PRO ANNUAL 2018

feeling. “What I achieve in terms of results, yes that’s important but ultimately that stays in the record book. I feel happy and have a sense of self pride that I am doing what I love, and I work extremely hard to make sure I do it to the very best of my ability.” This Argentine racer seems to have managed to get a good balance too with those other elements which makes a racing driver. Not only is he pretty handy behind the wheel, he is also extremely media savvy, entertaining and engaging well with fans. He is also in great shape. “I believe in making sure everything is as strong as it can be. Good physical shape can give you this extra bit in the extreme conditions we experience when racing round the likes of a physically- demanding Nürburgring, or a searing-hot Vila Real... or when you are fighting for positions at the end of the race after a very hard battle. The ones that have trained their bodies to cope with these demands the most will most probably have an edge.” He continues: “Mental training is just as important. To be in the right state of mind and always ready for whatever can happen.” So, has Esteban Guerrieri’s attitude ever been tested at a track; has there been a time or a circuit where he had felt his training truly came to the fore? Of course, I should have known the answer would be “The Green Hell”. “It has to be the ultimate racetrack,” says Guerrieri. “It is the best I have ever experienced. I had heard people describe racing on it before, but I never truly understood it before. But when we went for WTCC this year, I got it! It’s definitely the one to have tested me the most physically and mentally. I think the name works well. You have to make a good friendship with ‘Hell’ if you want to be fast there. You have to just commit and enjoy the risk.” So there is no need for motorsport to go back to being more dangerous as some people have been saying recently? “No, I don’t think it is needed. Risks in motorsport are always going to be there, it depends how much risk you want to take. But it is one thing to take risks and another thing to go back to having a fuel tank that could explode if you crash like in the old times. Taking risks is fun. Being in potentially serious danger is not and it would make no sense nowadays.” “You have tomake a good friendshipwith ‘Hell’ if you want to be fast there. You have to just commit and enjoy the risk.” PRO ANNUAL 2018 92