Celebrity Interview - Jo Ramirez
Life in the fast lane
Jo Ramirez Life in the fast lane
FOLLOWING LEWIS HAMILTON'S SPECTACULAR VICTORY AT THIS YEAR'S CANADIAN GRAND PRIX, FORMER McLAREN TEAM COORDINATOR JO RAMIREZ GAVE ANNABEL MILNES-SMITH A RARE GLIMPSE OF FORMULA ONE'S INSIDE TRACK.
In Grand Prix commentator Murray Walker's own words: "Jo Ramirez is a Formula One legend who is not only one of the sport's most popular and respected personalities but someone who I am proud to know as a personal friend."
Having read this quote, and recently watched the nail-biting Canadian Grand Prix, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity of interviewing this Grand Prix god over lunch at Victor's Beach. He arrived on a Harley-Davidson which was given to him during his last year before retirement by Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard. Immediately I realised what enormous respect this great man must have earned during his career.
I was longing to discover more about Lewis Hamilton, the 22-year-old racing phenomenon. "He is absolutely fantastic. I first met him when he was 10 years old. We took him into McLaren because my boss said we are spending so much money on engine development, chassis, wind tunnels and technology but we never spent any money on developing a driver.
"Lewis was the first one we chose. The story actually started a few years earlier when Lewis won the Junior Karting Championship in England. He went up to McLaren team owner Ron Dennis and said, 'You should employ me. I want to drive for McLaren.' Ron liked the approach of the young boy and replied, 'Give me a ring in 10 years time.'
"It was actually only two years later that Ron called him and asked him to join McLaren. They then sponsored him, and wherever we put him he won. It was fantastic."
How have you seen the Formula One competition change since you first joined McLaren?
"Oh my God. How long do we have? I joined them in 1984 when we only had 64 employees. When I left in 2001, there were nearly a thousand. The essence of McLaren hasn't really changed. We still take three cars to each race. In those days there were 12 races: now there are 19. We also now have over a hundred engineers and technicians working on the cars. At the end of the day it is a very fine edge; you have to remember it is just a sport and not purely about technology."
How do you rate Lewis Hamilton as a driver?
"I have to say, because I was involved with him from the beginning of his career, I knew he was going to be good. He was brilliant in every category we put him in, but to come into Formula One and surprise us like that was fantastic. I remember saying to him at Silverstone when he first sat in a Formula One car, 'You are going to be under a lot of pressure, especially with Alonso being in the other car.' He replied, 'Why should there be any pressure on me? The pressure is on him. I am just a nobody. Nobody expected me to be next door to the world champion and being as good as him.'
Apart from Alonso and Lewis, do you have any tips on future champions?
"The trouble with racing in general is that there are so many different categories like GP2, the World Series, Formula 3, among so many others. There are so few drivers coming up. However, in Germany there have been a couple and that was influenced by Schumacher, and a similar thing has happened here in Spain following Alonso's influence in motor racing. At Monaco we had something like eight Spanish drivers in different categories. Out of those, there will be a champion for sure."
The public find it very confusing having drastic new rules being introduced on an annual basis. I for one do not think this is good for the sport. What is your view?
"The public is right. They are not only confusing for them but also for the teams. You saw what happened in Canada with the new rules of the pace (safety) car. Alonso was running out of fuel and had to come in, but was penalised because the new law forbids the drivers from entering the pit lane while the pace car is out. In Monaco McLaren were absolutely petrified of having the safety car out prior to the refuelling spots. McLaren were safe-guarding their position and subsequently came first and second. Contrary to recent reports there were no team orders: they were just trying to win the race."
Bernie Ecclestone holds so much control over Formula One. Do you think this is a good thing?
"If anybody knows someone who is better than Ecclestone they are welcome to try it. He has created Formula One as what it is today; as well as the fact he has made everyone in the pit lanes millionaires. He has catapulted the sport to an unbelievable status. He really is the best. The only worrying thing, of course, is that he is not getting any younger. Who are we going to have when he goes?"
Have you an inkling of who could replace him?
"I would like to see Ron Dennis step into his shoes. However, I don't think he would be interested. He has just turned 60 and is one of England's multi-millionaires. He has done everything he had set out to do. Another person could be Flavio Briatore, but believe me there will never be anyone like Ecclestone."
Some new countries are now gaining their own F1 Grand Prix status and other countries, such as Hungary, are losing theirs. Do you have any predictions on future winners and losers?
"There are many countries that have recently received the Grand Prix stamp of approval, such as India and China. This is because their governments are able to raise the money. For instance, in Shanghai they have spent a thousand million dollars on their circuit. Quite unbelievable. So if a country wanted to make a new Grand Prix and Ecclestone took them to Shanghai and told them, 'This is what you have to do', many would say, 'Wow, forget it, I am going to do basketball or something else. How can you compete with that?' "It is so pleasing to see that Spain has now been granted a second Grand Prix, in Valencia. I would love to see this one mark the end of the season in October."
Surely it would be better that young drivers could get into the top league having proved themselves on a Formula One track in F1 cars, rather than coming up through Formula 3000, Sports Car Racing or even karting. Why does everyone have to come in from a different motor-racing discipline? Many people believe this would create a better pool of drivers...
"That would be very difficult. Who would trust you in a Formula One car when you have no experience! You have to come up from the ranks and karting is the best school for it. Both Alonso and Hamilton started their careers along that track."
I now want to delve into your past. Do you find the current Formula One challenge more or less exciting than in the 1960s?
"It was completely different then, with less technology and more fun. It was a time when business had not taken over the sport and it was more for the love of racing. It was not just about money. Now it is more of a challenge because of all the technology."
I remember in my youth being aware of Graham Hill, James Hunt and Jackie Stewart - all world champions in their time. They all appeared to have more style than the current drivers and had, as you say, much more fun. Would this be a true impression?
"That is absolutely without a doubt. I was Jackie Stewart's mechanic when he won the world championship. The nice thing then was that the drivers were able to express their own views without the worry of receiving a fine from the racing body, the FIA. Also, now the sponsors dictate what drivers can or cannot say. Before they were able to speak their own mind."
Any memorable hell-raising moments?
"How long do we have? In those days we had great times with Jackie Stewart. There were a lot of women around! Clay Regazzoni was one of my drivers when I was at Shadow. He was the epitome of a gentleman driver and had so much charisma. They were superb characters. Now they are more stereo-typed because of the sponsors and the FIA."
What was Ken Tyrrell like to work with?
"He was the most fantastic person I have ever worked for and was like a father figure. He treated us so well. He not only taught us about racing but life as well. I always pat myself on the back for having chosen to work with Ken."
Of course, you have particular insight into the incredible competition between Alain Prost of France and Ayrton Senna of Brazil as they fought for supremacy on and off the track. Please explain the story of this famous mano a mano...
"Alain Prost was the top driver of his time and Ayrton Senna was the up and coming one. Everyone thought he would be the best driver ever. Alain Prost received Senna with open arms and an open mind. Senna wanted to ride with only McLaren because, for him, number one was Prost and he was the one that he wanted to beat. We had the most fantastic year you could possibly imagine. The best two drivers in the world, in equal cars, in the same team. We won 15 out of 16 races, Ayrton won eight and Alan seven. It was history in the making."
Do you see a similarity between Senna and Prost, and Hamilton and Alonso?
"Actually in a funny sort of way I do. Alonso's driving style is so like Prost. He will only go as fast as he needs to go without making mistakes; while Hamilton just goes for it, making the occasional mistake, but with tremendous speed. At the beginning of the year I never imagined he would be like he is today. I thought he would be good and be second to Alonso."
Motor racing seems to becoming much safer in terms of fatalities. In your day it was far more dangerous...
"For sure. The safety of the drivers has completely changed. The capsule of the cars is made from carbon fibres and can receive a tremendous impact."
I understand you have an incredible collection of Formula One memorabilia...
"Yes, that is true. I even have the helmet that Ayrton Senna used to win his sixth Monaco Grand Prix."
Jo Ramirez wrote a book, Memoirs of a Racing Man, which was published in 2005. McLaren team owner Ron Dennis advised him not to write it. So why was that?
"Basically he is very jealous of McLaren and does not want anybody to talk about it. I said it was not going to be a book about the team, but about me. Without a doubt the most important years were about McLaren. It is going to be down to the reader to make their opinion. I said to Ron, 'If you do not want me to write the book, at least I am guaranteed of selling one!'
Has it sold well?
"Not bad at all, but unless your name is J K Rowling you will not become a millionaire! In England it has sold very well, and is available on Amazon. In Mexico, where I was born, the publishers are tremendously happy. I am quite well known there."
Ron Dennis has a reputation of being a tough man. Did you have any experience of this?
"Oh well, if he wasn't like that he would never have got to where he is now. He is tough but fair and one of the best bosses I have ever had. He will go out of his way to help his employees, whether they have problems with family, health or any others. I have seen it time and time again. Of course you have got to work hard, but I have nothing but good memories of the years that I spent with McLaren. However, the trouble with Ron is that he was bad to me when I left. As long as you are working with him he is fantastic, but as soon as you leave you are wiped off his Christmas card list, and he never wants to talk to you again."
Jo has lived in Spain for many years, and lives in a beautiful villa in the hills above Mijas. I wondered if he had noticed the enormous difference in awareness of Formula One in Spain since the Fernando Alonso phenomenon...
"Absolutely. Before Fernando Alonso we only had 30,000 spectators and now in the last year we had over 140,000, which was a record. I remember Bernie Ecclestone used to instruct the organisers to put cardboard cut-outs of people in the grandstand so that the television did not look so bad! Alonso has changed the culture of the Spanish people over car motor-racing. Now there is not a championship in the world where there is not at least one Spanish competitor."
Do you think there will ever be a Seat Formula One team or indeed any home-based Spanish team?
"I really think there could be. Last year we were so close with the Racing Engineering team owned by Alfonso de Orleans de Borbon. He was very keen to move into Formula One this year but did not raise enough sponsorship. Hopefully he will try again next year."
Alain Prost wrote in the forward of Jo's book, "I wish him all the best in his retirement, although I would love to see him back in the pit lane in any capacity or team, because there is no more fun and warmth in Formula One these days - the sport needs men like Jo." Come on Alfonso, try again next year. Spain needs a Formula One team and F1 definitely needs Jo Ramirez.
