Fan action, high ambitions, driver question: Ezequiel Perez Compancon the move to the ADAC GT Masters, the name Madpanda and much more
(Motorsport-Total.com) – With Madpanda Motorsport, a new team will start in the ADAC GT Masters in 2022. However, the mastermind behind the project is an old acquaintance: Ezequiel Perez Companc, nephew of ex-WEC driver Luis Perez Companc. He has already been active in 2017 and 2018, taking two race wins with GRT Grasser, one with Marco Mapelli and one with Mirko Bortolotti.
Ezequiel Perez Companc has his work cut out for him with Madpanda in the ADAC GT Masters Zoom
In an interview with ‘Motorsport-Total.In his interview with ‘com’, he explains how the ADAC GT Masters compares with the GT World Challenge Europe, what is important and what the goals are. He also gives an insight into how he hopes to score points with fans with his idiosyncratic team name.
Question: "What was your motivation to return to the ADAC GT Masters?"
Ezequiel Perez Companc: "To be honest, I really enjoyed the two years I spent as a driver in the ADAC GT Masters Made. It is one of the most professional series in Europe. Competition has been very tough for many years. The Masters is one of the best series ever in terms of sprint racing. It is a nice challenge for me and the team and certainly one of the biggest we have faced as a team."
Plus point Masters: Strict implementation of the rules
Question: "How do GTWC and ADAC GT Masters compare with each other??"
Perez Companc: "It’s difficult to compare endurance and sprint races. But speaking of GTWC Sprint and ADAC GT Masters: In my opinion, the focus is different. In the ADAC GT Masters, it’s all about the performance of the drivers and the performance a team can get out of the car. GTWC Sprint is more about strategy and how much you practice for tire changes."
"I think the drivers are stronger in the ADAC GT Masters. From a professional point of view, both series are extremely good, they are two of the best in Europe. The German championships are strict, I like that. You know, That you will be penalized if you do something wrong, even if it is in the gray zone. That makes it a really good series."
Question: "It seems like you really enjoyed your time in the series back then . "
Perez Companc: "Yes, that was pretty much my best time. The races are very competitive. You have to go to your limits. It’s a really nice feeling to be on the podium in this series. Of course, it’s also nice to do well in GT World Challenge Sprint. But I think achieving good results in the ADAC GT Masters is even more satisfying, at least as a driver.
Madpanda Motorsport took the GTWC Silver Cup title straight away in 2020 Zoom
Question: "Will you be competing with a pro lineup or sticking with silver drivers?"
Perez Companc: "We will announce the driver lineup soon. The plan is to have a competitive team and get good results."
"We don’t just want be a midfield or backbench team. We want to be at the front and fight for podiums. Getting the championship will definitely be tough in our first year, but we’re aiming for podiums and want to build on that. We will do our best to get to the top, as we have always done."
Question: "Madpanda has been successful in the silver classes so far, but you don’t get far in the Masters with a silver lineup. "
Perez Companc: "I wouldn’t be so sure about that – riders with silver rankings have already won titles here. When you have a silver driver in the team, you have the advantage of having 10 kilograms less in the car. In this series it is important to have a light car. You could see that last year [when silver-rated Ricardo Feller became champion]."
"We have been very focused on talented and hard working silver riders since the team was founded. In 2020, we won in our first year in the GTWC Silver Cup, and last year we took the Silver Cup win at the Spa 24 Hours. We finished 11th overall, which [with a silver lineup] is quite an achievement."
"Of course, the ADAC GT Masters will be a huge challenge and a whole new challenge for the team, but we are ready. It is a positive change in our program that motivates us further."
Pandas for the fans
Question: How did you come up with the name Madpanda?
Perez Companc: (laughs) "That’s a really good question, and one that I’ve had to answer over and over for the last three years. So far, no one has been able to come up with an answer to that yet. I will keep it to myself for now."
"I was not sure at first if I should do it or not. Would it be well received or not? Usually team owners just take their last name and combine it with ‘Racing Team’ or ‘Motorsport’ or whatever. I am glad that I chose the name Madpanda!"
Perez Companc is not afraid to be the panda mascot himself at the moment of greatest triumph Zoom
"We are trying to break with tradition in terms of the name, the image, the brand and how we deal with the fans. We always try to put a smile on people’s faces in these difficult times."
Question: So can fans look forward to lots of interactions with pandas this year?
Perez Companc: "Oh, yes! You can really look forward to that! We are working very hard on merchandising. We are working hard to open an online store as soon as possible, where fans can buy Madpanda merchandise."
"We will also be offering some great surprises as well as giveaways on our social media channels during the race weekends! We have lots of cool stuff in the pipeline for fans to look forward to."
Question: "Will you be sitting in the car yourself or focusing on a role outside the cockpit?"
Perez Companc: "We will see. It would definitely be interesting to race myself and help the team with my two years of experience racing in this series with GRT in 2017 and 2018, winning two races in the process."
"These two years were the best for me from a driving point of view. It’s been a fantastic time on this show and I’m looking forward to returning with Madpanda."