You have contested 157 grands prix. Still tracking those formula 1?
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Yes, I’ll watch the races if the time is right. I was also at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix privately last year. But Formula 1 has not been the center of my life for a long time.
Have you been driving electrically for years?
That’s true. I dealt with the subject more than ten years ago and, among other things, developed a concept for the first super hybrid racing car in 2008, a racing car that could also drive on the racetrack with a conventional engine. The concept envisaged that the braking energy should be stored so that it could be used for propulsion. It was later implemented in the World Sports Car Championship.
Formula 1 introduced a similar system, the so-called Kers, in 2009. Are you about that Motorsport become an ecologist?
At least I had the idea that motorsport should use energy more efficiently. Motorsport had an image problem back then.
How did you find out?
At the time I approached an oil company to ask if they wanted to sponsor me. I got the answer that she would rather advertise in football or other sports that are greener. That is better for the image. If an oil company had little interest in getting into motorsport, then it must have an image problem.
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Because when people hear Formula 1, they think of lots of horsepower, roaring engines and high fuel consumption?
… yes, that’s what it looked like, although the internal combustion engines became more efficient. I thought that something had to be changed anyway.
Did you whiz across the Nürburgring in an electric racer?
Which not everyone welcomed. Racing cars with electric motors, that was frowned upon at the time. No vibrations, little noise, the traditionalists didn’t like that. Back then there were also serious skepticism or concerns: How dangerous is the high voltage for the driver in the event of an accident or for the rescue teams? At first I wasn’t sure either, it wasn’t about twelve volts, but about 400. But we quickly eliminated the uncertainty. This is also part of the homologation process for my car. In the event of an accident, for example, the battery switches off immediately.
Although these dangers have long been averted, there is still a fear of contact in motorsport.
This may be. But a lot has changed in the past ten years. At that time, such an energy generation system weighed 100 kilograms and produced 150 hp. Today the unit weighs 20 kilograms and creates 250 hp. The batteries are much lighter and last longer. The speed of development is enormous. It will increase as soon as there are more experts in motorsport. It will come, it just doesn’t happen overnight.
But Formula 1 drivers turn up their noses at the electric Formula E, which is now holding its finale in Berlin.
I can understand that. But the development can no longer be stopped. Even in Formula 1, which drives with a hybrid system, constant thought is given to improving electric drive systems.
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Formula 1 steadfastly claims that it is not part of the climate problem, but that it can help solve it. What do you make of it?
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