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With Clare Lawrence Sébastien Buemi was born in 1988 in Aigle, Switzerland. He started in karting and went on to race in the German Formula BMW before landing his first ride in Formula One for the Toro Rosso team in 2009. He drove for them for 3 years before moving for the 2012 season as reserve driver for the Red Bull Formula One team, who have once again won the Constructors’ Title. Can he tell us his plans for 2013? Hi Sébastien – It’s great to be interviewing you, thank you for taking up this opportunity to feature in the Christmas edition of the Costa Car Trader. Sébastien, can you tell me how your love of racing first got started? I received a kart for Christmas from my parents when I was 5 years old. I then started to drive and straight away I loved it. I have never stopped since that first taste of racing. Are any of your family into racing or any other type of motor sports? My cousin Natacha Gachnang is also a racing driver she competed in various categories from Karting up to Formula 3. My grandfather Georges Gachnang raced in Le Mans in 1960 and won various hill climb races back in the 60s. I know that you were born in Switzerland, but did you grow up there too?
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Yes, I grew up in Aigle a small town close to the Geneva Lake. I have been living in Monaco now for 3 years.
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What is it like where you are living now? Monaco is a great place, I really like the weather and I can train well there. The Nice airport is very close too, so it’s very easy to fly to the races.
Sébastien Buemi
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How does it feel to have raced in the Formula 1?
Do you get much time to go away on holiday?
Formula 1 was for me a dream; I really love more than anything driving in F1. This year has been difficult as a 3rd driver for Redbull racing I did not get the chance to race but I am working hard to be back on the grid as soon as possible.
No, not much but I really like what I am doing so it is not a problem. I still get some days off during August and December.
Do you get a lot of support for your career from your friends and family?
The fitness training in Formula 1 is very important, especially when you race in Singapore or Malaysia. So I try to train up to 4 hours a day.
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Yes, my family was always there; my friends too, but without them I would certainly never have made it to F1.
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How much practice is involved when you are racing?
What is the best thing about racing for you?
What are your plans for racing for next year?
To compete against the best drivers in the world and drive the quickest cars!!!
I hope to be back on the grid and race F1 again. If not I am looking forward to continuing as a reserve driver and I will compete in the Le Mans 24h again.
Thank you Sébastien. It was great chatting with you and I hope that we can do it again in the near future. Good luck for next year in all that you do! You can find out more about Sébastien at his website: ww.buemi.com/en/buemi
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