Q&A with Fernando Rees
We posed a few questions to Brazilian driver Fernando Rees as he gets ready to race in front of his friends, family, sponsors and fans in the Larbre Competition Corvette at his home event at Interlagos on September 1st.
1) How have you kept race fit during the summer?
It's winter for us in Brazil, but winter in São Paulo is warm enough to work out outdoors. I've been training twice daily: inside the gym in the morning, and running outdoors between 10 km - 15 km in the evenings. Also been participating in running events here in São Paulo (5 km and 10 km distance races).
2) Which track are you most looking forward to racing at in the second half of the WEC season?
Interlagos, for sure. It's the circuit where I did my first race car laps after my karting career, back in 2001. I love the circuit, and it's my home race, so there is nothing compared to racing in front of your family, friends, and supporters and still go back to your very own bed at night. A very special occasion. I'm also looking forward to the last race of the season, in Bahrain, where I have many friends and feels like my second home race.
3) With five races on three continents in the next few months, how do you cope with the travelling and jet lag?
I believe we all as drivers are used to traveling a lot, which makes it easier to adapt. But it's not easy. There's a lot of planning concerning jet lag, time differences, etc. For me, coming from Brazil, I have to cross the whole world for the races in Asia (twice). It's a lot of time spent inside airplanes and airports. But it's fun at the same time. I love traveling - it's one of my favourite things in life. So I'm curious about different cultures and places, and the FIA WEC calendar for me also serves the purpose of getting to know new places and new people. I'm really looking forward for all the trips to begin!
4) What is the best thing about racing in Sao Paulo?
In my case, for sure it's to be racing in front of my family, friends, and supporters, and in my home town where I still live and love. The warmth of the Brazilian crowd is very special - and not only because I'm Brazilian as well, but because they're warmth and energetic in general. I believe all drivers will agree with that. Brazilians love motorsports, they love beautiful cars, and they truly admire racing drivers, so for them it's a very special occasion which is reflected in how welcoming the crowd is.
Image courtesy of fernandorees.com