Member of the Williams Esports Academy, young Nikodem Sobczyk is making progress in the motorsport world and after one season behind the wheel of Kia Picanto, he stepped up to Clio Cup with Nikos Racing.
Last year was your first full season in motor racing, driving with Kia and winning Polish championship. What does that early succes means for you?
My first full season in car racing was extremely successful for me. Despite very little experience, I managed to win the championship. This would not have been possible without the team and, among others, my coach Paweł Krężelok, with whom I intend to continue working together in the upcoming season as well. This success has motivated me even more to keep working.
You also became member of Williams Esport Academy. How important is simracing for you to be a better driver on the real track?
Joining the Williams Esports Academy is the fulfilment of my dreams from the early beginnings of my simracing career. It is an incredible honour to represent such a strong team at the world level. Simracing is very important to me, after all, it was at the start that I raced from behind the wheel at home and only later took a real car out on the track.
What led you to compete in the Clio Cup?
The Clio Cup is becoming more and more popular racing series with each passing year. The Clio is much faster than the Kia, I competed in last season. It is a car without an ABS system, which I’m sure will be quite new to me. It drives on slick tires which gives a lot of grip in the corners. I hope that despite so many new things, I will be able to learn the car quickly.
The season spans six events across various tracks, including the new Balaton Park in Hungary. Which track are you most looking forward to, and why?
The entire Clio Cup calendar looks extremely interesting. The first round at Hungary’s Balaton Park will be new to everyone which may increase my chances. I’m most looking forward to the two tracks that also host Formula 1 races, the Red Bull Ring and the Hungaroring. These are the tracks where I have the most simracing experience. The Most, Slovakia Ring and Brno are tracks where I had the opportunity to drive in real life and I feel really powerful there.
Racing can be as much a mental game as a physical one. How do you stay focused and mentally prepared throughout the season?
During the breaks between race weekends, I compete in many simracing races. This allows me to maintain my race craft and improves my concentration during races. Each experience gained in simracing allows me to improve my mental preparation for competing in real life. I also take care of my physical condition by, among other things, going to the gym regularly, which allows me to stay focused for longer during demanding races.
What are your long-term goals in motorsport, and how does competing in the Clio Cup fit into your career trajectory?
My dreams reach the top racing car series such as GTWC or DTM. Getting to that level will certainly be very difficult. The Clio Cup, after driving the Kia Picanto last year, is a natural step towards more powerful cars. There are also many drivers competing here so I think it will help me develop in many ways as a driver. I’ll give it my all to get as high as I can!
Can you share a bit about your journey into racing? What motivated you to pursue a career in motorsport?
My love of motorsports was started by my dad, who once took me to karting, which he enjoyed going to. From the beginning I loved driving and from 2019 I trained at the Hussarya Karting Academy. With each training session I enjoyed driving more and more and I was doing better and better, as evidenced by the podium places in my age categories at the Polish Indoor Championships. My dad and I wanted to go further so we decided to go professional in cars.
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