Video games, vegetarian chilli and racing down under: Getting to know the real Olli Caldwell

Campos Racing’s Olli Caldwell heads back to familiar sights next weekend, as Formula 2 returns to Barcelona – the home of the rookie’s first victory in Formula 3 last year.

We sat down with the Alpine junior to find out all about how he stays competitive away from the track, his must-see movies and living next to an F2 Champion.

__WHERE DO YOU CONSIDER HOME? __

“I grew up in Winchester, Hampshire in the UK. A long, long time ago, it used to be the very old capital city of the UK before London was. It's a big city and it's got a really big cathedral. It was great. I went to a small school, all my friends lived very close, so I really enjoyed it.” 

__WHO INSPIRES YOU? __

“Not my performance coach! I'm going to go with a racing driver - Lewis Hamilton. I think it's a pretty standard answer some people might say, but no one else has achieved what he has in the sport. I'm in the sport the same as him and I would love to achieve what he has.” 

__HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM THE TRACK? __

“I like to play tennis, paddle - which Europeans might know a bit more than English people and play computer games. 

“My favourite one is called Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Competitive game but it’s fun to take my mind off something. 

“I'm not the worst at tennis, but I'm not the best. In Europe, I try and play every time I come away because the weather is a bit better. In the UK, not as much as I would like, maybe once, twice a month.” 

__WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS ON THE GRID? __

“I'd say Oscar (Piastri) is a very good friend. I lived just down the corridor from him, so I get on well with him. Who else do I know here? Robert (Shwartzman) of course being in PREMA, Dan Ticktum, pretty much all the people who live in England!” 

__WHAT MEAL WOULD YOU COOK TO IMPRESS SOMEONE? __

“I can't cook much…a vegetarian chilli I can cook quite well.”

__IF YOU WEREN’T A DRIVER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? __

“I studied business studies and economics, so probably something in that region – I barely passed my exams.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOVIE?

“Any of the Marvel ones. I really like Thor: Ragnarok, that's probably my favourite.” 

__WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE MUSICAL ARTIST? __

“Halsey, I just really like her songs.”

__WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A RACING DRIVER? __

“The travel. I don't get to see as much of countries as I would like, but it's always cool to be able to jump on a plane pretty much every other weekend and see new places.” 

__YOUR FAVOURITE RACING MEMORY? __

“Quite recently was my first win in Barcelona in Formula 3. That was a big win for me, to be able to win in front of Formula 1, on the TV, on the Formula 1 podium.”

__FAVOURITE PLACE YOU’VE EVER BEEN AND ONE PLACE YOU’D LIKE TO VISIT? __

“Favorite place I've been is Australia. I raced in the Bathurst 12 Hours at the beginning of 2020, before the world went weird. I went to Sydney for two weeks. Amazing place, one of my favourite places I've ever been to.

“A place I want to visit is Hawaii. I was meant to go to Hawaii after Austin, but Austin got cancelled so I had to cancel my holiday there.”