Last week, both Buggyra ZM Racing drivers, Adam Lacko and Téo Calvet, tested at Autodrom Most together with the best drivers of the European Truck Racing Championship series. The Czech circuit played a crucial role in the pre-season preparations as the previous testing venue at Nürburgring had to be cancelled because of snow.
And the new trucks from Roudnice arrived with some improvements. “These tests are going to push us a little bit further. This year, we’ve worked on the axle and braking system. We’ve also added a bit of power to the engine while focusing on reliability. We believe that these steps are going to help us improve a bit more. But we won’t see how good the competition is until the first race,” said Jan Kalivoda, the head of communication of Buggyra ZM Racing.
The team’s leader Adam Lacko has only one goal – to fight for the European championship title. “The competition will be a bit stronger again. There are five or six drivers who are going to fight for the championship, and in such a competitive field, every mistake can hurt a lot,” knows Kalivoda.
Also, Adam Lacko knows that success will not come easy, and he faces a challenging season. “There are more and more drivers on the very top of the field, we’re all within a tenth of a second. In the qualifying, there are three of four of us in one-tenth. That’s impressive with a 5.5-tonne monster, and it’s clear that these races are on a great level again. Fans are going to enjoy, especially more on-tracks battles and less boring parts,” he added.
The Buggyra ZM Racing team will be racing with two specials, as Aliyyah Koloc is now focusing on the Euro NASCAR series and GT racing while preparing for the Dakar Rally. The talented Téo Calvet is preparing for his 2nd season in the European Championship, and he aims to win the Rookie Cup while getting closer to the very top.
“I’m satisfied with the testing, as I keep improving. On Tuesday, me and Adam switched our vehicles, and he helped me with the set-up, while I tried his settings. That also played a part in my own improvement,” said the 21-year-old French driver.
While the Buggyra ZM Racing is entering only two trucks this year, it is going to be any easier. “In terms of logistics and management, it’s better to take care of 2 vehicles, instead of 3, but still, logistically speaking, we’re facing a difficult year with more than 40 race weekends across the whole team. If we can handle this, it’s going to be a new record for us,” said Jan Kalivoda with a smile.