Finding the balance: Behind the Visor with Victor Martins

It’s a season that’s only going to get busier from this point onward, so we sat down with ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins for an in-depth discussion about how he balances racing alongside all he has going on in his life.

From making the most of his travelling schedule to experiencing and soaking up as much as he can learn out of the cockpit, the Frenchman opened up about what he values and what the future might hold.

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“I like to play a lot of sports. I try to experience as much as I can. Any opportunity I get, I go and just try things. I’ve always loved sport, since I was a kid. I did gymnastics competitively when I was 11 years old. But sports have been part of what I do for 80% of my life.

“I enjoy cooking, cinema, going to events but a lot of those are related to motorsport anyway. And if not, enjoying life and seeing friends.

“I’ve recently started Padel. I think there’s a competition in the paddock, but I’ve not managed to line up my schedule to play yet. I enjoy running, it’s not a sport but it’s still something you can do with friends. You can go out and explore more, experience a city or places like that.

“Food-wise, with everywhere we travel, I love to try the food. I love going out to restaurants, I’m a foodie. I love French cuisine obviously, Italian cuisine is amazing, Japanese food also. I will learn a lot from Ritomo this year! I need to get a list of places to go from him. But French, Italian and Japanese food, I love.

“Cooking food though…I’m OK! I’d say average. I can cook some simple dishes. Fish or meat with some good carbs and vegetables. I think I’m a good cook in terms of cooking for athletes. I could open an athlete’s restaurant when I’m finished with my career.

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“I also like coffee. I’m not super into it like some people are, but I really like it. If I have an opportunity one day, I’d open my own shop, or a winery. I tried Valtteri Bottas’ wine in Sydney and I imagine myself doing something similar in the future. It’s on the to-do list.

“I like wine, but only out of the racing season! It’s something I’ve become more interested in as I’ve gotten older. I’m interested now in learning about the culture. I went to a wine cellar this one time, and I got to make my own. I still have two bottles at home. They’re named ‘Domain Martins and Son’

“I shouldn’t be the one coming up with the name though if it’s something I do later on. I’ll put other people in charge of that! It can be someone else’s problem. I will focus on driving the cars for now.”

“Separately, I love travelling. I went to Sydney ahead of Melbourne and I should go to Australia more often for holiday. Mentally, I arrived, and I was in race preparation mode. Eat, sleep, race repeat. But I’d like to go back, visit Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, do the Gold Coast.

“Back in Europe, Corsica, maybe this summer I might go to Greece. I’ve never been, so that’s something to look forward to.

“I’ve got plans about what I’d want to do after, but only after I’ve achieved my goals. My brother has his business and it’s interesting to see how he works. He likes to work a lot. Owning his own thing, developing the project. It’s really interesting to see. Maybe he will be the head of the coffee shop or the winery!

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“I like life and experiencing different cultures, those new things. One day and one new thing. Racing is obviously number one, but I was talking with Sami Meguetounif and we are the exact same: Racing is first, everything else automatically comes second to that.

“Sometimes that can get in the way of plans. I remember last year I drove a Formula 1 car for the first time, but I’d had holidays planned and everything. It wasn’t fully cancelled but maybe delayed or moved around. I had no problem with it.

“My girlfriend, she wasn’t upset, she knew that it was my aspiration in life and where I was aiming to get, but things had to be moved around. That’s just how it has to be to reach where we want to go.”