Saxon power: Home advantage for YACO Audi at Sachsenring

• Home race for THE BOSS YACO Racing at Sachsenring
• Plauen outfit contesting 2013 season in Audi R8
• Local hero Philip Geipel shares cockpit with former ADAC GT Masters champion Lunardi

A driver and a team from Saxony with a 550-horsepower supercar that can trace its roots back to the region: Philip Geipel (26) and Plauen-based THE BOSS YACO Racing are relishing the prospect of a home race when the Sachsenring plays host to the ADAC GT Masters on the weekend of 7th - 9th June. In the run-up to their second season in the Super Sports Car League, team principal Uwe Geipel took the bold decision to switch marques, ditching the muscular Chevrolet Camaro in favour of an Audi R8. YACO Racing driver and local hero Philip Geipel, who is this year partnering 2011 ADAC GT Masters champion Dino Lunardi (34) from France, talks about the change of vehicle, about the Sachsenring and about expectations for his “home Grand Prix.”

The Chevrolet Camaro was one of last season’s big crowd-pullers in the ADAC GT Masters, so how come you made the change?
Philip Geipel: “The Camaro was certainly one of the most eye-catching and appealing cars on last year’s grid. The shape, the sound – it was just unmistakeable. But the main purpose of racing is to win. We owe it to our partners and sponsors, to the team and to ourselves. With the Audi, we are now consistent contenders for a Top Ten finish. It was a huge relief for the whole team when we came fourth in our first outing in the Audi, which also happened to be our best result to date in the ADAC GT Masters. Because the team itself hasn’t changed, and results like this are good for morale.”

Why did you opt for the Audi R8?
“We had our sights set on the Audi R8 for quite a while. The R8 is highly competitive, and Audi provide their customer teams with excellent trackside support. But there is of course also a historical angle: the Audi brand has its roots in Saxony and I was born in Zwickau, so the whole thing fits together perfectly. “

What is your assessment after your first two race weekends with the Audi?
“The start of the season was not easy. We went into the season opener at Oschersleben without having driven a single test lap, but we immediately achieved a fourth-place finish. Since then, we have steadily raised our game and have broadened our experience with every kilometre on the track. We are heading in the right direction but still have ground to make up.”

The Sachsenring is considered a drivers’ circuit; do you think that you can use this factor to compensate for your relative lack of experience with the Audi?
“You can certainly offset other factors at the Sachsenring by virtue of driver expertise, but this only applies to a limited extent in the ADAC GT Masters – the starting field is so strong in terms of quality that you have no inherent advantage over any of the other drivers. All of the other main contenders in the ADAC GT Masters know the Sachsenring just as well as I do. Obviously though, there is always that extra quantum of motivation when you’re competing in front of your home crowd.”

Audi have consistently been fast at the Sachsenring, so does that fill you with optimism for the two races?
“I’m feeling very confident about this home race. The Audi R8 has always been a banker at the Sachsenring. I hope that we can continue closing the gap on the competition there. At the Sachsenring, there are several medium-fast corners, which suits the car very well. I hope that we can record two good results, because the weekend at the Sachsenring is the most important event of the entire season for us.”