Getting to know the Fastest Sales Team in the World: Pascal Bachmann

On average, aircraft listed exclusively with Jetcraft sell 42% faster than the industry standard, however, that’s not the only reason we’re the home of the Fastest Sales Team in the World. It’s easy to overlook the similarities between high performance sports and selling, acquiring and trading high-value assets but with so many of our team having racing ties, we thought we’d take a closer look, connect the dots and share the speedy stories from within the Jetcraft family.

First up in our series, you all know him as our SVP Sales in EMEA, but we also know him as rally driving extraordinaire – it’s Pascal Bachmann.

Pascal, why did you decide to start racing? 

I discovered my love for racing when I was living in Lausanne, Switzerland. My friends and I would take my Mini out driving in the mountains on snowy nights and this is where I discovered the exhilaration of testing my driving ability.

As Antoine de Saint Exupéry, French aviator and pioneer of the Aeropostale once said, “It is by measuring oneself against the machine that a man learns his true value.” It’s this philosophy that drives me to do my best.

I vividly remember watching my first rally, witnessing the crews launching themselves through the dark night in pursuit of the fastest time and knowing “this is what I want to do.” Despite financial constraints, my friends and I gathered funds for a used car, modified it, and entered the same rally the following year. Alongside my co-pilot, we had no idea what we were doing, but it was exhilarating and crazy.

How long have you been racing for? 

My racing journey started in 1987. There were intermittent years when I couldn’t afford to participate, but whenever I accumulated enough funds, I eagerly joined in and so did my wife, Valerie. We each had our own cars and co-driver, and we would enter the same rallies. I remember one year we had to take our newborn daughter with us during a race recce, so we stopped every two hours or so to give her a bottle and change her.

How did you get into GT racing and what do you enjoy most of it?  

 My entry into GT racing was purely serendipitous. A few years back, just before EBACE, we organized a rallying event where clients and industry friends rode in my Ford Escort rally car on a closed-off mountain road. The owner of Street Art Racing was one of the participants and complimented my driving skills, suggesting I join their Aston Martin team. I ended up competing with Street Art Racing in the 2018 GT4 season on the Aston Martin Vantage. Initially, I underestimated GT racing, but quickly realized its intensity when experiencing high speeds and close competition on the track. On a circuit, you’ll have 50 cars competing for the same spot in close quarters.

Overall, the thing I enjoy most about GT racing is the unique challenge and leaving my comfort zone, pushing myself to be the best I can. If I truly throw myself at it and think “I could not have done any better,” then there is no regret to have; whatever the result may be.

Starting with GT4, I now race in GT3, the top tier of GT racing, which provides faster cars, greater challenges, and for me, even more enjoyment.

What personality traits make a successful racing driver?

Racing is driven by dedication, focus and the hunger to always give your best.

What are your future racing goals?

There are some famous races I’d love to participate in, such as the Monte Carlo or Corsica rally and Le Mans (24-hour race). Additionally, it would be fun to have a season of historic European rally championships, if time allowed. However, for now, my focus is on enjoying one race at a time, embracing the journey and having fun.

How does racing tie in with jet sales and ownership?

In the International GT Open series that we’re competing in this year, we’ve noticed several jet owners competing too, as fast cars are also a part of their lives.  Jahid Fazal-Karim joined us last year, racing in the GT4 and this year we share the wheel of the GT3.

During races, a significant amount of time is spent in the pits, consulting with the engineers and analyzing data from the car that monitors various parameters. This data allows us to identify where we can gain an advantage, whether it’s braking a little later or entering a curve slightly faster, which ultimately makes a difference at the end of each lap.

Racing can be directly compared to completing aircraft deals, for example to win, you must first finish. External factors always come into play, such as competition from other business aviation companies, challenging authorities, legal and banking issues, or any technical problems with the aircraft. The key is to stay calm, maintain focus on the objective, overcome each difficulty, and eventually close the deal. Everyone else aims to be faster, nobody lends you help or lets you through, but if you lose your cool, you’ll end up in the grass. Stay focused, work hard, and as they say, “just do it.”