When Piti Bhirombhakdi isn’t driving forward his business as Managing director of a successful multi-national beer company you can usually find him behind the wheel of a racing car.
It is there he faces similar pressures of knowing when to push the limits to ensure he gives his team the best chance of finishing ahead of their rivals.
Here, the man known as Todd Piti talks about his love of motorsport that has developed into an ambition to do his country proud.
How did you get into motor- sport? And tell us a little bit about your TP12 Racing Team (Singha Motorsport).
You are obviously passionate about motorsport but is it just a fun hobby or do you have serious ambitions?
A philosophy in life which was passed on to me by my father is if you are not ready to win, don’t compete. I am not here for fun, I am here to win. What started as a passion is now a serious ambition to become the leading professional Thai racing team – something the country can be proud of.
When was the TP12 team put together and why did you choose that name?
The team was formed in 2013 but only raced in Thai race meets. We ventured further afield and competed in several races across Asia in 2014. Then last year was our first full season as a racing team in the GT3/Pro Am category in GT Asia and we drive a Ferrari 458 GT3. It is called TP after my name, Todd Piti, and 12 is my favorite number. The team factory is based at the brewery in Bangkok.
Can you share some background on the other members of the team and your first endurance race?
My co-driver is Dutch star Carlo Van Dam but we also have two other drivers, Italians Alessandro Pier Guidi and Davide Rizzo. We have seven Thai mechanics plus four from Ferrari in Italy. The reason for bringing the Italians in was to give our guys from Thailand a chance to work with Ferrari factory mechanics and gain more experience. In the 12hr Sepang race last December, which was the first endurance race for TP12, we qualified third overall and first in theGT3 Pro Am category. In the race we finished eighth overall and third in our class.
What was the highlight of 2015 for your racing team?
Undoubtedly, it was finishing first in the Japanese race in Fuji (Fuji International Speedway) as well as a second in Osaka.
And that was some victory in Japan…
Ferrari dominated the race meeting and it turned into a battle between TP12 with me and Carlo and the Clearwater Racing Ferrari of Mok Wen Sun and Ferrari factory driver Toni Vilander in changeable conditions. Last year I had a chance to learn this track, and I was about two or three seconds faster than I was last year, so that experienced helped. The race was close but I managed to hold on to take the victory.
What is the secret of a successful team and how do you see your role in the future?
Communication is the key and with technology these days there is no excuse not to multi-task. My long term ambition is to become the team manager but currently, while time permits, I am happy to be a driver although I would like to improve my fitness and mental toughness.