When it comes to experienced drivers, it's not just about the titles they've racked up or how advanced the cars they've tried. Experience, patience and anticipation are important aspects that you will come to understand over time. You get the jangled nerves, the frustration, maybe even the desire to let it all go, and when you get to that level, learn from your mistakes and become strong and wise. Sound good? It's too easy to describe compared to reality.

Also known as Dodo, Alexandru Pițigoi is considered one of Romania's best drivers. He competed for 10 years in the National Rally Championship and won important titles such as champion of the Ford Ka Cup, vice-champion in Group A 2.0, vice-champion of the national Group H, modified touring, and last year's coastal speed champion.

In this interview we will find out how he started his career in motorsport, what skills a driver needs to be a champion and what message Alexandru has for young drivers, or those who are thinking of getting into motorsport.

1. How did this motorsport adventure start?

"It started a long time ago when there were other conditions in the sport. I got close to it in the 80s, when I was a kid, my father was in charge of the Technical Commission at the Federation for a few years at that time. He went to all the races in that capacity and took me with him, I liked it enormously and that's how I got closer. Then, in 1999, when I started racing, the conditions were different then, both in terms of possibilities and disciplines. It's still the same today, I mean, there were rallies and coastal sprints back then, but the costs were different. Now things have diversified, even for the image there are more possibilities. It wasn't the internet then, social media or other virtual means of promotion, everything was more restricted on all levels."

2. Was it hard at the beginning? Financial or pre-race jitters.

"Financially it has always been a challenge for everyone. It's a challenge to find the money and raise the resources, it's never been easy. Even for startups, it seems to me that the costs are now significantly higher than they used to be. It's somewhat normal compared to 20-25 years ago. Everything is done more professionally now, and service teams are more expensive, as are logistics. A lot of people used to load up, come with the mechanics they could find, others drove the rally car on wheels to their destination. Protective equipment was more rudimentary and cheaper (e.g. the HANS or the very expensive carbon helmets had not yet appeared). A comparison can be made, but the field as a whole is more professional, more developed, more expensive and that comes with evolution."

3. Which competitions do you participate in?

"At the moment, I'm going to Romania for the coastal speed. Also this year I went to Rechbergrennen - a stage of the European Coastal Sprint Championship and to the Redbullring race of the ESET CUP, which is part of the FIA CEZ (Central European Zone) - circuit championship. I'm still planning more European Coastal Sprint Championship stages, we'll see, maybe circuit, but I don't know exactly. In the past I went rallying mostly, mainly because it was the most present and developed discipline in the country. Along with coastal speed, they were the top disciplines here. We didn't have circuits until recently, but now we do and it will probably be a growing discipline. The car I've been racing since two years ago is factory-built for the circuit, but it's also very well suited to coastal speed."

4. What are your greatest achievements so far?

"I have had many achievements, both of the moment, i.e. races won, podiums, but also of the longer term, more extensive. I had my own team for many years, and I would also call the performances obtained by this team achievements. There were several personal achievements such as the Ford Ka Cup in 2000, but also the titles won with the team in several seasons. Of course, here I also add last year's national title in coastal sprint and the partnership with Porsche. This year is Porsche's 75th anniversary and I consider myself very fortunate to be with them."

5. What qualities are needed to be a good pilot?

"As in any sport, but especially in motor racing, you depend a lot on technique. To be a good driver, apart from your talent, you need to pay attention to detail because it's a sport made up of many important details. Being naturally fast or having talent is not enough. There's a lot to be gained by being detail-oriented and having the ambition to get it all right. This includes everything to do with taking part in the race, settling in, testing the car, knowing the route, even the smallest details. For example, rest or seating position fall into that category. All this makes a driver not only fast, but also focused on what he has to do."

6. When it comes to sponsorship, what are the chances of a big brand becoming interested?

"Difficult to answer, I think you have to identify what each brand wants to communicate, and give them what they want. In other words, to be able to be on that brand's direction. For the big brands, everything is measurable, nothing is random and everything has to make sense, i.e. everything is less emotional. For a smaller, private brand, you can say you find someone with an attraction to the sport or hope for a more personal approach, but for a bigger one, you have to offer something measurable that fits into their strategy."

7. How do you combine motorsport with other everyday activities? Do you have time for other hobbies?

"It depends on the level you practice, the level of involvement. In general, the vast majority of those who practise sport have other interests, another job, not all of them, but most of them do because this is the context and these are the needs. Few can support themselves from sport alone. Drivers who dedicate their time or for whom motorsport is the only preoccupation are few, as a general percentage in the world. Most of them have other occupations. To do only that means you are either a professional driver or you can afford to do only that."

8. What are the plans for this competition year?

"The plan is the same I had from the beginning. To defend my coastal sprint title and as I was saying, to get to the start at least, at a couple of legs of the European Coastal Sprint Championships. I've been to Austria and I hope to go to a couple more stages, or at least one."

9. What message can you pass on to young drivers who have just started motorsport or to those who don't have the courage to try it yet?

"I think the most important aspect for those who really want to take up the sport is to have a medium-long term plan. It's a sport where it's important to start correctly, from the bottom, from more accessible formulas, in order to move up. For someone just starting out, it's important to go on a more friendly level car to learn and advance, and to have the patience to go through these phases because experience, mileage and going to the races are vital to be able to advance. It would be good not to skip stages, at the beginning at least."