Xevi Pujolar, Head of trackside Engineering at Alfa Romeo speaks to Paddock Journal about his solution to Formulation 1, his major duties on the workforce, his future targets, Max Verstappen and operating.
Why did you select engineering and when did you determine to be taught Mechanical Engineering in Girona?
It’s at all times been clear to me that I need to be an engineer. I made up my thoughts on the age of six or seven. Initially, I used to be extra desirous about motorbikes, which comes from the truth that MotoGP may be very in style in Spain. I additionally wish to trip bikes myself. My dream was to race my motorbike, however that dream has by no means come true as a result of I didn’t have the finances. (Laughs)
Throughout my college years, my curiosity shifted to vehicles. I had the prospect to work for a go-kart workforce throughout my research and we had been combating for the European and World championships. Throughout this time, I labored along with drivers like Antonio Garcia and Fernando Alonso, who had been round 12 years outdated. I do not forget that I advised my professors and classmates that I need to work in motorsports and that’s what I’m desirous about. I used to be typically advised that this isn’t a correct job. Truly, it’s like a interest for me. That is what I get pleasure from doing most and I can earn cash with it.
Might you inform us a bit about your background? Did anybody in your loved ones have any connection to motorsports?
All of them preferred vehicles and bikes, however no person had a hyperlink or connection to any Formulation 1 groups. My dad, my uncle and my grandpa had the identical ardour that I’ve. My cousin used to have a race workforce, so we share the identical ardour for racing.
I’m dwelling the dream, however I nonetheless need to enhance as an individual and construct my profession.
Xevi Pujolar
Might you clarify to us your journey from karting and junior classes to F1?
It was fairly tough as a result of 30 years in the past there was no web, no cell phone, and many others. It was not simple to discover a contact for a Formulation 1 workforce. For some cause, I used to be satisfied that I may make it to F1. After we gained the karting championship, I knew that I’d want somebody to assist me get nearer to Formulation 1. I began to work with a Spanish karting workforce, then I went to a French outfit, and I moved to Paris. I met somebody who labored in Formulation 3000, and I received to know an individual who knew Helmut Marko. I labored for Marko within the decrease classes, and he gave me the prospect to work in Formulation 1. It took me 8 years to achieve F1. Throughout these 8 years, I labored for a number of groups, and had the chance to work with skilled folks. One in all my nicest reminiscences is build up a Formulation Nissan workforce from scratch in 1998–99, and we constructed a really aggressive automobile. Humorous sufficient, Fernando Alonso was our major competitor.
Might you elaborate in your present position at Alfa Romeo? How massive is your workforce?
I oversee the technical facet of the race workforce. I work along with our engineers and mechanics trackside and the engineers who help us from the manufacturing unit throughout race weekends. Greater than 30 engineers are working remotely in the course of the race weekends.
I feel we’re fairly restricted within the variety of operations on the racetrack, I’ve 58 folks there. The engineers are specialised in particular areas, like aerodynamics, automobile dynamics and tires. We have to put all the knowledge collectively to get essentially the most efficiency out of the automobile. We additionally want to assist our drivers and work along with them.
Can we are saying that being the top of trackside engineering is your dream job, otherwise you in search of to make the subsequent step in your profession?
I’m at all times keen to enhance and get larger up. What I like about this job is that you simply be taught one thing new day by day. I’m dwelling the dream, however I nonetheless need to enhance as an individual and construct my profession. Once I was a race engineer, I labored along with a number of folks and now I’m liable for a big group of individuals. The workforce is getting larger and greater, and it’s an amazing problem to maintain extracting essentially the most out of ourselves. For me, that’s essentially the most difficult a part of the job and I get pleasure from it so much. We’re constantly rising as a company, and we have to make it possible for we’re all travelling in the identical course. You possibly can see that the sphere is sort of tight, and the competitors is shut. For certain, everybody needs to win. We have to have the correct amount of pressure to carry out nicely. Hopefully, we’ll have the ability to win the world championship right here at Sauber.
You possibly can’t count on everybody to behave and work in the identical method.
You possibly can’t count on everybody to behave and work in the identical method.
Xevi Pujolar
What’s the management fashion of Xevi Pujolar like?
It requires various vitality and information. There are folks from totally different cultures and all of them have totally different characters. You might want to adapt your management fashion to totally different folks and attempt to get essentially the most out of them. You possibly can’t count on everybody to behave and work in the identical method as a result of we’re all totally different, due to this fact you at all times want to search out the suitable steadiness.
You labored with a number of drivers all through your profession. Is there a driver who stands out?
Sure, it’s Max Verstappen. It was actually particular to work with Max and it was clear to me that he’s world-champion materials.
What do you do in your free time? It appears that evidently you want operating, operating quick…
Running is a extremely great way for me to compete and set challenges for myself exterior of Formulation 1. When you take a look at the variety of races we have now these days, it’s important to maintain your self match and operating is nice to your physique and your thoughts as nicely. I are likely to attend some operating competitions as nicely. I’ve accomplished two races this yr and I plan to do one other two. Once I see somebody faster than me, that makes me practice even more durable and typically my spouse thinks I’m loopy. To be sincere, I have to have the self-discipline to keep away from overtraining. I’m not a very good loser. When you lose, you continue to have to analyse your efficiency and see how one can enhance. All in all, I’ve a really aggressive character and doubtless that’s why I’m working on this enterprise.
It was actually particular to work with Max and it was clear to me that he’s world-champion materials.
Xevi Pujolar
What are the necessities one must get an engineering position in F1 and have a profession path like yours?
You want two issues: motivation and dedication. You might want to set a goal and work onerous to realize it. Truly, it’s fairly much like operating. You set the goal how briskly you need to run 10 kilometres and you must create a coaching plan for that. You might want to set the goal that you simply need to work on in Formulation 1, and you must work in direction of that purpose. The one distinction is that whenever you run, it’s all on you however whenever you’re in Formulation 1, there’s a workforce round you and there are a number of elements which might affect your efficiency. Issues come and go, and typically you may end up within the unsuitable place on the unsuitable time. It’s vital to be affected person and the chance will likely be there. I’m right here for 21 years, nonetheless working on the trackside workforce, which is very tough as a result of there are a restricted variety of positions out there.
