Abu Dhabi: For most motorsport fans, just watching this year’s thrilling Formula One title battle between Mercedes rivals Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on television has been exhilarating enough.
But for the BBC’s F1 presenter Suzi Perry, it’s quite simply been an ‘annus mirabilis’ after witnessing at close quarters the drama and intrigue of some of the finest sporting theatre in recent history.
Perry reflected on this ‘gripping’ action in an exclusive telephone interview with Gulf News, in which she also revealed the most and least amenable drivers on the grid — and how former stars such as two-time world champion Niki Lauda exude a relaxed charm and humour not possessed by today’s ultra-serious and professional F1 brigade.
It’s her second season as anchor for the BBC’s F1 coverage after 13 years covering MotoGP for the corporation — she prowls the pit lane with co-presenters Britain’s former F1 driver David Coulthard and ex-Jordan boss Eddie Jordan — so how does she assess this year in comparison to previous seasons?
“In the modern era, it’s been very memorable,” the affable Englishwoman replied, ahead of this weekend’s Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “If we go back to start of the season, many people thought than less than half the field would finish the first race with the new technical changes. I think from a technical point of view, the season has gone pretty well.
“There have been some reliability issues, which for some of the teams have added certain amount of jeopardy to proceedings. There has also been exciting new blood come through such as [Red Bull’s] Daniel Ricciardo, who has been outstanding, Valtteri Bottas [at Williams Martini Racing] and Daniil Kvyat [of Toro Rosso-Renault]. Then the racing at Mercedes has been astonishing between the two drivers [Hamilton and Rosberg].
“Watching their story unfold has been really gripping this year.”
Does she feel their fierce rivalry went too far at any stage, including when Rosberg admitted an error of judgement when colliding with his teammate at the Belgian Grand Prix in August?
Perry said: “No, I don’t think so. It doesn’t surprise me at all what happened. It was inevitable that when you have one prize and two roosters walking around wanting the prize, they’re going to fall out. It was quite a spectacular fallout, but because they were friends, I think it was maybe a stronger fallout, because they know each other so well.”
“It shows that they both want the title and made it interesting watching it on track and off track, to see which way it would go,” she added. “I think it was handled in a non-corporate way by Mercedes, which is better for both as it allowed them to race properly. Maybe other people ruling the team would have dictated to them from early on. It wouldn’t have been so exciting for us race fans. I think it’s been spectacular for us to watch.”
Hamilton and Rosberg’s ferocious face-off has provided more than enough entertainment to sate most sports fans’ lust for cut-throat competition.
Can Perry provide any shocking revelations either on or off the track, though?
The 44-year-old said: “I think it does that [shock] on its own, without me telling you anything. It’s a sport that does air its dirty laundry in public from time to time. I find some of the stuff quite shocking to report on, so I don’t think I need to add to what you hear on broadcast.
“What’s shocking? The changes of opinion and the decisions that are made.”
Perry cites Hamilton’s victory over Rosberg in April’s Bahrain Grand Prix — “I thought that was an outstanding race” — as her standout memory of the season so far.
“Off track, it’s things like speaking to race engineers, who tell you things that have been said on team radio,” she added. “Daniel Ricciardo has been brilliant on team radio — I wish they would broadcast more of his comments.
“For example, when he passed Fernando Alonso for the win [at the Hungarian Grand Prix in June], he said on team radio: “And ladies, that’s how you do it”. [laughs]. That’s the human side of Formula One, which we need to portray even more. Little gems like that, I really like.
“Yet more bits of information away from the track. If you are out having a beer, learn more loads about the drivers than you would ever at the track. It’s so closed. They get to work and they clam up and everyone around them clams up as well. It’s very difficult to get anything new information.
“It’s like this whole saga with Fernando Alonso. Is he going to sign for McLaren or is he waiting for Mercedes? You find out much more when you’re away talking to people in a relaxed environment.”
Opportunities to socialise with the drivers are rare, so Perry and her crew have to rely on pre and post-race interviews for an insight into their varied personalities.
Who does she believe is the funniest driver?
“I think Daniel Ricciardo is the most open and funny,” she said. “He has a very British sense of humour and is very full of life and breath of fresh air. He sort of messes about in the interviews.
“Nico Rosberg has quite a strong wit. He’s very direct, so that can also be quite fun. Lewis [Hamilton] has been a lot more relaxed this year, which is quite cool. We haven’t really interviewed [defending champion] Sebastian Vettel much this year, but he also has a very British sense of humour
“I think Romain Grosjean [of Lotus] has quite a good level of wit. He’s come out with some classics this year. I also enjoy chatting to Jenson [Button]. I think he’s the number one ambassador for Formula One. It would be a massive shame if he wasn’t there.”
As for the most surly, there’s only one winner: Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, known as ‘The Iceman’ for his coolness under pressure and icy-cold demeanour.
Perry said: “Kimi is the kind of guy you’d want to have a beer with, but you don’t want to necessarily want to chat to him if he’s had a bad race. He mumbles a lot and is not interested in the media, but I don’t dislike him.
“I think he’s awesome. He doesn’t give amazing interviews, so Kimi is quite tough.”
In contrast, retired F1 drivers are far more open and willing to share anecdotes or jokes, particularly Mercedes’ non-executive chairman Lauda.
Perry said: “He’s hilarious. He’s got a great sense of humour, he’s hugely charming, so I can imagine what he’s been like over the years. He’s a typical ex-world champion in that respect.”
Yet points and not personalities matter in the final analysis, and it’s current championship leader Hamilton who Perry believes deserves the title — “although I have to be impartial for the BBC” — due to his 10 wins to Rosberg’s five.
Perry also hopes the double-points system being used for the first time at the F1 finale in Abu Dhabi — the winner gets 50 as opposed to the normal 25 — does not decide the outcome.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” she said. “It’s a gimmick and I am happy to hear it’s not going to continue.”
It’s one of the few low notes of what’s been a brilliant symphony of sport — one which will be appositely ended by legendary British rockers ‘The Who’ playing an eagerly-awaited after-race concert at the du Arena on Sunday.
“I think I am going with [1996 world champion and pundit for Sky Television] Damon Hill, so there’s an amalgamation of Sky and BBC people that want to go,” Perry said.
To paraphrase lead singer Roger Daltrey and co, it’s clear that Perry will be ‘talking about this generation’ of richly gifted F1 stars for years to come.
