Mattis Pluschkell (21/Elmenhorst) and Maksymilian Angelard (18/POL, both BWT Mücke Motorsport) won the Junior title and also finished runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship in their rookie season in the Prototype Cup Germany.
What was the key to your success in the Junior competition, and what did you perhaps find difficult in your first season in an LMP3 car? Pluschkell: “We won the Junior title because we were very consistent. We did not make any big mistakes and scored points in every race. I did not have any real issues with individual aspects of an LMP3 car; generally speaking, I would probably say adapting my driving style from GT4, in which I was still racing in 2024, to LMP3. An LMP3 car is far more direct and less forgiving of mistakes than a GT4. Because I am somebody who likes to look into the theory behind challenges like this, our technical director Michael Weiss helped me a lot with his theoretical knowledge.”
Angelard: “I agree with Mattis, our consistency across the entire season was the main reason for our success. I found it difficult that we very little time to familiarise ourselves with LMP3, if we, as rookies, wanted to hold our own in a field full of strong and experienced drivers. We basically had to raise our game in every race. And the LMP3 is not a car that you can simply get into and drive at the limit – definitely not when you have hardly any experience.”
How important was finishing runner-up in the championship, as well as the Junior title? What are the goals for the future and was the Prototype Cup Germany a good step in that direction? Pluschkell: “In my opinion, finishing second overall is almost more prestigious, as many people, who are not necessarily insiders, tend to look more at the Drivers’ Championship. My long-term goal in motorsport is the WEC in a hypercar. However, I can definitely imagine spending another year in the Prototype Cup Germany in 2026. In my eyes, the PCG is the best series for anyone starting out in the world of LMP racing. Unlike multi-class series, in which you have to be far more aware of traffic, you can focus more on just driving. The drivers behave fairly to each other on the track, and I like the fact that every driver has his own qualifying session.”
Angelard: “Finishing runner-up in the championship is just as important as the Junior title. I think everyone knows how difficult it is to challenge at the front in the Prototype Cup Germany, as the drivers and teams there are set up damned well. To end the season second in a group of that calibre, you also have to be very fast. Before the start of the season, my goal was to get close to our more experienced team-mates Riccardo Leone Cirelli and Mattias Bjerre Jakobsen. In the end, however, we actually finished above them in both standings. My goal in motorsport is also the hypercar class on the sports prototype scene, and I think that competing in the Prototype Cup Germany was a very good choice on the road to achieving that goal.”
How would you describe your partner? Pluschkell: “Maksymilian is a very calm character, who is easy to work with. Over the course of the year, I believe he has developed in every aspect – driving performance, technical analysis and feedback. Plus, he did not make any major mistakes in the races, even in difficult conditions. I also find it really good that he is mentally very steady. Even poorer results did not affect his positive outlook. He is much more relaxed than me. I could definitely take a leaf out of his book in that regard.”
Angelard: “Mattis is a nice guy, who is always happy to help and is also damned fast – it has been great working with him. Furthermore, he is a bit like a doctor: very precise and every knowledgeable. I really enjoyed the season with him.”
