It sounds like the beginning of Erich Mario Remarque’s novel Three Comrades. Three friends Jiří Koldinský, Tomáš Peleška and Martin Vojtík got together to work on a race car. But while the German novel ends gloomy, the Czech trio continues happily. The JMT Racing Engineering team is growing and this year we will see it in the new ACCR Formula 4 Championship, confirmed Jiří Koldinský.
You are a relatively new team that has origins in the student formula. Who is behind the JMT team and what does working in the motorsport environment bring you?
We started with the student formula in 2009 at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The team is still working successfully and is preparing another new formula. However, after graduation, there was no choice but to leave the university team. But motorsport is a lifelong love, so at the same time as handing over the team, we decided how to proceed. Three friends, me, Tomáš Peleška and Martin Vojík, decided to start our own team and continue to race. This also explains the abbreviation JMT. Working in motorsport is pure joy and passion, I met a lot of friends and comrades whom I can turn for help at any time and they have basically become part of the family. I experienced a lot of joy, emotions, victories. This can richly compensate for a lot of stress and work, which is also unavoidable.
You have experience with the preparation of formula cars. Whether Formula Gloria, Formula Renault 2.0, or Formula 4. From the 2022 season, you are entering the new ACCR Formula 4 championship with Vojtěch Birgus. How did the cooperation come about?
You’re right, Gloria was great, it brought us our first victory, but Formula 4 is still a conceptually modern car, safe and attractive for beginner drivers. Cooperation with Vojta began in 2020, or after the end of the 2019 season. We have prepared a special offer for go-kart drivers to test the formula under favorable conditions. In addition to Vojta, Honza Matyáš and other drivers also took advantage of this offer. During the test days, they drove hundreds of kilometers with us and moved from go-karts to large circuits. Vojta subsequently graduated from circuit school and obtained a FIA license for circuit racing. Unfortunately, last year was again affected by the coronavirus pandemic, so the plans reduced only to start in Brno, where Vojta showed his talent, used the potential of the car setup and won the second race with 20 seconds.
What model will you use in this season? The older version, which you have available, or are you planning to buy new F4?
That’s a good question, we haven’t released that information yet. So you will be the first to know, that we are currently working on the details of purchasing a new model. We see the new championship as a great opportunity for our team and for formula races in the Central European zone. I believe that for a fraction of the price of a race in the German F4 ADAC series, we can demonstrate quality races and train excellent pilots for a higher series of formula racing. So we will use both F4 models, older and new one, in the ACCR Formula 4 Championship and it will be interesting to watch the comparison of both generations on the track.
Do you plan to enter all ACCR F4 races? And what else are you planning for 2022?
At the moment, yes, but of course we cannot influence the pandemic situation. If it will be possible, we will participate in all races. The goal is to fight for victory throughout the championship. As every year, we are planning several test days, the closest one before the season on March 11 at Autodrom Most. We deliberately hold a test so early that drivers who are considering participating in the ACCR F4, can ride and try the technique. Furthermore we agreed on participation in the ESET RaceStar project thanks to a great and long-term cooperation with Ing. Josef Křenek. This opens up the possibility of support for young talented drivers transferring from go-karts.
As I mentioned, you are a young and small team so far. Where do you see JMT Racing in five to ten years?
Yes, we are a young and a small team, yet we have great ambitions. We will continue to actively look for young talents in the go-kart world and educate them so that they ideally move to World Championship racing. The goal is to become the largest formula team in the Czech Republic. I believe that JMT Racing will be a brand that will guarantee quality racing and victory not only in the Czech Republic.