For the third year in a row on the road near Moscow Moscow Raceway races held Porsche Sport Challenge, organized by Oleg Kesselman and Kesselman Motorsport team supported by Porsche Rusland.
I think our readers to present Oleg Kesselman do not need that in Russia there is no single sporting event Porsche, a company which does not put his hand to Oleg. But perhaps not everyone knows that in the past Oleg avtosportsmen very eminent, world-class athlete who has won once all European championships, in which participated. Except for one: Porsche Carrera Cup. And while it is sunk into the soul of Porsche racer deepest.
— You know, — he said to me at the very beginning of the interview — I have still fresh memories of how I first encountered with this car. I went for superkrutuyu and successful team «Schubert Motorsport» in the race «24 Hours Nürburgring» with the top-end drivers in the lineup, including Claudia Hurtgen. We all had a brand-new, beautiful, cool BMW M3 coupe, a lot of engineers and mechanics, and next, in the next box, there were guys who had a cup Porsche, and even conditionally table and chair — and all. They just asked me: «Do you want a ride?» Because I love everything new, I agreed.
— So what? You got into the Porsche, drove and realized that all the way back there?
— I realized that development is necessary in this direction, in the direction of true sports car that is initially created in the sport, not the family car, which later built sports cars. The Porsche eventually turns 2 times cheaper than the same M3, but modified to the desired level, he gives the same, if not more powerful emotion. Since then I have a Porsche. And you know my career — I have more than 30 years in racing, but with the Porsche Carrera Cup and has not developed. I even many Germans advised to look for another, parallel championship, but I did not let go (laughs). And I do not regret it!
— Oleg, but why are you not able to win there? Is there such a high level of pilots? Or so complex machine? Maybe just not fate?
— Maybe not destiny. But in those years in the league competition was incredibly high, came out at the start of more than 40 cars, and that you knew — level pilots such that even after half a season of DTM people «drove» in the top ten. The machine is also specific, giving the slightest mistake once a huge backlog, needs constant practice.
On the one hand, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is very similar to a conventional road the Porsche 911, but on the other — it is a pure sports car is very sensitive to the nuances of configuration and management, everything depends on the work of engineers, mechanics and of the pilot.
— Why, then, if the machine is so complex and capricious, so many people mad about her?
— Besides the fact that it is just interesting because of its complexity and the fact that you have to it to prove that you steeper it (and it works), Porsche is known for its customer policy. First, you can buy a car racing through almost any dealership and order the same parts. It's worth it. Secondly, Porsche has traditionally largely takes the lead in organizing local championships, and thus to develop them. For the organization of the championship company has proven organizing partners, which strongly supports.
— I understand that in Russia it is just you and your company Kesselman Motorsport? Yet Porsche Sport Challenge — it's not a factory Championship? You just spend it with the official support?
— In general — yes. But we are working together with a representative. They trust me to determine the policy of the championship, but I still, of course, to observe the general line.
— How long are you going to to create a championship? When there was the first time this idea?
— Have passed since 6 years. And just recently, we sat and talked with participants and recalled how even races held on the racetrack, «Myachkovo» as we ourselves cut sandwiches and inflated wheels. Of course, a great incentive to the development gave us the appearance of Moscow Raceway. And then everything has gone much faster. And this year, opened the Porsche Driving Center here on the Moscow Raceway, and immediately gained enormously in development.
— This is a very beautiful circuit: Porsche Driving Center provides participants in the Porsche Sport Challenge, a «Challenge» Challenge, in turn, makes people think that they are not all able and it is time to learn sports driving...
— By Unfortunately, it is not I a genius that came up with this scheme (laughs). But yes, in principle, you describe all right.
— Who are all these people who are traveling in your competition?
— These are the guys who came to the racing tracks two, three, four years ago. They did not all aware of the fact that there is a Russian Touring Car Championship, they go to the tests in Europe and drive on the Nordschleife, so I can safely say I have not pulled a single customer of the Russian Championship. These are the people of Porsche Club, which is just about 500 owners of these cars. 150 of them are more active, they are interested in everything that happens around Porsche. Here, for example, participated in the final stage of the order of 80 owners, and it's not a record. I am kind of a link between the club and the Mission. I can push the Porsche community in any direction, but I can not impose. They choose what they like, and interesting.
— Probably the one hand it is good that this is not just a race, and clubs, and on the other — it is always more difficult to organize...
— Yes, we try to make sure that people come here with friends and families, and that their guests were is not boring. Therefore, in addition to the sports the event, there are plenty of other entertainment off the track — from test drives to not believe, nail salon. But all satisfied and happy. After the July event approached me grown men, the owners of the Porsche 911, with tears of happiness in her eyes. «Thank you — say — Oleg, that conduct such races. Our classmates learned through social networks about the event, find out what we chase, we came to see. And we have not seen for 15 years! „.
— You also runs the triathlon here...
— No, no, this triathlon spectator! It's like a contest. As for the participants, they can be declared in one of the three (or all three) competition —Driver's Trophy Regularity, Time Attack and Sport Challenge. Actually, it's actually three steps for the complexity of the event.
The simplest is to the pyramid — the regularity race. Here you can drive the track in a calm pace, get used to the car and what is happening on the track to train. Then go to the Time Attack — is more complicated and has higher speed. Well, the tip — a Sport Challenge, normal, serious championship. You try these people passing — almost impossible, so they rolled-go and have actually professionally.
— And what of the competition today, most participants?
— In Time Attack. Approximately half of the total. The other half is divided equally between the Driver's Trophy and Sport Challenge. But I want to say that race Time Attack — this is a kind of refresher courses. 3 years ago I had to persuade people to go to the «Sports Challenge», and now they say they will never go to the Time-ATTAC. It's just a completely different level, and when a person grows up to it, he just climbs another step.
— Can you assess how the season went?
— Do not believe it, but I think that this season we have a little too far with the activity (smiles). We passed nine events, including travel to Sochi and Sport Challenge before step DTM. Still an amateur series should have no more than six events per season. We, however, and this year the planned six, but that did not happen!
Interest in the activities of Oleg Kesselman and Porsche confirmed by the fact that during the last period of the year it was purchased about 40 (!!!) cars Porsche GT3, with the first batch sold out even at the level of pre-orders, before entering car showrooms. Of the 39 cars 30 — participants of the championship, and only 9 left on the side. So once it is clear that the weight of these activities for the next year not only did not subside, but also picks up the pace. Well, after the participants to grow?.. Then — and can VLN, to some even a pilot racing car of another brand, looked at the modest standing in the pits Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and forever in love with him.
