Simona de Silvestro is a Swiss race car driver, famous for competing in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship with Kelly Racing in the No. 78 Nissan Altima L33. She has previously driven for Amlin Andretti in the 2015/16 season of the FIA Formula E Championship as well as several years competing in the IndyCar Series. Her nicknames are the “Iron Maiden” and “Swiss Miss.”
Simona De Silvestro recently announced that she will not be on the Supercars grid in 2020 following a three-year stint as a full-time driver with Kelly Racing.
Women Fitness President joins the racing sensation for a conversation about her love for speed and what the future holds for her.
Namita Nayyar:
You won the Atlantic race at the 2008 Grand Prix of Long Beach, making you the second woman to win in that series – after Katherine Legge – and providing NWR with its first win. Tell us what attracted you towards auto racing as a career, if you were to sum up in a few words?
Simona De Silvestro:
What attracted me towards racing is, I think it really comes from my dad to be honest, he has a car dealership in Switzerland and he always enjoyed cars, always liked watching racing on TV so yeah kind of grew up around this and when I was four, he went for car demonstrations in the dealership and I really wanted to try but my feet didn’t reach the pedals so I cried the whole day to try to get my first go-cart and then when I was six I finally got my first go-cart. I think what really attracted to me was just really cars in general and speed as well, I really liked to speed as a kid when I was skiing and things I got so those were really the things that attracted me to motor racing.
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This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2019 Women Fitness
Namita Nayyar:
On 5 October 2013 at the Grand Prix of Houston, you finished second in the first race for her first podium finish, joining Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher as the only women in IndyCar history to record a podium finish. How did it feel to cross this benchmark?
Simona De Silvestro:
Definitely on 5th of October 2013, it was a really big achievement for me to have a podium in Indycars which is such a high level. It was a long time in the making, I’ve been racing for full three years in Indycars and we’re always kind of close but never achieving the podium and it starts to become frustrating and I think in the past, in other categories I have been able to do that, so to achieve that it was an unbelievable achievement for me and yeah kind of a big list off my shoulders because once you start getting the results that gives you momentum and that was really important.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you like to start your day. What does your first meal of the day comprise of?
Simona De Silvestro:
Usually start by 7 – 7:30, have a coffee, can’t leave without coffee and usually I have some eggs, hard boiled eggs with some toast and some avocados.
Namita Nayyar:
Before kicking off professional auto racing, what are the key points a beginner needs to keep in mind? 5 key essentials.
Simona De Silvestro:
1. The biggest thing is believing in yourself, I would say, that’s the first thing just believing in yourself that you can do it.
2. To push yourself out of you comfort and not normally like in the gym, everywhere just make sure people around you hear you
3. The road is not easy definitely there will be some setbacks and just not to give up
4. When things are be hard to, think about yourself, think about how you approach it and try to change things a little bit, always try to challenge yourself, never get comfortable.
5. Never get comfortable in what you’re doing, always push yourself.
Namita Nayyar:
Three components that are a must in your fitness regime? 5 exercises to build full body strength post 30s?
Simona De Silvestro:
Pretty much your core is quite important, so a lot of planks are really important usually in the morning and then I do some stretching as well which is quite important. Glutes, legs for warm up and yes, a lot of cardio as well, a lot of running for us, as in racing our heart rate is quite high for a long time so yes cardio is very important, cycling. Also I like circuit training, especially where we can put in some games.
Namita Nayyar:
Define Women Fitness website for our viewers.
Simona De Silvestro:
It’s a good website having different athletes, different personalities are there to show us their different lives, it’s quite intriguing and quite useful as well.
Namita Nayyar:
As a sportswoman, what skincare and hair care routine do you follow to combat the stress of the sport?
Simona De Silvestro:
That’s a tricky one because I always wear a helmet so I definitely get pretty messy hair after racing which the guys don’t really do so I have to work a little bit hard on it but I think its just with the sport and I make sure I wash my face when I am at the gym and after racing as well but hair care routine I’m not that picky.
Namita Nayyar:
You received second degree burns on your right hand and superficial burns on her left hand in a crash during practice for the 2011 Indianapolis 500. How did you recover from these accidents mentally and physically as a racer? Inspirational Quote you live by?
Simona De Silvestro:
Having a crash in 2011 was quite difficult in the sense because as a racing driver you always think of yourself as invincible and that crash really kind of brought me back to reality a little bit. It was the first time I really got hurt in a race car and it was really difficult but I think what inspired me was my mom telling me that I have to get back in it and try it out and if I come out of the race hurt still have a smile on my face then I should pursue it and push through it and that’s what I did.
Namita Nayyar:
Considered the Fastest Woman on Four Wheels, who has been your biggest strength behind reaching where you are today?
Simona De Silvestro:
The biggest strength is persistence. In my career its not always straight forward, but I have always really believed in myself and been really persistent about trying to be the best and trying to get in the position to be the best, so I would say persistence.
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about your upcoming races and aim for 2020?
Simona De Silvestro:
I have signed up with Porsche actually as a test driver for Formula E which is great and pretty exciting.
Follow her journey here:
- https://www.instagram.com/simonadesilvestro/
- http://simonadesilvestro.com
- https://www.facebook.com/simdesilvestro/
- https://twitter.com/simdesilvestro
This interview is exclusively taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2019 Women Fitness