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Why is it important for you to support the Albert Einstein Discovery Center?

If you ask anyone about a famous physicist, most people will think of Albert Einstein first. This is because of what he achieved scientifically, but it is also due to his personality. He stands for physics like no other, but also for science and research. The Albert Einstein Discovery Center does justice to the diversity of this man of the century and creates an outstanding and very fitting monument to him.

You have already achieved a lot in your life. Have innovations and new technologies played a decisive role in this?

here is very tough competition in motor racing. It never stops. Constant racing, constant developments and ever-increasing competition require top performance from everyone around the clock. So many details make the difference. The training, the engineers in the background, the development of the car, the countless amounts of data that are collected and analyzed before, during and after a race. Appropriate technologies and innovations make this possible in the first place. The interaction between different scientific disciplines is also important.

Why do we need places like the AEDC that encourage curiosity and a spirit of discovery?

Curiosity is so important. You always need to challenge your brain and learn. It gives you more valuable knowledge for the next day. I have children myself and was able to experience how they first discovered the world around them and the circles got bigger and bigger. A place like the AEDC is the right institution for this. It can also give young people, but not only them, valuable impetus to get to grips with a new subject.

Albert Einstein stands for the courage to think differently. Where do you think differently? What are you critical of?

One topic that concerns me a lot is health in the working environment. I include the school in this. If the environment is designed in such a way that it promotes well-being in the office, at the machine or in the classroom, everyone benefits because a healthy body contains a healthy mind. Unfortunately, not enough emphasis is still placed on this.

„Enjoying science—the AECD will become an indispensable educational building block!“

“My passion for physics and my respect for Einstein’s legacy drive me to establish a Discovery Center where science, curiosity, and lifelong learning become a personal, engaging, and inspiring experience.”

“The world-famous picture of Einstein sticking out his tongue reminds us that progress always begins when we question boundaries and think differently. As the birthplace of Albert Einstein, Ulm has an extraordinary heritage. The Albert Einstein Discovery Center aims to bring Einstein’s courage to think differently to life and show why curiosity, free thinking, and innovation are still crucial for our future today.”

Why is it important for you to support the Albert Einstein Discovery Center?

It is an excellent project to promote interest in research in general and in physics in particular. This project does justice to the great name of Albert Einstein. I would like to use my popularity to support this project because it benefits the general public.

You have already achieved a lot in your life. Have innovations and new technologies played a decisive role in this?

When I think of my time in Formula 1, I think of the extreme physical strain that you are exposed to as a driver. The body is subjected to loads of up to 6g. Technology plays a crucial role in helping drivers to cope better with this.  This includes both safety devices that physically support the body and the design of the car, which minimizes the stresses on the body. The Halo protection bar and the HANS system, a carbon neck support, are two examples of pioneering technological innovations in terms of driver safety. When you consider that this is just one aspect of day-to-day development work in Formula 1, you realize the complexity. Interdisciplinary work between engineers and scientists is important for successful innovations.

Why do we need places like the AEDC that encourage curiosity and a spirit of discovery?

Albert Einstein is the city’s most famous son. A simple memorial would not be enough to do justice to Einstein’s legacy. What could be better than a place that enables people to engage with the man and the scientist and also invites them to approach physics in a playful way? I think the project is great.

Albert Einstein stands for the courage to think differently. Where do you think differently? What do you find critical?

For some, it stands in contrast to a more modern, let’s say more comfortable attitude to work when I, as a mentor and expert in motorsport, repeatedly emphasize the need for discipline and hard work. I see both as the cornerstone of success, at school, at work, in science, ultimately wherever people want to achieve something.

„Einstein is on everyone’s lips. We also support the Albert Einstein Discovery Center.“

“I am committed to the Albert Einstein Discovery Center because it brings great added value to the city of Ulm and all its citizens, and because it is important to me to get young people excited about STEM subjects.”

“I have been involved in the development of the Albert Einstein Discovery Center since its inception and consider it a magnificent project—for the city of Ulm, the university, and also for a lively engagement with Albert Einstein as a physicist.”