Natalya Freidina: “I had to make a lot of effort to get my husband and children to accept my hobby. What speed record did you set and where?

Photo by Jan Coomans

Why did this fragile and stylish woman, a mother of two children, choose such a seemingly masculine profession?

How does she manage to find a balance between sports career and family, and live between Geneva and Moscow?

The participants of our Woman in Power project are interesting, strong, self-sufficient women who do what they love. But it’s a matter in the generally accepted sense - “feminine”, “habitual”. Our heroine today is in some way an exception to the rule, although she doesn’t seem to consider herself one. Her sports career looks very interesting. Natalia started, like many others, with a passion for karting. In 2011 she made her debut in the formula series (Formula BMW), for two seasons she was part of the Meritus GP team and then started at the series stage in Malaysia, which was held as a “support race” for the Formula 1 Grand Prix. In 2012, Natalya received an offer to become a pilot of a new Russian team Team Russia in FIA GT - one of the most prestigious European championships for racing cars of the Gran Turismo class. Natalya devotes all her “non-working” time to her family - two teenage daughters and her businessman husband. Many years ago, due to her husband’s work, the family moved to Geneva, and now Natalya practically lives in two houses, except for her trips to competitions.

We talked with Natalya immediately after our shoot in the center of Moscow - interesting not only because of the personality of the main character, but also because the second participant in the photo shoot, so to speak, was... a luxurious, shiny retro Mercedes car from 1968 , on which the German Chancellor once traveled. You can imagine our admiration! Together with Natalya, her teammate and friend Alexey Vasiliev brought him to the shooting especially for us - famous racer, master of sports of international class... Natalya posed as a professional model - working on camera is not new for her. She is incredibly charming and elegant, and looks stylish even in a racing suit...

Natasha, you started racing professionally when you were already a family lady, a mother of two children. How did your family react to the fact that your mother and wife chose such a job?

If we talk about children, then when I chose this activity not just as a hobby, but as a professional direction, it was interesting to observe the attitude of my daughters. It changed after I started working. There is more respect. When I began to travel a lot to competitions and spend less time at home, my family began to value time spent together and communication more. The attitude towards my work is also different.

- How do they feel about the fact that you are involved in motorsport?

The older one, being more vulnerable, is always very worried when she comes to the races. I might even cry if, say, I flew off the road. The younger one, on the contrary, consoles her and says: “Well, mom likes it? So everything is ok.” My husband is more reserved, but he also supports me.

- Before professional racing, did you try yourself in another field?

My education is in finance and credit. I worked as an economist at a large company, Mostransavto - funny, but it was also related to cars. Then I got married, went on my first maternity leave, and after working for a year, I went on my second. And then we left Russia, since my husband had a contract in Europe. At first we left just for work, we didn’t plan to stay. At first it was very difficult to adapt, I even cried and packed my things... Then, when the children grew up, a feeling of lack of self-realization came. Getting a job abroad in your specialty is quite difficult - you need to confirm your diplomas and look for a company. There is a slightly different attitude towards this. European women become mothers quite late, first they pursue a career, self-realization, and then they give birth to three children and sit at home. And my husband, seeing my throwing, supported me when I suggested turning my hobby (and all this time I continued to ride) into a profession. Although, I think he himself did not expect it to end like this. I thought he would play and quit. For a man, the main thing is, in fact, it doesn’t matter what a woman does - she runs a beauty salon, a bookstore, or participates in racing.

But men still have the same attitude towards this: a woman does not do this so that it becomes a serious business, she must be busy with something for her own moral peace. Then the husband will be calm. On the one hand, this is correct. Therefore, my husband supported me precisely for these reasons. But when he realized that I was taking this seriously... It was not easy for him to accept it, we even had serious conflicts and arguments for a year. Especially when I had to leave for training.

- How did you reach such a serious level?

It all started with karting, then, already in Europe, we rode on weekends with friends.
Motorsport there is not so expensive, there are more tracks, there is insurance - unlike Russia. In Russia, all damage - and there are different types of cars - you pay for yourself... Then a purely male interest arose in trying to drive professionally, since I liked it. Some familiar Russian guys from a Swiss company, with whom we traveled together before, supported me financially - I practically bet with them that I could. First there was Asia - I chose it for financial reasons: it’s cheaper there than in Europe. I left for a year, or rather, every month I left for ten days. Flight, training, return flight - all this takes time. I drove in the Asian Formula for a year. Then I realized that the path to Formula 1 was quite long and expensive, and I would have to choose between family and racing.

- Who deals with sponsorship issues? Managers?

Me myself. Firstly, due to my education, I will be good at it. Secondly, I have certain specifics: I am from Russia, but I live in Europe, if I hire a European manager, not all of them understand how to work with Russians, and will not be able to make an interesting offer for a Russian sponsor. And vice versa. It’s easier for me to do it myself, knowing their mentality and our specifics. And then, in Europe it is profitable to invest money in motorsport, not like in Russia - mainly because of taxes. Maybe if we have high level they will take up motorsport, there will be some progress. Let's see how Formula Sochi goes. Although I am skeptical about this - it is not enough to just build a track, you need infrastructure, you need to train your pilots, engineers, mechanics, designers, and correctly assess risks.

Your other hobbies include diving, paragliding, and you have participated in The Great Race and Cruel Intentions. This is extreme again. Don't you want to do something more relaxed... let's say, paint en plein air?

By the way, I graduated from art school. But it was more like my mother’s dream - for me to draw. I thought of being an architect. But dad said that this is not a job: either a lawyer or an economist... As for my hobbies... Everything in life must be balanced. For a long time I was quite static. And after the birth of the children, some kind of activity began. By the way, it’s largely thanks to them - when we go somewhere on vacation, my husband and I are always looking for something interesting and active to keep them occupied, so that there is a change of activity after sitting at school. So we chose skiing and diving. We started going to the Maldives - there is a great opportunity to dive there from the age of 5. Lazy rest is not for us.

- What's next - a new hobby, a new trip?

I recently found out that the team that makes the Monte Carlo Rally organizes the Rally Princess. This is a very interesting project - only women's rally, on beautiful historical cars, and the dress of the participants must correspond to the time when this car was driven. The route is the most glamorous: Paris - Saint-Tropez. Five days, with stops in the most expensive hotels of the city through which they pass. Festivals, holidays, parties. There will be about 150 crews, girls from different countries, different professions. I really want to participate in the project, but I need to look for a company, it’s not interesting for me alone.

- Why do you think you are the only Russian racer?

I think because other women did not see this as an opportunity for self-realization. It requires a lot of physical labor. We all follow the path of least resistance. You have to love it, you have to want to do it. And not everyone knows how to start. After all, many people love extreme sports, the same businesswomen sometimes do things that for me are real extreme sports. For me, organizing any serious business in Moscow is extreme. But getting behind the wheel of a car is not... Many are still dependent on the opinions of others. Imagine: a woman comes home and joyfully announces to her family (husband, children, parents) that she will take up motorsports (or other extreme view sports). I don’t think that everyone will joyfully rush to hug her and say “that’s great, let’s go!” And in my case, although I was interested in cars, my family was not ready for me to take it seriously.

- Have you acquired new qualities thanks to racing?

An energetic transformation has occurred. I have become more balanced and tolerant of people. While driving you spend a lot of emotions and adrenaline. There is a reassessment of life values. Constantly seeing risk, the attitude towards some things is simpler. The same applies to children - you begin to trust them more and not panic.

- How often do you have competitions?

I race almost constantly. April-May, August rest, then September-October, sometimes November. No matter what championship you ride in, the temperature of the air and asphalt is very important. Because if the asphalt is cold, the tires don’t warm up, and you drive as if on ice. The season lasts seven months. Training begins in March. On average two stages per month. Thursday-Sunday.

- How are you preparing?

Eat physical training, there is familiarity with the route. Although physically, of course, you constantly prepare yourself. At the beginning, it was physically difficult for me because of the temperature: during the race you wear thermal underwear, a combiner, a balaclava and a helmet, that is, everything is hot and dense. And you sit in all this in a car, which is made as light as possible so that the weight is minimal, and where there is nothing superfluous, including air conditioning. And when you’re driving along a highway somewhere in Portugal, where it’s 40 degrees outside and about 60 degrees in the car, it can be very difficult. In this case, over the weekend I lose four kilograms. Stress also affects. So you have to keep yourself in shape against your will.

- Do you do any aftercare procedures before races?

The main thing is to constantly moisturize the skin. Particularly because you often wear this thermal underwear and a helmet, and you lose a lot of moisture. After this, it’s time to take a bath with moisturizing cream. I even use creams that are suitable for older people, and after the race I do a week of treatments with products for those over 40 for greater effect.

- Tell me, how is a typical day for racer Natalia Freidina?

When there are no competitions, we get up at 6, because in European schools classes start at seven o’clock. While the children are at school, I do some household chores, like all women, then go shopping and shopping. It gives me pleasure to walk around butcher shops and greengrocers, where everyone knows you and has already put aside a tasty piece for you. This is a certain communication that gives pleasure... After lunch I pick up the children from school. They are completely different in character - the older one is more obedient, calm, assiduous, and studies music. And the youngest, on the contrary, is athletic and more active. So everyone needs to be taken to their sections, dinner prepared, then they go to bed - quite early, so I have time to take care of myself, to be with my husband.

- Does self-care involve any complex care?

Yes, it takes a lot of time on yourself, because in Europe, unless you live in some big hotel, there is no such developed service with a large number of services as in Russia. That's why I sometimes come to Moscow just to get myself in order, to visit a salon or spa.

- Life in Europe is calmer, I guess?

Life in a European city sets you up for a certain rhythm, when you need to take a lot into account and do a lot. For example, when stores close at six on weekdays, and often don’t open at all on weekends, you learn to clearly plan your day. But at the same time, everything here is calmer, not as tense as in Moscow. You get used to it, and it’s already difficult to withstand the bustle of Moscow, especially as you get older and when you have a family and children.

- Do you usually go on vacation with your whole family?

Yes, especially on weekends we like to relax together. In winter we ski, in summer we go somewhere outside the city. Geneva is convenient because it is in the center of Europe, and you can quickly get to Milan, Paris, the Cote d'Azur, and others interesting places. We try to take the children out often so that they get more impressions, learn languages, and learn to communicate. Yes, I can’t imagine a vacation without my family. My eldest daughter is 12 years old, and during this time I have never gone on vacation alone. Either with my husband or with my children. It seems to me that vacationing alone or with friends, leaving your family alone, is not entirely correct and not fair to them. I already travel often for work. And I like it free time spend with loved ones.

Nothing foreshadowed that a girl from an ordinary Russian family would become the only world-class racing driver in our country. We will tell you about the unusual life path of Natalia Freidina in this article.

Nothing predicted...

Natalya Freidina, future racing driver, was born on August 21, 1978 in Samara. Natasha grew up as a “daddy’s girl,” and her father was a big fan of vehicles and spent his non-working days in the car or in the garage. The girl started driving at thirteen and received her license as soon as she turned eighteen. Natalya knew the car like the back of her hand, but she could not even imagine that she would be a professional racer.

A love for technology and at the same time for the fine arts led the girl to the idea of ​​​​entering an architectural institute, but her father insisted: either law or economics. Therefore, Freidina studied to be an economist (graduated from college with honors) and began working in her specialty. However, the work also turned out to be related to cars: it was the Mostransavto company. Soon Natalya married a successful businessman, gave birth to two children and flew to Switzerland.

What you've read so far doesn't really sound like the beginning of an athlete's biography, does it?

Natalya Freidina - racing driver

However, Natalia did not like the life of a housewife. It was quite difficult to get a job in Europe in a specialty. There were no problems with luxury cars in the family, and the young woman decided to try herself in auto racing: first at the amateur level.

Natalya Freidina's husband initially approved of this decision. However, at the moment when Natalya wanted to perform as a professional, disagreements began in the family... However, the autolady emerged victorious in this small war. The husband resigned himself and now always supports his wife.

In 2010, the dream came true: it began sports biography Natalia Freidina. She became a Formula BMW Europe driver. The very next year, the girl moved to Formula BMW Pacific (later these races were called the Formula JK Racing Asia Series). Natalya joined the strongest team, Meritus GP, and quickly became one of the top five most promising newcomers. Since then, Freidina has been competing under the name Natalie. Her car features the Russian flag.

IN at the moment Russian racer Natalya Freidina is a driver of the TEAM RUSSIA FIA GT European Championship team. This is the only woman from Russia who competes in serious-level auto racing. By the way, in 2016, Freidina supported the initiative to create a female version of Formula 1. True, it is not yet entirely clear whether things will go beyond talk: large investments will be needed...

Motorsport is not only a competition, but also a business, because the driver also has to work with sponsors. Special managers are usually involved in attracting sponsors. And here Freidina had problems. The only Russian racer naturally looks for her sponsors in Russia, but she lives in Switzerland. Swiss agents did not know Russian business well and could not work effectively in our country.

Natalya's economic education helped her out. Now Freidina is her own manager!

After the competition...

After a serious race, Freidina loses two or three kilograms. So Natalya is slim and always in shape. But before, when a woman was not involved in motorsports, she had problems. After the birth of her child, Freidina had to lose 27 kilograms.

Motorsport is a sport like any other: to compete and win, you need to have iron health. You have to experience significant overloads and participate in runs in tropical climates (cabin temperature up to +60 degrees).

Freidina trains six times a week and does aerobics at least three times a week. Aerobic exercise she usually alternates with strength ones.

It is not only strong, but also very beautiful girl. Natalya Freidina is already 38 years old, and her face remains youthful and fresh.

She knows how to combine the difficult to combine - a racing career and family life. In Switzerland, auto racing is prohibited, so for Freidina, any competition means traveling abroad. Natalya is always on the road, but still tries not to be away from home for more than 10 days. All the time spent in Geneva is devoted to family and children. The racing driver has two charming daughters growing up. The eldest daughter is interested in singing and music, and the youngest, perhaps, will follow in her mother’s footsteps: she is also interested in car competitions.

Natalya Freidina hopes that when the little racer grows up, women will already take part in Formula 1.

Freidina, Natalya

Natalya Freidina
Type of activity:	racing driver
Date of birth:	Since childhood, I have shown interest in auto racing in general and in the latest auto/moto sports. She graduated from the Tsygankov driving school and took an individual extreme driving course at the school of Alexander Grachev (AutoMotoPro). Then I got the idea to try myself in professional motorsport and started karting. In 2010, the age of my youngest daughter allowed me to continue my motorsport activities more professionally. Natalia Freidina became a driver of the Formula BMW championship, but 2010 was the last year for Formula BMW Europe, and therefore it was decided to move to the Pacific series - Formula BMW Pacific. The choice fell on the Meritus GP team, as it is the leader in the region. Showing excellent results in the first tests, she was one of the five most promising novice pilots of her team. Participates in the Formula JK Racing Asia Series under the name Natalie, with the image Russian flag on a car. At the first stage of the 2011 season in Sepang in Malaysia, she participated in the Formula1 support race. Links Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. See what “Freidina, Natalya” is in other dictionaries: This term has other meanings, see Cruel Intentions. Cruel Intentions Genre Television game Production LLC "Red Square" Presenter(s) Dmitry Dibrov, Kirill Nabutov, Yana Churikova Composer ... Wikipedia Wikipedia has articles about other people with this surname, see Mandelstam. Nadezhda Mandelstam Birth name: Nadezhda Yakovlevna Khazina Date of birth: October 30, 1899 (1899 10 30) Place of birth: Saratov ... Wikipedia SIN, Russia, Rook (M. Gorky Film Studio) / Pyramid, 1992, color, 84 min. Criminal tragicomedy. Sergei Sergeevich, a retired KGB colonel, has been retired for a long time, but is cheerful and fit. And he doesn’t complain about life: he has everything, even his mistress... ... Encyclopedia of Cinema Championship, Championat, Championship.com URL: www.championat.com Commercial: Yes Site type: Sports site ... Wikipedia Nico Rosberg driving the Williams team car (Mokhovaya St.) ... Wikipedia

— When did you become interested in cars and who instilled it in you?

— I developed a conscious love for cars when I had already learned to drive them. I got behind the wheel for the first time at the age of 14. But the craving for technology was instilled in me long before that, in childhood. For this we have to thank my father and grandfather - both were engineers.

— How did it happen that you got serious about racing when you had already given birth to two daughters and were married?

— The desire was always there, but at first my parents did not support my aspirations. It was a strange hobby for a girl, and there was no way to consider it as a profession. Marriage and having children helped me believe in myself and stop looking at others. Sometimes it happens: I was in the right place at the right time. My husband and I moved to live in Switzerland, and in Europe there were excellent tracks, modern cars and friends ready to support me financially. Serious partners and sponsors appeared later.

— How did your husband react to your choice? Did you try to interfere?

— When the husband realized that this was not just a hobby, it was already too late. Of course it wasn't easy. I had to leave often and for a long time. The rhythm of life of the whole family has changed. Now everything is fine, my husband and daughters are proud of me, they support me very much. I hope my experience will serve as a worthy example for my children - you need to go your own way and not look back at anyone.

— In Russia, and not in Switzerland, would it be possible to start driving professionally?

— In Russia there is no place to start. Do you know at least one boy or girl “of the people” who has achieved success in motorsport? There are no such people. Development is accessibility and interest. Previously, there was a state DOSAAF program - children studied for free. And now only wealthy families can afford their children to engage in motorsports.

— How is your season scheduled? How long do training and racing sessions take?

— Now I compete in GT (Gran Turismo) class circuit racing. The season usually begins in March and ends in October. Only 5-8 races. I fly for race weekends, which last three days - from Friday to Sunday. This is free practice, qualifying and the race itself. You can relax in the off-season. Although I love an active lifestyle. When there are no races, they are replaced by skiing, diving, and extreme travel around Russia.

Natalya Freidina

from the hero's personal archives

— Have you ever felt a strong sense of fear on the track? And have you ever had an accident?

— There is always fear. Only fools are not afraid. The main thing is to be able to use and direct fear correctly. Don't panic, don't lose control of the situation. There were accidents, of course. You can't feel the line without crossing it. In one of the accidents I almost lost left hand. Then it took me a year to restore my motor abilities.

— How physically difficult is motorsport for a woman - overload, high temperature in a racing suit, etc.?

— A woman is naturally more resilient. In Malaysia, I had moments when the temperature in the car reached 53 degrees Celsius. In the first minutes you drive only on reflexes, the sense of reality disappears. Then the body gets used to the temperature. It was very difficult. For those who want to lose weight, please note: I lose up to 6 kg during a race weekend.

— What is your typical day like when you don’t train? What typical mom-wife activities fit into your schedule?

— Being a mom and a wife means more serious work than racing. I get up very early - at 6:30 am. At 7:15 I take the children to school. Then the usual household chores: walking the dogs, feeding three cats. Then I have breakfast myself and go to the gym for training. I spend lunch with my husband - these are those rare moments when we can talk together. After lunch I buy groceries and eat dinner. I love to cook. In the evening, when the whole family is gathered, we have dinner in the living room with a full table setting. We have two daughters, and it is important for me to instill good manners in them. Children need to be shown everything by personal example. No one is allowed to use phones or other gadgets at the table. This is a time for children and parents to communicate.

press service

— How many professional racers are there in the world and in Russia today? And why do you think racing counts? masculine looking sports?

— There are about a thousand professional racers in the world. Girls compete in all classes: karting, rally, circuit racing, rally raids. Everywhere except "Formula 1". There are few female racers in Russia, I only know five. In my opinion, motorsport is just beginning to develop in our country. We don't have a car culture. All over the world, technical sports have long attracted everyone more women. This is no longer required to participate in racing. physical strength and endurance as before. With technological progress, driving a car is becoming easier and safer.

— It turns out that there are already enough women in the world of auto racing today. But how do men perceive them?

— Women and cars are a very bright combination. Of course, most male competitors are dismissive of this. But racing has its own rules - the result shows who is who. In the near future there will be more and more women in motorsport. Many organizers are already thinking about creating only women's championships. After all, this is, among other things, an excellent platform for marketing.

— Natalya, what driving style do you follow? everyday life and how often do you receive fines?

— I drive very safely, but quite aggressively. All my cars are speed provocateurs. But the city is not a place for racing. And I understand that not every driver has a reaction time comparable to mine. Although the strategy can be used not only race track, but also on the roads public use. From the rules traffic I can only neglect going into the bus lane - I don’t have enough patience.

Natalya Freidina is a driver of the Formula JK Racing Asia Series (formerly called Formula BMW Pacific) - one of the most respected and famous racing series in the region. She has been a member of the MERITUS GP team since 2010, the only representative of Russia in the Formula JK Racing Asia Series championship. The Meritus GP team will have 6 pilots in the 2011 season. Married, two children. Lives in Switzerland.

Since childhood, I have shown interest in auto racing in general and in the latest auto/moto sports. She graduated from the Tsygankov driving school and took an individual extreme driving course at the school of Alexander Grachev (AutoMotoPro). Then I got the idea to try myself in professional motorsport and started karting. In 2010, the age of my youngest daughter allowed me to continue my motorsport activities more professionally. Natalia Freidina became a driver of the Formula BMW championship, but 2010 was the last year for Formula BMW Europe, and therefore it was decided to move to the Pacific series - Formula BMW Pacific. The choice fell on the MERITUS GP team, as it is the leader in the region.

Having shown excellent results in the first tests, she became one of the five most promising novice pilots of her team. She competes in the Formula JK Racing Asia Series under the name Natalie, with the image of the Russian flag on the car.

At the first stage of the 2011 season in Sepang in Malaysia, she participated in the Formula1 support race.

Natalya Freidina is announced as a participant in races in Malaysia (April) and Singapore (September).