Dennis Waszek again alternated the two types of GT cars. He started with the Lamborghini Super Tropheo of the GTC category for the GT2 Motorsport team in the sprint races and he shared the wheel of the new BMW M4 GT3 with Gregor Zsigo in the endurance. And he achieved the title in both categories.
You became the champion of the GTC category and together with Gregor Zsigo you dominated the endurance in the GT3 category. What does this result mean for you?
Given the close result, it means a lot to me. It wasn’t easy this year. In GTC I had to make up for a point loss after the crash in Poznań. In endurance, Libor Milota was on our heels and I had to give it my all behind the wheel. The whole team was getting used to the new BMW M4 GT3 car this year, so it was difficult at times. Anyway, the car worked flawlessly for most of the season and thanks to the great work of the whole team, and especially Gregor Zsigo, we were able to win the championship.
You already alternated GTC and GT3 cars last season. I assume that you have probably gotten used to driving different equipment during the race weekends, so where do you have to be careful, when you get behind the wheel of another car?
I’ve gotten quite used to it, but of course it’s still difficult as you have to remember different braking points, a different ideal line and timing the full throttle. The Lamborghini has more power (about 600 hp) than the BMW (about 550 hp), but the BMW is a brand new GT3 that has one of the best chassis and aerodynamics as well. I have to say that I really enjoyed both cars.
Let’s go to GTC, where you drove a Lamborghini and won almost every race you entered. How do you rate your season in sprints?
First of all, I would like to thank the whole team, especially the team boss and father Boleslav Waszek and the chief mechanic Jarda Slaboch. In the end, everything went well and we collected only five points more than Petr Brecka. Thanks to that, we managed to win the championship, despite my crash in Poznań due to ABS failure and also the problems at the Slovakia Ring, where my door flew off during the race.
Which race do you consider to be your best this season?
The GT Open race at the Hungaroring with BMW in July. We won the PRO-AM category with BMW factory driver Jesse Krohn. No one expected it and since there was a very strong field, it was one of my best experiences in my career. As for the ESET Cup, I certainly enjoyed the Red Bull Ring, where I got into the BMW halfway through the endurance and had to chase Libor until the last lap. And there I managed to overtake him. I also enjoyed racing in Brno with Lamborghini.
I suppose the worst moment of the season was the crash in Poznań…
Yes, I hit a tire barrier at about 120 km/h after the ABS failed. I also regretted the contact with my friend Antonin Herbeck at the Hungaroring. My half-axle was damaged and his Pagani Zonda R spun towards the wall. Outside the cockpit, it was certainly an tragic event at Grobnik.
Let’s go back to Poznań. How badly was the car damaged and how long did it take to repair?
Fortunately, I got out of the crash uninjured and only with a strained groin and neck muscle. During the summer, things are a little slower with Italian car manufacturers, which is why we waited a long time for spare parts. The repair itself then took one to two weeks.
Didn’t you think that the title might be lost?
For a while, I didn’t expect to win GTC title. But thanks to the excellent work of the team in the last two races, we did it together.
What about your plans for next season?
Next season will be decided in the coming months. But I will definitely be happy to have the chance to defend both GTC Sprint and GT3 Endurance titles.