Libor Milota will be one of the biggest favourites in the GT3 category this year. The GT2 Motorsport driver feels more ready than before. He revealed that and even more in our interview.
Libor, last year, you finished 2nd in the GT3 category in both, Sprint and Endurance. Is your goal for this season to win the championship?
My goal is to win races and to have a good feeling from what I do on the track. I want to do my best for the team and anything better is just a bonus. Of course, the championship title would be nice, but it’s the beginning of the season and it’s too early to think about that now.
Just like last year, you will be racing with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 of GT2 Motorsport. But did you get any other offers where to race this season?
Yes, I’ll be driving a Mercedes for the GT2 Motorsport team, supported by GT SPORTS service company. To find a limit with a GT3 car is definitely not a job for just one season and I still feel humbleness, respect and love towards Mercedes. I definitely want to continue in this and to even consider anything else is just a waste of time for me. I believe that we’ve still not reached our potential and that’s why we continue.
How were your pre-season preparations? Have you been affected by a coronavirus in any way?
Yes, it has affected my preparations in a big way. However, I’ve got to say that I’m prepared better than ever before. I believe, that especially on the physical side, I won’t be in a bad shape at all. And we have even managed to do a lot of work on a simulator and on the track during testing.
The upcoming season will consist of only 4 rounds. How does it affect you as a driver? Is it more positive or negative? And what advantages or disadvantages do you see?
To me, having only 4 rounds is positive, considering we’ve lost many sponsors and had to reduce our budget for the season. As an athlete, I see it as a negative thing. Any potential loss will be even harder to catch up.
The opening round of the season takes place at Grobnik. Is it your favourite circuit? What do you expect from the race?
Grobnik is my favourite track. It’s dangerous, yet fun. It’s important not to make any mistakes. I definitely like to come back here, and I used to enjoy it even on bikes before. My expectations? I believe that I’ll be talking about this track in a very positive way next week.
You will be racing in Sprint and Endurance. For that, you will be joined by Sergey Pavlovec. How are you looking forward to that? Are you going to race in more events together?
I can’t wait to work with Sergey. It’s our debut together and I expect that it’ll be interesting to share our experience. It’s too early to speak about doing more races together. For now, I want to do my best at Grobnik, and I think it’s the same for him.
Who is going to be the toughest competitor this year?
I won’t name anybody. We’ve done a good job with our preparations, more than the others and we definitely will be racing anyone, who might try to get ahead of us. Every time, we go to the grid with a respect and each race ends with the chequered flag.
Your career began on motorbikes. How would you compare that category to car racing? What are the similarities and what are the differences?
Motorbikes are just as nice as big, powerful cars. Even after many years, I still have goosebumps whenever I race, no matters whether it’s bikes or cars. I used to race on bikes back when the Czech championship had over 40 entries, that was great. Every single victory meant a lot and it was a battle until the final metres. In cars, it’s about the machinery. They give you respect, and they’re admired by children and even older people. I could talk a lot about differences, but both categories have given me incredible and unforgettable memories. It’s motorsport and I’ve been in love with it for many years.
How would you rate the ESET Cup series? What kind of future do you expect and especially for the GT3 category?
The GT3 category is the pinnacle of car racing. ESET Cup is a good format for those, who have other responsibilities apart from racing. I believe in the future and I believe that GT3 is going to remain special, without any huge changes. There are so many series where you can change things to be more demanding, but I see ESET as a very reasonable compromise in the world of GT3 racing.
What about your plans for the next 5 years? Do you want to stay in the ESET Cup for a long time or is there any other series you would consider?
I really want to race, to work hard and keep up with the fastest drivers here or anywhere in Europe. I have many dreams, but currently, I want to win at Grobnik.
Would you consider returning to motorbikes?
Yes, I think that’s possible, especially as I already race in motocross. And I’ve been thinking about it more and more recently. Let’s wait and see, but my heart would surely want to.