Anthony Davidson’s F1 profession could be break up into two components – his 24 Grand Prix begins with Minardi, BAR-Honda and Tremendous Aguri, and his time as one of the vital useful take a look at drivers within the sport. For our newest Lights to Flag function, the Briton shares all about his time within the high echelon, in addition to the rollercoaster trip that adopted in sportscars and the way he’s nonetheless closely concerned in F1 at the moment as a tv pundit and Mercedes simulator driver.
Impressed by Walker and Hunt
Born in Hemel Hempstead, UK, in 1979, Davidson was launched to F1 by his motorsport-loving household and, on the age of eight, began a karting profession that will take him throughout Britain, Europe and North America – and yield loads of trophies.
“My first recollections of motorsport are undoubtedly watching it on TV, being weaned on Murray Walker and James Hunt [with their BBC commentary],” smiles Davidson. “I used to take a seat there, sucking my thumb as a little bit child, subsequent to my dad and my brothers. My dad by no means raced, however one among his greatest passions was watching F1.
“I keep in mind going to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in 1987, the yr when Nigel Mansell overtook Nelson Piquet at Stowe. It was a mega time. My heroes rising up had been Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mansell, Piquet, that sort of technology. I completely cherished it and simply couldn’t get sufficient of it.
“After I began karting myself, I selected my helmet design primarily based on an inventory in Autosport journal of all the present drivers. Eddie Cheever was the one which sort of stood out and I mentioned to my dad, as an eight-year-old, ‘I like that one!’, so I’ve a lot of fond recollections as a child following F1.”
