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Michal Makeš provided an interview for us. How is he happy with his first season in TCR Eastern Europe? And what are his plans for next year? He revealed that and much more.
Michal, you completed your first TCR Eastern Europe season this year. Among other things, you scored one podium result. You finished third in Race 2 at Hungaroring. In the overall standings, you took the fourth place and you was second in the Junior standings. How are you happy with the 2020 season?
It was unusual season. It was challenging for all of us. We could hardly test in spring. We entered the first race weekend of the 2020 season in Grobnik with around 700 test kilometers. It wasn´t much after more than six months after our last race.
We couldn´t test so much also during the season. We didn´t recieve any set-up for car and we needed to test as much as possible to find out what worked well and what didn´t work. We moved forward race by race and it is visible in our this year´s results. So in general, I am satisfied with this season.
What moment from the 2020 season will you remember the best? Is it the already metioned Race 2 at Hungaroring?
Yes, it is true. I was hoping for rain every weekend, because I know I am very fast on wet track and set-up has a less influence than on dry track. I entered this race with 50 kilometers completed on wet with TCR car. It is really not much (laughing). I had to show I have some potential in that moment. And I did it.
Michal Makeš will remember the 2020 Hungaroring round in a positive way.
And on the contrary, what moment will you remember the worst from the 2020 season?
Race 1 at Slovakia Ring was the worst race for me. We experimented a lot and we decided to race with the old tyres at the rear in order to have an oversteering car. I want to try something which would help the front tyres in the race. But unfortunately, it was a wrong choice and it came at the most inappropriate moment.
I struggled with the car from the beginning, I went sideways in every corner. In one corner, I locked-up and I decided to retire. I didn´t have a confidence in car and I didn´t find a recipe how to continue. But it was an experience, which moved us forward.
You raced for Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra team this year. It is the same team, which you raced in ESET Cup´s Renault Clio Cup category in previous two seasons. Do you think that the fact you entered TCR Eastern Europe with the team, which you knew very well, was an advantage for you in some way?
Yes, of course. It was an advantage for me. Tomáš Mičánek, who is my racing engineer since the start of my career at circuits, was on every test and on every race with me. After the previous common seasons, Tomáš knows how to move me forward as fast as possible. I have to thank him for how he taught me to drive, especially on wet track. Tomáš was very fast on wet track when he raced and he gave me his experience in a very good way.
But Jiří Mičánek (team boss – editorial note) also gave me lots of experience. In addition, he makes sure everything works smoothly. We don´t have any problems throughout the season and I have to thank Jiří for that. I have to thank also to our mechanics, who were able to make adjustments in set-up and they were also able to repair the car very quickly in order to I was able to drive as much kilometers as possible.
What are your plans for the 2021 season? Will you continue in TCR Eastern Europe with Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra? Or do you intend to move to some other series, for example?
I will continue in TCR Eastern Europe also in 2021 and I will race for Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra, of course. From a financial point of view, TCR Eastern Europe is only possibility for me. If we will get sponsors, I would like to race in Europe, of course. But it is more difficult than before currently.
