Tomáš Pekař is heading into his home race in Most, where he’ll benefit from familiar surroundings, but as he says himself, there’s also more pressure to perform. How will he handle it?
Tom, in the previous race at Poznań, it was clear the local drivers had a big advantage and Bartłomiej Mirecki won both races. Do you think you’ll have that same edge now that you’re racing at home in Most?
There’s definitely a bit of a home advantage, but we’ve all been coming to Most for years. I hadn’t raced in Poznań for about three years, and in total I’ve probably only raced there five times in my whole career. It’s also a more technically demanding track. But sure, being at home gives you some edge. On the flip side, there’s pressure too, friends, sponsors, and family come out to watch, so you really don’t want to mess it up. And honestly, I’ve had both great and not-so-great races in Most in the past.
So you’d say Poznań is a tougher circuit?
Absolutely. If you drive it with technical precision, it gives you a big advantage, but achieving that machine-like precision is really tough. Braking is key. You have to brake as late as possible, but still leave yourself just a little margin so you don’t overdo it. That’s the difference between those who really know the track and can push, and those who leave a safety buffer and lose a tiny bit of time.
Do you expect more close battles and a tighter field in Most than in Poland?
Yes, I think it’ll be more competitive. And it won’t just be about me and Bartek. The other guys know the track well too, and I hope we’ll form a tight group fighting for every meter. We’ll see how it all shakes out.
As long as nothing crazy happens in the first chicane, right?
Yeah, two years ago I got hit hard right after the start and that was the end of the race. So I’m hoping this time it’ll go better. For example, in Poznań, we brought the car home basically without a scratch, which doesn’t happen often in Clio Cup races.
Still, there was a lot of bent metal in that first race of the season. Would you say this season has been rougher than usual?
I don’t think it’s that different from previous years. Sure, the first races at the Red Bull Ring were pretty hard with Bartek, and when the front-runners meet on track, they don’t back down. In Clio Cup, the racing is always door-to-door. The guy on the inside leans into the guy on the outside and uses that to carry more speed through the corner. That’s just how it is in our series. It’s nothing new. The only thing that changes is how the stewards call it. Sometimes they hand out penalties for relatively minor things, and other times they let some pretty dangerous stuff slide.
Has your driving style changed over the years?
I’ve been through my share of rough battles and I know it’s not worth it. My dad always used to say: “The main thing is to finish and the car should be in one piece.” So I drive cleanly, quickly, and with a cool head. If someone is quicker, I don’t aggressive to stay ahead. If he gets past me, I’ll try to get back ahead later in the race. I don’t block like crazy just to defend a position, that’s not my style.
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