Paul Aron: My Greatest Influences

12 June 2024

After just five rounds in his rookie season, Paul Aron’s fine form sees him at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. But he would not be here without a few people, and he is here to tell us all about them.

The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver talks about those that have had the biggest influence in not only his career but also his life, starting first of all with his brother, Ralf.

RALF ARON

“I started go karting basically because of my brother, when I was young, I would see him race and I was looking up to him. Basically, that first memory I have of life is being trackside and watching Ralf race and I wanted to do it straight away as well.

“If you see your big brother who you look up to racing karts, as a young boy I loved engines, karts, I loved speed, so I wanted to do it as well. He was the one that started my love for motorsport, and he has helped me throughout my whole career.

“To this point he has been managing me, so Ralf has definitely had the biggest influence on my career out of anyone. The decisions, which teams we drive for, which career path we take, is all being done by him so he has had a big influence since I was young, he has taught me a lot in racing so if there is one person that my career wouldn't be possible without, it would be Ralf.

“It's not like he is telling me what to do, it doesn't work like that. This is still my career and I need to figure out how I want to drive, and some mistakes you have to make yourself to learn from them but with his experience, especially on how to manage the teams and how to manage the people around you, he can help me a lot on that.

Aron takes advice from his older brother but is also learning how best to drive by himself

“Driving wise, everybody has to drive how they think the car needs to be driven, someone cannot teach you to drive, that just has to come from you but what he can really help me with is how to manage the environment around you and all of that which is a big part of racing actually.

“Saying the wrong things to the wrong people can end your career and at the same time saying the right things at the right time can give you a chance that normally you wouldn't have. He is very helpful on that side, and I am sure I have avoided many mistakes and done many good decisions just because of him.”

PARENTS

“It's a simple answer but I would say it has to be my mum and dad because in the end they are the ones that gave me the opportunity to race. We always had a deal since I was young that they would give me the opportunity to race if that is what I want to do but I need to make sure that I am also doing well in school.

“On the side I was playing football as well so I played football for seven years and they wanted to make sure that if racing is something I want to do I am a hundred percent sure about doing it and they wanted to make sure that I had a plan B which was that I do well in school and that I tried other things as well which was for example football.

“I was fine with that deal because I got to do something which I loved which was racing and for me doing well in school was a very fair trade off. Obviously throughout my career when I started doing well and we decided that we are going to commit to this career they offered a lot of support and I think from an early age they have taught me discipline and the way I am now is definitely a reflection of what they have taught me and the job they have done from when I was young.

"I certainly would not be as intelligent and as mature, obviously there is still a way to go, and you can always do better, but I think the level of maturity and intelligence I have now is definitely due to the teaching and the way they have brought me up.

“From an early age I didn't like them at the track because I went to school and I had a normal life in Estonia and when I went to racing it felt like I was free, it was my dream land, I didn't have my parents there so I wouldn't say I could do whatever I wanted but it felt like that because I didn't have my parents there.

“I was racing which I loved so it felt like escaping everything, it was like a dream wonderland, and I felt like when my parents came to the races, I was a bit restricted, so they came to a few races than many. Now we have a clear structure that when they come to races, I don't see them before Qualifying, I see them after, I don't see them before races, I see them after.”

Aron also talked about the influence of his trainer Karl

KARL PARJAMAE

“I think Karl, my trainer. He has a long history with my family because he worked with Ralf already when he was racing and for a few years now he has also followed me and spending so much time away from home, it's nice to have someone who is a friend to you and you can speak your own language with them and Karl is really good at understanding me basically.

“So, I've done a lot of mental work with him and sometimes it's hard to see what you are doing wrong by yourself, and Karl is very good at giving me the view from the outside and it has helped me a lot. I have managed to improve a lot because of him and generally when things have not gone well, he has really helped me come out of it and find my motivation again.

“So, he's really someone that reads me well and I really enjoy my time with him. When he comes to races, it always feels fun, I never feel like I am doing my job, I feel like I am having fun, it doesn’t feel like I should earn money for what I am doing because I am enjoying it so much. I remember the days I went to the track alone, even if you have a good relationship with the team, it always felt a bit lonely, so having him has definitely helped me on that side.

“Karl is also a chiropractor so when I have a crash or something and I need some medical help, he is the person who can actually help me so it's not that he is just here for being a friend to me. He actually has a medical degree, he has a clinic in Estonia so he can help me a lot physically when I had some big crashes in the past, he has helped me recover from them, so it's kind of a double benefit for me.

“Travelling-wise we don't travel together too often because I come to the track earlier and I try to give him as much time as possible because he has a clinic in Estonia and every time he is away from there it's difficult for him and as much as I can I try to travel with him because I enjoy it and so far we has been able to make it work time wise.”