During Montreal’s Canadian Grand Prix, former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa was in town in his role as Aston Martin Aramco ambassador. CELSIUS, the official energy drink partner of the team, arranged for de la Rosa to be available to speak on a range of F1 related topics.
Born in Spain, de la Rosa competed in Formula One from 1999 to 2012, participating in 107 races with the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren, Sauber and HRT teams. He has also been an executive and broadcaster, drawing on his years of expertise on the track. Given his tenure in F1, he has witnessed numerous changes to the sport. “I think Formula One has changed a lot since my time racing,” Pedro de la Rosa said. “Especially on the technical side with the regulations and how the teams operate. But at its core, the sport is still the same. It is about maximising performance, working as a team and finding every small advantage possible.
What I think has changed most is the global reach of F1. Today the audience is younger and more international, and fans want to understand more of what happens behind the scenes. Drivers are also expected to show more of their personality now, which is very different compared to my generation.
de la Rosa enjoys coming to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. “Montreal is a unique one because it is the only Canadian race on the calendar,” de la Rosa said. “The city brings a very different atmosphere compared to many other Grands Prix. There is a strong European influence in the culture and the feel of the city, but at the same time it still has the energy of a major North American sporting event. During Grand Prix week, you really feel the whole city embraces F1. It does not feel like an event happening only at the circuit, it feels like the entire city becomes part of the race weekend.”
As Aston Martin Aramco ambassador, de la Rosa offered a glimpse into what it is like in the team’s paddock. “Right now, the whole team is very focused on improving performance,” he said. “We know this takes time and it is part of a long-term journey, but there is a very strong sense that everyone is working closely together towards the same objective.
From a technology perspective, Formula One is more advanced than ever, and we have invested heavily in that area over the last few years. But for me, the most important thing is
always the people. We have some of the best engineers, technical and commercial minds in the sport, all pushing in the same direction. There is a real passion and commitment from everyone, whether it is trackside or back at the AMRTC. Even something simple like the CELSIUS run club reflects that mindset. People are motivated, competitive and always looking to improve.
The 55-year-old de la Rosa looks like he would be good to go around the circuit. “I have always been someone who needs to stay active,” he said. “Sport has been an important part of my life, and since I retired from racing, I follow the same routine. I always try to train 5-6 days a week in order to keep my energy levels high and also keep a positive and optimistic attitude. Sporting makes me a happier person.
As you can see, even now, away from the cockpit, my routine matters. CELSIUS has worked its way into my routine and sometimes I’ll grab one before a long day as it just gets me fueled and ready to go.”
de la Rosa closed noting the importance of the partnership Aston Martin Aramco has with CELSIUS. “F1 is fundamentally about performance and pushing human and mechanical limits,” he said. “It’s a sport that demands focus and energy at all times. CELSIUS is a brand built around exactly that philosophy: active people who want to be at their best, whether that’s on a race circuit or in their everyday lives.”