Yes, this is a re-post. Last week I have made an interview session with Piero Longhi. An Italian Rally Champion. A successful pilots that starts from an Opel Kadett 2000.
It such a great honor to interviewing you.
We all know that you are a famous rally driver. Not only in Italy, also part of this world knowing you as a WRC racer.
f1dv.com: So actually, when did you get involved in this racing world environment?
In what age?
Piero Longhi: I Started at the age of 20 years because we wanted first two years of license
f1dv.com: What is the first vehicles did you drove?
Do you have a special story abut that?
Piero Longhi: My first car was an Opel Kadett 2000.
This car was my brother that I then turned into rally car and I did my first race in 1986
f1dv.com: What is your first race?
Piero Longhi: The first rally was the TEAM 971 in 1986.
A rally that sailed in the Torino area.
I was unable to finish the race because I had a technical problem that I solved but I run out of time
f1dv.com: Please tell us about your story (in short), from the first time you can drive a car until you become an Italian Rally Champion in 2000.
Piero Longhi: After several years in the rally area I did one that I won the TROFEO FIAT UNO in 1990.
The following year I took the renowned Grifone team for me to run with a Lancia Delta.
In 1991 I won the trophy Aperol and in 1993 second in the Italian Championship.
I won the Italian championship in 2000 with a Toyota and again in 2005 with a Subaru.
Now I run with a Skoda Super 2000 next year, hoping to bring home the third Italian title
f1dv.com: What is the best achievement in your rally career?
Please tell us about it. Why did you think it is the best?
Piero Longhi: I think the best result was in 2000, after winning the Italian championship with Toyota Corolla wrc, i do the SanRemo rally, I attended the World Championship and that was before I retire for a run off the road I was 4th overall.
Prior to the retreat I had also done the second time in just 2 seconds overall behind Panizzi who then won the race
f1dv.com: I saw a Valentino Rossi picture in your site, pierolonghi.it.
Can you tell me about that?
Piero Longhi: Valentino and I we met in 1997 at the Rally of Monza.
On that occasion I acted as navigator to Valentino that he had run with a Renault Megane kit.
In recent years we meet again in Monza where we participate in the Monza Rally Show.
Both in 2007 and in 2008 I won against him the challenge of the Master Show.
If you go to my website you can see movies that challenge
f1dv.com: Do you like Formula 1?
Piero Longhi: I love formula 1.
At the age of 10 years following only the formula 1 and the rally did not even know what they were.
f1dv.com: What do you think about that?
Piero Longhi: I think that even there is a bit of crisis … BMW will retire next year and is news today that Toyota will withdraw
f1dv.com: Do you have a favorite formula 1 team?
What is that?
Piero Longhi: As a team ferrari, of course, because is Italian.
As for my favorite drivers are Alonso – Hamilton and Kubica.
Kubica also know him personally because he is also very passionate Rally
f1dv.com: Kimi Raikkonen (Formula 1 racing driver) has a plan to switch his career to WRC.
What do you tink about that?
Piero Longhi: Kimi in the Rally would be great because a name like his would much publicity in this discipline that is not widely followed by the media.
Will not be easy for him because he does not know the races and especially not accustomed to the navigator.
So we should have patience to learn and then point to the results
f1dv.com: Some of my blog readers are also a racer.
Would you give them a little suggestion about race in general?
Any tips and tricks maybe so they could be a winner like you too.
Piero Longhi: It is not easy to answer this question because to succeed in motorsport in general it takes many ingredients … talent … money … luck
Surely we must put much effort and they do not become discouraged if things do not go the right way
f1dv.com: What is your current activities?
I’ve heard that you run a rally club. Can you tell us about that?
Piero Longhi: I also hope this year and next year I will race with the Skoda Super 2000 Rally Team Skoda Team Italy in the Italian championship.
I also work for the team Aimont that until now manages the Grp N Subaru WRC
f1dv.com Well thanks for your time to take this interview session.
Last question.
You are the first person to be interview and publish at my blog.
What do you feel about that?
Piero Longhi: Thank you for this interview, which also allows me to make myself known to a foreign audience.
These initiatives, in my opinion, are very interesting and also allows the people and fans to know a little more pilots
f1dv.com: Thank you for your time to take this interview session.
Piero Longhi: Thank.
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Related posts:
- Interview with Piero Longhi, an Italian Rally Champion
- The end is the beginning
- Ferrari Ready to Release Kimi
Tags: Interview Session, piero longhi, wrc