The work of this “frustrated pilot,” as he defines himself, exceeds the walls of the workshop he opened just before the pandemic. Alberto Peña (Madrid, 1988) is a mechanic specialized in preparing street cars for the circuit, a task that he has managed to make visible thanks to social networks. The more than 25,000 users who follow Evetech Motorsport on Instagram witness the marathon days that their team does in the race pits. “What I like most about the world of competition is that the car has to go out on the track no matter what the cost,” he says.
This mechanic who, in his first year of assistance, won the European Formula 3 with Emilio Puccini's team, has cut his teeth in single-make championships such as the McLaren Trophy, the Ferrari Challenge or the Porsche Carrera Cup in Germany. Currently, what he values most when training his team is a good work environment: “In the world of motorsport there is a lot of ego and a lot of testosterone and for many mechanics their way of asserting themselves is to trip up the rest. . That's when the errors come,” explains Peña. One of Evetech's specialized services is the power bank, which measures the exact horsepower of the cars they prepare, something that "can make the difference between winning and finishing second," he says.
But beyond racing, Alberto also repairs cars in his warehouse in Fuenlabrada and, although the repairs of these vehicles can be postponed, it is not recommended. “At least oil, filters, brakes and wheels must be in perfect condition, because with normal use you will not notice it, but it can make the difference between an accident and a scare if you have to swerve,” warns the expert, who emphasizes that these four elements of the car should not be neglected for safety reasons. Peña promotes the use of quality spare parts on his workshop networks and recognizes that, at the level of maintenance, the user cannot do much more to extend the useful life.
In his personal ranking, despite his devotion to German brands, he believes that Asian cars provide greater reliability. “Brands like Toyota have a lot of influence on quality tests and road tests, while Audi or Volkswagen sell the development of innovative technologies,” she argues. Among the worst things he has seen in his workshop in terms of quality and price, he mentions brands like Land Rover or Jaguar, with “breakdowns that are too expensive for cars worth 100,000 euros,” he says.
In fact, another of its star contents is the detection of fault patterns depending on the model. But if there is a problem that is common to all models and brands of the last two decades, Peña opts for particle filters. “Part of the soot and gases that are avoided being emitted into the atmosphere ultimately recirculate and accumulate in the engine, especially in vehicles that make short trips,” argues the mechanic in relation to the importance of respecting the changes in this element. .
Electromechanics is one of Evetech's specialized areas and given the mandatory incorporation of driving aids (ADAS) in vehicles manufactured starting in July, Alberto predicts an increase in repair costs. “Electrical breakdowns take the longest by far and diagnostic machines require a significant investment,” he says. These mainly affect cars with these systems after the age of ten, when “the cables harden and the sensors become clogged” —explains Peña, who admits to preferring traditional mechanics because they are much more intuitive.
Despite the safety and comfort they offer, another aspect why this self-confessed petrolhead is not convinced by electric cars lies in the sensations they offer when driving. “For me, disconnecting is going up a mountain pass or giving it a couple of accelerations and that shot of adrenaline cannot be offered by a modern car,” says Peña, owner of an Audi B7 with a V8 engine and manual transmission. Furthermore, this mechanic recommends buying a semi-new car with few kilometers because new ones “depreciate a lot” – he believes – but he confesses that, if he had to choose one, he would choose a Porsche 911 GT3 RS.
