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BEYOND THE PODIUM: WHY THE BEST DRIVERS ARE STRATEGISTS FIRST

  • Writer: Margarita Kilpatrick
    Margarita Kilpatrick
  • Dec 9
  • 2 min read

People think the fastest driver always wins. Wrong.


In all my years on the track, the ones who consistently finish out front aren’t just fast. They’re thinking laps ahead. They treat every corner like a chess move. It’s not just about reacting. It’s about anticipating what’s coming and making the right decision before anyone else sees it. That’s the essence of strategic thinking in racing.

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EVERY LAP IS A DECISION

Racing looks like adrenaline. But it runs on calculation. You’re balancing tire wear, fuel strategy, competitor behavior, weather shifts, traffic, and more, all in real time. And you can’t afford to guess. One bad call costs you the race. One smart call can flip the entire outcome.


That level of focus and strategy is what separates a driver who finishes... from one who wins.


THE SAME RULES APPLY OFF THE TRACK

Whether it's business, policy, or life, racing taught me how to think in motion.


You don’t make reckless decisions because things are moving fast. You learn how to move fast and still make smart decisions. Strategy is about:

  • Timing your moves

  • Choosing when to push and when to hold back

  • Knowing your resources and using them wisely


That’s not just a racing mindset. It’s a leadership mindset.


DON’T JUST MOVE FAST. MOVE SMART.

Racing doesn’t reward ego. It rewards insight. The quiet reposition before the overtake. The counterintuitive pit stop. The late-brake defense that sets up the next corner. That’s strategy in action.


Same with leadership. Sometimes the boldest move is waiting. Sometimes it’s adapting. Sometimes it’s seeing the bigger picture and playing the long game while everyone else is chasing the next lap.


STRATEGIC THINKING IN RACING IS A BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP

Want to win? Learn to think like a driver.


  • Make decisions under pressure

  • Anticipate what others don’t

  • Plan your path, not just your pace


Because whether you’re chasing a podium or leading a mission, success belongs to the strategist.

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AUTHOR, ADVOCATE, RACER

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From the high-stakes world of federal courtrooms to the high-speed turns of race tracks, Ted Giovanis’s books capture a life built on determination, strategic thinking, and results.

 

In Beyond Fear, Giovanis recounts his extraordinary six-year battle with the U.S. Department, a fight that began with a single email and culminated in one of the largest Medicare court settlements in history. Representing 730 hospitals, he took on the federal government, navigated complex policy battles, and ultimately secured a $3 billion victory. Framed by his humble beginnings and the love and loss of his wife, Jayne, it is a powerful story of persistence, intellect, and the pursuit of justice.

 

In Focus Forward, the pace shifts from legal strategy to the race track, where Giovanis has spent three decades competing at speeds of 180 miles per hour. Starting his racing career at forty-six, he discovered that the discipline, teamwork, and adaptability needed in motorsport mirror the qualities that lead to success in life and business. He shares lessons learned in the driver’s seat, from preparation and resilience to embracing challenges head-on.

 

Together, these books offer a rare double perspective: one from the courtroom and one from the cockpit, united by the same driving force to face obstacles with courage, think strategically, and always keep pushing forward.

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