The Dutchman arrives in Abu Dhabi with his second world championship long-secured. Esquire Middle East caught up with him in the plush confines of the TAG Heuer yacht in Yas Marina to talk about what still motivates him, how long the seasons are getting, whether he watches Drive to Survive and more.
Esquire Middle East Q&A
You look good for someone who just landed from halfway across the world.
15 hour flight!
It’s only going to get more hectic next season right? Three more races.
Yeah step by step. I’m not a big fan of it. But we have to deal with it.
Sounds like no one’s a big fan of it.
You know, we already have some great locations.
A lot of the races are in the region here next season
We love comign here. It’s just the adding of places. I think sometimes you could take a few off that are not that interesting.
You’re not gonna say which ones?
No, no. We all love coming here. It’s a beautiful place and it’s been on the calendar for a while.
Plus it must have a special place in your heart given what happened last year.
Yeah for sure. Winning twice here. It’s a special place.
Last year you won the championship in a dramatic last minute way. But this year you’ve won with a few races to go. Does it feel different?
Last year you knew the pressure was still on. You had to perform flat out. Now of course I want to win but there’s no real pressure to it. I just want to have a good weekend.
I was going to ask. How do you put that pressure on yourself? You’re not the kind of person to say whatever happens happens.
Once you sit in the car, it’s the same mentality. It’s the lead up to the weekend that’s more relaxing.
You’d be more stressed out now if it wasn’t in the bag?
Yeah you’d know you have to perform because everything is on the line. Now it’s not.
When you talk about being in the car. Is it something physical or mental? Do you just become a different person when you’re in there?
I try not to be. You need to be really on it. Getting the best out of the car. Last year for sure that whole weekend was quite stressful.
What’s been the best weekend this season?
I would say Spa. In terms of how competitive we were. Definitely very very engjouable. We had the engine penalty but we tried to drive through the field and win the race.
What’s your favourite thing to do after this race?
Go home. Back to Monaco. Spend time with family and friends.
How long do you end up spending there?
As long as I can.
Does being world champion feel different the second time?
For sure, it’s very different. Winning your first is very emotional. The second one, you could see it coming becuase you’re ahead. But this season has been more rewarding in terms of all the success we’ve had. The first one emotional, this one rewarding.
Is there a pressure to stay champion?
I always said after the first one that whatver happens next is just a bonus. I do see it like that. But in terms of preparation and motivation its even higher. You want to try and stay there. I don’t feel more nervous or anything. Once youre at the top with a great team around you, that’s the best feeling.
I wouldn’t have imagined you saying “whatever happens next is a bonus”, I would have thought you’d be saying “I need 10 of these now”
You know it also depends on what happens around you with the team. It’s a bit difficult. In other sports its about how you perform, how you prepare yourself and that determines how much you can win. Here in F1 that’s not always the case.
So first one emotional, second one rewarding, third one? How do you motivate yourself going into the next season?
If I have a good car the motivation is there.
Do you watch Drive to Survive?
Yeah I’ve watched it. I know what happens throughout the season, right? I mean its more about the people around me who want to watch it. I know someone episode are better than others.
Do you feel well represented?
In the previous years not so much because I didn’t give a lot. This year I gave an interview, that will be in.
I’ve been a lifelong Formula 1 fan, but I feel in the last couple of years, with things like Drive to Survive there are lots of new fans. It’s much more mainstream. Does the change in perception change how you approach it?
Yes and no. There’s a lot more social media interaction. I’m not sure that’s always good. What I always find important is that it’s about driving. The racing aspect. That’s what we have tot try and keep. It’s moving more and more towards a show, entertainment. We need to find a bit of a balance in that.
The above Q&A was conducted on Thursday November 17 and has been lightly edited for clarity.
Image: Formula1.com