Two crews. Two championship leads. And two rounds left in the season. Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra heads to Barcelona this weekend looking to score crucial points – and gain some breathing room – ahead of the final part of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo season. Czech fans can also look forward to a major first: for the first time, they will be able to watch the racing series in which Jiří Mičánek’s team is leading the way on television, with the races broadcast on Prima Sport.
Barcelona could prove crucial in this year’s title fight for Bronislav Formánek and Anthony Pretorius in Pro-Am, as well as Jakub Knoll and Renaud Kuppens in AM. Both Mičánek Motorsport crews lead their respective classes by just over ten points. “We have to be consistent and keep scoring points. We may be leading, but the worst thing that could happen to us would be to lose a race,” says team manager Jiří Mičánek Jr. Barcelona has traditionally suited his team. Four years ago, it was here that one of its crews claimed its first double victory. Last year, the team returned as a wildcard, winning one race and finishing third in the other.
On the other hand, two years ago the team lost valuable points here in the title fight, making the finale of its championship-winning season considerably more dramatic. “I like Barcelona, but I’m going there with a lot of respect. I remember very well what happened here two years ago,” says Bronislav Formánek, referring to a difficult qualifying session that also cost the team important points in the opening race.
The weather is also likely to add even more uncertainty to this year’s weekend. The forecast predicts variable cloud and showers on both race days. “There is a bit of nervousness. But thanks to racing in Brno three weeks ago, we’re already up to speed. And if it rains, it will be difficult for everyone,” Formánek says with a shrug.
Anthony Pretorius also has an unpleasant memory of Barcelona. “I had an accident here in the first race last year, so I’ll try to make up for that this time. Our goal is clear – to get the best possible result and extend our championship lead,” says the nineteen-year-old South African, who is racing alongside Formánek this season.
The second pairing of Knoll and Kuppens finds itself in virtually the same situation, leading the championship by thirteen points. Knoll heads to Spain in confident mood after a successful weekend in Brno and will be looking to build on that performance. “We’ll see what the weather does. We also drove in the wet on Friday in Brno, so perhaps we can take advantage of being up to speed. As we get closer to the end of the season, the racing becomes more intense. And we can also feel that now it’s more about championship points than any individual result,” says Knoll, who claimed his first victory with Kuppens at the previous round at the Nürburgring.
While Barcelona is one of Knoll’s favourite circuits on the calendar, his Belgian team-mate has a rather more reserved view of the track. “It’s not exactly one of my favourite circuits. On the other hand, it’s good for overtaking – definitely better than the Nürburgring. But we need to take a more cautious approach. Until now, we were focused on getting to the top of the championship. We’ve achieved that, and now the goal is to score as many points as possible. We have to stay calm and not be aggressive,” says the experienced forty-seven-year-old veteran.
For the first time, fans will be able to follow both Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra cars on television with Czech commentary. Prima Sport will broadcast the races throughout the weekend. “I’m glad we managed to reach an agreement with Prima Sport and Lamborghini, and that from now on Czech fans will be able to watch Super Trofeo with high-quality Czech commentary. With its large and extremely competitive grid, it is objectively one of the most attractive and entertaining GT championships in the world, and thanks to our cooperation, even more people will now have the chance to discover it,” says Jiří Mičánek.
