When did you first get a passion for cars and at what age did you know that racing would become such a main part of your life?

I loved race cars since my earliest memories. To me it’s an integral part of my life, part of who I am. When you start racing young as me, when you’re around 7 years old, time just goes by too fast and before you notice it, if you have some success, racing is what you’re living for.

What were your earliest experiences of racing and how successful were you at the beginning?

My first experience was a disastrous karting race in my hometown, São Paulo. At the karting track of Interlagos. I never had done a single lap in wet conditions, and when race time came, it was raining insanely. It was a disaster. But I finished the race, and learned more than if it was a good race on dry conditions.

Were you friends and family always supportive of your passion for racing right from the start?

My family yes, they have always been my greatest supporters. We have decided the ways of my career together always, with their opinion ranked above any manager that I’ve worked with. Without their support, initially financially and always emotionally, it wouldn’t be possible.

Tell us more about your racing and how you’ve progressed and improved as a driver over the last 20 years? 

It has been a constant improvement. I’m always learning, and improving myself is my greatest motivation. My learning curve cannot be flattened out. I always had myself as my greatest competitor and I have always focused on being the best version of myself. It’s very demanding and it consumes a lot of energy, but it’s the way that works best for me naturally.

I still see myself as a driver in the same way that I saw myself back in my karting days – I’m still the competition. I believe that many people fail to develop because they focus more on others than on themselves. I don’t live in this philosophy. I want to be at the team’s garage, imagine myself as my competitor entering the garage, and I wanna be scared and overwhelmed that I’ll have to beat that guy.

What do you see as your biggest racing achievements to date?

Transforming my childhood dream – of being a professional race car driver – into a reality. Nothing beats this.

What are your main goals for in racing for the months and years ahead and what big event do you have coming up next?

My goal has always been the same: to go to bed at the end of every racing day knowing that I’ve done the best that I could on that day. This remains the same. Coming up soon I’ll have my fifth participation at the 24 Hour of Le Mans, this is the biggest racing event for me in 2018.