SCCA Pro Racing

Matt Christensen is back for his sophomore season in the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda. Racing the No. 45 Ligier JS F4 for Velocity Racing Development (VRD), Christensen has four podiums this year, including back-to-back wins at Road America.

What topping absolutely never belongs on a pizza?

Matt Christensen (MC): “Pineapple.”

Do you believe in luck?

MC: “Yeah. I think there’s some situations where luck comes into play and it allows you to get away with certain things that you couldn’t get away with normally.”

What emotions do you go through during a race?

MC: “Excitement, but also sometimes a little nervousness before the race.” 

If you were developing the next big social media platform, what would it be used for?

MC: “Probably just everything, to be honest. I feel like there’s not a social media platform that allows you to do everything. I’d like something that’s a combination of Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.”

How did you come up with your autograph?

MC: “I was around 14 or 15; I had to come up with it for the Lucas Oil School of Racing that I was running with at the time.”

How do you decompress after a tough race?

MC: “I sit in the trailer by myself while I’m cooling down, and then I’ll go talk to my mechanics and engineer to figure out what I did wrong and how I can do better the next time. 

If you didn’t drive racecars for a living, what would you do?

MC: “I think I’d enjoy being a fitness influencer.”

Who in the paddock have you known the longest and how did you meet?

MC: “Probably Carlos — he works for Gonella Racing now. He was my go-karting mechanic when I was around 11 or 12 years old.”

What came first – working out or driving racecars, and did one lead to the other?

MC: “Driving racecars came first, and getting fit to race is what led to me liking the gym.”

Last week I talked to Noah Ping and I asked him for a question to ask you. He said to ask, what makes you wear hats the way you do—I think it’s an inside joke.

MC: “[laughs] I honestly don’t like baseball caps, so I normally wear flat top hats.”

Do you have a question that I can ask the next driver I interview? It will be Alex Berg.

MC: “What do you like better—the Mazda Miata or the F4 car?”