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STYLISHVauxhall Magazine; July 2006

Off the trackOff the track

For most of us, our cars are an integral part of our leisure time. For VX Racing's three British Touring Car Championship drivers, though, driving is their day-job. Which is why it's no surprise when they're away from the race tracks, they look for alternative ways of enjoying it. Words by Fiona Miller pictures by Stuart-Muiller and Jakob Ebrey

And the common thread linking Briton Tom Chilton, Dubliner Gavin Smith, and Italian Fabrizio Giovanardi is that they are all highly active people whose ideas of relaxation may be somewhat different to yours. The stylishly smooth Giovanardi, who at 39 is the senior member of the team, comes from Sassuolo, a town near Maranello - which is Ferrari's home, and the heart of Italian motor racing.

But the multiple Super Touring Championship winner is the first to admit that he finds the very thought of relaxing quite stressful! 'I don't relax', Fabrizio says with a smile, 'and I hate Sundays. I just can't stay in a chair watching TV. Really, I'm a worker; look at my hands! My job gives me quite a lot of free time… I like keeping busy. So I work with all kinds of machinery, and I love welding and making things - especially radio-controlled models. They're racing cars mostly'.

One thing all professional racing drivers work hard at is their fitness, because, in this business, fitness equals sharpness and quick reactions - which, in turn, equals speed. So the three VX Racing drivers all enjoy a variety of different ways of keeping fit, with cycling being one of the most popular. And unlike many drivers, Giovanardi's team-mate Gavin Smith also enjoys walking.



'I'd have to say, if I had just one hour to relax, I'd probably walk my dog. I live on the outskirts of Dublin and we go walking with the dog quite a lot.'

The softly-spoken Irishman, 27, manages to combine his racing career with a burgeoning business in plant and tool hire. 'Away from racing that takes all my time, though racing remains my priority. 'I lead quite an active life anyway', Gavin continues. 'But at home I set aside three days a week solely to work on fitness for racing. On any other days, I'd

normally be out walking my dog, or mountain biking - anything outdoors to keep myself active and focussed.

But while Smith and Giovanardi might be found discussing plumbing or comparing the calluses on their hands, the youngest member of the team, 21-year-old Tom Chilton, would rather be checking out the state of the waves in Cornwall. The uber-trendy Briton, with the