Swiss Toro Rosso driver Sébastien Buemi doesn’t look to another Formula 1 racer for inspiration, but turns instead to the example of his tennis legend compatriot.
"Before Federer came along, no one really spoke about tennis in Switzerland. It’s hard for me to explain how big an effect he’s had – you probably need to be Swiss to understand it. What he’s achieved and the way he’s achieved it are just exceptional. I have a particular respect for him, not just because he’s Swiss, but because tennis is a sport that requires so much mental strength. It needs great physical strength and skill, of course, but the head side of it is so important.
'When you see Roger enjoying amazing success, you can appreciate that he’s had to work for it' – Buemi
"To me, he looks like a player who’s been through a lot to achieve a huge amount, and he’s only the sixth player to win all four major titles – the career Grand Slam. [When Federer won Wimbledon in July last year, his 15th Grand Slam title, he set the record for the most Grand Slam victories by any player.] He’s recovered from some difficult moments in his career [his former coach and early mentor, Peter Carter, was killed in a car crash in August 2002], so when you see him enjoying amazing success, you can appreciate that he’s had to work and fight for it.
"I love the way that Federer always seems to be able to keep a cool head, no matter how well or how badly things may be going for him. That’s so important for a racing driver, too. You always need to be able to think clearly and make good decisions. A lot of drivers have great talent for controlling a car and going fast. But if you look at the really successful ones, like Michael Schumacher, who I guess I would say is my motorsport hero, they’re always the guys who are able to use their brain when they’re racing.
Sacha Fernandez
"Being a racing driver can be strange sometimes because although you’re on the track on your own, you’re part of a team in every way. If you win, you win together – and if you lose, it’s the same. And your equipment affects your performance in a way that it never could for a tennis player. They can all have the same racquet and shoes, but we don’t all have the same cars, unfortunately! It’s important to remember that if you ever find yourself in a bad car, you must focus on your own performance. You must still try to drive well and not allow yourself to feel down because the car is slow. You have to be able to recover quickly and get over the bad races. If there’s anything I would like to take from Federer, it would be that: his ability not to be distracted and always make the most of his own performance, whatever the situation.
"I hope I get to meet him one day. He can help improve my serve – and I’ll tell him a few secrets about fast driving!"
Read the full, unabridged version of this article in this month’s online Red Bulletin magazine, available to read here. Keep up with all the news on Sébastien’s Toro Rosso team at www.tororosso.com
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