The Legacy of Racing: Lisa Schwartz's Journey in Motorsport
TIn this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, we explore the remarkable journey of Lisa Schwartz, a distinguished French-German racing driver who has recently returned to her hometown of Munich following an impressive performance at Le Mans. Lisa's deep-rooted connection to motorsport stems from her family's racing heritage and her early exposure to the sport through her father's career. A key highlight is her experience racing a 1963 E-Type Jaguar—a cherished family heirloom that symbolises her passion for historic racing.
Lisa shares her perspective on the growing popularity of historic motorsport, particularly among younger enthusiasts, emphasising the unique connection these classic vehicles create with the public. We also reflect on the dynamics of racing as a family tradition, offering insight into the motivations and aspirations that fuel her ambition to compete at the highest levels, including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Transcript
I'd like to introduce you to the Backseat Driver Radio Show, a French German racing driver, Lisa Schwartz, who is currently back in her home city of Munich.
Speaker A:Lisa, welcome to the Backseat Radio Driver radio Show.
Speaker B:Thank you very much.
Speaker B:Hello, everyone.
Speaker A:Now, I mean, you've just had a very successful weekend at le Mans.
Speaker A:How did you start racing?
Speaker A:What was.
Speaker A:Is it a family tradition racing, or is it something that.
Speaker A:That attracted you personally?
Speaker B:Yes, you could say it's a family tradition.
Speaker B: cing in historic racing since: Speaker B: I was seven years old back in: Speaker B:And, yes, I basically always came with him, watched him race and have always loved it.
Speaker B:So I kind of started to do karts in maybe when I was about 10 years old, and then, yeah, got into the start racing.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So, I mean, it's You.
Speaker A:You currently race an E type JEG, don't you?
Speaker B:Yes, exactly.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B: A: Speaker B:And, yeah, it has the beautiful color British racing green, which is very.
Speaker A:Don't mind me asking, is it your car?
Speaker A:Is it a family car, or how come you drive that car?
Speaker B:It's a family car.
Speaker B:So I always say it's my father's car, just to be fair, because it's due to him that I'm racing and he allows me to race.
Speaker B:But it's a family car.
Speaker B: n he bought it at Goodwood in: Speaker B:So, yeah, it's a family car.
Speaker A:I mean, it's one of those interesting things.
Speaker A:I've always known the Germans to be extremely interested and extremely keen on British sports cars and such.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:What.
Speaker A:What is it about the cars that we make over here that is so attractive to you guys over there?
Speaker B:Very good question, because we do have a few nice cars as well.
Speaker B:But I think what I love about the Jag is the attention to detail and just all the thought process and kind of blood, sweat, and tears, if you will, that goes into making these beautiful, beautiful cars.
Speaker B:And I always love the E type.
Speaker B:I love all sorts of British cars, but the E type just has this.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Charming effect.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:First of all, of course, it's beautiful.
Speaker B:And, yeah, when you look under the.
Speaker B:Under the car, into the engine, it's just.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Made with such a great work of art.
Speaker A:Was the E Type when you bought it, was it already a racing car, or is it one that your father converted from road specification to racing Specification.
Speaker B:I know it was already a racing car so it belonged to another family, a British family who raced it in a Jaguar only class back in the uk.
Speaker B:And yeah, we kind of just continued to develop it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I mean they are, they are an interesting car to drive.
Speaker A:I mean the E type was described by Enzo Ferrari as the most beautiful car in the world.
Speaker A:And it was one of Sir William Lane's crowning achievements was the E Type.
Speaker A:But they are a car that's an interesting car to race and drive.
Speaker A:How do you find racing it?
Speaker B:Well, from the outside it looks quite, not small, but kind of gentle.
Speaker B:But it's, it's really not.
Speaker B:I mean there, there are harder cars to drive, but it does require some finesse but also some kind of, yeah, determination because the, the car really needs to be handled well and you really need to get to know the car, get to know how it works because it's a very specific way of driving.
Speaker B:And I always admired the drivers actually at Goodwood who drive on Dunlop tires and they kind of go around the corner sliding and that's what makes this car so fast.
Speaker B:So it takes some time to getting used to.
Speaker B:I wouldn't say it's, it's that physically demanding.
Speaker B:I mean in a two hour race it kind of is.
Speaker B:But yeah, it requires a lot of attention, if you will.
Speaker B:So yeah, focus and you really have to kind of form a team with the car.
Speaker A:Now before you got behind the wheel of the Jaguar, you said you raced karts.
Speaker A:What came between the karts and the ETAC Jaguar?
Speaker B:Not much really.
Speaker B:So yeah, I did a few Trek days and some courses with an excellent coach whose name is, he's a French racing driver and I drove with him at Le Mans actually on the Bugatti circuit.
Speaker B:And I drove a Porsche, so modern Porsche, just to get used to a track and learn how to navigate around the track.
Speaker B:And yeah, then I very quickly hopped into the Jackie.
Speaker A:Now, besides Le Mans, which according to our mutual friend Marie Katharine Linney is one of your favorite circuits, where do you race?
Speaker A:Because I mean you cannot just do one race a year.
Speaker A:And Europe has some fantastic circuits and some fantastic historic series.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So I'm very lucky to be able to race at the Peter Rotot events.
Speaker B:So the organizer who does Le Monro Classic and yeah, as maybe some of the audience knows, they organize a championship.
Speaker B:So with, I think this year it's five events with different classes.
Speaker B:So I race in the 60s endurance class and we have a full season of racing.
Speaker A:So what other circuits do you Take in besides Le Mans, so this year.
Speaker B:We have Dijon and then Esorines.
Speaker B:So in Portugal and some other French circuits, so it's Nogaro.
Speaker B:And then in Italy we have usually Monza or Imola or Modgello.
Speaker B:And of course we have the big classics like Spin Bar.
Speaker B:And we also have powder car.
Speaker A:Right now, I mean, anybody who does race knows.
Speaker A:And anybody who doesn't race also realizes that to race, you don't just arrive and climb in a car.
Speaker A:There's all the practice, the qualifying, but there's also the getting yourself ready.
Speaker A:I mean, what do you do to make sure that you are ready to race?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So first of all, I like to get ready in peace.
Speaker B:Make sure the boots are well strapped and my suit is on and I have my helmet ready and everything is in order.
Speaker B:I like to be organized.
Speaker B:And then right before getting in the car, I have a quick chat with my team, so with my mechanics who take amazing care of the car and just know it in and out.
Speaker B:And we just discussed kind of the strategy, the conditions that we're in, because it can quickly change from circuit to circuit.
Speaker B:And yeah, I also do some warm ups, which I found is quite helpful to just calm down a little or if in case I get nervous, but it's usually okay.
Speaker B:And yeah, and then I hop into the par and as soon as the visor goes down, kind of the.
Speaker B:I don't think about anything else anymore.
Speaker A:Well, I mean, one thing a lot of racing drivers do is they have like an exercise regime and everything else.
Speaker A:I mean, do you have like a daily routine you go through to make sure that you're ready to race?
Speaker A:Because the one thing I've always said to people is, especially on the longer races, you will be surprised how.
Speaker A:How tired you become.
Speaker A:Because driving a car at speed for a long time is actually a very tiring thing to do.
Speaker A:And you've got to have got yourself to where you can actually do this.
Speaker B:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker B:You have to endure these two hours or one hour even.
Speaker B:And your reactions have to stay sharp, you have to stay present and, you know, a lot of adrenaline.
Speaker B:So you have to be able.
Speaker B:Your body has to carry you through.
Speaker B:So I do some strength training and conditioning about three or four times a week just to keep my body fit.
Speaker B:And actually it's a thing that I kind of found to be quite useful.
Speaker B:Even though a lot of people might think that historic racing maybe doesn't require as much fitness, modern racing.
Speaker B:But yeah, these cars are still physically demanding and we often drove in the summer.
Speaker B:So in Le Mans we had maybe about 45 degrees in the car.
Speaker B:So yeah, driving in these conditions requires you to be top, fit and ready.
Speaker B:So you stay safe and you have a good race.
Speaker A:Now you're saying your father owns the car.
Speaker A:Is your father part of the team when you're racing?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So since we are driving in the 60s endurance categories as a two hour race and we kind of share the drive.
Speaker B:So you will do one hour and a one hour stint and I will do another one.
Speaker B:And then we also plan on doing demo, classic and spastic subs which also requires.
Speaker A:So how do you find having your father as your teammate and the fact that the car belongs to your father, does it add any extra pressure when you climb behind the wheel of the car?
Speaker B:Well, yeah, of course I'm extra careful because yeah, it's still his, but I found it to be quite nice because we get to share this passion that he, he always loved racing and loved cars and I think it makes him really happy to be able to share that with me.
Speaker B:And yeah, I mean he, he does like to give me advice and try to coach me and maybe sometime though I'll get annoyed.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:And he.
Speaker B:We kind of learned to, yeah.
Speaker B:Not get in each other's way, just give each other and then the necessary advice and.
Speaker B:Yeah, but it works, it works quite.
Speaker A:Well because I mean, there's got to be rivalry.
Speaker A:I mean any teammates, you always want to be the one that's quicker than your teammate and vice versa.
Speaker A:How do you find that?
Speaker A:Do you set out and think, I've got to be a little bit quicker than my father around this?
Speaker A:I've got to put better lap times in than my father.
Speaker B:Oh, yes, absolutely.
Speaker B:It's as they say, your number one rival is your teammate.
Speaker B:Because I think it's a good thing because kind of pushing each other to be better and better.
Speaker B:And if he can do certain lap times in the car, so can I, because it's the same car.
Speaker B:So yeah, I try and get the same lap times in.
Speaker B:But yeah, he always has that saying that the day I'll be consistently faster in all the cars than that Daniel retired.
Speaker A:Because there's always a thing.
Speaker A:It's like friends of mine who race and instruct, they always say that it's always interesting to discover where their pupil who became their teammate is faster.
Speaker A:Like Waldom says, the day that your, the day that your pupil is faster than you are is the time to consider retiring.
Speaker B:I think it also means that you, because you've brought him that far.
Speaker B:So, yeah, I think.
Speaker B:And I think you're happy to see that I'm doing well.
Speaker B:And yeah, there's always rival.
Speaker B:We like to compete against each other.
Speaker A:Now the one thing that is.
Speaker A:And it's the same with rallying, historic racing is becoming increasingly popular for the simple reason people can relate to the cars that they see over modern cars.
Speaker A:I mean, modern racing cars, especially Le Mans, I mean, you've got LMP 1, 2 and 3 and now you've got the new Hypercar series.
Speaker A:These cars of course, bear no resemblance whatsoever to any car you see on the road.
Speaker A:I mean, over in Europe.
Speaker A:How do you find historic racing?
Speaker A:Is the popularity increasing?
Speaker B:Yes, definitely.
Speaker B: ee because I remember back in: Speaker B:So I especially noticed an increase in interest with younger people, younger drivers, younger fans.
Speaker B:So, yeah, it's very nice to see and I think, as you said, it's kind of relatable for the public.
Speaker B:And it's also sometimes I get people coming up to me who are maybe a little older than me and who are telling me, yes, there was kind of a car that made me dream back in the day that I looked at and was a big fan of.
Speaker B:So seeing it drive up on the track is just, yeah, beautiful thing to see and.
Speaker B:Yeah, but I do think it's, it's becoming more and more popular and the drivers are becoming better and better.
Speaker B:So it's, it's quite interesting to see it develop into a real, real championships, real teams who kind of work on these cars.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's great to see.
Speaker A:Now the big thing at the moment is, especially in England down, that conclude in mainland Europe, the encouragement of trying to get more women into racing.
Speaker A:Now the one thing I've always said, and regular listeners to the show will probably be fed up of hearing me say this, a racing driver is a racing driver is a racing driver.
Speaker A:How do you find the attitude is to women races out in mainland Europe, especially in the historics?
Speaker A:And what are your views on these current women only series?
Speaker A:Because a lot of women racing drivers that I know say, well, it's all well and good and they don't mind a woman's, shall we say, championship within the race.
Speaker A:But what are your views on women only racing championships?
Speaker A:Are you happy for them or do you regard that when you race you should race on equal terms with men?
Speaker B:That's a very good question, actually.
Speaker B:Yeah, especially Regarding series like the W series.
Speaker B:So when it was first announced, I was a bit wary because I thought, well, now we're separating men and women, which shouldn't be.
Speaker B:This.
Speaker B:That's the beautiful thing, I think about our sport, that we're able to compete against each other and.
Speaker B:And yeah, I thought maybe we're going in the wrong direction.
Speaker B:But actually as the series progressed, I kind of changed my mind because the intent of this series is not to keep the women and girls in this series and to make kind of a parallel championships to things like WEC or Formula one and make it only for women.
Speaker B:It's kind of a.
Speaker B:A way for these girls to get to know the cars without having immense costs because the costs are covered, which is amazing.
Speaker B:And yeah, it kind of gives them a platform to learn and to be seen.
Speaker B:And I think it's.
Speaker B:Jamie Chadwick is a great example.
Speaker B:So she won the championship and then she got the opportunity to drive another series and gain popularity and maybe gain some.
Speaker B:The attention of sponsors.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I think we shouldn't have.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:These championships in parallel to others so that women can drive in there and just separate the genders.
Speaker B:But I think as they.
Speaker B:To learn and to give them a platform and then allow them to progress into series that are mixed again, that.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:For that purpose, I think it's.
Speaker B:It's a very good idea.
Speaker A:Now in England they are.
Speaker A:They.
Speaker A:Excuse me, in England there's various things in place for.
Speaker A:To encourage women.
Speaker A:Over in Germany, are there series or other organizations or anything like that that are there to encourage women into racing?
Speaker A:Because one of the main problems with motor racing is, and it cannot be denied, racing a car is an expensive pastime.
Speaker A:So are there things out there to try and encourage women into racing?
Speaker A:Because not everything in racing is driving a car.
Speaker A:There's every aspect in the world of motor racing from the mechanics to, shall we say, members of the team and things like that.
Speaker A:Other things over in Germany in place to encourage women into the general sport of multi sport.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So I've seen a few kind of events happening on big race weekends.
Speaker B:So especially in cooperation with Dare to Be different.
Speaker B:So Suzy Wolf's organization.
Speaker B:So yeah, just kind of workshops for girls to get involved, to change a tire and look at the team, look how it's functioning.
Speaker B:So there.
Speaker B:I've seen a few kind of.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Events like this happening, but I think not enough.
Speaker B:I think the.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:The governing body of murders for in Germany could maybe do more.
Speaker B:So they.
Speaker B:They have a pretty good start.
Speaker B:So they.
Speaker B:They kind of Try and get little girls to attend races, watch the, the team dynamic, etc.
Speaker B:But it's.
Speaker B:I don't think it's enough.
Speaker B:So, yeah, I've seen a few things, but there's some work to do.
Speaker A:Is there anything you would like to do or anything you will think of doing to get more women into racing too?
Speaker A:And to promote, shall we say, one thing you mentioned, like the equality of it all?
Speaker A:Because once again, a racing driver is a racing driver.
Speaker A:When I was out there, I can remember that they were lady drivers who you could, you could identify them in the paddock because you could see them.
Speaker A:But when you're actually out on the circuit, the only thing you see in front is a racing car.
Speaker A:And when you look in your rear view mirrors, the only thing you see is a racing car.
Speaker A:But I mean, how.
Speaker A:What would you do to encourage more women into it or until maybe reduce the cost?
Speaker A:Because we've just said it is an expensive sport.
Speaker B:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker B:And I think that kind of hinders a lot of girls from entering the sport because of the high cost.
Speaker B:And also, as you mentioned before, there's a lot of other areas of expertise besides driving.
Speaker B:So being a mechanic, an engineer.
Speaker B:So I think, yeah, doing these kind of days for girls to come to the tracks or maybe get some people together who work in motorsport and go into schools or into.
Speaker B:Yeah, these things, talk about the sport, maybe get them interested.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And allow them to have maybe access to a race and show them around so they can kind of.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Have a, have a day within the paddock and someone showing them around explaining everything.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, and also I think, I can't remember the name of the organizer, but there was a track day for women actually at the Salzburg ring.
Speaker B:It was done by a German organizer and they had a driving instructor, a wooden woman who was an instructor for Porsche and some other female drivers.
Speaker B:And they kind of had a track day for women to get to know the circuit and just have a, their first experience on a track.
Speaker B:So I think these kind of things are, are nice as well, just for them to kind of enter this world and see what it's all about.
Speaker A:Now, besides what you're doing, I mean, where you are young, you told us when you started looking, what year you started watching, etc.
Speaker A:So it's not, it's not difficult to work out how old you are, though I won't actually say how old you are.
Speaker A:It's not the dumb thing to say how old the lady.
Speaker A:I mean, where do you see your racing going?
Speaker A:Because at some point, as you said, when you start to consistently beat your father, he will retire.
Speaker A:Do you have ambitions to move on in racing or do you want.
Speaker A:Do you just wish to stop within historics?
Speaker B:I thought about this a lot, actually.
Speaker B:So when I was, I think 19, I kind of realized how the system worked and how you could progress in modern racing cars.
Speaker B:Or maybe I've already caught on to that a little earlier on and I thought about going into modern racing cars, maybe single seaters, but I kind of sticked with historics because it was the most convenient thing because my dad was already in the sport.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah, and actually I think it's great for gaining experience because it's an easy way for me to access motorsport.
Speaker B:But I am actually thinking about the opportunities that could present themselves and maybe moving to some more modern cars.
Speaker B:I mean, I would love to move to W series just to get the experience.
Speaker B:As I said, it's a great kind of starting point to get experience without having huge, huge costs.
Speaker B:But yeah, I kind of.
Speaker B:The competition is really tough.
Speaker B:So, yeah, I'm.
Speaker B:I think one day I'll look into different areas of motorsport, but for now I'm sticking with historics.
Speaker A:Now the other interesting thing is it was something that happened with me.
Speaker A:I never had any urge to drive anything other than sports cars.
Speaker A:Do you want to stay with sports cars or would you like to look at single seaters?
Speaker A:Or how would you see your career going?
Speaker B:No, I would definitely look at single seaters if the opportunity presents itself or actually you have to look for the opportunity sometimes in motorsport.
Speaker B:But I would like to at least give it a try, maybe have a kind of some days of schooling in a single seater.
Speaker B:I think you can learn a lot as well in it.
Speaker B:But yeah, I, I also get the appeal of Ulti driving sports cars.
Speaker B:It just has a really.
Speaker B:Yeah, kind of charming a charm to it.
Speaker B:I really.
Speaker A:Yeah, well, I think it's always the thing with sports cars that sports car drivers tend not to be as universally famous as single seater racing drivers, especially Formula One.
Speaker A:But if you look at it, as you said, there's the allure of sports car racing.
Speaker A:I've always been of a great, great belief that sports car racing drivers are the true racing drivers, because there's a lot more to it than racing a single seater, in my opinion.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's kind of true.
Speaker B:That's why I love endurance racing, actually, because instead of just sprint races, because first of all, it's not only about speed, it's about, well, endurance.
Speaker B:And yeah, there's a lot more going on, a lot more aspects.
Speaker B:Not to take anything away, of course, from sprint races or single seaters, because it's incredibly complex and just evolving more and more.
Speaker B:But, yeah, that's what kind of fascinates me about endurance.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker B:It's these.
Speaker B:It's kind of multifaceted and.
Speaker B:Yeah, and also what I wanted to say is single seaters is great and the cars are very impressive, but what I like about the sports car is the aspect of the car which is often beautiful to look at as well, because single seater, they kind of all look alike as well, the beautiful.
Speaker B:But I just kind of think of the 24 hours of Le Mans standing there and seeing an Aston Martin, a Porsche, a Corvette, and all of them having their unique kind of traits.
Speaker B:And I think, yeah, as someone who likes to look at the car and see the beauty in it, that's kind of the appeal.
Speaker A:And the other thing is, if you move into modern sports cars or modded single seaters, you will then have to experience aerodynamics, which racing historics is something that you.
Speaker A:You won't especially do with an E type.
Speaker A:I mean, we all know E types have racing.
Speaker A:E types have tiny, at times, tiny little winglets on them and things like that.
Speaker A:But have you driven.
Speaker A:Have you been able to drive a car with what you would call a full aerodynamic package on it?
Speaker B:Not yet.
Speaker B:So not really a full.
Speaker B:Full package.
Speaker B:So that's still something that I still have to experience.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's why I mentioned maybe doing a kind of a.
Speaker B:A course on a single seater just to, yeah, have.
Speaker B:Get that feeling, which is, I believe, incredibly different to driving the.
Speaker B:The jack.
Speaker B:And, yeah, the closest thing that I will be able to drive to a car of aerodynamics is a GT40, so.
Speaker B:Which we found out is incredibly advanced for its time, for its age.
Speaker A:She's running incredibly fast.
Speaker A:They were the first cars to achieve the truly big 200 miles per hour speeds down Mulsanne.
Speaker A:Although, regrettably, the Mulsanne straight suddenly had two chicanes put into it to stop people going that fast.
Speaker B:Yes, right in the middle, but, yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:So that car has, yeah, incredible cornering speed.
Speaker B:And you can really see that they really put in the work in terms of aerodynamics and thinking about, how can we make this car go as fast as we can on that massive Le Mans circuit?
Speaker B:So, yeah, that's the closest thing that.
Speaker B:Yeah, I.
Speaker B:I'd still like to drive a modern car and just experience this thing.
Speaker B:And it's also fascinating how you can improve the car, work with a team who can make little tweaks and adjustments to make it faster.
Speaker B:So yeah, that aspect is also very fascinating.
Speaker A:Excuse me.
Speaker A:Now, Le Mans is regarded as the race.
Speaker A:It is in my opinion, it is the ultimate multi race.
Speaker A:It is for a lot of people.
Speaker A:Would you have ambitions to move from racing at historic Le Mans, classic Le Mans to actually racing in what you would call the modern big 24 hour race?
Speaker B:Yes, that question is actually spot on because I told my parents once, actually my one big dream in life would be to race at the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's just I've seen it multiple times.
Speaker B:I always loved it.
Speaker B:It's kind of that magic of Le Mans.
Speaker B:Everybody tell, tell me about.
Speaker B:And yeah, that would actually be one.
Speaker A:Of my goals because I mean the preparation, etc, I mean you following illustrious footsteps.
Speaker A:Because I have had Le Mans, 24 hour Le Mans drivers on the show and a great friend of mine who's been a guest more than once has actually won it three times.
Speaker A:I mean, I often say to them, after you've won The Le Mans 24 hour, the modern one, where do you go from there?
Speaker A:If you were able to drive there and maybe hopefully one day win it, where would you see your career going from there?
Speaker A:Because in many ways, what else is there left to do?
Speaker B:That's a very good question.
Speaker B:I think it's such a unique event and such a once in the last time experience that I think you need to kind of separate it from everything else you're doing because this event has such a magnitude and such a meaning and history behind it.
Speaker B:So yeah, I think it's hard to kind of top it.
Speaker B:So I think it's kind of the pinnacle of any racing driver's career, does endurance racing to win Le Mans.
Speaker B:And yeah, I think nothing can eat that.
Speaker B:But yeah, as I said, it's kind of such a unique event that you kind of have to regard it as this thing.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:As a single.
Speaker A:Now you've mentioned your mother.
Speaker A:I mean what, what's your mother's attitude?
Speaker A:Not only does she have a husband who races cars, she now has a daughter who races cars.
Speaker A:What's, what's your mother and the rest of your family's attitude to yourself and your father racing?
Speaker B:Well, luckily she was kind of prepared due to my father racing because she does tend to get a little nervous, which I think is completely normal.
Speaker B:You kind of let a person you love get in that massive machine and drive around at an incredible speed.
Speaker B:So yeah, but luckily she was already used to it.
Speaker B:But, no, she.
Speaker B:She's very happy for me that I get to do this and she.
Speaker B:She loves that we're doing it as a family team.
Speaker A:What do you.
Speaker A:What do your.
Speaker A:What do your friends and work colleagues make of the fact that when you're not at work, your weekends tend to be spent racing an E Type Jaguar?
Speaker B:It's always really funny when I tell people that I race cars because it's such a niche little hobby.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So a few of my friends also love cars.
Speaker B:So it's.
Speaker B:It's always great.
Speaker B:We get to chat with them about it and sometimes I, I get to bring people to the track and, yeah, we have some lovely weekends together.
Speaker B:And, yeah, I actually, I'm currently doing an internship because I'm a student still.
Speaker B:And, yeah, my work colleagues always are slightly confused, but also very enthusiastic.
Speaker B:And, yeah, they think it's really great.
Speaker A:Because that's the one thing.
Speaker A:And a lot of people, when I've taken them to a track, etcetera, and they see the ladies get out of the car, the one thing they suddenly realize is after you've been behind the wheel of a racing car for quite a while, the one thing you do not look when you get out is glamorous anymore.
Speaker A:Because it is.
Speaker A:It is a hot.
Speaker A:A very hot, sticky environment to be in.
Speaker B:Absolutely, yeah.
Speaker B:And especially this weekend at Le Mans, since it was so hot, I just came out of the car and, yeah, I was as.
Speaker B:As red as my racing suit.
Speaker B:So, yeah, no, we.
Speaker B:We don't look glamorous that say myth.
Speaker B:It only goes to show that it's.
Speaker B:It's a real sport.
Speaker B:And, yeah, when you get that helmet on, it's.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's quite intense.
Speaker A:Now, one question that's always interesting to ask a racing driver.
Speaker A:What do you drive normally?
Speaker A:What's your normal road car?
Speaker B:So actually, I'm staying kind of true to the British at the constructors because I drive a Mini Cooper.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Which is also green.
Speaker B:And, yeah, other than that, we also have some old road cars.
Speaker B:So, yeah, not only do we drive them on the track, but we also drive them on the road and I get to take those out on the weekends or when it's sunny outside.
Speaker A:Do you ever do.
Speaker A:Are you ever tempted if you're out on the roads normally, to, shall we say, put a.
Speaker A:Put a male driver in his place if he tries to do something to you around the roads around Munich?
Speaker A:Because Munich has some fantastic roads around here.
Speaker B:That's very true.
Speaker B:I do Enjoy going.
Speaker B:We have some great, great lakes and just beautiful sights in nature and the roads that lead there are really, really fun to kind of drive within the speed limit of course.
Speaker B:So it's, it's fun to experiment a little at.
Speaker B:Yeah, but I, yeah, whenever people kind of try and calm me.
Speaker B:It exists especially in Germany I think because we have on our highways we could go as fast as we want.
Speaker B:So people do like to get into pretend racing driver mode.
Speaker B:But usually either I'll be just as fast or I'll let them go, I think.
Speaker B:Well, you don't know that I actually drive on track as well.
Speaker A:I mean that's the great, that's the great thing about the Bavarian Autobahns.
Speaker A:Other parts of Germany.
Speaker A:Other parts of Germany have speed limits on them during the course of the day etc.
Speaker A:But as soon as you get into Bavaria they more or less forget about those.
Speaker A:And you're absolutely flat out on the autobahns time.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:I think it's because yeah they built such great BMWs that they want people to get the full experience.
Speaker B:So it's, it's quite unique and that it's fun.
Speaker B:You get places very.
Speaker A:Now the one thing is like when I was a, when I was a lad as such I had my heroes that mainly being the late great Jim Clark who was the racing driver or racing drivers that you look up to the most as the famous drivers.
Speaker B:Oh.
Speaker B:So just to name the kind of classics first, I always adored Michael Schumacher.
Speaker B:Of course being half German.
Speaker B:I grew up watching Formula one or when he was driving and just yeah being absolutely fascinated.
Speaker B:And I always as a kid I loved Ferrari.
Speaker B:I had a Ferrari cap and always thought it was great and loved going to Monza.
Speaker B:So seeing him win in the Ferrari was yeah, quite something.
Speaker B:And then in terms of female drivers as well, I always admired Michel Mouton.
Speaker B:So the French rally driver especially since she faced quite a some criticism and some really tough competition from other drivers and she just proved them wrong on the rally course and I think she has an amazing tenacity and I really apply her.
Speaker A:And of course being German, of course you're half German.
Speaker A:There was the regrettably now late great Sabine Schmitz who a driver I was never fortunate enough to meet but a lady racing driver who was absolutely unbelievable behind the wheel, especially around the Nordschleife.
Speaker B:Yes, it's incredible.
Speaker B:We actually talked about her during the weekend because we were talking about the Nurburgred ring and it's incredible.
Speaker B:I think she could take any car around that track and put in an incredible lapse.
Speaker B:So, yes, that's quite something.
Speaker B:And the Nurburgring is, I think, one of the toughest circuits there is, so.
Speaker B:Yeah, and just her tenacity and her driving skills are quite admirable and I think it's great they named a corner after her.
Speaker B:I think it was last week.
Speaker B:So, yeah, that made me very happy.
Speaker B:She gets to be remembered.
Speaker A:I mean, for what?
Speaker A:For British television.
Speaker A:UK television.
Speaker A:She actually set a record lap for a Ford Transit van.
Speaker A:So she was capable of driving anything around that circuit.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker B:Which is quite.
Speaker B:That kind of proves that you.
Speaker B:You have understand.
Speaker B:Understood the circuit and that.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's the driver that thinks difference in the end.
Speaker A:Lisa Schwarz, thank you very much for joining me on the Backseat Drive radio show.
Speaker A:I hope one day that we actually get to see you driving Transit vans around the Nordschleife and all being, well, climbing to the top of the podium for Le Mans, the big one, the big 24.
Speaker A:But once again, it's been a pleasure chatting to you, Lisa.
Speaker A:Thanks very much for joining me on the bikesea Driver radio show.
Speaker B:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker B:It was a lovely chat and I love coming on your show, so thank you very much.
