Interviews

Planetlemans talks to Antonio García

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos

Recognized as one of the quickest GT drivers of the LMS, Spanish driver Antonio García has quite a curriculum behid him. A winner in every class he has been racing in (including a victory on his GT1 debut at Dubai in 2005), Antonio is looking at a potential career expansion into the US ideally combining it with the LMS European season. We met Antonio at the Team Modena pitbox at Silverstone while he was preparing for the 1000 km race.

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos

PLM- Antonio, what was your way into GT1 and Team Modena?

AG- I started to run FIA-GT in 2001, while I was also doing Formula 3000. I was with the Red Bull team and we also did races like the Spa 24 Hours where I got experience in the GT world. With Team Modena I got invited to run the Cirtek Aston at Dubai in 2005 as Christophe Bouchut’s partner, my first race in GT1 and we won…

PLM- Not bad. You were also running the WTCC back then.

AG- Indeed, I was with the BMW team but I did not like the sort of race with so much contact between the cars. On top of that, coming 2006 BMW was unclear whether they were going to continue or not in the WTCC. I agreed on a deadline but come that time the decision was still unclear so I opted for a move to the LMS instead.

PLM- You’ve had quite a good season, are you going to Interlagos? What’s the plan for 2008?

AG- We are not going to Interlagos. I have one more year of contract with Modena but if I would get a better opportunity there’s a good chance I can pursue it. The team is also starting to look at options for the future so there’s lot of things to be decided yet.

PLM- Would you move into a prototype? Have you ever driven one?

AG_ let me start by answering your last question. I have not driven one but I think it is not very different from the single seaters I’ve driven before. If I’d like a move to one of them? Sure! One always wants to win overall, that is the aim. It is also a turning point for the GT1 teams t the moment, Oreca is moving to prototypes so next year we’ll have just a few of these cars probably on the grid. I have the feeling there is a potential move to a prototype in everyone’s mind. And that includes me.
PLM- But you have also been driving in the US this year.

AG- Yes, this came through the good relationship with Christian (Fittipaldi) . He came to help us at Valencia and he helped me to get a GrandAm drive after I told him I’d be interested on driving there. He did quite a good job, the race just after I mentioned it to him I was already behind the wheel of a Cheever Racing GrandAm car! I have done three races up to now, the team is great and it is growing. The great attractive for me is that it is possible to combine a US calendar with a European one so I might get a chance of doing a full season of GrandAm next year.

PLM- Some years ago Formula 1 was your objective.

AG- True, but this is not in my radar chart anymore. Both Fernando (Alonso) and me got together into racing straight from karting. In fact both of us were not that interested in moving away from karting since we were doing pretty well and Formula 1 was utopical back then. But it was through the push and mainly the enormous help of Adrián Campos that we both took the step to racing cars. In my case I never had the funding to take the final step.

PLM- Your favorite track?

AG- Le Mans, by night. I actually like Le Mans, it is pretty impressive. During the night stints you’re alone in the dark and it’s quite a special feeling. I have done quite some 24 Hour races and I enjoy them, 3 times Spa, twice Le Mans…

PLM- Is the GT1 car so difficult to drive as they say?

AG- Well, there’s not that much downforce and quite a bit of inertia, it is certainly not easy to drive. I’d say that it is tougher to get to the last second, the one that is critical just before you brake for the corners. And this is through the lack of downforce, it is not a forgiving car. Unlike a single seater which is much easier to drive if you lift off, you are still fighting the GT1 even when you brake 2 or 3 seconds later…

A quick driver in full-blown development, Antonio García is ready for the next step and a much busier agenda across continents. A winner by nature, it won’t be difficult for him to find the opportunity that gets them to the overall top.

Thanks to Antonio and Paul Jurd for their time.

gabriel@planetlemans.com