Joshua Dufek

My grandad is Austrian and was born and raised in VIENNA. My dad, who has a dual Austrian/German citizenship, has spent his childhood in GRAZ and WOLLSDORF (between GLEISDORF and WEIZ). Even though we live in Switzerland today we still have many friends and family in Austria.

 

My grandad, who worked for 40 years at MERCEDES in Stuttgart, is living in VIENNA again today. He has taken me to the TMW (“Technisches Museum Wien“) on a recent visit. There he proudly showed me the famous “SILBERPFEIL“ which enabled MERCEDES to dominate in motorsports in 1954/55.

 

Thanks to my grandad I have a strong connection to VIENNA and my big role model has always been NIKI LAUDA, who was also born in Vienna and was the last race driver from AUSTRIA to win the Formula 1 Championship - in 1975 & 1977 with FERRARI and 1984 with MCLAREN. The first race driver to ever win a Formula 1 Championship for Austria was JOCHEN RINDT with LOTUS in 1970. NIKI LAUDA and JOCHEN RINDT were the only 2 race drivers to lift the F1 world championship title for AUSTRIA and I would love to be the 3rd one :-)

 

One of my favorite places I have been to with my grandad is the NHM (“Naturhistorisches Museum Wien”). I have a fascination for all nature, especially these incredible ancient giants. I love the feel and energy of AUSTRIA and in particular VIENNA with its history and culture: the “HOFBURG”, the “GRABEN”, the “STEPHANSDOM” and of course the famous “PRATER” with fun rides and plenty of food stands (“WÜRSTELSTANDERL”) to enjoy a yummy “KÄSEKRAINER”...

I am really proud that my grandad allows me to be a bit of a Viennese (“WIENER”)!

 

But my favorite place is ALPBACH in the beautiful ZILLERTAL. I have always spent Christmas and New Year there with my family from an early age on and have gained many friends over the years. Thoughts of “WÜRSTL mit Senf und Kren”, “FRITATTENSUPPE” or “KAISERSCHMARREN“ on top of the mountain warm my heart.

 

My dream is F1 WORLD CHAMPION – it would be an honor for me to represent AUSTRIA🇦🇹!

JOSH DUFEK