He has a quite lot of experience, I've learned quite a lot from him and, at every test, my gap has been improving to Mario. In some tests, I've actually been quicker than him. So, I think, the test, even though I've only done seven days or so before the first race, was very positive and we are looking forward to the first race.
Q:
Can you explain how you first became interested in motor racing?
RN:
Since childhood, I've always had a passion for motorsport and, the same as many other Australians, never had the chance to do it. I was staying up late at night watching
F1 every race I can, and I spent all my savings going go-karting and things like that. I just never had the support from my parents - from my parents' point of view, it makes no sense to invest so much money to go -karting, so I never really had the chance to do any motor racing in Australia.
The idea was that I should finish high school - and then I got a chance to go to study in Switzerland. None of this was a plan, it just happened to be that I got really good grades in my studies in Switzerland and, as a present, my brother-in-law and sister gave me a gift for my results and from there everything went so well and here I am now. But, initially, there was no intention for me to go racing, although personally, in my heart, the passion has always been there.
Q:
Could you just give us an idea of your background. Were you born in Australia, were you born in Vietnam and growing up in Brisbane, where you actually lived and what school you went to, that sort of thing...
RN:
I was actually born in Brisbane. I lived all my life in Brisbane, I did high school there, primary school there. My parents actually came over after the Vietnam War with other Vietnamese, I imagine, to Australia in 1975, and I have lived all my live in Brisbane. I grew up there, and I actually didn't leave Brisbane until 2000. That's when I came to Switzerland to study, so I have been basically a Brisbane boy my whole life.
Q:
What are your expectations for this year? What do you think you are capable of, considering your experience and so forth? Do you hope for points or wins or what?
RN:
As I said before, I think it's too early to make predictions or expectations, as we've only done pre-season testing and you don't really know what the teams have been doing. I think, after the first few races, I would have a better idea how I stand compared to the rest.
