] On my own.
[03:53.560 -> 03:56.480] I came to Germany and I didn't speak any German
[03:56.480 -> 03:57.640] or any English.
[03:57.640 -> 03:58.480] Yeah, of course.
[03:58.480 -> 04:01.800] So it's funny because I learned English in Germany
[04:01.800 -> 04:08.080] and I was living on top of a restaurant because
[04:08.080 -> 04:14.880] my team boss at the time had a restaurant so I told him look man I don't
[04:14.880 -> 04:20.760] have much budget to spend in living you know he told me fine you can
[04:20.760 -> 04:27.100] live with a couple of the chefs and I said great, I'll take the place.
[04:27.100 -> 04:28.100] What sort of food was it?
[04:28.100 -> 04:29.100] German food.
[04:29.100 -> 04:30.900] Oh wow, real education then.
[04:30.900 -> 04:32.620] Oh yeah, I love it.
[04:32.620 -> 04:36.140] I was helping the chef actually on my time off.
[04:36.140 -> 04:41.580] I was eating a lot of schnitzels, apple strudel, all of that.
[04:41.580 -> 04:42.900] I'm pretty apt to speak with that.
[04:42.900 -> 04:46.000] So they taught you German, did they? As part of that as well?
[04:46.000 -> 04:53.600] Yeah, but as I say, I came to Germany and I couldn't speak good enough English.
[04:53.600 -> 04:59.600] So I learned English in Germany and my German is not that good.
[04:59.600 -> 05:06.360] What was it like for your family to see their son, their brother, move to Europe at the age of 14 alone? That must
[05:06.360 -> 05:07.360] have been pretty scary.
[05:07.360 -> 05:14.040] It was pretty hard, you know. It was a lot of uncertainty year after year because when
[05:14.040 -> 05:28.000] I came to Germany I only had a single ticket. My dad had a couple of miles so he said, well, I can get you the ticket one way. And I didn't know when I was coming back, if so.
[05:28.000 -> 05:34.000] And with the miles, we could only afford from Toluca.
[05:34.000 -> 05:41.000] I don't know why Toluca, which is next to Mexico City, from there to Europe.
[05:41.000 -> 05:46.680] And so we had to drive six hours to the to get into the Luca they dropped me there and
[05:47.360 -> 05:51.300] And I went you know on my on my trip on to fight for my dream
[05:51.960 -> 05:54.320] I don't know what I was thinking though
[05:55.200 -> 05:57.200] but I did it and
[05:58.000 -> 06:00.480] And yeah, look it has paid off
[06:00.480 -> 06:06.000] You know, I think everything what you do in life with determination and with passion,
[06:06.000 -> 06:09.000] it always brings you to good places.
[06:09.000 -> 06:15.000] Those first few years though must have been really tough on your own in a country which is culturally very different to Mexico.
[06:15.000 -> 06:25.000] Different weather as much as anything. Were there points where you thought about quitting or were you determined from day one to...
[06:25.000 -> 06:30.000] No, no, no, no. There were a lot of points where I thought quitting, you know, because...
[06:30.000 -> 06:31.000] Really?
[06:31.000 -> 06:36.000] Yeah, I came to Formula B and W in Germany and they were racing like two races with Formula One.
[06:36.000 -> 06:39.000] So I thought, great, you know, I'm going to race with Formula One,
[06:39.000 -> 06:46.280] I'm going to be friends with all the Formula One drivers. And it's great, great opportunity. It's going to be a lot of fun.
[06:46.280 -> 06:47.520] So I went there.
[06:47.520 -> 06:52.000] And very early on, I saw that it was very different.
[06:52.000 -> 06:54.040] You know, it was very quiet.
[06:54.040 -> 06:56.240] I was living in a very small village.
[06:56.240 -> 07:00.720] I left basically my whole childhood behind.
[07:00.720 -> 07:02.720] My friends, my family.
[07:03.600 -> 07:04.920] As you say, culture-wise,
[07:04.920 -> 07:08.000] it's very different, Germany to Mexico.
[07:08.000 -> 07:13.000] All of a sudden I took a plane and I found myself in a very different life,
[07:13.000 -> 07:14.000] all on my own.
[07:14.000 -> 07:20.000] Many times I thought about Formula One is far too far.
[07:20.000 -> 07:25.000] I should just go back home and be doing more of a normal life.
[07:25.000 -> 07:31.000] But it was the support of my family that kept me there.
[07:31.000 -> 07:39.000] And those two years, especially in Germany, they were very hard from the emotional point of view.
[07:39.000 -> 07:43.000] For myself, I was only 15 years old, you know.
[07:43.000 -> 07:45.520] And to be all on your own at that age
[07:45.520 -> 07:49.320] without speaking the language. Yeah was it lonely? It was very lonely yeah
[07:49.320 -> 07:55.780] extremely lonely although I had support they were on the weeks the chef and the
[07:55.780 -> 08:01.720] restaurant activity when when the weekend came it was very lonely very
[08:01.720 -> 08:07.080] very lonely and yeah and when there were no race weekends,
[08:08.640 -> 08:11.280] there will be a long weekends, you know,
[08:11.280 -> 08:14.400] over there just waiting to people to come.
[08:15.280 -> 08:19.480] But yeah, I mean, I guess at the time,
[08:19.480 -> 08:22.160] it was the determination that get me, you know.
[08:22.160 -> 08:25.520] Right now I think about it and it's hard to me to think,
[08:25.520 -> 08:33.040] you know, I'm a dad now, to let your son do that, you know, I mean, my family and my mom,
[08:33.040 -> 08:37.440] she support me a lot, especially my dad as well, and the rest of my family, you know,
[08:37.440 -> 08:42.800] it was a family project, it was something that people thought we were crazy about it,
[08:42.800 -> 08:48.000] and I think we were, yes. I think this is what it takes though isn't it in motorsport it takes that that like
[08:48.000 -> 08:53.560] unbelievable desire to be successful. I think so I definitely think so I mean I
[08:53.560 -> 08:58.480] wouldn't say that for Europeans if European drivers it's easier because
[08:58.480 -> 09:03.760] they have to deliver they have to work very hard but it's even a step harder
[09:03.760 -> 09:07.080] for a Mexican driver to try to make it, you know, because at a very young age,
[09:07.080 -> 09:10.280] you have to come and drive with the best drivers in the world.
[09:10.280 -> 09:15.280] And that means that living a lot of your life behind,
[09:15.280 -> 09:16.800] you know, changing culture.
[09:16.800 -> 09:21.240] And it's fine at a certain age, but coming here
[09:21.240 -> 09:26.840] at such a young age, as I say, I think really those years is what
[09:26.840 -> 09:37.480] made me who I am today as a person, as a driver, as a sportsman.
[09:37.480 -> 09:40.880] Who were the key people in your journey? Your father you talked about, Carlos Slim was
[09:40.880 -> 09:51.360] obviously really important as well. Who were the key people in your journey to making it to Formula One? Well, definitely my family. They kept supporting me at the times that
[09:51.360 -> 09:57.440] I wanted to go back, that I wanted to give up on my dream because I just couldn't cope with the
[09:57.440 -> 10:06.120] loneliness, life that I was having at such a young age. I think obviously Carlos Slim, he's a key person.
[10:06.120 -> 10:10.320] I've had great people, it's hard to name people.
[10:10.320 -> 10:13.240] I think I've been very fortunate to have a lot of support
[10:13.240 -> 10:15.280] from my people around.
[10:15.280 -> 10:18.180] Who were your inspirations watching Formula 1
[10:18.180 -> 10:21.680] back in Mexico before you came to Europe?
[10:22.560 -> 10:24.520] We didn't have a Mexican driver in Formula 1
[10:24.520 -> 10:26.200] that I grew up with. At the
[10:26.200 -> 10:33.520] time we only had IndyCar drivers. And in Formula One, it was obviously Alonso that was already
[10:33.520 -> 10:38.760] winning races, winning titles, and he's obviously Spanish, so in a way I found a good connection
[10:38.760 -> 10:52.320] to him. It's funny to see that he's around, he's going to be racing against us this year. So I didn't have an idol or an icon, I just liked Formula One and I wanted to compete
[10:52.320 -> 10:54.280] against the best drivers in the world.
[10:54.280 -> 10:57.000] Because there wasn't a Mexican Grand Prix back then either, was there?
[10:57.000 -> 10:58.000] Oh no.
[10:58.000 -> 11:02.560] I think the last one was in 94 I guess?
[11:02.560 -> 11:04.040] Yeah, early 90s.
[11:04.040 -> 11:07.080] But did you get to the American Grand Prix
[11:07.080 -> 11:08.680] at some point when you were a child?
[11:08.680 -> 11:12.640] I was invited to see Montoya because I won.
[11:12.640 -> 11:17.240] He did a race and the award of that race
[11:17.240 -> 11:19.640] was to come to Indianapolis.
[11:19.640 -> 11:22.960] So I won it and I took my brother with me
[11:22.960 -> 11:24.600] and we went to Indianapolis.
[11:24.600 -> 11:25.200] That was the first time
[11:25.200 -> 11:30.320] we went to a Formula One race. Wow, what was that experience like? Oh, it was amazing. First time
[11:30.320 -> 11:36.720] you come into a Formula One race and when you see the... I couldn't, well it was in the States,
[11:36.720 -> 11:49.120] so I couldn't see the hospitalities, but I could see the amount of people that works in there was tremendous. It was a very, very special moment for me,
[11:49.120 -> 11:55.720] you know, being in the paddock. It just made me want it even more to reach Formula One.
[11:55.720 -> 11:58.560] You worked with Christian in GP2 as well, is that correct?
[11:58.560 -> 12:10.960] Yeah, that's correct. I worked with him in GP2. I know Christian back then, his dad as well, a great guy. My first season
[12:10.960 -> 12:14.520] in GP2 I dropped for Christian in his Arden team.
[12:14.520 -> 12:16.080] What was he like to work with back then?
[12:16.080 -> 12:28.000] Well, I didn't spend much time with Christian, just updates and he invited me to his house back then, which I went the other day with him.
[12:29.520 -> 12:35.760] And it's crazy to think after 12, 13 years to work again together. It's something that
[12:36.720 -> 12:42.160] I admire Christian a lot. I think, first of all, he's a fantastic person to have around you,
[12:42.160 -> 12:47.000] but also a great team leader. I can see that there
[12:47.000 -> 12:49.160] are great times ahead of us.
[12:49.160 -> 12:54.800] Let's talk about your first experience of Formula 1. You signed for Saba in 2011. What
[12:54.800 -> 12:59.280] was it like to step into the circuit as an F1 driver for the first time?
[12:59.280 -> 13:10.080] It was very special, for the first time being a Formula One driver. I've worked all my life for that and to finally get the opportunity was pretty special.
[13:10.080 -> 13:16.080] That was my first season in Sauber which was pretty pretty cool. A lot of
[13:16.080 -> 13:20.920] learning though because you come from junior series where you are only used to
[13:20.920 -> 13:28.440] work with your engineer and all of the sudden you are into a huge structure.
[13:28.440 -> 13:34.080] You have 50 engineers, you are giving feedback for every single bit.
[13:34.080 -> 13:40.360] It's quite a big change, everything all of a sudden becomes a lot bigger.
[13:40.360 -> 13:46.800] You realize that people, the interest in you just grows massively because you are in the spotlight,
[13:46.800 -> 13:52.000] being in Formula 1, the people, the fans, everything just becomes a lot bigger.
[13:52.000 -> 14:00.000] And it's crazy to imagine that it's my 11th season in the sport already, and yeah, a long time.
[14:00.000 -> 14:03.600] But I tell you, man, they go very fast.
[14:03.600 -> 14:05.520] Yeah, they really do.
[14:05.520 -> 14:11.520] I mean, it surprised me to look back and see that it had been that long earlier today when I was reading.
[14:11.520 -> 14:15.440] It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that you first started racing.
[14:15.440 -> 14:19.360] What were your views of Red Bull from the outside before you signed?
[14:19.360 -> 14:21.960] Well, that it was just a fantastic brand.
[14:21.960 -> 14:25.720] Of all the teams that are in Formula 1,
[14:25.720 -> 14:28.960] I always thought that Red Bull was no chance for me
[14:28.960 -> 14:33.240] because I wasn't part of the junior program at a young age.
[14:33.240 -> 14:40.120] And when the opportunity came, I mean, I have to really,
[14:40.120 -> 14:42.560] it's hard when I put my Red Bull shirt on
[14:42.560 -> 14:46.160] or when I'm drinking Red Bull or something,
[14:46.160 -> 14:52.800] it's just like, wow, this is the brand that I drive for. This is the family that I'm part of.
[14:52.800 -> 14:59.520] It's just amazing, you know, it's hard to imagine because I don't know if it's because I never
[14:59.520 -> 15:07.440] thought that Red Bull was a possibility for me or it's just the feeling of driving for such a big team.
[15:07.440 -> 15:10.000] But yeah, sometimes when I say,
[15:10.880 -> 15:17.200] ah, you're Formula 1, yeah, why you drive? Well, Red Bull. It's hard for me to say, you know,
[15:18.480 -> 15:23.600] it's just a dream come true. And maybe especially after your career in Formula 1,
[15:23.600 -> 15:28.560] obviously the years after McLaren, this feels like another step back up, right?
[15:28.560 -> 15:33.040] Yeah, yeah, yeah. I kind of got an opportunity with a top team, with McLaren,
[15:33.040 -> 15:39.600] but things didn't work out. I spent seven years at what is now, I don't know how to call the team
[15:39.600 -> 15:45.400] now, but what is now Aston Martin. Previously, I spent time with them.
[15:45.400 -> 15:47.120] So they were like a big family.
[15:47.120 -> 15:51.920] You know, we became very close together.
[15:51.920 -> 15:55.440] And now that I'm in Red Bull, in a new team,
[15:55.440 -> 15:57.000] it's just something that, wow.
[15:57.000 -> 16:01.200] It's a lot of people to meet, a lot of things to share.
[16:01.200 -> 16:04.160] It's just an opportunity that I've worked so hard,
[16:04.160 -> 16:07.560] more than 15 years, to have
[16:07.560 -> 16:13.760] this opportunity and I finally got it. I think it came at the right time and I'm sure that
[16:13.760 -> 16:16.240] I will grab it with both hands and I'm ready for that.
[16:16.240 -> 16:20.080] And what's lovely as well is it's clearly the result of some really hard work over the
[16:20.080 -> 16:25.840] last couple of seasons. As you say, joining a smaller team in Racing Point, you can see your
[16:25.840 -> 16:30.480] race results across those seasons, you know, slowly build and build, obviously ending with
[16:30.480 -> 16:35.520] your first victory towards the end of last season. Cristian, I think, said a couple of weeks ago that
[16:35.520 -> 16:39.680] one of the key reasons to sign you was based on the stats and looking at the second half of last
[16:39.680 -> 16:43.360] season in particular. You must be very proud of everything you achieved there. Yeah, yeah,
[16:43.360 -> 16:48.320] yeah, I'm proud of that, but I'm also very proud of all the years I've had.
[16:48.320 -> 16:54.520] You know, although you cannot see the big picture because I was finishing top ten, seventh
[16:54.520 -> 16:57.840] in the championship or so, but they were great years.
[16:57.840 -> 17:03.120] I was delivering massively, I was working really hard year after year, year after year,
[17:03.120 -> 17:05.200] not giving up, always pushing to the maximum.
[17:06.400 -> 17:15.840] Finally, I had a car that I was able to show a bit more. People saw what I'm capable of,
[17:15.840 -> 17:21.600] but now it's my big opportunity. I do have to go on to the next level, on to the next step
[17:22.560 -> 17:25.880] in all the aspects. I think I'm ready for it. The only
[17:25.880 -> 17:31.960] thing I was lacking was the opportunity. Now I have it, it's up to me to make it work.
[17:31.960 -> 17:36.200] So what are you looking forward to most in 2021?
[17:36.200 -> 17:47.680] To make sure that I make it work. It's an opportunity that only comes once in my life and I have to make it work.
[17:47.680 -> 17:50.800] I'm pretty sure it will work out.
[17:50.800 -> 17:54.400] I'm pretty sure we're going to have a very successful season.
[17:54.400 -> 17:59.880] That's the best way I can pay Mr. Maticic, Helmut, Christian,
[17:59.880 -> 18:02.480] all the trust that they've given me.
[18:02.480 -> 18:06.160] So Adrian, all the engineers,
[18:06.160 -> 18:11.400] that's the only way I can pay them back, you know, because it's just nobody before
[18:11.400 -> 18:15.400] has given me this opportunity of being in a big team.
[18:15.400 -> 18:19.400] What's your first impression of the factory there and the engineers and the facilities?
[18:19.400 -> 18:24.200] It's just amazing, it makes you realize very quickly as soon as you come here
[18:24.200 -> 18:25.240] why they've been so successful
[18:25.760 -> 18:29.720] What's um, what do you like to do away from the track you into your eSports?
[18:29.720 -> 18:35.420] Do you know sit behind a computer get no I have two kids. Oh, and oh, there we go. That's it
[18:35.420 -> 18:38.920] So I don't have much time with it with my training
[18:39.640 -> 18:44.800] And my kids they consume most of my of my time. I like playing golf
[18:44.000 -> 18:45.160] and my kids, they consume most of my time. I like playing golf.
[18:45.160 -> 18:46.000] Okay.
[18:46.000 -> 18:48.320] I don't play that often, unfortunately,
[18:48.320 -> 18:50.760] but I love playing golf with friends,
[18:50.760 -> 18:54.560] having a good time, karting, football, training,
[18:54.560 -> 18:58.440] and my kids, that's the most I do.
[18:58.440 -> 18:59.520] That's gonna fill a day, isn't it?
[18:59.520 -> 19:00.360] Yeah.
[19:00.360 -> 19:02.360] We asked some Red Bull fans to get in touch
[19:02.360 -> 19:03.880] with some questions on social media,
[19:03.880 -> 19:06.600] and thankfully, loads of them them did so we're gonna spin
[19:06.600 -> 19:08.600] Through a few quick ones now
[19:09.000 -> 19:12.400] First up. This is a question from Fatima. Okay. I'll let you go
[19:12.480 -> 19:20.180] Well, I'm a huge fan of you and I've seen that the foundation of your career is based on taking opportunities and never give up
[19:20.720 -> 19:27.000] So what would you tell for those people who want to follow their dreams, but they're so afraid to take the first step?
[19:27.000 -> 19:30.000] Thank you so much. I'm a huge fan of you and Viva Mexico!
[19:30.000 -> 19:37.000] Thanks, Fatima. I think just follow your dreams, follow your instinct.
[19:37.000 -> 19:41.000] And as I said before, you know, if you do things with passion, with love,
[19:41.000 -> 19:46.800] with determination, you will always come to nice places, you know,
[19:46.800 -> 19:51.760] whatever they are, you will always make the most out of it. And I think in life it's just
[19:51.760 -> 19:57.920] very important, you know, to make the most out of your opportunities and to enjoy the
[19:57.920 -> 20:03.600] journey with where you are, not keep thinking about what's coming next, what's coming next.
[20:03.600 -> 20:05.040] It's very important to
[20:05.040 -> 20:07.600] focus on the present and make sure you enjoy it.
[20:07.600 -> 20:10.520] So true. I think people forget that, don't they? They're always looking forward to the
[20:10.520 -> 20:14.440] next thing, but they just forget to live their lives and enjoy themselves. We've got a question
[20:14.440 -> 20:15.880] here from Eddie up next.
[20:15.880 -> 20:21.400] Hello Chaco. Since your first stint at a high-profile team back in 2013, what have you learned that
[20:21.400 -> 20:30.000] you wish you would have known then? Good luck for the season. A lot. Experience-wise, understanding my technical aspect is a lot better.
[20:30.000 -> 20:37.800] I'm more complete as a driver. I've grown up as a person, as an athlete.
[20:37.800 -> 20:42.800] I'm very different, so you can be relaxed that I will make it work this time.
[20:42.800 -> 20:45.600] Thanks for your question, Eddie. The next one is from Javi.
[20:45.600 -> 20:47.080] Hi, Chico.
[20:47.080 -> 20:47.920] In the last season,
[20:47.920 -> 20:50.960] I saw you more aggressive than in previous seasons.
[20:50.960 -> 20:52.360] Is that so?
[20:52.360 -> 20:54.040] Did you consider yourself more aggressive
[20:54.040 -> 20:55.760] than before as a pilot?
[20:55.760 -> 20:58.480] No, I don't consider myself more aggressive last season
[20:58.480 -> 20:59.320] than before.
[20:59.320 -> 21:02.400] I think it's just measuring your risk,
[21:02.400 -> 21:04.400] your worth all the time.
[21:04.400 -> 21:06.320] That's a main key for a race driver.
[21:06.320 -> 21:09.440] And I think I'm always learning.
[21:09.440 -> 21:13.400] And that's what makes you good, you know,
[21:13.400 -> 21:15.720] taking the risk at the right time.
[21:15.720 -> 21:16.560] That's really important.
[21:16.560 -> 21:18.120] Thanks for your question, Javi.
[21:18.120 -> 21:20.280] Next up, this is Baggies.
[21:20.280 -> 21:21.120] Hola, Checo.
[21:21.120 -> 21:23.200] Firstly, I want to wish you all the very best
[21:23.200 -> 21:26.800] for the new season. My question to you
[21:26.800 -> 21:33.920] is how much are you looking forward to the 2021 season and how confident are you of challenging
[21:33.920 -> 21:40.160] Mercedes-Benz this year? Thank you very much, mate. I'm so much looking forward, I can't wait
[21:40.800 -> 21:48.720] for the season to start. I'm looking forward massively and I want to make sure that.
[21:49.960 -> 21:56.200] I push the team forward and give Mercedes a very hard time and hopefully beat them.
[21:56.240 -> 22:01.280] It will be very nice for us in the last season of Honda to get them that championship.
[22:01.360 -> 22:03.040] That's great. OK, a few more questions.
[22:03.040 -> 22:04.360] This is from Francisco.
[22:04.480 -> 22:10.800] Hola, Checo. to get them that championship. That's great. Okay, a few more questions. This is from Francisco. Hola Checo, you mentioned before that Hülkenberg was probably the fastest driver you ever faced as
[22:10.800 -> 22:17.920] a teammate. How much harder do you expect Max to be as a teammate? Also, when can we expect
[22:18.560 -> 22:26.440] Checo to get the most out of the Red Bull next season? Felic Congratulations. Yes, I think Max, obviously,
[22:26.440 -> 22:29.240] is one of the fastest, if not the fastest,
[22:29.240 -> 22:30.320] at the moment in Formula 1.
[22:30.320 -> 22:32.680] So it's a pretty big challenge,
[22:32.680 -> 22:34.320] which is very exciting.
[22:34.320 -> 22:36.960] You know, you want to be racing against
[22:36.960 -> 22:39.880] and you can only measure yourself
[22:39.880 -> 22:41.120] against them in the same car.
[22:41.120 -> 22:43.120] So yeah, looking forward to that.
[22:43.120 -> 22:46.840] Let's see how fast I will tell you in,
[22:46.840 -> 22:49.020] after five races, how fast Max is.
[22:50.100 -> 22:51.340] I don't know right now,
[22:51.340 -> 22:54.360] I'm certainly sure that he's mega quick,
[22:54.360 -> 22:56.360] mega talented driver.
[22:56.360 -> 22:57.560] Look forward to that.
[22:57.560 -> 23:01.160] And I think to make sure that I deliver
[23:01.160 -> 23:02.680] to the maximum potential.
[23:02.680 -> 23:04.160] Thanks for your question, Francisco.
[23:04.160 -> 23:05.720] Next up. Hi, Jaco.
[23:05.720 -> 23:06.880] I'm Juanjo.
[23:06.880 -> 23:10.280] I'm from Mexico, but I live in Canada.
[23:10.280 -> 23:14.200] How does it feel to join Red Bull?
[23:14.200 -> 23:19.120] And can you give me some tips if I want to be a driver?
[23:19.120 -> 23:19.960] Thank you.
[23:19.960 -> 23:22.080] Drive safe.
[23:22.080 -> 23:23.480] Hi, Juanjo.
[23:23.480 -> 23:29.000] Hey, I hope you're the next Mexican Formula 1 driver.
[23:29.000 -> 23:35.000] The advice I give you is just to go there, convince your dad to get you into karting.
[23:35.000 -> 23:37.000] Start competing in karting.
[23:37.000 -> 23:40.000] I come from a very normal family.
[23:40.000 -> 23:44.000] I'm sure that yours is similar.
[23:44.000 -> 23:48.400] So the possibility is out there for you to arrive in Formula 1.
[23:48.400 -> 23:53.800] And if you want to be a driver, fight for it and make sure that happens.
[23:53.800 -> 23:55.400] It's up to you to make it work.
[23:55.400 -> 23:59.600] How old were you when you first sat in a kart, Sergio?
[23:59.600 -> 24:00.600] Six years old.
[24:00.600 -> 24:01.600] Six, wow.
[24:01.600 -> 24:02.600] Yes.
[24:02.600 -> 24:04.600] And was it immediate for you back then?
[24:04.600 -> 24:05.360] Were you
[24:05.360 -> 24:10.440] immediately quick or did it take a little time? No, it took me some time. I
[24:10.440 -> 24:15.240] was afraid of, you know, because they put me on a... normally you, when they sit you,
[24:15.240 -> 24:22.960] you are in, into a kid's seat, into a kid's engine, but my dad was a bit crazy
[24:22.960 -> 24:25.000] and he sit me on a big car thing.
[24:25.000 -> 24:28.440] So when they turn it off, there were a lot of vibrations.
[24:28.440 -> 24:30.420] So I was totally scared of it.
[24:31.640 -> 24:36.640] You know, I was always like three steps above my age
[24:37.160 -> 24:38.920] in terms of what I was driving.
[24:38.920 -> 24:40.920] Because your dad gave you a huge engine.
[24:42.260 -> 24:44.640] Let's get a question from Antonio.
[24:44.640 -> 24:49.520] Hola Chico. My question is if you could add
[24:49.520 -> 24:55.120] any track to the F1 calendar, which one would it be and why? Saludos desde Mexico, mucha
[24:55.120 -> 25:00.000] suerte, te quiero un chingo. Thank you mate. I was very happy to drive in Imola, I think
[25:05.000 -> 25:07.040] I think it's a historic place and very, very entertaining.
[25:08.500 -> 25:09.420] I would like Long Beach,
[25:11.860 -> 25:14.340] which is a circuit with the racing in the cars. It's quite bumpy and narrow.
[25:14.340 -> 25:17.340] It's a racetrack circuit on the streets
[25:17.340 -> 25:21.100] and I'm a street fighter, so I like street races.
[25:21.100 -> 25:23.340] Okay, two quick questions to finish off with.
[25:23.340 -> 25:24.540] This one's from Chucky.
[25:24.540 -> 25:25.760] My question is,
[25:25.760 -> 25:30.400] have you tried the new car in the simulator? Do you think it's going to be very different
[25:30.400 -> 25:36.960] to the ones you have used before? Yes I've tried the new car and yes it's very different to what
[25:36.960 -> 25:45.160] I'm used to but at the end of the day it still is a Formula One car so no excuses. And final question from Frank.
[25:45.160 -> 25:51.920] Hola, Checo. I'm surprised for you to be part of one of the top three equipments in Formula One.
[25:51.920 -> 25:57.400] My question to you is, what are you expecting for this 2021 season?
[25:57.400 -> 26:02.120] And can I hear one more time the Mexican anthem?
[26:02.120 -> 26:04.440] Yeah, not one more time.
[26:04.440 -> 26:08.600] I'm sure that you will hear that national anthem many times
[26:08.600 -> 26:17.080] to come. I think right now we have a unique opportunity and I'm working very hard to make
[26:17.080 -> 26:18.680] sure that we make it work.
[26:18.680 -> 26:21.440] Thank you for sending in a question, that was fun. We'll probably do that again sometime
[26:21.440 -> 26:28.520] later on in the season. We are back for Bahrain on the 28th of March. You must be excited about that, Sergio?
[26:28.520 -> 26:35.560] Yeah, looking forward to that. There is not a lot of testing this year. The maximum I
[26:35.560 -> 26:41.880] will get is a day and a half in the car. Not a lot, but it's what it is.
[26:41.880 -> 26:46.000] We can't wait to see you driving for Red Bull. Thanks for talking to us on Talking Ball.
[26:46.000 -> 26:47.000] Cheers, mate, and good to meet you.
[26:47.000 -> 26:51.000] Well, that's it for the first episode of Talking Ball of 2021.
[26:51.000 -> 26:55.000] Make sure you subscribe on your favourite podcasting platform
[26:55.000 -> 26:57.000] so you don't miss a thing this year.
[26:57.000 -> 27:00.000] We'll be back very soon as we look forward to this new season.
[27:00.000 -> 27:02.000] Until then, take care.
[27:02.010 -> 27:04.010] Until then, take care.