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First Champ Car Race To Watch: |
“I have watched Champ Car racing since the early 90’s when Nigel Mansell was driving for Newman/Haas.”
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First Full Season In Champ Cars: |
2003.
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Most Recent Championship: |
2004 & 2005 Champ Car World Series.
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First Time To Lead A Champ Car Race: |
Led the first 30 laps in his Champ Car debut in St. Pete and became the first driver in the 25 year history of the series to lead the first laps of his inaugural Champ car race. He also set the fastest race lap.
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First Champ Car Win: |
England 2003 (4th start).
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First Champ Car Pole: |
By earning the pole position in his Champ car debut in St. Pete, he became the first driver to accomplish the feat since Nigel Mansell won the pole in his Champ Car debut in 1993 (Australia) – also while driving for NHLR.
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First Indy 500: |
2005 Indy 500. Started 15th, was fifth with 1.5 laps to go but a cut tire led to a crash. Finished 12th.
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First 500-Mile Victory: |
To come. “I had an outside shot at winning the Indy 500 by being in the lead pack with 1.5 laps to go but crashed due to a cut tire. I raced in the 24 Hours of Spa twice and the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times.”
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First Champ Car Million: |
Earned $1,168,500 in prize money in ’05, $1,693,500 in ’04 and $909,000 in ‘03.
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First Time in a Champ Car: |
December 18, 2002 at Sebring International Raceway.
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Business Interests: |
Keeping my racing career going and balancing my checkbook.
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Siblings: |
Only child.
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Hobbies: |
I like to go to the cinema and to the beach. But over anything, I’m a true sportsman who likes to push his own limits.
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To Stay In Shape: |
I’m cycling a lot these days because there are lots of very good trails in St. Pete, but I also run, swim, kayak and do some fitness sessions (weight training). |
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Personal Vehicle: |
Black Ford Mustang GT & silver Mercedes ML350. |
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Favorite Group/Song: |
I used to like Radiohead a lot (especially the album Ok Computer), but my current favorite group is Franz Ferdinand. |
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Favorite US TV Show: |
I’m not a big fan of TV shows. |
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Favorite Actor/Actress: |
I don’t really have a favorite one but I like Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Kevin Costner, Angelina Jolie and Paul Newman (of course). |
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Favorite Movie: |
“Jour de Tonnerre” (French) which was “Days of Thunder” with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. I was fairly young when I first saw it and I watched it at least fifty times. More generally I’m a big movie fan and I saw much better ones over the years. “Lord of the Rings,” “Phone Booth,” … well I’ve got to stop because the list is too long !!! |
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Favorite Book: |
“Les Fourmis” (“The Ants”) by Bernard Werber, a French book. But I also really enjoyed “The Unfair Advantage” by Mark Donohue that Craig (my engineer) gave me. It’s a great story. |
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Favorite Childhood Game: |
Riding my motorbike until the night (during all my holidays). |
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Favorite Food: |
My weakness is a crepe with vanilla ice cream, banana and hot fudge chocolate. |
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What I Make To Eat At Home: |
Nearly everything, but mostly pasta recipes. |
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Favorite Recipe: |
Lobster ravioli. |
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What I Got In Trouble For As A Child: |
I wouldn’t eat the cucumbers and I still don’t like them. |
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Favorite Vacation Spot: |
Skiing in the Alpes. |
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Favorite Race City: |
Monaco is my favorite of the cities I have already raced at, but I really love St. Petersburg (where I live now). |
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Favorite Race Track: |
Spa-Francorchamps but Elkhart Lake is very close. |
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Favorite Restaurant: |
In St. Pete - Tokyo Sushi Bar, and in France - a small restaurant in Le Mans called “L’auberge du Pont Rouge.” |
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Most Memorable Racing Achievements: |
My first professional title in French Formula 3. Winning two championships for Newman/Haas and testing an F 1 car. |
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What I Admire Most In Others: |
Honesty. |
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Racing Hero: |
Ayrton Senna. |
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Greatest Influence In Life: |
My Dad. |
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Motorized Vehicles I’ve Driven: |
Motorbikes, ATV, jet ski, trucks, rally car, sprint cars, baha buggy. |
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Advice To Young Drivers: |
Work, work, work and have fun when driving racing cars |
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Best / Worst Part Of Job: |
Best – qualifying.
Worst – when you are close to achieving a target (win a race or a championship) and the car fails. |
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First Job: |
2003 with NHLR. |
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First Street Car: |
Clio diesel. |
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Significance Of Helmet Design: |
The design was decided by my first sponsor (Duval Espace Fenetre – a company which produces windows and doors in France). |
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Favorite Drink With Dinner: |
Sparkling water and wine. |
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Favorite Drink In Off Season: |
Pina Colada. |
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Good Weekend Night Out: |
Have a nice dinner with my wife and friends, and watch a good movie. |
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What I Would Like To Be If I
Wasn’t a Driver: |
Computer expert. |
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What I Would Like To Do After I Retire: |
I don’t even want to think about it!!! |
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Languages I Speak: |
I speak French and English. |
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Things You’ll Never See Me Without: |
My glasses!!! |
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Musical Instruments I Can Play: |
I played the electronic keyboard for a long time but stopped. And I’m currently trying to learn how to play guitar as I won a great Gibson in Cleveland, but it’s really hard! |
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If Given $1 Million to Spend I
Would Buy: |
Right now, I don’t have particular needs so I would probably invest it. However, if it would just be money to spend or nothing, I’d buy a jet ski, an ATV, and on… Basically anything that I’m not suppose to use (!!!) |
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