A cappuccino with... Jodie Kidd A FemaleFirst Exclusive Interview with Maseratti's female champion driver

British supermodel Jodie Kidd is also an excellent golfer, an international polo player, a keen horse-rider and avid about charity work. Since childhood however, her biggest love in life has been motor racing, a passion which has seen her speed up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, set the fastest Celebrity Lap on Top Gear and finish first in the Trofeo Maserati race at the 2004 Bologna Motor Show.

She is also a proud Maserati owner; indeed, when she isn’t turning heads on the catwalk, she never fails to turn heads in her Maserati GranSport.

We caught up with Jodie for a cup of coffee, and chatted about her passion for all things on four wheels and, in particular, her love of the House of the Trident and its cars.

Maserati - What are your earliest memories of cars
Jodie Kidd - My dad’s E-type and my cousin’s Ferrari collection.

And your first car
Doris, a VW Polo Mk1... I learnt how to drive it by taking the rubbish from our house to the end of drive!

You’ve come a long way since then... What do you look for now in a car
Total bhp output, shape and feel and if I can fit... I’m 6ft 1!

Is there anything you always carry with you in your glove box
It’s a homeopathic herbal remedy which treats pretty much everything, from a sore throat to a headache.

And what gives you a headache most when it comes to other drivers and road users
Lack of awareness, selfishness and road rage.

What are your dream and nightmare places to drive
My dream place is anything resembling a mountain pass, with a lot of fast bends, or driving a Maserati Trofeo race car around Mugello. The M25 and most of the English motorway system is definitely a nightmare.

We know you love speedy cars. What’s the fastest you’ve ever driven
210mph. On a track, of course!

You also went pretty fast on ‘Top Gear’ when you won Celebrity Laps. What was that like
Totally unexpected! I’m very competitive and always try to give my best, but I had no idea how to go around a racetrack. I hadn’t taken my Master Maserati GT driving course at that time, so it really was my first time on the track. The practice laps as a passenger with the Stig helped, but then my good coordination did the rest! I was really proud, although Jay Kay wasn’t too happy that I beat him!

You mention the Master Maserati GT driving course. Did you learn any new techniques
Absolutely. It was very well organised, the instructors are really helpful and having an ex-Formula One driver like Ivan Capelli teaching you how to get round corners is definitely a bonus!

You also claimed second place in a Maserati Trofeo race held at the 2005 Bologna Motor Show. Where did your passion for Maserati start
I saw the Maserati Spyder at Stoke Park Golf club, fell in love with it and managed to blag a drive.

You then raced a Maserati Spyder up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed...
I was actually invited to do so by Maserati. Felipe Massa gave me a few tips on how to make a good start, then finally it was my turn. The crowd was unbelievable, so I switched off the MSP and there I was, tyres screeching, climbing up the hill in the Maserati Spyder. I absolutely adore Goodwood, and it was great to exploit the Spyder on a safe track, with no chance of getting a speeding ticket!

And finally you started racing for real in 2004...
Well it all happened really quickly: I attended the Maserati Master GT driving course, and listened to all the tips Ivan Capelli gave me. I enjoyed driving on a racetrack so much, that I decided to really go for it. So I spent quite a bit of time in Italy to get my International "C" race licence and finally made my debut, with Ivan as my co-driver, in Imola in 2004. I had the best and scariest time of my life, but I was totally hooked and I have been racing ever since!

So, what do you think about the House of the Trident’s other cars
Well, I love the Quattroporte. I think it looks absolutely stunning, and, if I had to choose to have more cars, I’d definitely have one. It is my work car, if you like: when I attend film premieres, or other important events like the Baftas, where this picture was taken, that’s what I choose.

I also have a Quattroporte during the hectic days of London Fashion Week, when I am chauffeured around from fashion show to fashion show. It’s great sometimes to be able to relax, but I have to admit I am really a bad passenger. My friend Simon Mills (GQ’s social editor) once said that having me in the passenger seat is like having a "twitchy Le Mans co-driver", and he’s probably right. I always know a better, faster route and...of course how to make the most out of it! On a more professional note, I just love the way the Quattroporte shrinks around he driver: you can drive it like a GT car around a track or on twisty roads, and you totally forget that all this time you’ve been sitting in a luxury four door saloon! It’s mesmerising!

And is there any Maserati that you would love to drive, yet so far has escaped you
The MC12 Versione Corse. I’ve driven the MC12, but I am trying very hard to convince people at Maserati that I need to get my hands on a Versione Corse...

Speaking of the MC12, what do you think of the its stunning victories in the FIA GT1 Manufacturers’ Cup 2005, the Teams’ Championship 2005 and 2006 and the Drivers’ Championship 2006, plus the Spa 24 Hours in 2005 and 2006
I think it’s absolutely fantastic... the track is where Maserati really belongs.

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