Of course, there is a serious side and all the time drivers devote to off-track marketing and PR activities, which for Timo in Australia totalled over 10 hours of interviews, photos and appearances, is well spent creating a positive image for the team and its partners.
A Grand Prix driver is a member of a sporting elite so they make the perfect spokespeople for any brand, as president John Howett explains: "They are ambassadors for the team and their role is crucial to how we are perceived by the public. They are people who are followed closely by the public and it is very important they are representing us and our partners in the right way."
As
Formula 1 has become more complex over the decades, so has a driver's role within a team, with brand spokesman and media personality added to the traditional task list of a Grand Prix racer.
"It is still about their driving skill and their raw speed," says team manager Richard Cregan. "But at the same time it has become a big business so the drivers have to be prepared for the media and sponsor side of things. It's now almost as important as the driving itself."
For a Formula 1 driver in the 21st century, the pressure to perform on and off the track is higher than ever but the goal remains the same in every aspect: to be the best.
