Welcome to The Vietnamese Podcast, hosted by Kenneth Nguyen. In this episode, we sit down with Nguyễn Owen Tangavelou, a French-Vietnamese Formula 3 (F3) driver who is on a singular mission: to become the first person of Vietnamese descent to reach the pinnacle of motorsport—Formula 1.
Owen’s journey is far from typical. Unlike most F1 stars who begin karting at age 4, Owen didn't step into a cockpit until he was 14. From playing F1 video games to pulling $4G$ in a real race car, Owen discusses the grit, the late-start disadvantage, and the staggering financial reality of the "pay-to-play" world of professional racing.
In this episode, we explore:
The Racing Ladder: Breaking down the progression from F4 to the $1.5$ million Euro seasons of F3 and the "feeder" system for F1.
The Physics of Speed: What it feels like to endure $5G$ to $7G$ of force—gravity levels usually reserved for fighter pilots.
The Money Game: The brutal truth about racing—why talent isn't always enough and why Owen is seeking Vietnamese investors to help bridge the funding gap.
National Pride: Why bringing a Vietnamese name to the F1 grid represents more than just a career—it’s a demonstration of national power and the "indomitable spirit" of the people.
Owen is currently balancing business school in France while training for his next shot at the track. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to drive at 300+ km/h or how the business of racing actually works, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to join Owen’s journey to the grid.
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Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve sat with families now for interview sessions to record the rich histories of parents and explore the lives of the generations that preceded them. Don’t let your family stories go untold! Take a moment to reach out and together we will bring out your family’s story on a recorded journey. - Kenneth Nguyen
Visit https://www.vietnamstorybank.com/ today for more information!
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