Your Voice
Your Voice: Winning is not just for Formula One drivers
We cannot all be F1 drivers, but we can all subscribe to the same success factors winning drivers do.
After the high-speed racing of our Formula OneTM (F1) Team’s drivers at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the 2023 season for the FIA F1 World Championship is underway. For me, the biggest takeaway from the race was not how two-time world champion Max Verstappen drove a superb race to win by an impressive margin, but the distance the Aston Martin Aramco team had already traveled in terms of improvement since last season.
Fernando Alonso, the sport’s and our team’s most experienced driver, won a phenomenal podium finish by crossing the finish line third, while the team’s much younger driver, Lance Stroll, shot beneath the checkered flag to achieve a very creditable sixth place. The dedication exhibited by both drivers to their team and sport was inspirational.
The next race, at the championship’s fastest street circuit, in Jiddah, will soon be upon us on March 19, so I’m sure Saudi race fans will have high hopes for our team there too. Of the Jiddah circuit, Alonso said during his recent visit to Dhahran, “I like it and respect the track as it is very challenging.”
During his recent visit to Aramco, Alonso graciously answered questions put to him by Aramco’s senior vice president of Fuels, Yasser M. Mufti, and the audience. Alonso noted that the sport of F1 is all about performance and achieving perfection, and driving a perfect lap, then repeating that lap all the way to crossing the finish line.
Alonso said he continued to be motivated to win races, even after such a long career in the sport, beginning with his first F1 race in 2001. “I hate losing, which is something I take to everything I do in my life,” he explained.
Dedication, discipline, and willingness to continuously learn about his team’s car and the sport, and staying motivated are clearly all success factors that enabled Alonso to become a champion F1 driver.
We cannot all be F1 drivers, but we can all subscribe to the same success factors that have worked so well for Alonso and enabled him to have a winning career. Whether it’s writing a high-quality conference paper that is accepted for publication, or crossing the finishing line after running a challenging half-marathon, winning is something we’re all capable of accomplishing.
Your Voice reflects the thoughts and opinions of the writer, and not necessarily those of the publication.