Josep María Martí: My Ultimate Driver

12 June 2023

Fresh off achieving an emotional Feature Race victory in front of a jubilant home crowd in Barcelona, Josep María Martí breaks down who he thinks would make up the ultimate competitor.

Mentored by a two-time World Champion, it’s no surprise that the homegrown Formula 1 legend immediately sprang to the forefront of the Campos Racing driver's mind.

INTELLIGENCE

“I think the first one that comes to mind is Fernando Alonso, especially in the last few years because of his capability to do other things while he's driving. I think it's very rare to see drivers looking at TV screens whilst you're driving and to be capable of thinking about the strategy and value other things at the same time. It’s a little bit like what Sebastian Vettel did as well in his later years. So, I think Vettel and Fernando, both of them towards the end of their career when they were so experienced. They've had so much knowledge over the years and the capability to think further than just driving.”

DRIVING IN THE WET/DRY

“Senna was one that I think stood out over the years. Obviously, I didn't get to watch it myself, but I think Senna was one of those drivers who just had such an insane feel for the tyres, the car, the surface and was capable enough to adapt lap by lap to what the track was doing and even be able to predict it. I think everyone knows the lap of the gods, Donnington 1993, and a lot more, he was a great driver that I would have loved to see in my time.”

QUALIFYING

“For their one-lap pace I’d choose Charles Leclerc. He's a driver that when he gets everything right, he’s probably unbeatable or really close to unbeatable. I think when he gets everything down in one lap and manages to - for example, in Monaco, get really close to the walls and to do a perfect lap, I think he’s the one to pick.”

CORNERING

“A lot of them – I think most drivers at the level of Formula 1 have insane consistency and being able to hit the apexes. I think most of it is comes down to hitting your marks lap by lap and not losing focus. I couldn't choose one because there are so many I could say. I think Sergio Perez is one, I'd say Lando Norris is another one. All drivers who have really good race pace such as like Alex Albon, Max Verstappen, Fernando, Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, there are so many.”

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TYRE MANAGEMENT

“The first one that comes to mind is Perez. He always manages to get those five laps of tyre life towards the end of it. I think that tyre management is a key ability in racing, obviously it gives you more opportunities and more openings for different strategies, especially in Formula One and championships with pit stops. So, I think being able to have that tyre management over the duration of a race makes it makes it a big advantage and I think Checo has mastered that.”

BRAVERY

“In the past few years, I’d say Verstappen. Risk taking takes commitment and I think when two drivers commit to something 100% on-track, most of the time he tends to come out well. I think over the last few years, when Verstappen has chosen to send a dive bomb or he's attempted a really crazy overtake in the eyes of people, it's pretty much always come out right. I think he's had a higher percentage of good outcomes than negative outcomes, so I think Verstappen lately has been really, really good at that.”

SMOOTH OR AGGRESSIVE

“Aggressive in Qualifying and smooth in the races, I think that’s what gets you the best result. Obviously being aggressive in Quali has its risks and you make a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes once in a while, but I think in Qualifying you need to be aggressive. You have to have that intensity to put the lap together and not fumble it. In the race, you have to be smooth enough to be able to hit the same marks and be consistent over a longer time.”

OVERTAKING

“Daniel Ricciardo’s late braking was incredible. I think he's always been one of the drivers who has a great feel for the brakes and he's proved that countless times on track, the way he can brake much later than you would expect and do overtakes which no one else would try to do in that circumstance.”

ANYTHING ELSE?

“A great driver has to have a great image. I think that's something that's really important nowadays, especially in the face of sponsors and everything that involves motorsport in general, outside the track as well. I’d prefer them to be a little bit like what I aim to be day-to-day – just a fun person to be around and someone who's easy to work with and to get along with. In a racing scenario, I'd say the ability to give great feedback and to be able to help the team develop in the correct direction is a key ability.”