LIGHTS TO FLAG: Alex Wurz on his unusual journey to F1, surviving one of the sport’s fastest ever crashes and leading the GPDA

Alex Wurz represented some of the biggest teams in Formula 1 history during his time in the top echelon, while earning a reputation as a formidable test driver when the role involved racking up thousands upon thousands of kilometres. In our latest Lights to Flag feature, the Austrian talks about swapping two wheels for four as a youngster, his memories of racing for Benetton, McLaren and Williams, as well as what he’s been up to since – which includes helping the current crop of F1 racers…

Starting out on a BMX bike

Wurz was exposed to motorsport from a young age, with his father, Franz, earning a reputation for his rallycross skills and the host of driving schools he established alongside that success. However, it was not in the car world that the next racer in the family started out.