Although Formula 1 driver Adrián Campos took part in only 21 Grands Prix (with 17 starts), his later activities had and still have significant impact on the entire motorsport scene. Junior teams under his direction won championships in all series they’ve ever entered, and the former Minardi driver can also take pride in the fact that he discovered several future Grand Prix stars. Roman Klemm talked to him at this year’s Austrian Grand Prix.
R.K. You have appeared on the international scene in the mid-1980s, of all places in the German Formula 3. Why there?
A.C. I drove in the 1983 European Series, when I was spotted by then boss of Volkswagen’s racing division, Mr. Rosorius. His recommendation ensured me a place in Bertram Schäfer’s outfit, which was a de facto factory team for VW. So I became a professional racing driver literally overnight. In 1984 my teammate John Nielsen won the German Championship. A year later my new teammate Kris Nissen achieved the same, while I was 3rd. Those were two very satisfying years. Herr Schäfer really is an expert and nobody knows the world of F-3 better than him.
So it meant that your career really took-off then?
Yes. I was surrounded by all the right people and to this day I am grateful to VW for that opportunity. At that time I was the first and only Spaniard of my generation in international motorsports. The only one who dared…auto racing was not very popular in Spain back then.
Obvious next step was a move to F-3000.
Sure. I was able to put together enough money for 1986 and was very enthusiastic about joining Peter Gethin’s team, driving a March. But it turned-out to be a really bad deal for me (in incredibly crowded field of some 40 cars, Campos managed only a single finish in 16th place). Yet, I was lucky again when Mr. Mosnier from Lola Motorsport offered me a factory car. Everything was different right away (Campos ran at the front and finished 7th in the last race at his home track of Jarama)!
Despite the lack of success in 1986, by 1987 you were a Formula 1 driver.
I remember that day as if it was yesterday. When attending some dealings in Valencia, I was approached by Pier Carlo Minardi. He had just signed big sponsorship deal with the Spanish denim designer Lois, who insisted that he hires a Spanish driver for the next season. So it was between myself and Luis Peréz-Sala…and he chose me!
Your teammate was the charismatic and popular Alessandro Nannini.
We had great relationship and when the cars were the same, I was as quick as him. But much too often the conditions were not equal. Minardi were usually able to modify new bits and parts for only one car. And generally that car belonged to Nannini.
On top of that, Minardis were extremely unreliable and you reached the finish in only one race, when you came home 14th in the Spanish Grand Prix. Even so, the season had some positives and in comparison, 1988 was an absolute disaster.
Peréz-Sala joined me as new teammate and the M188 car was designed by Giacomo Caliri. From A to Z it proved to be a step in the wrong direction. I failed to qualify for three of the first five races, and after Canada I was ready to quit. Pier Carlo did not want to let me go, but I asked him if he really wants a driver who is losing a second a lap due to lack of motivation, even before the race gets underway. I have lost all appetite for racing.
In spite of all that, later you raced again.
I had nothing to do with racing for three years, when Fiat approached me about a job. They were fighting Renault in the Spanish Touring Car Championship, and wanted me to drive the second Tipo and help out their No.1 driver Antonio Albacete…who now drives these (waves his hand in the direction of the team truck). It was a short notice but things did work out. At Jarama, Antonio’s engine died shortly before the end and I more-or-less pushed him across the line for a 3rd place finish! It was enough for him to win the title. I myself got disqualified but that was OK…my only job was to help-out any way I could. In the end it led to an offer from Alfa Corse, and together we won a lot of races. Over the next three years we were going all around Europe, UK, and in the Spanish series, which was very competitive and extremely well run by Dorna Sports.
You won the Spanish title in 1994, but then your driving career inevitably came to an end.
I have always considered Monaco, Le Mans and Indianapolis to be my ultimate targets. I was unlucky in Monaco and it never came together for the Indy 500, but I definitely did not want to miss an opportunity to drive in Le Mans. In 1997 such opportunity presented itself in the form of co-driving Ferrari 333SP with Michel Ferté. I have decided beforehand that it would be the culmination of my driving career, the very last race. And I have stuck to this decision even though we did not finish, which was unfortunate.
Then you stepped over to the other side of the pit wall…
I knew I could no longer physically compete with the younger drivers. To become a team owner was the only way to continue in the field I loved. Besides, I always wanted to win and that never changed. Only now I am winning in a different way.
Today you run teams in GP2, GP3, F-3 and WTCC…how do you manage to keep-up with it all?
Our philosophy is that they all have to be independently functioning outfits. None of my engineers or mechanics work in two series during one season. That would dilute the effort. I am the only member of Campos Racing who is involved in everything.
How helpful is your son Adrian Jr?
He runs our Formula 3 this year and I plan to use him in the same capacity for GP3 next year. At the same time I can announce that we will pull out of two series in 2016 (logic dictates that it would be F-3 and Touring Cars).
We cannot avoid a question about your unsuccessful attempt at entering Formula 1 with an all-Spanish team. It later evolved in the unfortunate Hispania Racing adventure.
Just briefly. The simple truth is that in that particular case I have chosen wrong partners, who have left me standing alone in the rain, so to speak. It was a terrible situation, because at the time I did bet everything on that one card. I sold my junior teams and, after the F-1 project collapsed, was forced to start again from zero.
What do you consider to be your greatest success as team owner?
Campos Racing entered many championships and won titles in all of them, so it is not really possible for me to single-out any one event. I find personal satisfaction in the fact that it was me who first realized the talents of Fernando Alonso, Marc Gené, Lucas di Grassi and Antonio García. I was also instrumental in developments of Giorgio Pantano or Vitalij Petrov. I see that as my primary purpose, to provide to every one of my drivers the best conditions for attaining the best possible result. I work with them as if I myself was in their situation and I try to pass onto them all my experience. For example, at Campos Racing we never try to save money by compromising the quality of equipment. In the end, they are my customers and if they are successful this season that will generate interest from others next year. I am also proud of our technicians training. We watch every individual very closely and each one of them has an opportunity to move up within our organization. And even higher…I can state without exaggeration that every Spaniard working in F-1 today did acquire part of his skills at Campos Racing. My greatest success is the fact that I am happy and making money doing what I love.
So what are your special qualities?
I think that I know how to work hard and have a sense for recognizing driver talent. My friends say that I am Christian Horner and Helmut Marko rolled into one person. What I am not good at is attracting money. Our teams are usually funded through drivers’ sponsors.
Whom of the current GP2 drivers do you see in Formula 1?
Well, first of all Stoffel Vandoorne, whose current level is way above the rest. Next up are Arthur Pic, Raffaele Marciello, Pierre Gasly, Rio Haryanto and Alexander Rossi. Rio especially is a great talent with much potential for the future. When he came to us he was lost somehow…I try to help him with that and so far it is working quite well. From GP3 I would point out Álex Palou, who is very much like young Alonso. Yet, every young driver develops his skills and talent up to certain finite point, and nobody can accurately predict how far that development is going to carry them.
