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Welcome to Paddock Pass – the series in which we delve deep behind the scenes of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship to bring you the latest interviews and insight from the unsung heroes of all-electric city street racing.
We catch up with Marco Fuga, Performance Engineer at Dragon to find out why working with racing drivers isn't always that easy, what got him into the sport in the first place and how he forged a successful career in motorsport after a visit to a race in 1999.
What is your role?
My role, basically, is to analyse data to improve the performance of the driver and of the car.
How did you get into motorsport?
I first got into motorsport in 2007, when I was 20. I started when I was at university with a local Porsche championship. Then I spent three years with GT cars before moving to Formula 3, then Formula Renault and then I did six years in Formula 2 before coming here, to Formula E.
What inspired you and how long did you know you wanted to work in racing?
I grew up in Italy, close to Venice, so it's not a region famous for motorsport in the same way Modena is with Ferrari! I wasn't very involved in motorsport as a child - my parents weren't involved in it but the first time in my life that I realised that I wanted to work in motorsport was in 1999, when I saw my first race. I was very young, so everything was huge for me. I don't have much memory of anything specific but I loved the paddock. I liked the idea that people from all around the world were working together with the same target. Everybody was important - from the mechanic to the driver - everybody has a role and every role has the same weight in the team. Everyone has to do their best to make it work in motorsport. This is what I like.
Any role models along the way?
I didn't have any real role models. I liked the ideas more than the people. I think there are a lot of great engineers with good ideas. I appreciate it when an engineer fights hard during the race but manages to keep the respect of everyone around them, including their opponents. After the race, we're all in the same position - sure, we're on different teams but we're doing the same job.
What's your day-to-day like both on and off-race weekends?
Every day is very different from the other one. We have to work a lot around the car but we're working also with a person who has to do their best in very difficult conditions. Normally with a car - with a machine - you know the reaction you will have. When you work with a person, it's not like that. You have to understand not just what to do but how. I think respect is one of the most important points and I think it shows in results.
What's the best part of your job?
I love the travel and I love the idea that everything must be perfect in order to achieve a result. This applies especially to Formula E, where the cars are really close and competitive, so what we do makes all the difference. It's not like that in other motorsports series.
...and the not-so-good?
It's not always easy working with drivers! It's really important to understand the driver before you start to work with them. I studied a bit of psychology and everyone has different motivators, so it's important to touch on that to get the best out of them. Sometimes even the best engineers, in terms of mechanical knowledge, are not able to work with the driver properly.
Formula E involves a great deal of travel. What do you miss the most when you're away at races?
I miss my family and friends, obviously but in the end, this is the place where I want to be but I guess that's the price I have to pay!
Previously on Paddock Pass:
Deborah Lyall, Panasonic Jaguar Racing
Paul Fickers, NIO Formula E Team
Francesca Valdani, Techeetah Formula E
Leon Price, DS Virgin Racing
Delphine Biscay, Venturi Formula E