Cycling into the pool and winning at home: Getting to know the real Josep María Martí

Josep María Martí has certainly made a name for himself amongst Formula 2 fans so far this year, but how much do we really know about the Campos Racing driver?

Well, we recently sat down with the Spaniard to discuss everything, from his favourite athletes to the time he fell in the pool.

WHERE DO YOU CONSIDER HOME?

“For me home is Barcelona, it's my hometown.”

OUTSIDE OF MOTORSPORT WHICH ATHLETE DO YOU LOOK UP TO?

“Probably Rafael Nadal. I think he has been such an icon in Spain for so many years. His determination, a person that shouldn't have even played this sport and goes on to be one of, if not the greatest to do it. It just shows so much about him and the determination it takes to be the best.”

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WHO ARE YOU GOOD FRIENDS WITH ON THE GRID?

“I think we all respect each other quite a lot. Obviously, I'm good friends with Isack, he's a nice guy and being a teammate with him I think we've grown to be good friends off the track. Obviously, I get along with Jak, Kimi, Ollie, we've known each other for a lot of years, but friends is a difficult term, so it's hard to say it, I don't know if they will call me it back. Friends, in F3, which is my more recent grid of the guys I've been with, probably Christian, Nikola Tsolov, Luke Browning, Dino, Gabriele, my generation more or less.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHEAT MEAL?

“I don't really have one. Actually, I do. Chocolate Coulant. The melted brownie, I'm not sure how you call it in English. It's really good with the vanilla ice cream on top, that's a good one.”

IF YOU COULD RELIVE A MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER WHAT WOULD IT BE?

“I mean sporting wise, Barcelona last year, but outside of that, I don't think there is a specific point I would go back to. I've had a lot of highs in my life, a lot of great moments, I've spent lots of years in school, with a lot of my best friends, and last year I had a really nice moment when I received the grades back and you're done with school and you've passed everything you wanted to pass, so that's a rewarding moment. Moments like that are where you feel really happy with yourself and proud that you made it through.”

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WHAT WOULD YOU DO AS A JOB IF YOU COULDN’T BE A RACING DRIVER?

“I'd say probably an engineer. I'd still be in the motorsport world because I love it and I probably would have found myself here somehow.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE OR TV SHOW?

“Recently I've been changing a lot. I used to watch many different things and recently I watched anime for the first few times and that's been pulling me in quite a lot. There is a boxing one called Hajime no Ippo, that one is really good, I really like that one, it's a really good show.

"Film, that's really hard, not sure, maybe Italian Job or Baby driver, those are some good ones, or Oppenheimer, it's really good.”

WHAT IS THE LAST SONG THAT YOU LISTENED TO?

“On the way here to the track, Englishman in New York by Sting, that was a change but it’s a great song.”

WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST/MOST EMBARASSING THING YOU’VE DONE?

“I don’t really remember it, but it must have been quite funny. We had a pool where I used to live and I was cycling round it, I was like six, and I had my PJs on and I was just cycling at like 9pm or whatever, and I fell into the pool with the bike. That has to be up there somewhere. I don't remember it, but that's a good one. Not sure my mum was very happy about it.

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WHAT IS YOUR DREAM BIRTHDAY CAKE?

“It's not a cake but the apple crumble. It's really good. A sweet apple crumble with vanilla ice cream.”

IF YOU COULD RELIVE A MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER WHAT WOULD IT BE?

“Probably winning last year in Barcelona, it was good.”

WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?

“It’s going to sound really spiritual but my friends. It's really hard to keep friends when you are away for so long and I have a really tight group of friends that I belong to and it really helps when you can get back home and you can go do something with them, and you go out and have dinner, it helps you disconnect and also my family.”

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

“To follow the process. My dad says this all time that you have to follow a plan because if you don't and you are not organised and don’t have a tight schedule, you are going to fall out at some point. So, to follow a plan was his advice to me when I started racing and for life also. It's good advice.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO AND ONE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO THAT YOU’D LIKE TO VISIT?

“I don't have one. I have a lot of places I've really liked, like London, Berlin, Melbourne, a lot of places I've really liked. Not one stood out more to me and one that I would like to see probably Tokyo.”