Robbie Maddison arrived in Melbourne ahead of the 2011 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix to prepare and do press for Red Bull Race Off, a support category at this year's GP.
'Maddo' is determined to psych out his competition, and the competition is tough. Robbie is up against veteran F1 driver David Coulthard, red-hot Aussie Daniel Ricciardo who is a rising F1 star and Rick Kelly, the youngest driver ever to cross the Bathurst finish line first.
It's an awesome opportunity obviously to drive in front of the whole industry
Robbie is pulling out all the stops and wants to finish ahead and hasn't ruled out an "unfortunate mishap" with Rick Kelly if he doesn't agrees to give Maddison an endurance drive at the Bathurst 1000 in one of his VE Commodores.
"For sure, I have a goal to race V8 Supercars after I hang up my boots in the next three-to-four years - so I'm trying to take any advantage I can to get there," Maddo laughs.
"I think I might be able to scam an enduro drive out of Rick (grins). When it come down to the fear factor, I think I'll be able to show him no problem. I'll hold the pedal down flat around a course that none of us know too well.
"I'll have a wager with him for sure that if I beat him he has to give me a start in one of his cars in V8 Supercars. And if I beat Daniel Ricciardo, we should make a deal that we swap jobs for a season and I'll go into F1 and he can go into freestyle motocross."
Red Bull Photofiles
Jokes aside, though with Maddo you never can be too careful, the 29-year-old said he's super pumped at the opportunity to share the track with some four-wheel stars and prove he has what it takes to succeed in V8s in the future.
"It's an awesome opportunity obviously to drive in front of the whole industry over here and not only that, but to drive against world-class drivers," he said.
"I'm hoping I can go out there and run a smooth consistent lap and show I can be that. And if I can do that, there's no reason I can't beat one or two of these guys.
"I'm stoked at the opportunity to drive in Red Bull Race Off and hopefully I can go out there and not embarrass myself (laughs)."
Red Bull Photofiles
ABOUT RED BULL RACE OFF
Four Red Bull stars from different racing disciplines will be squaring up on the starting line and going head-to-head in a unique one-off event, Red Bull Race Off.
Three Aussie racers - Formula 3.5 driver and rising F1 star Daniel Ricciardo, V8 Supercars dynamo Rick Kelly and motocross legend Robbie Maddison – will join British Formula 1 legend David Coulthard to pit their skills against one another on the track at Albert Park (VIC) on Saturday 26th March from 12.10pm - 12.30pm.
The event will see the four stars jostling for pole position in customised Renaults, the official engine supplier to Red Bull Racing. The Megane Renault Sport 250s have been tailored for the five-lap challenge and will be put to the test in a practice session on Thursday 24th March from 12.25pm - 12.45pm.
Red Bull Photofiles
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