Tavo Vildosola

I have had an amazing time as Red Bull TV guest reporter in Mexico! Can I come back next time? It is funny: in some ways, the whole experience just underlined what I already admired about the World Rally Championship, and in other ways, it has taught me a lot as well. The sheer amount of organization that goes into a TV production like this is incredible; every second is accounted for.

As I said, these are the best drivers in the world, no question. To see their bravery, precision and commitment up close is something that is very special. Then to talk with them afterwards and find out exactly how it felt from their perspective was fascinating.

Make no mistake: Mexico is one tough rally. The World Rally Championship is an intense sprint, certainly compared to the off-road races that I do, so the drivers really have to perform under pressure. That pressure is not even just from the competition: it is from the heat, the dust, and the rocks as well. You fight the elements in Mexico.

To be honest, speaking as a Mexican, I did not actually find it that hot when I was out and about! However, when you are dealing with these very complex cars, built to completely new regulations, the heat was clearly a big issue. The cars were really struggling so it was just about survival, and that was an effect of the altitude as well. If you come from here you tend to take all that for granted, but you can see just how big a challenge it was.

As a driver watching a rally, your first thought is always: ‘I wish I could be doing it myself!’ In fact, I often found myself looking at the stages and thinking: ‘I wonder what my Trophy Truck would be like round there?’ However, if the opportunity ever came, I would love to have a go in a World Rally Car as well. It is a truly awesome piece of kit. Beside the cars, a real highlight was meeting so many different people. Starting with my fellow presenters of course: Mike Chen was a real professional, who taught me so much about what to do for TV and the sort of things to talk about. It was amazing to meet Craig Breen too; he is obviously a talented driver, with lots of brilliant insights and has a big future ahead of him. Then there were the actual drivers who were competing. What can I say? These guys are real heroes, yet completely approachable people at the same time.

There are so many things that I am going to remember from the weekend, but one performance that really struck me was from Kris Meeke and Citroen. He had a terrible start to the season, so to pick himself back up and do what he did was remarkable. The biggest tests always come in adversity, so he certainly passed that one. It was fun talking to Jari-Matti Latvala too – what a nice guy! It was not exactly the perfect weekend for him. This just underlines how difficult Rally Mexico is: the car that has been second and first on the two previous rallies was struggling a bit here. It was great to meet Sebastien Ogier too; a true champion whose achievements speak for themselves

By Tavo Vildosola