Introducing,
Manuel (Manu) Saez Merino Molina,
Spain’s most likely successor to Fernando Alonso
If I knew then what I know now I would have paid attention to Fernando Alonso. I would have followed his every professional move. I would have documented everything about him that was not private. I would have run a blogspot dedicated to him. I would have had faith that one day he would reach the top of his game. If only!
Well, I’m not about to make the same mistake of omission again. My path has crossed with that of Manuel, a student at Cambridge House Community College, now in his final year, but also fully engaged in racing competitions in the Formula Three Euroseries.
Driver’s Seat has made the judgment call that Manuel is definitely the one to watch of all of the up and coming racing stars. Therefore, this column will monitor closely his progress and give him our support throughout thick and thin. He is headed for the top because he is focused, his feet are planted firmly on the ground, and he is determined.
With so much going on in his life outside the traditional classroom, most young people in the same situation would find it extremely difficult to concentrate on academic studies, but Manuel does realize the importance of a good sound education. In the world of tomorrow in which today’s young people will come to inherit, competition will be fierce in many respects. For Manuel it will be so, both on and off the race circuit. And so, he makes the time to keep up his A-level studies.
He comes from a racing family, following in his famous father’s footsteps. Manuel got the racing bug at the age of six when his father placed him in a go-cart. The smile that came over his face said it all: this is me! This is what I was born to do, and I will make it to the top.
“Manu”, as he is known affectionately, is now 18 years of age, but way beyond his years in experience. Of the twelve years that he has been racing, the first ten years were devoted to go-karts during which he rose to the point where he won just about every cup there was, and it was clear that the time had come to move on to bigger and better things.
In the world of Formula racing, the novice would normally start his career in go-Kart racing, and the next step up would be into the arena of Formula Junior 1600 competition. From there the next move is into the Formula Three class, then into GP2 (Grand Prix 2), and the final step is Formula One. Only the best of the best make it to the top class. In 2005, performing under the Racing Engineering umbrella, Manu did exceptionally well in the Eurocup 2.0 series. He was one of the drivers short-listed to be tested in November of that year to move up to Formula 3, and as history has recorded he made the cut.
F3 races are held in a wide variety of countries and on many tracks. A season’s racing card involves nine racing dates with two heats per date, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Apart from locations throughout Europe, including Britain, racing takes place in Australia, South East Asia, Japan, and South America.
The rules and regulations are different between F3 and F1 for very good reasons. A look at both types of cars very quickly tells why: The F3 uses 2.0 litre, 4 cyclinder engines that develop up to 200 horsepower at between 5,000 and 7,400 rpm. The F1 engine is a 2.4 litre, V8 cyclinders, developing up to 740 bhp at about 20,000 rpm. Traction control is not allowed on the F3, but for the F1 it is absolutely essential, otherwise the car will fishtail wildly, there being so much power behind it.
It will easily be appreciated why the move up to the F1 has to be a graduated process. The F1 is in reality an airplane that is not allowed to leave the ground. The governing body that controls the sport, The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, (FIA) with headquarters in Paris, has determined that safety is the primary concern. Since 1994, no driver in Formula racing has died behind the wheel, and they intend to keep it that way.
Our own Manu had a nasty experience in 2006 at the track in Cheste that resulted in a stay in the ICU for three days while under observation following an accident. In spite of a fully engineered survival cell, which is what the driver’s cockpit is called, this is a sport of high speed and the danger must never be underestimated.
What’s next for Manu? At age 18, he has just signed for the GP2 2008 season. The glow of a bright future just got brighter! Go Manu!
Please do not overtake along two-way road systems. Save your life for those who love you!
