Q&A: Francois-Xavier Demaison.

Ever since he has driven for Peugeot, Marcus Gronholm's engineer has been Francois-Xavier Demaison. Nicknamed 'F-X' (pronounced 'effeex' by the Finn), the Frenchman talks about life with the recently crowned Drivers' World Champion:

Q:
Marcus comes across as an extremely easygoing and approachable person. How do you explain his remarkable calm?

Francois-Xavier Demaison:
I suppose you could say that he succeeds in everything he does at the moment and that he has all anybody could ask for to be happy. I've got to say however that he's had this inner calm and reserve during the tougher moments ever since I've known him. At the same time, he's very human. We went through some difficult times last year and I've also seen Marcus when he's angry. But he never gets riled about anything without good reason and he has the ability to get things out of his system and then put them behind him if he feels he has been heard. I just think he's a genuine person who's naturally easy to get along with, and that's why he is much appreciated within the team.

Q:
What are the differences between the Marcus of 1999 and the Marcus of 2002?

F-XD:
I haven't really noticed any significant changes, apart from the fact that he has become a double World Champion in between times! Having said that, even winning two world titles hasn't had any big effect on his personality. Maybe he's slightly lazier than before when it comes to testing. But if ever we try to needle him on this subject, he merely replies that the cars we prepare for him are so efficient that he doesn't see how they can be bettered. We can't really argue with that and, given how he keeps winning, it would be difficult to say he was wrong!

Q:
Like many Finns, he's never been particularly obsessed with the set-up of his car...

F-XD:
I don't think that's really the case. He's not obsessed about testing, but that's perhaps because he knows the team understands what is needed to build a competitive car. He appreciates the fact that we do the bulk of the groundwork for him and that we suggest solutions, but he knows very well how he wants the car to handle and he can be very demanding if he doesn't get the result he wants. Having said that, it's true that after four years' experience with the 206 WRC, as well as with Marcus' driving style, we know what works for him and we don't really need to put in kilometres and kilometres of testing.

Q:
His driving style on gravel is said to be rather special...

F-XD:
It's true that he turns in very early and stays on the inside for a long time so as to cover the biggest distance possible in a straight line, whereas many other drivers prefer to take wider lines. But his method isn't as safe as a perfectly controlled drift; if he arrives too quickly into a corner he has practically no margin for error. It's a technique that presupposes total confidence in his own ability.

Q:
He effectively doesn't go off very often...

F-XD:
That hasn't always been the case, but whenever we jokingly remind him of the difficulty he had finding his limits to begin with, his defence is that the 206 WRC hasn't always been that easy to control! I also believe the experience he has acquired during his four seasons at world level has helped him tame his tremendous natural talent. Today, it's true; he has this impressive ability to judge both his and his car's potential, which explains why he is capable of driving close to the limit without ever making a mistake, as we recently saw in New Zealand. Given that this year's title is likely to boost his self-confidence further still, his rivals could well be in for further hard times.

Q:
Does your analysis of his telemetry readouts give you an insight into the secret of his exceptional talent?

F-XD:
As a professional, if that was the case, I certainly wouldn't say so! Although I no longer look at the other drivers' data in any great detail, I don't think there is a world of difference between Marcus' settings and those of his team-mates. Gilles Panizzi is convinced that Marcus is a robot from outer space controlled remotely by some mad professor. I just think he's naturally gifted. His total confidence in his own ability is compounded by his natural calm. He is very 'Zen' and impervious to self doubt.

Q:
Is it this psychological strength that enables him to wear his rivals down until they crack?

F-XD:
Yes and no. I don't think he does it consciously. It's just that he succeeds in all he undertakes. He has a certain amount of mechanical common sense that helps avoid retirement if he has a technical problem and, in general, if he does hit trouble then it's often just before a service halt where repairs can be made. Not everyone is so fortunate! Given that he's quick all the time, and on all types of surface, his rivals often crack of their own accord, without him doing anything to either provoke - or prevent - that from happening...

Q:
He is also getting stronger and stronger on asphalt...

F-XD:
He has always had the potential to be quick on asphalt. His driving style helps but he has tended to lack experience and practice. He's a quick learner and has profited from being so close to Gilles Panizzi whose set-up he generally uses. Marcus works on the principle that since Gilles, who many describe as the 'asphalt king', is so quick, then he may as well work from the basic set-up defined by Gilles and then adapt to his own style. Recent results suggest that that may not be such a bad technique!