Rising star Massimiliano Cuccarese (high school student from Pignola in South Italy) made a fantastic debut in BOSS GP last time at Assen. Before his home race in Mugello the MM International driver explained why the BOSS GP Racing Series has captivated him.
When did your adventure with motorsport begin?
MAX CUCCARESE: “I became passionate about motorsport after watching MotoGP races on TV, but when I got older I rather preferred cars, especially single-seaters.”
Assen in August 2024: Max Cuccarese’s debut in a GP2 car
Tell us about your path from karting to BOSS GP
CUCCARESE: “I started in 2020 (when he was 13 years old, note) with karts in the IAME X30 junior category in the Campania regional championship. Due to the COVID pandemic participating in races was only possible one year later (i.e. in 2021). I finished the championship in 3rd place, unfortunately after missing a race for family reasons. In 2021 I took part in my first Italian Championship and WSK Euro Series in Sarno in the OK Senior category. The following year I switched to single seaters and did some tests with Formula 4 on Italian circuits. In 2023 I moved to Formula 3 and did a couple of tests with the Dallara F317. At the beginning of 2024 I did a test with the Dallara F320 before moving on to the fantastic GP2 of the MM International Motorsport team last June.”
Can you describe your emotions during your first race weekend in a super-fast single-seater last time with BOSS GP in Assen?
CUCCARESE: “It’s been a while since my last race and without knowing the track, I didn’t know what to expect, also because it was my first race in this car. But as soon as I got on the track during Free Practice I immediately got an excellent feeling and I realized that with the hard work of the all team members we had the speed to get on the podium in both races. As soon as I crossed the finish line of race 1 in place 2 I was really emotional and felt very happy for myself and the whole team.”
First race, first podium: Max (le.) finished second in Assen behind Simone Colombo (centre) and ahead of Marco Ghiotto (ri.)
How do you like the environment in BOSS GP?
CUCCARESE: “It’s a really pleasant environment, there is great respect between all the drivers and teams on and off the track. The fans are amazing, with a unique passion and support. I would also like to thank my team MM International Motorsport for the trust they have placed in me and for the work they do with real passion.”
What goal do you have? What are you aiming for in motorsports?
CUCCARESE: “My future goal is to race the fastest single seaters such as the F2 World Championship, Super Formula, IndyCar and maybe even F1.”
Henry Clausnitzer (36) from Brandenburg in Germany won the championship title in the SUPER LIGHTS class in 2023. We take a look at his career path leading up to the BOSS GP Racing Series.
How did your motorsport career start?
HENRY CLAUSNITZER: “I actually had a typical motorsport career: I started out in karting and raced in the East German Karting Championship at the age of eight. I stayed in karting between 1996 and 2003 and eventually became the East German runner-up. In 2003, at the age of 15, I became the youngest participant in the Austrian Formula Ford. Between 2003 and 2007 I raced in the Formula Ford Zetec, became the Austrian champion in 2007 and drove at the Formula Ford Festival in Brands Hatch. In between, I also started in the Swiss Formula Lista in 2006.
A direct switch to Formula Renault 2000 or Formula 3 was not within the realms of possibility, although there were offers. I then endeavoured to get into the ADAC motorsport promotion, which was a lot easier via the touring car. So I enrolled in the Dacia Logan Cup in 2008 as preparation for the VW Polo Cup. In 2009, after a successful VW inspection, the opportunity arose to compete in the VW Polo Cup as part of the DTM. However, due to difficult economic times, my then main sponsor was affected. I was already 22 at the time, which meant that the sponsorship of young drivers came to an end. I was therefore forced to take a break from motorsport from 2009. In addition, my priority at that time was my studies.”
Clausnitzer drives a Formula Renault V6
What fascinates you about formula racing?
CLAUSNITZER: “After karting, formula racing was the goal, pure racing with a machine designed exclusively for motorsport. That fascinated me. When I was young, I used to watch the World Series by Renault and Nissan at the Lausitzring with my dad. The noises, the sound under the grandstand – that was an absolute dream, however it seemed unattainable back then.
I have always been particularly attached to Formula Ford. During a holiday in England, we also made a stop at Brands Hatch. There happened to be a Formula Ford racing there and I was immediately hooked again.
A short time later, we reactivated the Formula Ford and I’ve been back in a racing car since 2020. In 2022, I was runner-up in the German-Dutch Formula Ford series and won races again. I also took part in some races in the French championship and had a few podiums.”
How did the idea of eventually competing in the BOSS GP Racing Series come about?
CLAUSNITZER: ” I have always followed the BOSS GP and the idea to move to a higher formula class came to me again in 2022 . It was at a race in Brno that inspired me to find out whether and how I could turn this dream into reality. In the winter of 2022, I sat down with my team and we took the plunge. We said to ourselves: it’s now or never, let’s go on an adventure!”
What were your first impressions?
CLAUSNITZER: “The first weekend in Le Castellet was simply overwhelming. The size of the track alone, the long straights – I really got to know the car here. For me, driving with 260 hp more meant quite a difference in performance . Also, the difference in braking with the left-hand brake again and paddle shift – of course, this has all been around for a long time in today’s motorsport world, but when you come from the now historic motorsport sector, it’s quite a difference. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire WF Racing team. Without the tireless efforts of everyone involved, this would not have been possible. It was all new territory for me with this formula racing car. My team was fully engaged, gave their all and in the end we won the title in 2023.”
What has made the biggest impression on you in your races in the BOSS GP so far?
CLAUSNITZER: “The events with all the spectators, the grid walks and meeting motorsport legends like Jean Alesi or René Arnoux and shaking their hands – I had to pinch myself to see if it was real. I also had a great duel with Stefan Eisinger-Sewald at the Red Bull Ring 2023. We had a real game of cat and mouse for four laps. It was a close battle, wheel-to-wheel in almost every corner – that’s racing, that’s fun!”
Will you stay in the BOSS GP in the future?
CLAUSNITZER: “Of course we’ll be racing in the BOSS GP again in 2024, we’ll be competing in the SUPER LIGHTS category again and our aim is to build on last year’s successes. I’m also always looking at the other categories within the BOSS GP, which could also appeal to me, but I have to remain realistic for now. It’s also always a question of money, which determines what and how much you can race. That’s why I’m looking forward to my second season and any sponsor support I can get.”
Anyone who wants to experience Henry and seven other Germans live can do so from 24 to 26 June 2024 at the Nürburgring Classic at the Nürburgring.
Austrian Andreas Hasler (49) is the SUPER LIGHTS champion of the 2022 season. In this interview, he gives insights into his career and how he made his way from hillclimb racing to the single-seater cars of the BOSS GP Racing Series.
How did you get into motorsport?
ANDREAS HASLER: “Unfortunately much too late, I was 23 when I was on a go-kart track during a holiday and that’s how it went from there. At first, I was vice national champion in karting, Styrian champion and also drove in the European championship. After ten years we switched to autocross racing. It was a good move for us because we didn’t have enough money for formula racing at first. There we competed with a 4WD buggy, which was really cool. I raced there for ten years and became national champion in only my second year. I experienced everything you can experience. But then it was time for a new challenge. Through colleagues we got a Radical with a Hayabusa engine and then drove a hill climb for the first time at the famous Rechberg. But then I went back to the circuit relatively quickly, that’s more my thing.”
What was your first contact with BOSS GP?
HASLER: “We always went to Brno with the Sports Car Challenge, where we drove as support race of the BOSS GP Racing Series. I always dreamt of the BOSS GP. It was always something special to look into the garages and hear the engines. I would never have dreamed of driving such a car myself. It’s an achievement that we can be here at all.”
What do you like about circuit racing? HASLER: “You simply get to drive more. It was also better for my mechanics, because at the hillclimb they only saw me at the start, but on the circuit they can follow the races much better from the grandstands. It’s also not as dangerous as hillclimbing. On the mountain, however, I had a bad start, because the first time I drove the Rechbergrennen, there was a fatal accident. Of course, my family, who were there, were shocked. Then, to be honest, I also got a little more pressure from my wife … but I prefer the circuit anyway, because you get to drive more, it’s also more fun, the paddock is more comfortable, good showers and everything … that’s more fun for me.”
In 2022 Andi Hasler used a Tatuus World Series with 6-cylinder engine
What was your greatest success in motorsport? Which moment do you remember most?
HASLER: “Phew… there are so many, I don’t want to point out one. Of course, the national championship in autocross and the victories in front of the home crowd were special. There are so many stories I could write books about. The low point was a buggy fire in Hungary, where the European championship title was at stake. Nothing happened to me, but the car was almost a total loss and I only came third, the title was gone. The high point, of course, is that I finally managed to start in BOSS GP.”
You have your own team that supports you. How did that come about?
HASLER: “It’s always been like that, I’ve always had people helping me. It has changed a little over the years, but over time it has become more and more professional. Otherwise, it wouldn’t work, I’m incredibly grateful, because everyone here does it voluntarily, the family at home has to play along too. It used to be easier, but you notice that time is getting tighter everywhere in professional life, but the die-hards are still there, they always help. We’re a small team, but it’s a lot of fun. I have to thank my whole team and my sponsors. If you tackle something, you can achieve something even as a ‘little guy’. But I have always remained persistent and determined. That’s how it’s grown over the last 26 years.”
Four wins this season were enough for Hasler to win the championship in the SUPER LIGHTS 2022 class
How did you get your race car?
HASLER: “Over the Internet and through colleagues. Ingo Gerstl helped me a lot, gave me lots of tips and had a look at the car in Italy. Because as a beginner, you don’t know the sector that well. I think it’s great at BOSS GP, because here you get help if there’s a problem, you’re in a professional environment and yet it’s still familiar, it’s cool here. If you have an issue, the other teams also help you, there’s a lot of cohesion here. That’s something special and I really appreciate it.”
So a professional environment in racing is very important to you?
HASLER: “Definitely, in BOSS GP you have that and a series with Formula 1 cars is something very special. Being at the start with the Toro Rossos or the Benetton, everyone bows down. Everybody is completely thrilled. At BOSS GP I also think it’s great that the website is updated immediately, every driver is introduced. I can then also link that and show it to the sponsors. For all those who are looking for and have sponsors, that’s great.”
What are the plans for the future?
HASLER: “The goal is to get ahead. Right now I plan to use the current car for another two or three years and then possibly switch to a GP2 in the FORMULA Class or a World Series bolide with a V8 engine. But when I see the Toro Rossos, the goal is of course to be able to sit in a Formula 1 and do a few laps. You never stop dreaming when you’re in motorsport. In any case, I hope we can be in BOSS GP for a few more years.”
After four class wins in a row, SUPER LIGHTS rookie Alexander Geier (16, from Salzburg) tells us in an interview about his career and his goals in motorsport.
ALEXANDER GEIER: “I started with a Formula König when I was eleven, we drove a lot with it. Then came a Formula Renault 2.0 built in 2002, with a sequential gearbox. Then, at 13, we bought a new Formula Renault, already with pedalshift. I raced it in the Histo Cup Austria until last year. Then Ingo Gerstl (Team Top Speed) gave me the chance to race in the BOSS GP Racing Series. For the next step, we bought the Tatuus World Series by Renault 3.5, which we now race in.”
What skills does a driver need to be able to drive such a bolide?
GEIER: “Basically, anyone can drive it. The brakes are only applied on the left, which is difficult for many people. Also, the clutch is on the steering wheel, driving away is difficult, but steering the car itself is doable with a bit of practice.”
What makes the BOSS GP Racing Series special for you?
GEIER: “Fast cars, the races – just everything. It’s quite different from anything I’ve driven before. Definitely more professional! The driving level of the series is also much higher than is often assumed. Of course, in some duels you do have to hold back because the cars are a bit older and there are often few spare parts. But that’s all too understandable because of the costs.”
Most recently in Brno, Geier won both races in the SUPER LIGHTS class and even chased the FORMULA drivers in front of him
You are on the events with your own team. How is that made up?
GEIER: “In the past it was just my dad and me, we also do our own wrenching at home in the garage. Now there are always three of us on the road. Willi is a good friend of my father and now part of our team, he likes racing too.”
What are your big goals for the future?
GEIER: “The next step should come in 2023. We want to start with a Formula 2. We are training for that now and looking for sponsors. It’s almost impossible to pay for that ourselves, so we’re dependent on help here.”
From race kart to Formula 2: Simone Colombo (35, from near Milan) shows how it’s done. In our interview, the MM International driver explains why the BOSS GP Racing Series has captivated him.
You come from professional karting and switched to a Formula 2 car last year. How did that come about?
SIMONE COLOMBO: “I started karting and then stopped when I got my job. I didn’t race for seven years and I felt I was missing something. But during my job I couldn’t do both, so I couldn’t continue karting. So I tried to start motor racing and that’s why I’m here. In 2021, I drove my first race ever. I just started racing formula cars and I don’t know much about it. But this year I tested before the first race a lot.”
But it looks very skillful, you don’t make many mistakes. Were GT cars actually not an option for you?
COLOMBO: “No! Only single seaters, that’s the maximum.”
Why do you race in the BOSS GP Racing Series?
COLOMBO: “To have fun! I enjoy the experience, the tracks, the car. There are not so many opportunities to drive this kind of cars.”
Promising start: In Simone’s debut season in 2021 he immediately became runner-up in the FORMULA class
What does your company Mondokart do?
COLOMBO: “We sell kart parts and karts. We work hard to be very good and fast in shipping. We are sort of the ‘Amazon of karting’. Karting is very big in Italy because most karts are produced in Italy and all the main manufacturers are in Italy.”
What kart chassis do you sell?
COLOMBO: “We sell CRG, Tonykart, but we also have many other brands. We work with all the companies in the sector. In addition, we are also manufacturers of karts ourselves, but that is not the biggest part of the business.”
What is your goal for this racing season, what do you expect?
COLOMBO: “I want to do better than last year. Maybe I can get first place in the championship, but I don’t know if I will be able to do that. There are also some new riders this year … I will just take it step by step.”
We spoke to Austrian Michael Aberer (50) ahead of his home race at the Red Bull Ring (June 3–5, 2022) and learned why he admires Niki Lauda, but his GP2 Dallara will be on the grid in a retro livery of Jochen Rindt.
What motivates you to drive a GP2 car?
MICHAEL ABERER: “In terms of dimensions, the car suits me. I’m 90 kilos, in Formula 3 you need 70, 75 kilos – it’s simply a smaller car. So the GP2 is a better match for me from a purely physical point of view. And single seaters are my world anyway!”
Do you have a particular hero?
ABERER: “Niki Lauda, I’ve had him on my wall as a poster since I was a child. But also Gerhard Berger, I’m probably closest to him in human terms. Like him, I took care of everything: racing car, business … disco and, of course, girls (laughs).”
But your car is painted like Jochen Rindt’s world champion Lotus, why is that?
ABERER: “I came up with that together with Ingo Gerstl. He thought it was a bit of history and showed me pictures of memorable motorsport designs. Red-white-red are again my colors – so I thought, ‘okay, it will be Jochen Rindt’. Then there was also the 50th anniversary of his death (2020, note) and that’s how it all fell into place. Even though Jochen Rindt raced before my time, as an Austrian his story of course interests me.”
Most recently in Hockenheim, Michael Aberer belonged to the top group of the FORMULA class
What is your motorsport history so far?
ABERER: “In the classic way, karting and car slalom. I was very successful in car slalom, 30 years ago with a Golf GTi in Vorarlberg. Now it’s different, but in the past these were real racing cars, with a cage inside and the car slalom community was also big. In between I took a little break. Then I started karting again as a hobby and then switched to Formula 3. In 2006, I became champion of the so-called B series.”
Then you took another break …
ABERER: “Yes, in 2012 I stopped completely and let my son Lukas drive. Two years ago, however, I started again. Now I’d like to drive the car a bit more and then I’ll let Lukas go first.”
Aberer in his 2020 BOSS GP debut season with a World Series by Renault (seen here at Spa)
Two years ago, you raced in the BOSS GP Racing Series for the first time. How is your team made up today?
ABERER: “Currently I have hired the Asche Racing Team with Flo Leitinger as chief mechanic. They are good and for me it makes sense above all that they take care of the car, then I am much freer. They screw and I drive, like a Formula 1 driver (laughs).”
What do you like most about the BOSS GP?
ABERER: “I like the community. Here, many drivers from different nations come together, all around the same age. On the tracks we have our fun, in the evening we sit together at the barbecue. High performance, but also comfortable. We’re not going to be Formula 1 world champions anymore, so we have other ambitions. From a sporting point of view, my goal this year is to make it onto the podium and then we’ll see.”
Ulf Ehninger from Tübingen in Germany surprisingly won the BOSS GP OPEN class title in 2021. We spoke to the defending champion ahead of the season opener in Hockenheim (6-8 May 2022) to discuss the speciality of running a classic Formula 1 car.
Let’s look back to 2021: What are the strongest memories of your masterpiece?
ULF EHNINGER: “Probably that we made it at all! We didn’t even realise it until Monza. It was only when Thomas Hummer from Pirelli told me at the podium ceremony that we had a chance that we started thinking about it. Before that, we wanted to be completely relaxed about it – it was just for fun. I learned that if I take the pressure off, it works better. Ingo Gerstl helped me to understand the set-up of the car. I didn’t feel comfortable in the car for a long time, now I feel the car and its limits much better.”
Was verbindet dich mit dem Benetton B197?
EHNINGER: “The car is great, I often stand languishing in front of it. Actually, the car is much too beautiful to drive. You should know, that it’s probably also the Formula 1 car with the most kilometres worldwide!”
What do you need to be able to do to drive a car like that?
EHNINGER: “James Hunt once said, ‘big balls’. Before I get into a car like this, I have quite a mental dilemma When you sit in it, however, it’s gone. But it’s still a huge challenge to drive it. After the first free practice session I’m completely blown away – and confronted with a lot of impressions – that takes a lot of effort. Gerstl pulls the trigger, I have to feel my way. Engineer Dario Pergolini helped me a lot with his analysis tools. I can’t even describe the feeling of driving such a racing car. Acceleration is the quickest thing to get used to, but I’ll never get used to the cornering speeds.”
How did it come about in the first place? You don’t buy a Formula 1 car in a supermarket …
EHNINGER: “I drove endurance races for a long time. But my dream was always to drive a Formula 1 racing car, which I wanted to do for my 50th birthday. The fact that I now own and drive one myself and have already driven almost 3,000 kilometres in it – that’s a dream come true. I drove a sports car in the Jim Clark Revival at the Hockenheimring in 2018. We broke the drive shaft. After the repair, we walked through the paddock late at night. As we passed Phil Stratford’s pits, a sticker said ‘Sale’. Rather jokingly, we then called the number and ended up with Kevin Mansell and Phil Stratford, who informed us about the car the very next day. It then took some time, as the car was in the USA, until we could get started. But our goal has always been to run the car ourselves and not have another team look after it.”
That sounds good, but not easy.
EHNINGER: “I do most of the work myself and also drive the truck. The search for parts can be very tiring, it can take three months to find something. In winter, everything is checked – every sealing ring, the entire chassis for possible damage and so on. The spare parts have to be rebuilt. We are currently working on a solution to increase the short running times of the gearbox. After the race at the Red Bull Ring (3-5 June 2022, note), the engine will then come in for an overhaul.”
Why can’t you get enough of it anyway?
EHNINGER: “I think it’s nice to spend a race weekend together with others. I have been super well welcomed into the BOSS GP. It was always said that only the rich ‘snobs’ race there – but it wasn’t like that. So we enjoy spending a weekend like this as a community rather than attending track days somewhere anonymously. Last year the Italians invited us for dinner, and even though we didn’t know Italian and they didn’t know German, we had a delicious evening of conversation.”
Your team ESBA Racing originally comes from endurance racing, how are you set up?
EHNINGER: “As you rightly say, ESBA already existed before the Benetton, roughly since 2016. We had already bought a truck for it, which we still use today to spend the night at the race tracks. Jochen, with whom I’ve been friends for over 30 years, has been with me from the beginning. When I’m driving, he’s with me. When he rides, I’m with him. I met Jens through a friend. He has become a valuable team member and is now also involved with Glickenhaus. He’s passionate about Benetton, and without him it wouldn’t work at all. Then there is Dario, who has brought professionalism to the team.
Can you briefly summarise your racing career so far?
EHNINGER: “Career is perhaps a little overstated (laughs). More than 20 years ago, I really wanted to race on the Nordschleife. Together with friends we built a BMW E36 M3 – without much time or money. Later I also drove an Audi and a Porsche – even the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring twice. The Nordschleife is certainly the greatest track there is.
What I like about the BOSS GP Racing Series is the way the people tick, that you can have fun together and that politics is in the background. With Pirelli, we have a strong partner and are certainly on the right track. I wish, more being done for young talent.”
What are your plans for the new season?
EHNINGER: “In addition to a few races in the BOSS GP, I will also try to drive another historic race car a few times, namely a V8 Star bolide (German silhouette series from the early 2000s, note) – the original Hasseröder car from Harald Grohs.”
Photos: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP
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