Today, at the launch of Saxo Bank’s cutting edge new trading platform SaxoTraderGo, Formula 1 racing driver Romain Grosjean, a technology enthusiast whose financial and business acumen is as strong as his world famous motor racing abilities, spoke to Andrew Saks-McLeod of LeapRate, where he drew the comparison between leading edge technology in motorsport, and the forefront of technological prowess that the FX industry continues to push forward.
” I love the idea that the SaxoTraderGo resembles my car in that the clients are the drivers, and the graphs are the suspension and roadholding. The system is very similar to reading telemetry when I am racing. I have to analyse that in the same way that I have to analyse information in a trading platform. Decisions have to be taken quickly and accurately.”
Mr. Grosjean continued “I am very enthusiastic about the idea that Saxo Bank wants to give the community all the information that is required, and wants to help everyone becoming a trader. I worked in a Swiss bank in Geneva for 3 years and I stopped because it was getting too complicated to open the laptop and find what was needed. There was so little empowerment for the end user.”
“Now it is easier to operate. I love competition and the competiton in financial technology is really fascinating this year, particularly seeing what the future will bring with interaction between all users, making stock trading much better.”
“When I open the new platform, it is very ergonomic. I can view all the data very quickly, the ‘suspension’ is the bar graphs which respond quickly; I relate this to the roadholding of a racing car: I like the relationship aspect too, it is not just you and your computer and just graphs. The interactive aspect is very important” said Mr Grosjean.
“I love technology, I love communicating, I am away 5 months per year, so I use all the communication aspects i can, and these are the best ways to keep in contact with trading” he concluded.
Romain Grosjean made a return to Formula 1 with the Lotus F1 team in 2012 having previously contested the final seven Grands Prix of 2009 for the Enstone outfit, which at the time was known as Renault F1.
Prior to that, Mr. Grosjean, who lives in Geneva, Switzerland, had secured the 2007 Formula Three Euroseries championship and won the inaugural GP2 Asia Series championship in 2008.
After his 2009 Formula 1 foray, Romain contested the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship in 2010, winning the opening race of the season whilst also competing in his first Le Mans 24 Hours. It wasn’t long before he returned to single seaters, with partial campaigns in the Auto GP and GP2 Series championships that same year before taking both the GP2 Asia Series and GP2 Series championship titles in 2011.
Last year saw Mr. Grosjean establish himself as one of the strongest all-round drivers in Formula 1. His pace was harnessed and strengthened by an acute awareness of the tactical acumen required to get the best out of car and tyres in all conditions. A maiden victory looked to be very close more than once in a season where his performances just got better and better.