Formula 1 Fred
Fred van Putten, TankSafe® Ambassador for Europe, talks trucks and motorsport…
How long have you been in business with TankSafe®?
I was first introduced to TankSafe® and its product range in 2014 and have been engaged with the TankSafe® senior management team since then.
What attracted you to becoming a TankSafe® partner?
I strongly belief that internal and external diesel theft are under estimated, and on top of that we have to care about the environment through less spillage.
.
Please tell us a little more about your operation in your market?
I work with TankSafe®’s senior leadership team on strategies to develop OEM business, and sales to the bigger European fleets.
What has been your biggest achievement so far?
Getting the attention of the president of a major truck OEM.
What’s on your wishlist for the next 5 years at TankSafe®?
To get a real breakthrough by getting a European OEM to make TankSafe ‘Optimum’ standard fit on all of its new trucks. Also continuing to sell this simple but fantastic product in mainland Europe to the largest fleet operators.
Away from leading TankSafe®’s growth in Europe, what do you enjoy doing socially?
I am a big Motorsport fan, the former president of the Dutch Motorsport Authority, and have been an amateur racer for 15 years. I was also the Dutch national radio/tv F1 commentator from 1977-1992, and team principal of the MAN DAKAR truck team 2007-2015.
I visited the Indy 500 miles at the end of May this year as a special guest of IndyCar, and last weekend I saw Ferrari win at Le Mans.
If you could pick any three famous people in the world, alive or deceased, to have a few drinks and dinner with, who would they be?
Niki Lauda - I’d like to talk to him about his incredible racing career; he’s the biggest personality in racing.
Tiger Woods - his life and career has had many ups and downs. For me, he’s the biggest name in golf.
My father, who died in a freak accident at the famous Zandvoort circuit at the age of 42 when I was only 15 years old, to hear if I did well in my life.
