Official Series Partner:
Follow us:
8 ROUNDS OF FIA ERC | PORTUGAL | SPAIN | LATVIA | POLAND | ITALY | CZECH REPUBLIC | CYPRUS | HUNGARY |
News
Paulo Nobre: rallying is like a virus – it gets in your bloodstream and never leaves
23.05.2019

LIEPĀJA, May 22, 2019

Rally has always welcomed people from very different fields. That applies to both spectators and competitors. Brazilian driver Paulo Nobre is a perfect example – in his professional career, he has been the Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras soccer team president, a lawyer, and now we get to see more of him at the wheel of a rally car.

Paulo Nobre, Rally Liepaja 2018 ©FIAERC.com

“There is no doubt that I am a versatile person. I like very different things, and I take everything that I do seriously. I cannot say that I always reach my goals, but I do my best to strive for them, without thinking about giving up. It is important to have achievable challenges in life, so that you do not become an angry person. My main goal is to fulfil my life, be happy and never regret what I have done,” says the 51-year-old Paulo Nobre, who is competing in his second season in the FIA European Rally Championship.

Paulo Nobre, Rally Liepaja 2018 ©FIAERC.com

“As almost all Brazilians, I have been playing soccer my whole life. At the age of 33, I broke my leg and could not get back to the same level afterwards. Age definitely played a role, as I did not have to take that much time off for the injury. Then I discovered rally. I had never thought about getting into motorsports, but rallying is like a virus that gets in your bloodstream and never leaves. Experience is very important in this discipline, but maturity is even more so. You have to respect your limits without staying in the comfort zone. I cannot become angry only because there are drivers who are better at each element of driving. I believe that I matured a lot in the four years spent as president of Pameira soccer club. I am very competitive, but I demand less from myself and enjoy everything I do.”

Paulo Nobre, Rally Liepaja 2018 ©FIAERC.com

Nobre notes that rallying is not as popular in Brazil as it is in other Latin American countries and Europe, so the decision to come to this side of the ocean was made because of the organization level, safety and quality of the European Championship, and because competing against the best helps to grow and increase your own limits.

Paulo Nobre, Rally Liepaja 2018 ©FIAERC.com

“I am very satisfied with my 2019 season so far. This year, we made the correct decision to use our Škoda Fabia R5 in Brazil as well, after changing between the Škoda for ERC and a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X for Brazilian events. Getting points in the Azores was like a victory for us! Doing the same in Liepāja would be magical, but we are not focusing on that. Our main objective is to do the best job we can and enjoy the event. That is what we plan to do here in Latvia!”

It is clear that Paulo Nobre is very enthusiastic about his experience in motorsports. “My rally virus is similar to a golf virus! It might seem crazy, but in both sports, you compete against yourself more than against others. That creates an addiction! In some ways, rallying is similar to soccer, which all of Brazil loves. It is filled with surprised and everything is clear only when the battle is over. You cannot lose your focus even for a moment, as unexpected things can happen at any time! Rally concludes in the Parc Ferme, while it is the final whistle that signals the end in soccer.”

The experienced Paulo Nobre and his co-driver Gabriel Morales will be competing in Rally Liepāja for the second time. Last year they had to retire after an accident, but this year the Latin American crew will do their best to have a great race weekend. Nobre will be competing in a Škoda Fabia R5 car, competing in the ERC1 class.