2003: 8th classification intermediate championship Formula BMW ADAC Junior (Best result: 4th place at Norisring, after signing the 3rd time of qualifications).

Increasingly, the two pilots vaudois Natacha Gachnang and Sebastien Buemi are talking about them. Aged respectively 16 and 15 years, they bring a hope for Switzerland to see in the coming years a Swiss presence at the highest level. Indeed, Natacha is currently in Formula BMW ADAC 2003. The only female on the board. A breakthrough that the greatest leaders of the F1 have already noticed ...

Thus, Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director and designer of the BMW engine Formula 1, said: "This is one of the greatest talents I've ever seen. Natacha could go very far." The Swiss has also seen a former F1 driver to take his career in hand. This pilot is none other than the triple world champion Niki Lauda: "Natacha is the best girl I've ever seen in motor sport, I decided to take care of his career personally now. I want to raise Natacha in F1! " Even the big boss of F1, in the person of Bernie Ecclestone, no shortage of compliments face Gachnang: "I always wanted to see a woman in F1 and this girl I was pretty talented to beat boys. "

The site of F1-Live.com devotes an article about this "event", being very hard with Natacha Gachnang. Indeed, even if it did not appear at the top of the rankings, she faced a lot of bad luck which prevented him from shining when hopes for good results showed, especially at Nurburgring where it found itself involved in a skirmish before the board of Formula 1.

As to his cousin Sebastien Buemi, his talent also exported outside our borders. Involved in the Open Masters championship in Italy - reputed to be particularly noted a championship - it was sacred Champion 2003 with 21 points ahead of second. Pending the same place in a race in Japan or France?
The Swiss watch very closely
Natacha Gachnang

"F1 is more than a dream!"
For those familiar with Swiss motorsport, Gachnang is a name which makes engines roar for some time ...

In the past declined to male with Georges and Claude, this time he's feminine charm: Natacha.

At 15 years, the young Aiglonne follows in the footsteps of her grandfather Georges, but with many paths to it. After the title of champion of Swiss junior karting in 2001, she was engaged this year's championship in Germany Formula BMW ADAC junior. We are in pole position to discover.

RA: Running a first season in a formula, also in Germany, does it change your life?


Natacha Gachnang: Let's say it has not always been easy. Especially at school, because I often had to study during travels to catch up with my absences. I was in a semi-private school because with all the courses that I had missed, the public school was not a good option ...

The key is that I have passed my year and thus finished school! This fall I began learning the trade from my dad garage.


And compared to your family, your friends? ...

NG: The motorsport is my secret garden, my own passion and I don't talk about it everday. If somebody ask me question, I'am happy to answer, but I can make the cut between the my life and my sport. I do not think I have changed withthe others. My friends support me and encourage me.


Outside the school, have you been trained by BMW? ...

NG: Yes, BMW organizes for us sometimes small seminars, for example, learn to feed themselves. It also took classes to learn to speak, namely talk to the press. These are things that we use in our sport but also in everyday life. Besides, I still have English classes in Montreux, because in this sport, everyone speaks the language.


Lately, you have been viewed in the F1 paddock. How was it ? ...

NG: Woaw ... Very impressive. It was my first appearance in the paddock, because we had a meeting at the same time that the F1 GP at Nürburgring. So I had the opportunity to visit the motorhome of Williams-BMW and see the car closely. The structures are enormous, it is something unimaginable.

In addition, I met a lot of people: Ralf, Montoya, Heidfeld, Frentzen, I even saw Niki Lauda! But it becomes everytimes harder: Higher you go, more pilots are there and harder is the selection.

So how do you see your evolution in the coming years? ...

NG: there is plenty of possibilities. For now, I will make a second season in Formula BMW ADAC junior. After that, my goal is Formula 3. Then my greatest dream is obviously the F1 ... and I'm really ready to do anything to achieve something. I say a dream, but F1 is still more a dream.

If I tell you CEGGA, what does it evokes to you? ...

NG: Ouh there ... it's been a long time! In fact it means "Claude et Georges Gachnang Aigle". Georges is my grand-father, Claude is his brother and they have created a team, Claude was there to make the car and my grand-dad was the pilot.


Borned in Motorsport, did you ever been disgusted motor sport? ...

NG: It's true that my dad put me inside this sport very young. Gradually I started to like it, but there have been difficult time. Particularly at the beginning where I was racing karting at a high level, I sometimes felt missing important things with my friends. But finally I knew why it was worthwhile to miss it.


Being in a family of enthusiasts like yours, is it not an additional pressure for you? ...

NG: Yes, I feel a little under pressure. But as soon as I'am on the track, the pressure disappears. It is certainly juste before the race that I feel the most pressure, knowing that my family will see my errors! (...)

You ave been seen especially in company of Ralf Schumacher ...

NG: Yes, Ralf has come to find us in the hospitality BMW junior. He came to make a photo with all drivers of the Formula BMW ADAC junior. It have not really had the opportunity to talk with him, but it was a nice moment ... He signed my helmet! Well, he was a bit in a hurry.


Ralf was also racing karting and then Formula BMW. Don't you dream about it ? ...

NG: It is clear! It proves that there are still opportunities in this category to evolve and go to the top. But it is also a matter of chance: we must be at the right place at the right time. In any case, I must continue on this way and move up into categories.