Mathias Lauda: “I didn’t enjoy racing so much since a long time” 

Austrian driver is enthusiast of his first season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series

Former GP2, DTM and GT1 driver Mathias Lauda, son of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda, is currently in his first season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, where he drives the #66 DF1 Racing by B66 Chevrolet SS in the ELITE 1 division. 

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Lauda scored two top-10s in the first event in Valencia that granted him the fourth place in the championship standings. The British weekend on the tight Indy Circuit at Brands Hatch started with a seventh place, but a difficult Sunday Race, in which he was involved in an accident in restart, left him fifth in general classification.

At the Tours Speedway, in his debut on the .403 mile banked short track, the 33-year old Salzburg native rewrote History by passing four cars on the outside in the last laps to win the first ever NASCAR Whelen Euro Series oval race in the wet. Lauda left the French short-track back in 3rd in the championship standings, 21 points behind leader Ander Vilarino.

The Austrian driver is really enjoying his experience in the official European NASCAR Series – which will also go to Germany for four races at the Nurburgring on July 19-20 – and considering his vast and eclectic driving experience, he’s an authoritative voice to speak about a championship in which he rediscovered the essence and the pleasure of racing.

Getting to know the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series

I first met the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series three years ago, when I was racing in the FIA GT1 World Championship and we shared an event with them. I quickly became a fan of the Series and I’m really glad to be a part of it now.

Close, door to door NASCAR racing

My feeling with the car and the Series is great. I didn’t enjoy racing so much since a long time. The races are so much fun! You can really overtake people with these cars and the way you can drive them. In my career I always drove cars in which overtaking was hard because getting close to another car made you lose downforce. With these cars you don’t lose downforce, everybody is close to each other, the level of the competition is really high and it’s really up to the driver to make a difference. It’s tough racing but it’s really fun!

Having a close relationship with fans and share the same passion with them

It’s fantastic to have the fans around us in the paddock and in some events even on the grid. This is how racing should be. Put up great races and let the people come to see us from up close. For me the fans are the most important thing because without them we couldn’t race, so our goal is to give them a show that will make them come back again and again. The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series provides great entertainment for the motorsports passionates but also for all the family. It’s a great package and I’m sure that it will grow in the future.

Racing and winning the first NWES wet oval race

This win was so special and I had a lot of fun in the race. I honestly didn’t expect it to be so great. I thought overtaking in such a small track would be difficult, but in both races I passed many cars and made the outside work in the final stages. I wish I can do more oval races!

Bringing the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series to Germany

I raced a lot in Germany in the past few years, especially in DTM, and I also drove in the Nurburgring 24h and I know that the German fans are really fond of motorsports. I’m sure that when they’ll get to know the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series a little bit better, they’ll love it! 

Expectations for the German weekend

This Championship is very competitive and the standings are pretty close, so every point and every position counts. Getting good results at the Nurburgring will be fundamental for the rest of the season and I really look forward to a great weekend. Going to the Nurburgring with a win gives us even more confidence because now we know we can beat the best guys in the series and I always considered the German race as my best chance of the year.

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