Valentino Catalano is the reigning Prototype Cup Germany champion and takes his place on the starting grid again this year. Together with team-mate Oscar Tunjo, he also stepped onto the podium at the prestigious Road to Le Mans.
Valentino Catalano lined up at the Road to Le Mans in the middle of June and, together with Oscar Tunjo, finished third at the biggest LMP3 event, which takes place each season in the lead-up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “We had issues with tyre wear in the opening race, which meant we could do no better than tenth. We then made a few adjustments to the car for the second race, and they proved to be dead right. Although the safety car phases meant we barely had a clear lap, Oscar and I were able to climb into third place. We did not have a lot of practice and Gebhardt Motorsport was making its first appearance in Le Mans. Under these circumstances, third was a great result. We were one of the fastest teams in the field at the end of the race.”
He now travels to the Norisring, powered by this positive energy. “I like the Norisring, and already felt right at home there two years ago. Everything went really well in qualifying, but not in the race. With that in mind, I still have a score to settle with the circuit, which I would like to put right this season.” The plan is for Catalano to share the car with Tunjo in Nuremberg; teamed together, the two top drivers are among the favourites to take victory. “I am pleased to be driving with Oscar.”
Forming a team with Tunjo sees Catalano take to the track in a third constellation in this year’s Prototype Cup Germany. He started alone in Hockenheim, before pairing up with Mikkel C. Johansen at the Dekra Lausitzring. “I like the different challenges,” says the Gebhardt driver. “Mikkel does not yet have a lot of LMP3 experience – unlike Oscar. As such, working with each of them is a bit different. With Mikkel, it is more about rougher things. For example, the track walk is more intense. With Oscar, I speak more about the finer details. Despite this, I analyse the data and videos just as intensely with both of them, and am just as committed to the task at hand. I always believe that the ability to work with different racing drivers is an important skill for a professional endurance driver, and one that you need to master if you are going to make it to the very top. I learned that early on, as I was just 16 years old when I entered the world of LMP3. Since then, I have learned that many different factors influence the result – it is about far more than just the driving. As such, I am grateful for my different jobs this year, which are making me a more complete racing driver.”
This season, Catalano’s schedule is an extensive one. As well as the Prototype Cup Germany and the Michelin Le Mans Cup, he also lines up in the VP Racing Sportscar Challenge in North America. “In the Prototype Cup Germany, the head of the field is very strong and you have to give it everything if you want to win; in the VP Racing Sportscar Challenge, it is more important not to risk a DNF. The points system, in which the drivers who finish score a lot of points, really hurts you if you fail to finish. Again, these are different requirements, to which I have to adapt. Another challenge that I am enjoying.” The teenager knows full well who he has to thank for this opportunity: “I am very grateful to Fritz Gebhardt for giving me such a diverse programme. He gives me a lot of support and I hope we can continue to work together for a long time.”
