Albert von Thurn und Taxis: “We won’t be happy until we get our first Camaro victory”

• Interview with Chevrolet Camaro driver Albert von Thurn und Taxis
• Enge and von Thurn und Taxis make huge strides with Camaro
• Former champion talks about successes with the Chevrolet Camaro and future targets

Hohenstein-Ernstthal: Albert von Thurn und Taxis (31, Regensburg / Reiter Engineering) is back amongst the leaders in the ADAC GT Masters standings. The 2010 champion has been one of the surprise packages this season in the Chevrolet Camaro with its massive eight-litre V8 engine that he shares with ex-Formula 1 driver Tomas Enge (38, CZ), having now had two podium finishes, one at the Red Bull Ring and the other at the Slovakia Ring. Ahead of the two ADAC GT Masters race at the Sachsenring this weekend (Saturday and Sunday, broadcast live on kabel eins from 11.45am), von Thurn und Taxis explains why these impressive results came as no surprise to him and tells us what his next objectives are for the American muscle car.

You narrowly missed out on victory with the Camaro in two races. Were you expecting this level of success before the season started?

Albert von Thurn und Taxis: “We knew that we would have to achieve such results this year or else the entire project would be pointless. So we expected that we would be competitive during the course of the season. This did not of course prevent us from celebrating the magnificent runner-up spots at the Red Bull Ring and the Slovakia Ring. After such great results, the joy in the team was simply massive.”

What are the next targets for the Chevrolet Camaro?

“We certainly won’t be satisfied until we have won our first ADAC GT Masters race in the Camaro. This is definitely doable.”

Is there still time to do it this year?

“We’ll be on the grid at both the Sachsenring this weekend and in the grand finale at the Hockenheimring. At the Sachsenring, it’s going to be rather difficult. We’ve never raced there in the Camaro, and it’s not a circuit you can test on. But Hockenheim is certainly one of the tracks where a victory for us is feasible. Whether we’ll manage it this season, it’s hard to say. At Hockenheim, it will be a question of getting the right setup. We’ve found that, in the Camaro, even a very small change has a huge impact, and we haven’t reached the stage where we can accurately predict the effect of every last modification on the car. But Hockenheim should be a track on which we are highly competitive.”

You had your biggest success driving a Lamborghini and are now driving a Camaro and a Lamborghini more or less on alternate weekends. How do you as a racing driver cope with the challenge of handling two vehicles that are so fundamentally different?

“The Lamborghini and the Camaro couldn’t be further apart in their technical concepts. For a racing driver, both vehicles have their own charm and appeal. A Lamborghini is always a Lamborghini, of course, and as a racing vehicle, it’s also a very special car. The Camaro is almost untameable with its monster engine, and you find yourself constantly battling against wheel spin. I’m delighted that I have the opportunity to drive both vehicles in separate race series.”

The Camaro is considered a fans’ favourite. What sort of reactions do you get when they see you driving the car?

“The response and support of the fans is overwhelming every weekend. What makes the Camaro extra special is that it started out as the underdog in the ADAC GT Masters before later becoming competitive. Since then, of course, the car has made excellent progress thanks to the blood, sweat and tears of Reiter Engineering. That passion earns us a lot of brownie points. On top of which you have the brutal sound and unique looks.”

What are your expectations for the Sachsenring weekend?

“I’m struggling to make a forecast. My experience is that, without a lot of aerodynamics on the car, you have a weak hand to play at the Sachsenring. On the other hand, it’s not a circuit where traction is matters too much, which is a positive for us. I can imagine us finishing among the points in both races.”