Dan Ticktum-ERT Formula E Team
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00:00Alright we're here with ERT Formula E driver Dan Tictum. Dan, thanks for taking the time to talk, obviously it's been an interesting season for you guys, maybe not the performance as you guys have hoped for overall this season, but you've still got four races left, there's still a lot of time to maybe battle for some points here late in the year, so overall how are you feeling as we head into these last four races?
00:21Believe it or not I've still got 25% in the season, it's hard to believe. The races here are normally pretty chaotic, we've got a double header this year as opposed to just one by last year, so I honestly think strategy is going to be very important, obviously we are still plagued by our lack of efficiency which makes it harder to exploit a strategy,
00:48I think if we do everything right, the car is mechanically good, which I'm sure is normally where it should be, normally minimum speeds can be quite good, so we'll just see, it's going to be a big one on strategy this weekend, so definitely a possibility for some points if we get it right.
01:09Then into London, I think our qualifying will be better there, qualifying is more important there, it's much harder to overtake, and efficiency is not quite as important, so I'm looking forward to both to be honest, I think they're both possible rounds where we can score points.
01:30You're pretty successful on fixed circuits, it's no denying that, obviously in your F2 career and then your open wheel career outside of Formula E, and you even had a really impressive showing at Misano this year, finished 4th in that race, so fixed circuits have really been something that you've been catered to, do you feel like this type of circuit and this track really fits your driving style?
01:49I think it's not necessarily to do with the driving, I think yes, I think on a track like this it's very high speed for FE, so we don't have a lot of downforce, so the car is moving around a lot, so on one lap I favour myself, I don't say I'm better at it either to be honest, but it is quite fun driving this circuit with the car moving around a lot.
02:10We are about two, two and a half tenths down in the straights, so that will hurt us in qualifying, but on the flip side, qualifying is really not that important here because the races are so chaotic and so dependent on strategy and efficiency, so yeah, I think the race in Misano was a good example of what could happen here, if you get the strategy right and you overtake well at the right times, then it's going to be good.
02:41Yeah, and energy saving, I know you kind of mentioned strategy, it's kind of tough for you guys right now to kind of figure out, but the energy saving is kind of tough.
02:49Yeah, it's just harder for us because we're more inefficient, so we can save obviously, but we just sort of don't save at the same rate or the same speed that more efficient cars can, you know, they can drive a little bit faster than us, but save the same amount of energy, so yeah, it is tough, but yeah, we'll just have to see how the races pan out.
03:08I can imagine as a driver, that has to be something that really definitely, I don't want to say takes a toll, but definitely something that definitely gets frustrating.
03:18It is very frustrating, I mean, to be brutally honest, I'm quite a pure racer at heart, I believe in driving flat out, but obviously the motive and everything for Formula E is completely different, but I think once I'm in a car where I have more efficiency, I definitely see myself winning races here.
03:46I think our team have got some good things potentially on the horizon in the quite near future, so I'm pushing for those things to happen and then I would probably like to stay and see what we can do.
04:01Yeah, compared to the other teams on the grid, this is a developing team, right? This is a team that's continuing to grow and I think with a race such as you mentioned with Masato finishing fourth, that's definitely got to, I think, open some eyes, not only from a driver's perspective in terms of what could come from ERT, but also just in terms of the development and from a team and strategy, I mean, it's definitely got to be promising to see that success coming.
04:24Yeah, I mean, we're probably the smallest team on the grid in terms of financials, so to be here competing and sometimes getting the results we do is credit to the team for sure. We don't have a lot of people either, but the people we have, a lot of them are very good, so that's how we can pull those results together.
04:45So, I'm just hoping that the team receives some more funding, some other partners, and we can grow and fulfill our potential.
04:54You're young, you're only 25 years old, so you're kind of a part of the new crop, if you will, in Formula E. There was actually an article recently posted by Yahoo! saying you kind of talking about how Formula E's driver level is just at a high, and honestly, even better than some of the Formula 1 drivers that are out there.
05:10I mean, overall, being able to be a part of a series that has the talent that it has with guys who have raced in F1, who have won Formula E championships, how does that help you as a driver, especially at your age, just developing and continuing to get better at such a high level?
05:26Yeah, I think like you say, the level is so high. I mean, you make a small mistake and lose half a tenth, and you'll be four places down on the grid here. I reinforce those comments. I think some people will call me crazy and say that a lot of the drivers here are better than F1, but unfortunately, a lot of the best drivers don't always end up in Formula 1 for various political reasons and timing and all sorts.
05:50I've always said consistently the level here is higher. I think you've got some people in Formula 1 that still shouldn't be there, and I won't name names, but people will know who they are. And I think overall, yeah, just to be a part of a championship at such a high level, obviously as a driver, I'm always pushing.
06:08So yeah, I have a lot of respect for the drivers here, and I think Formula E is, I'm hoping with Gen 4 in a couple of years' time, from what I've seen, I think it's going to be a very positive step for the championship. So I think when I reach my sort of prime is when Formula E is really going to start to grow.
06:31So I think the timing is pretty good for me. And yeah, that's it really, I would say. Just cool to be a part of this. I mean, I'm not just biased to Formula E. I haven't grown up as a kid wanting to do Formula E, so I'm not just saying that the drivers are good. It's just the level is very, very high.
06:50Well, and especially going through the ranks of trying to get to Formula 1, you understand how difficult it is to get into Formula 1. But also, you know, one thing too with Formula E, you mentioned obviously with the upcoming Gen 4 and then the Gen 3, I think we're going to start seeing a lot of these younger drivers coming in, and especially with the way the technology is. I mean, Formula E has, you know, they completely changed the game when they started this 10 years ago.
07:18Absolutely.
07:19Do you feel like the landscape of this series is changing with the younger drivers that are coming up? I mean, we got Colette this weekend racing too.
07:26Yeah, of course. I mean, I would say towards the tail end of Gen 2 and the beginning of Gen 3, the growth was not as big as I think the championship hoped. I think now Jeff Dodds, our new CEO, has come in. I think that's having an impact already. I think he's making good changes. I think having him on board is very important.
07:48But yeah, regarding the younger drivers, I think people are just starting to recognise that Formula 1 is incredibly political. It's not just about how fast you are and even how employable you are. It can be about where you're from. There's all sorts of political things, unfortunately, that get in the way and that's sometimes happening.
08:07So yeah, I think a lot of drivers will see themselves aiming for not just Formula 1 but also Formula E. I mean, the driving market in terms of salaries is good here and I think at this level we deserve it, to be honest.
08:25We've spent 15-20 years working for no money trying to get good at our sport and I think to be rewarded in a good championship like Formula E is something that all drivers will start aiming for, there's no doubt.
08:39Well, I'll close out on this here. Being with ERT, again, we talked about you mentioning one of the lower-funded teams but it's still a developing team and one that's shown success. How fulfilling is it to know that you're kind of a part of this, kind of helping out this team getting its footing in the series?
08:58This is the thing, as I mentioned a couple of minutes ago, there's some potentially good things on the horizon. I can't elaborate more on all those at the moment but I think, like I say, it's not definite but there could be some good things coming this way for the team. So, you know, if those do come off, I would be very happy to commit to staying here and bringing the team further up the grid. So yeah, that would be great.
09:21I love it. Dan, thanks so much. Appreciate it. Good luck this weekend and hopefully you have some success here at Porsche.