Macedonian David Malinkovski had pretty successful three-year stint with Renault Twingo. He participated in Twingo Cup occasionally and meanwhile was one of the top names in Macedonia Twingo Cup series. But now, it´s time to move on and race with a faster car.
David, you’ve been racing in the Twingo Cup since 2019. What’s behind the decision to move up to the Clio Cup?
Correct, I have been racing in the Twingo Cup since 2019. We had an agreement with Automotive Group, the main Renault dealership in Macedonia, to enter the Macedonian Twingo Cup. And you have to commit for three years of driving (excluding one covid year 2019, 2021, 2022). I can say that I have had success in the Macedonian Twingo Cup, since I´m the overall winner after three seasons with the most points and championship title in 2021. So I decided to upgrade to the ESET Clio Cup with Lema Racing.
How did the mutual agreement with Lema Racing come about?
I signed with Lema Racing, because it felt natural. All the faces are familiar since they are the main organizers of the Twingo cup, they are always welcoming and supportive for everyone who is driving in the Twingo cup.
What generation of Clio will you be driving? Fourth or fifth?
I will be driving the fifth generation of the Clio Cup. Although the common discussion is that the Gen 4 is quicker. Keep a look out for our racing livery will be loud and bold #22!
Have you had a chance to test the car yet? Can you compared it to the Twingo?
I managed to get two test days in the Gen 5 Clio Cup. The first test was short and I did not push the car at all. But it got me hooked and it was really the spark for the idea to move up. During testing at Cremona in Italy, we had the chance to test in the rain and on a fully dry circuit. I felt a lot more comfortable with the car, it felt good to explore the limits of the tires and overall package. Compared to the Twingo, it is a drastic change. No disrespect to Twingo, it’s a perfect starting point. But the Clio is a different beast. With the slick tires, the sequential transmission, you can tell it’s a professional race car.
Which circuit on the calendar are you most looking forward to?
Mostly I’m looking forward to the tracks, that I have had experience with. But Hungaroring and Slovakiaring are my favourites by far!
What are your goals for this season?
My goals for the season are to grow as a driver, to have good clean battles with the other drivers and have a consistent season.
