Legendary football manager Jose Mourinho reiterated his love for Formula One as he paid a visit to the Madring circuit ahead of the recent Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Real Madrid manager has been to F1 circuits before, and with Madring hosting its first-ever F1 race in the vicinity of Real's training ground, Mourinho came to the hybrid street/permanent circuit on Sunday following a 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
"I’ve enjoyed it (F1) for a while, and I’ve been to a few races, but of course this is the first one (at Madring)," Mourinho said, as quoted by F1.com.
"Because I work just around the corner, every day that I was coming to work or leaving work, I was following it, the building (process), and the more we were approaching this day, (there was) more emotion for everybody."
He also spoke on the similarities between football and F1, as well as what the former can learn from the latter. "You know, it’s huge pressure for both," he said. "When you have sports at the highest level, we are always speaking about huge pressure.
"I feel that they (F1) are one step ahead of us in terms of the way they approach the big moments. (In football) we close each other (off), I believe, too much, also because of tradition.
"These guys (the drivers), (there's) huge pressure, but before that (time in the car), they are together, they meet people, they do a little bit of PR, they do a little bit of media. I think we have to learn from them, the way they can be relaxed, and half an hour later they can be in the car fighting for their lives, because they take risks," he added.
Mourinho shares a bond with F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali, and was asked about the idea of switching roles from a football manager to an F1 team boss.
"I have no idea!" Mourinho said about the idea. "I just have to learn. I learn with Stefano Domenicali; I ask him lots of questions. I try to learn from all of them (the people I meet), and I like very much to come (to watch F1).
"It was not possible (on Saturday), because I had a matchday, but I like to come for qualifying; I like to come for the practice sessions, because then clearly you can be closer, and you can interact more. Today is their day, and it’s the day I like to respect their privacy."
He also has friendships with several drivers and presented the pole position award to Max Verstappen at Silverstone in 2025.
"I know almost all of them, and everybody (has been) so nice to me over so many years,” Mourinho continued. "Now we’re coming to some new people, to some new generations, but I've always had great respect from them.
"Because, as a family, we are so close to Stefano, it is of course a great way to be invited – we invited ourselves! – and to have always had the reception that we have," he said. | AFP