Shortly before his return to racing in a few days in the Spanish championship, Jaime Alguersuari tells his story. Reflective and approachable, the Spaniard is back to enjoy and have fun, something he is already doing.
01/06/21 - Interview
Author: Vroomkart International
Jaime, how were the tests at Campillos with MDC Racing before the start of the Spanish Karting Championship?
«Very good. We drove all weekend, doing laps and testing a lot, which is what I need now, I still need to improve, but I feel very good. I'm very happy with the team, Oriol Dalmau is a great guy, they welcomed me with open arms and I'm very happy».
How long were you out of karting after your retirement from racing?
«I think it was about seven or eight years. I raced the KZ1 world championship in Varennes in 2013, that was my last race in karting, then I raced in Formula E and retired, and I didn't go back to karting training or anything until months ago when I did it again at the Sete Gibernau circuit. Then I thought about coming back and then I reached an agreement with CRG, who have been fantastic to me».
How is the return to the paddock and the atmosphere of the circuits?
«The truth is that I am very happy. Now I dedicate myself to music, and the pandemic has paralysed a lot of the nightlife, and the possibilities for me to travel, and share my music with people. I was at a time in my life when I needed a new impetus, a new challenge, a special inspiration to continue being enthusiastic. Karting has always been in my heart and it is giving me that».
Does it seem that returning to karting means more than just fun for you?
«We all need new impulses and challenges, which keep us evolving... for me returning to karting was about getting out of the music studio, in a way my comfort zone. To reconnect with something that has given me everything, to meet new people in the paddock, to see the kids excited, that fills me with inspiration and that positive energy is something you carry with you. It's probably something that will help me in my music as well».
On a technical or sporting level, what is the challenge of this new stage?
«For a complete rider, one of the most difficult things is not just to be fast, but to understand why you go fast... or why you go slow. I have to test the material, understand how one axle or another behaves, different hubs, more or less rigid seats, tyre compounds, in different track conditions... these are things I know from the past, but I have to get familiar with all this and understand it well. And if we are talking about a world karting championship, the demand is maximum, perhaps I consider it the most complicated discipline in motorsport».
Your first race will be this week in Campillos, at the start of the 2021 Spanish Championship, what are your goals for the event?
«Running the CEK was planned with the idea of doing training races. Logically I would like to win and be in front, but at this moment I can't say what will happen, I consider the event as a test. As I said before, I need to try things. The most important thing is to do laps to draw conclusions and be the best prepared for the world championship, with a solid base in terms of technique and knowledge of the material, and also physically».
You'll meet a lot of Mini drivers who are starting out in karting, with dreams to fulfil, goals at a young age, maybe F1 in their minds, not just them, sometimes even their parents, what do you think about all this after being in both realities?
«It's an important topic, and you don't only see it in karting, but also in motorbikes, golf, tennis, many sports. It's something I discussed with my father years later, because interestingly, in my case in particular, in my family, when I started racing in karting, there was never any talk of reaching F1, or anywhere...»
You did it with no pressure, no concrete or long-term goals...
«That's right. When I started, I wasn't at the front, in fact I was at the back, and when I took my helmet off I wanted to play football with my friends in the paddock. That innocence, that nonchalance is what makes you be yourself, because you are a child, without any pressure. You have to let children flow, without "robotising" them. This is the message I would like to convey, that they should give everything, but enjoy the moment and the privilege of being a weekend in a karting event».
J. Omedas
«Very good. We drove all weekend, doing laps and testing a lot, which is what I need now, I still need to improve, but I feel very good. I'm very happy with the team, Oriol Dalmau is a great guy, they welcomed me with open arms and I'm very happy».
How long were you out of karting after your retirement from racing?
«I think it was about seven or eight years. I raced the KZ1 world championship in Varennes in 2013, that was my last race in karting, then I raced in Formula E and retired, and I didn't go back to karting training or anything until months ago when I did it again at the Sete Gibernau circuit. Then I thought about coming back and then I reached an agreement with CRG, who have been fantastic to me».
How is the return to the paddock and the atmosphere of the circuits?
«The truth is that I am very happy. Now I dedicate myself to music, and the pandemic has paralysed a lot of the nightlife, and the possibilities for me to travel, and share my music with people. I was at a time in my life when I needed a new impetus, a new challenge, a special inspiration to continue being enthusiastic. Karting has always been in my heart and it is giving me that».
Does it seem that returning to karting means more than just fun for you?
«We all need new impulses and challenges, which keep us evolving... for me returning to karting was about getting out of the music studio, in a way my comfort zone. To reconnect with something that has given me everything, to meet new people in the paddock, to see the kids excited, that fills me with inspiration and that positive energy is something you carry with you. It's probably something that will help me in my music as well».
On a technical or sporting level, what is the challenge of this new stage?
«For a complete rider, one of the most difficult things is not just to be fast, but to understand why you go fast... or why you go slow. I have to test the material, understand how one axle or another behaves, different hubs, more or less rigid seats, tyre compounds, in different track conditions... these are things I know from the past, but I have to get familiar with all this and understand it well. And if we are talking about a world karting championship, the demand is maximum, perhaps I consider it the most complicated discipline in motorsport».
Your first race will be this week in Campillos, at the start of the 2021 Spanish Championship, what are your goals for the event?
«Running the CEK was planned with the idea of doing training races. Logically I would like to win and be in front, but at this moment I can't say what will happen, I consider the event as a test. As I said before, I need to try things. The most important thing is to do laps to draw conclusions and be the best prepared for the world championship, with a solid base in terms of technique and knowledge of the material, and also physically».
You'll meet a lot of Mini drivers who are starting out in karting, with dreams to fulfil, goals at a young age, maybe F1 in their minds, not just them, sometimes even their parents, what do you think about all this after being in both realities?
«It's an important topic, and you don't only see it in karting, but also in motorbikes, golf, tennis, many sports. It's something I discussed with my father years later, because interestingly, in my case in particular, in my family, when I started racing in karting, there was never any talk of reaching F1, or anywhere...»
You did it with no pressure, no concrete or long-term goals...
«That's right. When I started, I wasn't at the front, in fact I was at the back, and when I took my helmet off I wanted to play football with my friends in the paddock. That innocence, that nonchalance is what makes you be yourself, because you are a child, without any pressure. You have to let children flow, without "robotising" them. This is the message I would like to convey, that they should give everything, but enjoy the moment and the privilege of being a weekend in a karting event».
J. Omedas
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