David Beckham opens up about the Maserati campaign and his relationship with driving

Text by SIMONE VERTUA

During the Milan Design Week, the Trident has introduced its GranTurismo Launch Edition PrimaSerie 75th Anniversary. For the occasion Maserati unveiled 3 brand new masterpiece: GranTurismo One Off Prisma and Granturismo One Off Luce, designed by the Maserati Centro Stile and the GranTurismo One Off Ouroboros in collaboration with Fragment's creative director, Hiroshi Fujiwara. Before the showcase in Milan that hosted stars such as Dardust, Hiroshi Fujiwara and Matilda De Angelis we had the chance to meet the football legend, world-class star and Style Pioneer and Global Brand Ambassador of Maserati, David Beckham. He told us about his first spark for cars, how he keeps his mind off the pressures and his relationship with the Trident.

L’OFFICIEL UK: Could you recall the moment you started being fascinated by cars?
DAVID BECKHAM: It was many years ago, when I was a kid. It was a big part of my family vacations. I remember that we always used to drive where we went with my sister, that’s why cars are a big part of my childhood. I am really interested in cars, like my dad, he used to love cars and he always talked to me about them. But then when I looked forward to buying my own car that’s really when it changed to me. I was able to buy my first car, then over the years I tried to kind of collect them in a way where I’m not going to buy something too much, but some classic and modern cars. 

L’OFFICIEL UK: In 2021 you became brand ambassador of Maserati, and you worked also on the style aspect of the Maserati MC20 Fuoriserie Edition that was custom-made with the colors of your football team… How was the experience with the creative team?
DAVID BECKHAM: It was quite amazing, because obviously the MC20 is a beautiful car, it has stunning performance based car but with such elegance. When I settled down with the design team, with Klaus, his mind just worked differently. He sees things in a different way that I have never seen before. So I spent a few hours with him designing the car and it was one of the most enjoyable things that I have done. We looked at so many different options, colors and how we can change things and we just went classic in the end, because it’s really my style. I have a very classic style in how I dress, my hair, now... I can’t really do crazy things anymore. We wanted the car in Miami, I wanted it to represent the football team but not in a real obvious way. We looked at different colors, maybe in pink or purple, but then we said: “Ok, forget all of the ideas that we have just talked about in the last two hours and let’s make the car black we will put the pink in the details” and it’s such a beautiful car. The process was amazing, it’s very important for anyone that loves cars, it’s a dream to be able to do that.

L’OFFICIEL UK: Have you ever visited Maserati’s factory?
DAVID BECKHAM: Yes, it’s really incredible. That’s where we actually designed the MC20, we spent the time to see other people working, that was a special moment and then to design my car, in Italy in the Maserati headquarters. I saw their history and it felt like being brought in the Maserati family.

L’OFFICIEL UK: Driving a supercar kind of gives you a feeling of having super powers, how would you describe the experience of driving a Maserati?
DAVID BECKHAM: Oh, you know each one of the Maserati is one of those cars that you don’t have to see it coming, but you hear them coming! It's the Maserati sound. But it is not just about that for me. When I first drove the Granturismo in the campaign, it made me smile. It's such a great car to drive.

L’OFFICIEL UK: Learning to drive, to me, was a sort of bonding moment with my father. Have you shared this passion with your children too?
DAVID BECKHAM: It's funny that you said that actually, because Brooklyn and Romeo drive, my other son Cruz hasn't passed the driving test yet but I think that it’s different these days. When I was sixteen I couldn’t wait to get to seventeen to pass my test and get my driving license, I was like: “Ok, I will have my first lesson on my birthday”. Kids these days are not that interested... but then my other two sons couldn’t wait to start driving. So obviously, when they were allowed to and at the right age they were always in the car with me. I remember also when they were in childhood I always sat them on my lap and let them hold the steering wheel on a private road somewhere or in an empty car park. It's one of those magic moments, the best for me. I think that I have done it with everyone, my daughter and my three boys as well.

L’OFFICIEL UK: What kind of cars do you prefer? Sportive, more with retro design or with sophisticated lines?
DAVID BECKHAM: When I was younger I wanted sports cars, I wasn’t interested in classic cars. But when you get a little bit older you become interested in timeless cars. At my age, you don't suddenly need a sports car anymore. I’m very lucky to be able to drive classic cars but also have an MC20 that I get to go to the office and when I drive, I love every single minute of the time in that car. It’s hard to say what I enjoy the most, but I suppose the classic car with a modern twist to it and that’s what I love about the Granturismo. It is also important the collaborations that Maserati do, because it brings in the younger audience.

L’OFFICIEL UK: What was it like working with Maserati’s team for the new campaign?
DAVID BECKHAM: The director was Lino Russel, It was amazing to shoot this campaign with him. We spent two days together and my dream was to drive from one side to the other, I haven't been able to do it, not yet. Shooting this campaign in Italy was an amazing day personally. The team did an incredible job, I remember we had a camera crew next to me, behind me, a camera on the side of the car.

L’OFFICIEL UK: Maserati has introduced for the first time in the history a car 100% electric. Did you test the new Maserati GranTurismo full-electric?
DAVID BECKHAM: I have seen it, but I haven’t had the chance to drive it yet unfortunately. I have tried to drive just the petrol version… It was literally next to me, I took pictures with it and I was like: “I would love to take it out” and they said: “Well, you know, not yet…”. I hope I will try the full-electric very soon.

L’OFFICIEL UK: How does the Maserati differ from the other brands and what do you like most about the Trident?
DAVID BECKHAM: There’s a lot of great brands out there with great cars in terms of performance and style. There’s not many cars that you don’t have to see it coming to know exactly what it is. And when it does come it’s such a beautiful car to drive. Being English, we have a lot of history in our country that is another important point to me, and one of the reasons why I wanted to be part of Maserati as a family is the heritage that is very relevant to me. 

L’OFFICIEL UK: Let’s speak about the project GranTurismo One Off, with the presentation of the models GranTurismo One Off Prisma and Luce, and the One Off Ouroboros in collaboration with the Japanese designer and founder of FRAGMENT, Hiroshi Fujiwara. From your point of view, could a car also be or become an art object?
DAVID BECKHAM: I have always looked at the car as a piece of art, that’s because I care about cars, I’ve always been in love with cars, I’ve always been into cars so absolutely. This collaboration of the One Off it’s so important because they are pieces of art, I haven’t actually seen them yet but I am excited. (the interview was made before the unveiling event)