Jonny Edgar: My greatest influences

8 November 2022

2022 was a difficult but ultimately impressive season for Jonny Edgar. The Briton missed two rounds of the campaign due to illness but battled back at Trident in style as the most consistent points-scorer following the summer break.

For Edgar, a large part of his career has been impacted by family and of course, there’s a Red Bull star that stands out to him as one of his greatest influences.

FATHER

“From a very young age, I was always at the track watching him race on weekends until I was three when I started driving. He was always there when I started karting and I think every race since, he’s been there apart from one when he had food poisoning. He’s always been there, whether it’s testing or racing, he’s been there. He’s one of the main reasons I got into motorsport. A lot of people have been racing in my family, I was always watching him from a young age, I started doing it at first for fun, then when I got to about seven or eight years old, I started taking it more seriously. I wanted to race and, at the time, you always want to win but I had to take it seriously, make sure the equipment is as good as it can be, then you’re testing and starting karting in Europe. That’s when it steps up a bit.

At the end of 2017 I got signed by Red Bull so it was a hobby that turned into a living. Once I got signed, F4, F3, it’s always been my dad along with me throughout. He still comes to the races. I don’t think he’s missed any others or tests.”

"At the end of 2017 I got signed by Red Bull so it was a hobby that turned into a living. Once I got signed, F4, F3, it’s always been my dad along with me throughout. He still comes to the races. I don’t think he’s missed any others or tests.”

GRANDFATHER

“He used to race too. When I was at the track watching my dad, he was helping my dad and when I raced, he was always there when I was racing in the UK. Now not so much because my two cousins race as well, so he’s watching them. But he came to Red Bull Ring this year and he was at Zandvoort too.

"My dad and my uncle raced, and he was always there. He’s seen a lot more than most people ever have, he was always helpful. We haven’t raced together actually. One of my cousins, as I was finishing one of the karting classes, she was coming up, we raced on the same weekend. I think we’d all take it a bit too seriously!”

SEBASTIAN VETTEL

“I’d say from when I was younger when I started watching F1 regularly and getting into it, I always gravitated towards Sebastian Vettel. I thought he was the best. Back when I started I wanted to drive for Red Bull, they were the best team and I always wanted to drive for them. It’s quite cool to look back now as a Red Bull junior and being part of it.

"I think he was always great, especially 20O9-2013. I really enjoyed watching him. When I got involved with Red Bull, I was able to speak to people who worked with him and you always hear how fitness-wise, working with the team, he was always one of the best they’d seen. Some years he’d win so much compared to his teammates, the win he had in Monza with Toro Rosso. Now that I understand it more being part of a team like this, understand how difficult it is in racing, it makes it so much more impressive.”