FIVE QUESTIONS WITH CHRIS OVEREND

FIVE QUESTIONS

with... Team BRIT Driver Chris Overend

How are you getting ready for your first full season on the track?

I’m spending a lot of time practising all the tracks on the calendar on my at-home simulator which is so beneficial as I can get a good understanding of the track layout before we do our first test days. I also have a similar hand control system to the race car now, and I need to be able to drive as instinctively as possible with it, something Dave was really urging me to develop off-season. I have to thank Paul Fullick for his time in helping develop and manufacture the paddles as they are so close to the real thing.

I’m hoping to start playing wheelchair tennis again once it warms up a bit, it’s excellent cardio exercise which is crucial for endurance racing plus it’s great fun!

What will be the biggest challenge as a new racing driver?

As a new driver, a big challenge will be making sure I’m on pace from track to track, learning how to cope with changing conditions that really only come from experience. I’m hoping that before long I’ll have this experience by the bucketload. Giving the right feedback on car setup is crucial for getting the most out of the car, so again as a new driver, I’ll still be learning this. Going for those overtakes will be a big step when it comes to it and I’m relishing the challenge.

What do you think will be your strength when it comes to team racing?

I love working in a team, I love sharing knowledge and I really thrive in a team environment. My biggest strength will probably be what I considered by biggest weakness, which is anxiety - anxiety to make the corner, bring the car back in one piece and deliver solid results for the team, our sponsors and my teammate James.

It drives me to be better every lap, every single time I get strapped in. It’s something I wasn’t expecting to be an asset.

What are you predicting for the season ahead?

Honestly, I’m excited about the prospect of the unknown, but I think we will have a strong season, we have all the ingredients for it to happen, great car, great crew, great support, great teammates. It should be epic.

What do you to relax outside of race prep and working?

Maybe I’m showing my age here, but I really like gardening! We bought a house in 2020 and have really enjoyed watching it change throughout the seasons. My favourite thing to do after work is just to sit in the garden and listen to the birds and see who comes to visit, we’ve counted dozens of different species. Identifying all the different plants has been a great bonding experience with my grandma who loves giving me tips. It’s been a steep learning curve though!

I also really enjoy a bit of gaming on my pc when I get the time, mainly strategy games. I love sim racing on GT Sport and Assetto Corsa Competizione, all while listening to music which is another big passion for me. I also love watching motorsport - BTCC, F1 and the WEC are my favourites.

The sound of obsession

At Christopher Ward our designers are a little, well, obsessive. Take the C60 Trident Pro 600 as proof. So determined were the design team in England to get the ‘click’ of the rotating dive bezel just right, they secretly recorded other brands’ bezels for reference. Then sent the recordings to our brilliant Swiss engineers – and told them to do their best. The result is a bezel with a click that beats all other brands, bar one: Rolex. Next time, we’ll go one better.