What is your favorite food?
I like fish, pasta and many other types.

What are your interests outside of racing?
I’m very curious, so it’s not easy for me to say what… I think, I’ll need two or three more lifetimes to do everything I want. I love to watch movies, go to art exhibitions, read, learn about history, travel and meet new people.

What is your preferred method of training?
I run every day, then stretch after. I like to play tennis. In the summer, I swim every day.

Describe your helmet design and why you selected it?
For me the design of my helmet is very important. It’s a part of me, my personality. I put a question mark inside. It’s a symbol that has followed me from a long time ago. The color is important too: The blue is the sea where I live; the green is for nature; the yellow is the sun, which I love. Inside, there is also an important sign in memory of Ayrton Senna, with the green and yellow – the colors of the Brazilian flag. I have a lot of respect for not only the sportsman he was, but also for the man.

What is your favorite type of music?
I like many different types of music, depending on the moment, the place, and with whom I share the music. But, if I must choose, I like soul, R&B, like Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry and Ray Charles. Also, one of my favorite singers is Barbra Streisand. Her voice is wonderful. I also like classical music; and one of my favorites is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Who are your favorite actors/actresses?
The list is too long. It’s changing all the time, depending on the last movie I saw. Maybe Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, Ava Gardner, Cameron Diaz, because she’s sexy and has a great sense of humor. For the men, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Bill Murray, John Travolta, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman.

What’s your favorite movie and TV show?
One of the best I’ve ever seen is “Out of Africa,” with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. The acting was wonderful, as was the cinematography. I also like the first “Alien.” But I have a passion for many different movies. I also like Tom Hanks and “Forrest Gump.”

Where is your favorite vacation spot?
The French Island of Corsica

 

What one person, living or dead, would you like to spend a day with?
Very, very hard question… There are so many it’s difficult to choose only one. It’s not original, but I lost my grandfather last year, and it would be wonderful to see him again. For the other, I let fate give me the opportunities to meet many different and interesting people.

If we looked in your refrigerator at home, what would we find?
You’ll find vegetables, fish, fruit, salad, yogurt, water, etc.

What is your favorite book?
Romain Gary “la promesse de l’aube,” Amélie Nothomb “Les combustibles”

Who has helped you the most to get to this point in your career?
First, myself and my father. He gave me the opportunities to continue on this path, but right now, he can’t help me a lot, because he has many problems of his own. So I started almost alone in finding sponsors, a team and starting to prove that I deserve a place at this level. Also, from the beginning to this point, I have met some people who have helped me. It was like a revelation because I always met them in the most difficult moments. It was like, “OK, Michel, you’re good. Go on.” It was my “pillars of life.”

What race car drivers, current or former, do you look up to and why?
For me, one of the best was Ayrton Senna, for his courage, his determination, his passion, and also for the man he was.
Other interesting facts about your racing career?
I remember in 1999; it was in Magny-cours. I’d completely missed my qualifying, so I started eighth. After an amazing race, I finished first. It was very emotional for me and my mechanics. We were able to enjoy the moment very deeply.