Thanks Jose!
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amazing pictures.... its interesting to see how far these drivers have come Q: In that you signed your contract with Ferrari here. Your first appearance with Ferrari was the Ferrari day at the local circuit here.
FA: Yes, Valencia has been always the debut for Formula One, good years 2005 and 2006 for me. The first time in Ferrari in winter 2010. I did some shows here. First time with McLaren in 2007 on the streets so it has always been a nice feeling here in this city. I raced for a Valencian team in Formula Nissan or F3000 so quite close relationship with this town.
Q: (Gary Meenaghan - The National) Jaime and Fernando, can you just talk a little bit about Spain’s relationship with Formula One, when you were growing up, and what it was like, and also how it has developed over the years?
FA: Well, when I was a kid, Formula One was not important at all, or was not a sport we followed. I never saw a race on TV in my life until I was 17 or 18. I was already in Formula Nissan so when I was racing in go-karts I never saw a Formula One race; some news at the end of the year, who was World Champion, who was not World Champion but obviously we didn’t know any of the names that were racing. Now, I think it’s quite popular in Spain. People love this sport and it’s true that it’s quite complex, as Mark said, with some regulation changes every year etc. It’s not easy for the fans to follow but anyway, I think they love their motorsport as we love motorbikes as well in this country. Generally, I think in go-karts and in different categories now there are many drivers so I’m sure that from now on the future will be much better for Spain and I’m happy because it’s obviously my sport and something that I love and now I’m happy that the country shares this love as well.
MW: He’s being modest because he changed the sport in this country: what he did, no four wheels before him so he did a good job.
JA: I think Spain has always been a motorbike country, especially for the riders and so on. As Mark was saying, when Fernando came and he won both titles and so on, it changed TV coverage and for sure there are more drivers coming up and developing themselves in karting as well. I was already in karting when he won his first championship in 2005, I think and then I stepped into the Red Bull Junior team so I never thought about reaching Formula One because I was in go-karting in Italy and Europe so I was just trying to do my best in go-karts. I was having fun there and then when I had the possibility to step up into Red Bull, I obviously had the chance to one day get to Formula One but I started doing Formula Renault and so on but I never thought about reaching Formula One because I would never… no I was just trying to have fun and do my best.
