Since South Africa 1993, Beat Zehnder has not missed a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Hungary 2022 was his 538th race weekend, and he’s spent them all with the same team. Once it was known as Sauber, today it’s Alfa Romeo. Before joining Sauber, Beat was a ship engine mechanic. He was kicked out of his first job interview with the Swiss racing team because he had no interest in motorsport. How and why, then, has he spent so long in Formula 1? Beat tells Tom Clarkson incredible stories of the tiny Sauber team’s amazing entry into F1, and its repeated struggles for survival. Schumacher, Frentzen, Raikkonen, Kubica, Vettel and Leclerc are just some of the drivers Beat has worked with, but who does he call ‘the most complete’ of them all? Beat’s love for the sport was shaken at times of tragedy, but his loyalty and love of teamwork have never faltered.


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