In December 2012 Nigerian businessman Kola Aluko stepped on to the podium at Rome’s Vallelunga circuit to celebrate third place in the Endurance Champions Cup. It was a defining moment in his motor racing career as he stood next to one of his idols, former F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella.
“I never imagined it would happen,” he says in his office at Atlantic Energy, surrounded by silver-plated pistons and engine parts that reveal where his heart really lies. “It was one of the toughest races with a field several levels above us. But two of the teams made critical mistakes which shows that slow and steady wins the race.”
The race at Vallelunga was the fourth and final race of the Cup which was won by Fisichella and Italy’s AF Corse. Aluko’s Kessel Racing team, with co-pilots Thomas Kemenater and Maurizio Mediani, were consistent throughout the six-hour race which is as much a feat of endurance as of skill.
Aluko is one of a handful of black racing drivers driving change in the perceptions of a traditionally white and Asian sport. He is on the board of the Nigeria FIA and recently hosted FIA President Jean Todt as he made a two day visit to Nigeria to investigate the possibility of bringing motor racing to the country.
Firm in his belief that African manufacturing industries will soon be in a position to compete with major global suppliers to the sport he says: “We’ve already seen multinationals in other industries moving manufacturing operations from China to Africa, and I think that’s a trend that’s likely to continue as factory wages continue to rise throughout many parts of Asia.”
Aluko’s love of cars and racing was ingrained from an early age and has dominated the way he has approached both his businesses and his hobby.
“When you are in a race car you can’t think of anything else,” he says. “On a race track the difference between you and the next best driver is 0.5 seconds so you can imagine how precise you have to be. Driving is very technical and your mind is 100% focused on the task.”
Aluko owns Kessel Racing’s Ferrari 458 GT2 and has previously competed in the Winter Series GTOpen in Montmelo Catalonia, Spain.
“It is a way to take my mind off everything else,” he considers. “These days it is not so dangerous, unless you have a big shunt at high speed. There are a lot of passive safety features on the track and the cars and in fact I never drive quickly on ordinary roads as I know that road cars are not as safe. They only have single point seat belts that don’t restrain you as well, and the raw cages in the cars are not as sturdy. The windows are glass – all the inherent things that make a car not safe are more apparent to me because I drive on the racetrack. There are so many unpredictable factors on the road, but on the track most drivers are my standard. On the road the guy who got his licence yesterday is on the road with you.”
Aluko has had one major crash in a race car, but he walked away with just a mild concussion. “It made me a bit slower,” he laughs as he admits he finds racing exhilarating.
“A lot of people like to play chess because they feel it hones their strategy thinking, but for me racing is like a fast version of living and is mentally challenging. Everything in life you can apply to racing – strategy, skill, preparation. On a race weekend I prepare every corner mentally. You have to memorise the track within one practice session. When I first started I was racing against people who had raced it before and I couldn’t just cruise round!”
To prepare he watches videos and plays PS games based on the circuits. “When you are driving you have to push the limits without going over the limits, because they are long races – Abu Dhabi 12 hours, Villalonga six hours. I have three other drivers and we do two-hour stints. They design the track to challenge your skills as much as possible.”
He currently races out of his base in Lugano Switzerland, where Kessel Racing is also located. There he stores his collection of race cars and classic cars. They include classic cars from the 1960s like a California Spider and a 250 Luso, a Ferrari Dino and others like the Aston Martin DB5, thoroughbred Ferraris like the 2GO, the F40, the F50 and the Enzo.
“Obviously I can’t drive all the cars but the guys who look after them are professionals,” he says. “My cars are my passion and an investment, mostly they go up in value but I do drive them.
“The Maserati MC12 racing car was one of only nine built and has won championships in the past. I have the F1 car from 2008 driven by Kimi Raikonnen and tested by Michael Schumacher, a Goldwing SL from the 60s. They are better investments than a lot of other things.”
But it’s not enough for Aluko to push the boundaries in racing. He takes the lessons he learns and applies them to his global business interests which range from energy to private aviation to his Made In Africa Foundation that funds feasibility studies for major infrastructure projects.
“If you look inwards and try to focus on the best you can do; if you are the sort of person who always challenges himself, then you are so far ahead of the others and the game. You can only do as best as you can. That is something I have got from racing.”
And no doubt Kola Aluko will always be ahead of the game, no matter which car he is driving.
Acknowledgement: TUN Extra, Fascinating Nigeria
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