EXCLUSIVE! Q+A Kurt Mollekens

By Principessa on 25 Apr 2006, 21:31

The second season of the World Series by Renault are kicking off at 29 April at the Circuit of Zolder in Belgium. We had an exclusive interview with Kurt Mollekens, Team Principal of KTR, the only Belgian team participating the Formula Renault 3.5. We talk with Mollekens about his team, FR3.5 and his own career as motor sport driver.

Could you explain who you are and what you have to do with Motorsport?

"My name is Kurt Mollekens, born March 8th 1973, living in Keerbergen, Belgium. I’ve grown up in the world of motor racing, thanks to my father’s activities as a KTR team owner. I started practicing autosport myself at the age of 19, winning the Benelux F.Ford championship at my first attempt in 1992. Other highlights of my career as a driver include finishing runner-up in the 1996 British F3 c’ship and winning the Marlboro Masters that same year. I briefly led FIA F3000 in 1998, before two non-participations dropped me back to an eventual 6th in the championship.

When my F1-hopes failed to materialise the following year, I started combining KTR team management with the occasional GT- and touring car race. I won the Spa 24 Hours with a Kronos-Peugeot in 2000, and finished 3rd in that same event as recently as last year in a Larbre-Ferrari."

So you're team manager of the KTR team, a team run by your father. Could you give some more information about the team and the Championships where the team is participating?

"My father ran the KTR team until 1994, with me taking over the team management from ’95 onwards. I initially raced for the team myself, in British F3 and FIA F3000, but from ’99 onwards I committed fully to the team management. We ran two cars in FIA F3000 for three years, then in World Series by Nissan for the same period, and we’re currently in the middle of a three-year term in the World Series by Renault."

KTR is the only Belgian Team participating in the Formula Renault 3.5, though, with Robbie Kerr and Sean McIntosh, the team hasn't chosen for Belgian drivers. Is there not enough young talent in Belgium?

"I believe there was plenty of talent around some years ago, with Goossens, Radermecker and myself in the late 90’s, and then Leinders, Saelens and Van Hooydonk at the turn of the century. Currently I believe D’Ambrosio and Baguette is the best we’ve got on offer, but they both need to confirm this year, so they’ve got an important season coming up."

What do you expect from the opening weekend of the World Series at Zolder?

"Both Sean and Robbie have proven they can run in the top five during winter testing, so I’ll be expecting at least one of them to confirm this potential at the first round. I’m afraid that having 30 WSR-cars on track at the same at Zolder is a bit much however, and therefore fear that this could turn the all-deciding qualifying sessions into a bit of a lottery. I would have preferred a different qual. format, but it appears we haven’t really learned from last year’s accidents."

What are the team’s ambitions for the season?

"With this sort of driver line-up, I believe it is our duty to try to win the team championship. The problem is that at least five other teams are thinking the same thing, so it’ll be tough. With the stiff competition we’re facing, I think we’ll be happy with a top three finish in the final driver and/or team standings."

How do you develop the car, since only Renault Sport can repair, service or tune the engine?

"Our engines are indeed sealed, but this is no different from any other junior single-seater formula. WSR is above all a driver formula. But being a good driver is not only about being quick, it’s also about having a good feel and understanding of the car, relating well to your race engineer, and at this level having a decent technical baggage. The less you can change on a car, the more it comes down to getting the smaller details absolutely right. This goes for the driver as well as for the team, obviously."

How much does a car, participating in the FR3.5, costs?

"The car itself costs 130.000 euros. The budgets in our championship vary from team to team, between 500.000 and 700.000 euros."

Who are the favourites to win the Championship this season?

"This might seem ridiculous, but I truly believe that at least 15 drivers have the potential of winning races this year. The most consistent of these 15 will win the championship, simple as that. My personal favourites are Hanley, Fleming, Maldonado, Montanari, and both KTR drivers, obviously!"

Of course every motorsport driver aims to get into the Formula One. The winner of the FR3.5 of last season, Robert Kubica, succeeded as he is test driver of the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Do you see any of the drivers in the FR3.5 field capable of getting into F1 in the near future, if you forget about James Rossiter (Development driver at Honda Racing F1) for a moment?

"I see plenty of drivers with F1-potential in our series, not least my favourite top six. They all have the talent to make it to F1, but only at the end of the season will we know which is the most intelligent one, that copes best with pressure, shows the most qual. speed, and has the technical ability to turn a not-so-good car into a race-winning one by the time it matters. Only he will win the championship, and most deserve the step up to F1."

You've teamed up with Juan Pablo Montoya in Formula 3000. What is your opinion about the Colombian?

"I raced Juan in F3 and then did my first F3000-test alongside him at Alpha Plus. He always seemed a little ragged to ever win an F3-title, but the extra horsepower in F3000 and later F1 suit his driving style.

Juan was clearly one of the better drivers of our generation, one that amply deserves his place in F1. He just happens to have the quickest current F1-driver as a teammate, which is making his life somewhat difficult from time to time."

Who is your motorsport idol?

"In F1, I can’t say I really have an idol, but I have great respect for that little bit extra that Raikkonen, Alonso and Schumacher seem to have. The late Ayrton Senna always impressed me with his commitment, and on that subject, I’ve had the pleasure of racing against the most committed driver of all, Alex Zanardi."

What is your favourite car that you've ever raced?

"That must have been the BMW M3-GTR, with the Prodrive Ferrari 550 a close second. The WTCC-cars aren’t that nice to drive, but the racing is great fun.
I haven’t raced a lot of very good single-seater cars I’m afraid. The Vauxhall Lotus was the worst of all, with the Lola F3000 not that much better. The Dallara F3 was – and still is – a good car, and I loved the World Series car I once tested."

Which car would you like to race?

"The DTM looks brilliant, and I’d love to get another shot at WTCC. I’ve recently tested the Mégane Trophy car, which is also very nice to drive. If I was still of single-seater age, I’d definitely be doing WSR."

Which Belgian track do you prefer: Zolder or Spa-Francorchamps?

"As a driver, Spa obviously enjoys my preference, but as a spectator I prefer the Zolder atmosphere."

Who do you think will win the F1 Championship this season?

"You’d have to put your money on Alonso, wouldn’t you?"

Which F1 driver do you admire the most?

"It’s not a matter of admiration, but I do believe Raikkonen is the quickest driver out there. Surely his luck must change soon, and when it does I can’t see who’ll keep him from winning a few titles, providing he’s in a competitive car."