UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Exclusive: Mike Conway interview

A chat with Britain's latest IRL driver

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing recently announced Britain's 25-year-old Mike Conway to race for the team in the 2009 IndyCar Series. The former British Formula 3 champion was so kind to take some time to have an exclusive chat with UpdateF1.

UpdateF1: Congratulations on your deal with Dreyer & Reinbold. Could you explain to our readers how that deal came together?

Mike Conway: Dreyer & Reinbold was one of the teams we had been talking to last year and we developed from there. When I was back over for the IRL meeting and medical check, me and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing put pen to paper.

UF1: A lot has been said about the current state of the economy and its influence on American open wheel racing, meaning a lot of teams are looking for pay drivers and many talented drivers are out of a ride. What do you think of that situation?

MC: The whole world is suffering at the moment and cost cutting is happening in every organization. So it has made it very difficult for every race team around the world to find the same sponsorship as they had before.

UF1: You have never raced on ovals before, what are your thoughts about that?

MC: Ovals are something I'm really looking forward to....the racing looks really good, so close all the time! Everyone tells me there is a lot to learn on them so I'm looking forward to the challenge too!

UF1: Since you have so much to learn indeed, what do you think you can bring to the table in terms of performance?

MC: I hope I can bring a lot to the team, I want to win races. It won't be easy in the first year but this is my goal this year. If we all put in the hard work and focus necessary, we should be able to achieve that.

UF1: How much did you know of Dreyer & Reindbold and the IRL in general?

MC: We had done our homework on all the teams and I know Dreyer & Reinbold can do a good job. Gary Neal, the team manager, is doing a good job putting the right people in place and pulling the team together. Technical director Larry Curry has a lot of experience and has a good plan in place for this year in terms of engineering and moving the team forward. Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl are great guys running the team who want results as much as I do!

UF1: You're going to compete in the Indy 500 for the first time. Do you think it's possible for an outsider to imagine how big an event it is?

MC: I know how much the drivers here want to win it and how big a race it is, but I won't know how big it is until I do it in May. It's exciting to know I'll be competing in the Indy 500 this year!

UF1: Are you looking forward to living in the States? Are there a lot of things you are going to miss?

MC: I'll miss a good cup of tea....but I have brought some with me in my bag so hopefully it will taste the same. And also my mum's cooking and my nan's deserts! That said I'm really looking forward to living in Indianapolis, a bit more sun than the UK. I'm at Chicago airport now as I'm writing this.

UF1: Last time we interviewed you, you were leading the points table in British F3. How much have you changed since then as a driver and a person?

MC: 2006 was a great year in F3 and everything seemed to fall in place, you will learn a lot every year about yourself, others and motorsport.

UF1: You then went on to take the championship. A British F3 title has always been a good way to get into F1 and you showed a lot of promise in GP2 as well. Unfortunately, it has become a bit of a lottery to get into F1. How disappointed are you not to find a ride?

MC: It's never easy to find a race seat in F1 and I think you have to finish in the top-2 in GP2 to realistically have a chance to get a seat but that's not for certain either. My 2006 result was what led me to the Honda youth developement programme and I had a great time at Honda. They gave me my first F1 test which is what everybody wants and it all went well. I enjoyed all the things I learned being involved with an F1 team and I'm sorry to see them leave. I hope the team get to race this year. But I'm not sad not be in F1, I'm really looking forward to what lies ahead in the U.S. for me.

UF1: You have said before you admire Michael Schumacher. Would you like to keep on racing single seaters until your late thirties like him or do you plan on competing in other racing categories at that point?

MC: I think I'll always want to compete and always want that winning feeling but if the day comes I don't then maybe it's time to hand up my boots. But hopefully I'll have some grey hair by then...

UF1: Two final - and perhaps difficult - questions:

If you had to choose between winning the Indy 500 and winning a random Formula 1 race, what would you choose?

MC: I think that it would be a bigger achievement winning Indy than a one-off Formula 1 race, but they are both different things and great achievements.

If you had to make three wishes for 2009, what would those be?

MC: Do you own a lamp? I'm sure I haven't been rubbing any to deserve three wishes...but I would have to say:

1. For someone to give me a really nice triathlon bike as I will be doing some this year. Trek, Scott, Orbea...any of these will be sufficient.

2. For Angelina Jolie to bring me breakfast in bed now and then. Hopefully my girlfriend doesn't read this!

3. For 10 more wishes!

UF1: I'll see what I can do! Mike, thank you very much or your time. We wish you the best of luck in IndyCar. Also, our thanks go out to Mike's management 2MB, and Jo Joyce in particular, to make this interview possible.

Filip Cleeren

Written: Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:15:09