Monaco Historic Grand Prix & TAG Heuer Events

Note: I translated into English when necessary so what you read can differ from what you hear.

Journalist: [translated from French] And we are back to the garage live from this beautiful pit lane here in Monaco. And an exceptional guest of course, you know him or recognise him, it’s TAG Heuer ambassador Patrick Dempsey. [in English] Thank you for the time Patrick. It’s a pleasure to have you here and I think you drove yesterday with Eddie Irvine on the Monaco circuit at the wheel of a Porsche. How was it to drive in this legendary track?

Patrick Dempsey: Oh it was really exciting to be able to drive with him. He was taking me around the course and explaining the break zones, the line, his history here, the set up, what he liked in the set up of his car. It was just an extraordinary moment.

Journalist: It’s a new Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, an emblematic event unmissable for the motorsport enthusiast like you. What does it mean for you to be here in this Grand Prix de Monaco Historique?

Patrick: It’s just great to see these cars that you grow up watching or you’ve read about or you’ve seen classic films, to be out on the track, to hear them, the sound has changed so much. It just goes right through your body and it’s a great way to honour the legacy.

Journalist: Which one of many cars here in this Grand Prix de Monaco Historique do you prefer? Or maybe want to drive right now?

Patrick: I think each and every one of them I’d love an opportunity to try to see the different…I think each one will handle differently so it’d be nice to be able to get a chance to test all of them. (laughs)

Journalist: You won Le Mans as a team driver, you finished second as a driver, how did you manage to establish all this career in motorsports with the passion, the support of Porsche and of course with TAG Heuer?

Patrick: It really started with my wife giving me a three-day competition certificate to go to Skip Barber and then I went to the Panoz racing school and then finished that and then moved up into different series and eventually worked my way to Le Mans, so it took many years. I got a chance to race around the world in the WEC: Daytona, Sebring and all of those great events so it was just extraordinary. And in the paddock the camaraderie and the fellowship I’m honoured to be a part of, and it was a great experience to be at Le Mans, to be able to stand on the podium, that was a dream come true.

Journalist: I can imagine. Finally, what is the most difficult: being an actor, team manager or a driver?

Patrick: I think all of it is different in different disciplines. I think the most enjoyable is the driver, being the driver. The team manager you don’t have as much control you’re always hustling to get money. (laughs)

Journalist: Of course yeah. Well we pay tribute here in Monaco to Ayrton Senna, one of the greatest drivers in history in Formula 1, one of the legends of course in Formula 1. Thirty years after his death, what does Ayrton Senna mean for you?

Patrick: Oh I think you look at his…the limited amount of races that he did, how many poles that he has, one of the greatest drivers of all time. His passion, just the killer instinct when to came to racing, he wanted to win so desperately but completely different personality off the track, very special. I think the way he approached it mentally, the way approached it with the training and conditioning, it changed how everyone approaches racing and his lasting legacy, it’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since we’ve lost him but what a great way to remember him this weekend.

Journalist: Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot for your time Patrick. [translated from French] And let’s go to the track for Series E this time, Series Niki Lauda, two times Grand Prix of Monaco winner 1975 and 1976 and three times world champion of course. A qualifying session with F1 engines with 3-liters engines between 1973 and 1976.