Niclas Laubisch, driver for Urano Esports in the GT3 Pro category, has spoken about the team’s debut season in the GSI Endurance Series. The team top the current standings there, while in GTP, a DNF at Daytona has seen them slip to 5th.
IVRA was perfect for Urano, as Laubisch said: “We had drivers wanting to do GT3 and also quite a few guys who are keen on racing LMP2, and now LMDH”. The plan was always to split their efforts across different cars this season, something that hasn’t held them back.
One of the things that makes IVRA so special, and so difficult to win, is the Safety Cars that can be called throughout the races. Laubisch said: “I think IVRA is the only top-notch league which features Safety cars at the moment so it’s something very unique”.
On top of this, he said that the procedure itself is mostly unknown to him and his teammates. Even avoiding penalties through this phase is difficult, and that’s before you go into the nuances of gaining places during a yellow.
“It obviously makes the race a lot more exciting to watch and also more exciting to drive as you will have to battle against other drivers more often”. As ever, there are two sides to every story, and Laubisch also lamented the feeling of having a big lead cut away by a Safety Car, which has happened to Urano this season and likely will again before the end.
Speaking about Urano’s chances of championship glory this season, Laubisch remains confident. “Our chances of winning are quite high if we can keep up the momentum we have built up in the last months. We had a lot of really good results and are working harder and more efficiently than ever”.
It’s unsurprising to see confidence running high, especially in the GT3 Pro camp. With 73 points over second placed Impulse Racing, and 175 points over Obsidian Racing in third, they do have room to breathe.
Finally, Laubisch has explained how endurance racing suits him over sprint racing, and how it’s a privilege to drive in IVRA this season. “I personally prefer endurance multiclass racing as it will not get boring and there are a lot more things to consider than just pushing the car to the limit for a few laps”.
High confidence, and an enjoyment of the series for Niclas Laubisch of Urano Esports. The debut team are having a great run right now, and hopefully for them it can continue in just over a week as the GSI Endurance Series resumes in 2023.