The Mallorcan future of Formula 1

The future of Formula 1 looks bright for Mallorca.... A champion is born!

Lorenzo James Fluxá Cross (2004) is on the way to lead Mallorca to the elite of racing, as Rafael Nadal did with tennis. “I was encouraged by a schoolmate. My father was OK with it and, in no time, I reached my first goal of winning the Spanish championship and being among the best drivers of the WSK Super Master Series in Italy,” says Lorenzo with amazing maturity and confidence.

He dedicates every weekend to racing. “When I win, I am very happy with the achievement and, if not, it helps me to improve,” he adds. His father, who always accompanies him, already did the endurance championship of the 24 hours of Montmeló, the 6-hour-race of Jarama and the annual ORIS Classic Rally Mallorca. “It’s a sport you have to sacrifice a lot for. Three or four days a week of official training or a race – always out of Mallorca – and when he returns, on Monday and Wednesday he has swimming, on Tuesday he’s with a personal trainer, on Thursday he rests, flies, or is already training on the track again. “You miss family meals on Sundays, birthdays, many things,” explains Lorenzo senior. Of course, Lorenzo Jr’s idol is Fernando Alonso who “can make a good race even with a regular car,” he says.

He has a team of five people, which is like a small business that he manages himself. “It’s like a real-life simulation because you have to take technical decisions that will lead you to win or lose,” he explains. To the two mechanics, a telemetrist to review routes and driving, a sports director to train on track and a team leader, is added the nutritionist who helps him with resilience and made him lose 7 kg to be able to race in the world championships in Italy, where he spent the first four months of the year.

“I eat a lot of turkey, fish, and almost no carbohydrates and when I fancy a ‘cola-cao’ I look for alternatives. I have to prepare my physical fitness a lot for the moment when it’s time to take part in a race.” And then Lorenzo adds: “In Italy the adrenaline levels are at the max: there are 120 drivers from around the world in my category, complicated technical conditions, and much more speed.”

His advantage is to drive smartly. “I only think about winning, keeping my head down, looking forward and thinking about strategy,” to which his father adds: “There are many fast riders but very few who think. We want to be in that latter group.”

For 2018 their objective will be the European and the World Championships. These are steps as a preamble to Formula 1, while preparing future sponsors and even NGOs, to be able to race for a good cause.

His brother Lucas (8) races in the same category and is the youngest in this group. “He wants to beat me. We are very competitive,” says Lorenzo with his usual ease. “My happiest memory was my presentation to the Formula K team at the IPK factory. I signed the contract with a team called Praga España, which is the best on the grid. On the other hand, the worst was in La Conca. In one of the bends I stayed on two wheels for 10 metres until I could come down again. These were very tense seconds.”

Talent, passion, and great doses of sacrifice made him grow up very quickly, without neglecting his studies. “I always get at least an 8 and, in the future, I would like to study mechanical engineering,” he says. He gets up every day at 6 am to study and when he travels he takes the computer to communicate with the teachers by email. He’d like to say thank you here to Bellver International College for their support. Meanwhile, his father and five more people monitor whether he has done half-a-tenth more per lap in a free practice where he covers between 180-200 laps (200 km).

A good example that everything can be achieved if you are the first to believe in your dreams.

Photos by Lourenço Jose Ohlares