Interview – Andy Priaulx – BMW WTCC Driver
A four-time consecutive champion in touring car racing, Britain’s Andy Priaulx is more than just a racing driver with a confusingly French last name. Having driven karts, motorcycles, open wheel and enduros, Priaulx currently applies his extensive driving experience to the highly competitive World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) series.
Although he is a three-time WTCC champion with the factory BMW team, Priaulx has little exposure in the United States, having only appeared in recent The Race Of Champions coverage on cable TV. This is due in most part to the fact that the US does not host a round of the WTCC series and many of the cars raced are not even sold in the US.
Still, Priaulx’s rise to driving success could serve as a template for many hungry young American drivers. Determined to become a racing driver, Priaulx started out his career racing anything that moved, ranging from motocross bikes to powerboats.
From there, Priaulx found success in hillclimb races and later open wheels cars, winning every race his entire season in the Renault Spider Series and then entering British Formula 3.
Living in a motorhome near Silverstone circuit, Priaulx made his living as a racing instructor and began touring car racing. After some factory Honda British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and privateer European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) races, he found his calling with BMW. Now a multi-time touring car champion, Priaulx has won the Nurburgring 24 Hours and tested for BMW Williams F1. He will continue on in the 2010 WTCC series with Brazilian teammate Augusto Farfus.
OR: Do you think you’ll take your 4th title this year?
Priaulx: “I’m extremely motivated. It feels a bit as though I am facing my first season in motorsport. A lot is new. For the first time [BMW Team] RBM will enter two cars for the entire season. In Augusto Farfus I have a strong teammate, which will alter our working methods. I am very excited and am convinced we will be successful.”
OR: After three consecutive world titles, you missed the championship in 2008. Did you learn from that season?
Priaulx: “Yes, absolutely. A phase like that had to arrive at some stage. After I joined BMW, we were on a constant up. In my first season with BMW, I almost won the European title, which I then managed to do a year later in 2004. Three world championship titles followed, which could just not continue forever. My experiences have made me stronger.”
OR: And last year?
Priaulx: Last year I delivered some of the strongest races in my career. Under those circumstances a driver can be satisfied even if victory proved impossible for whatever reasons.”
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Saw an interview with Priaulx a while ago in Evo mag. Very cool back story.
Kicked ass in the cars on the race of champions on tv.
Great post!