Petr Samek and his team, SAPE Motorsport, made their debut in the F4 CEZ series in 2023 season. The new championship, new race car, and new driver formed a completely unknown combination, but the Czech team managed this challenge and is now heading towards long-term goals.
This year, you completed almost the entire season with Míra Mikeš behind the wheel of F4. How do you evaluate the 2023 season in F4 CEZ?
In my opinion, this year was extreme for everyone! For Míra, it was his first season on circuits, for us, it was the first season with a new car in a new championship, and for the organizers, it was also difficult because it was the first season of F4 CEZ. It’s a unique combination of everything being „the first time,“ which we will probably never experience again.
It was evident that Míra improved from race to race. How did you as a team contribute to his progress?
As I mentioned in the first question, it was really new for everyone, and just like Míra gradually improved, we also improved. So, I would say that we were progressing together at a similar pace.
And how do you evaluate Míra’s progress?
Positively and as expected.
Currently, you have one F4 car in the garage. However, I heard that you plan to acquire another F4 car. Can you provide us with more information about that?
The decision to acquire another car was mainly due to the planned cooperation with the organizers of the F4 CEZ series in identifying and supporting new talents in circuit racing. We want to establish ourselves as a junior team and try to make participation in F4 more accessible for newcomers. By „accessible,“ I mean not only financially but also in terms of approach, without any moral barriers—don’t know how to do it, don’t be ashamed, don’t be afraid, come, we’ll teach you.
How will you search for new drivers?
Discussions are underway with various individuals interested in a seat for the next season, but most often people contact us. In the majority of cases, it’s the parents of potential drivers.
What will be your lineup for next year?
We don’t have the F4 lineup for next year prepared yet. It’s still relatively early, and the right time for evaluation will come after the New Year. Míra will definitely not be driving with us in the next season, and it is likely that he will participate in races in the GT4 category in the Buggyra Academy. However, it is already certain that we have a crew for the next season in the ADAC GT4 and we will start with our Audi.
Do you have any specific goals for next year?
Definitely. Our goal is to further advance our team and service for drivers. Every season, we have planned improvements and insights from the previous one. The list of things to do better for the following season is exceptionally long, and it will be even more challenging because we will be competing in two championships simultaneously, F4 and GT4.
What are your long-term goals in F4 CEZ?
In the long run, we would like to operate two cars and be a good choice in terms of performance and price. We want to focus on new faces and support their development in circuit racing in collaboration with the organizers and the F4 CEZ championship.
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