TV presenter Lee McKenzie
Lee McKenzie is TV's brightest young motorsport presenter. After having presented Formula 3000 and GP2 on ITV, she now fronts Sky Sports' coverage of the superb A1GP series as well as being a rally co-driver. VM spoke to Lee about A1GP, F1's young Brits and those wild, wild Finns.
VM:How did you get started in TV presenting?
Lee McKenzie:Well, my father was a sports writer for the Daily Express and I was basically the annoying child that turned up at everything, Formula 1, Rugby, anything that could get me out of school. I started journalism when I was 15 and it went on from there.
VM:What's the greatest race you've ever seen?
LM:There are so many from the early 70s era with all the great names battling it out. It's been driving me mad. The one when (Gilles) Villeneuve crossed the line slightly in front of everyone else in Spain in 1981, probably.
VM:Who was your motor racing hero as a youngster?
LM:Ayrton Senna. When I started watching motor racing, he was the name. For me, without a doubt.
VM:Are today's drivers devoid of personality?
LM:This is a problem at the moment. I'm lucky enough to deal with a lot of the drivers before they get to F1, and I see these sparkly young guys gradually becoming more and more bland. There are personalities - the problem is they are often the ones you never get to hear about. Kimi is the exception, but I'm sure Ferrari will try to bash that out of him. Maybe it's a Scandinavian thing, because he and Hakkinen - behind the scenes they are wild guys, and maybe that doesn't come across on television. As the younger guys come through, maybe it will.
VM: Who is the best/worst driver interviewee you've had on-screen?
LM:Nico Rosberg is always so forthright in his manner and would often catch me off guard, and that made him good, though I never relished interviewing him. Vitantonio Liuzzi is a crazy guy and a wonderful interviewee, so off the wall - you never know what he's going to say next.
VM:Can we realistically expect Jenson Button to challenge for the title?
LM:I'd love to think so. He and Honda have learnt a lot from last year, and if they can continue the late-season run from 2006 they have a great chance.
VM:What kind of impact do you think Lewis Hamilton will make in his first year in F1?
LM:Lewis is an lovely guy, and he deserves it all, and people forget that he only sat in a Formula 1 car for the first time. I don't think Lewis has got to achieve anything this year - just to learn the circuits he doesn't know and be quick and qualify well.
VM:How will F1 be different now that Schumacher Senior is gone?
LM:We have lost an amazing driver, but over time it isn't a bad thing because people had got so used to him winning - even when he wasn't. I think people, especially channel-hoppers, will go back to it because they think there will be more of a fight.
People will watch on TV regardless, and if it makes it close competition that is fantastic. There are a few new drivers this year, and Lewis will be desperate to match Alonso, Kovalainen to beat Fisichella - it should be a very interesting year which will set up the next ten years of motorsport.
Join and play our superb new Fantasy F1 competition
11th February 2007
