Rafał Gieras on his Unique Passion for Motorsport and Four Wheels

To start, tell us about the Polish Endurance Championship, where you and Damian Lempart took third place in your debut. Did you expect such a result, or was it a surprise for you?

Well, at the beginning, we definitely hoped to make it to the podium. Because there were problems with the car, we just wanted to finish and earn points that would count towards the overall standings at the end of the season. Despite these difficulties, we managed to take third place, and we were very pleased with that. As always, appetite grows with eating, so after this first debut and taking third place, we definitely want to continue fighting, at least for the runner-up championship.

During this event, you had technical problems – what exactly happened?

We actually dealt with two technical problems. One was completely resolved, but the other unfortunately reappeared. The first problem was related to fuel pressure, which started during Thursday's practice sessions. We managed to temporarily fix it, but it resurfaced halfway through the race, right when Damian got into the car. He did about ten laps, and then the same issue came back, and driving with such a fault can cause engine damage. We made another switch – I got behind the wheel and finished the race because I have some experience and run my own car workshop. We decided that I would continue the race at my own risk. The car held up, and we finished – in a really good position.

You mentioned this car – why did you choose this particular model?

It might seem funny, but first and foremost, I liked the car (laughs). A few years ago, I saw this car in a photo or a racing video and really liked it, especially the visual aspect. That's where it started, and only later did I become more interested in it. I reviewed its technical specifications, noting that the facelifted model had improved aerodynamics compared to its 'siblings' in the same group, like the Golf GT and the Audi RS3. The Cupra stood out because of its aerodynamics. So even though these three cars had the same engines, technical data, and power, the Cupra excelled in handling and won more races, even in European competitions, achieving high rankings.

How long did it take you to prepare for the event you participated in?

In fact, the time we dedicated to preparation started when we brought the car from Italy in November 2022. The car is used, meaning it participated in races, specifically in the Italian TCR races, so... The Italians are known for being very hands-on, which means the car bore signs of 'battle.' We wanted to bring the car to a state where it would represent us well visually in that first race.  Besides the car, there was the matter of preparing all the equipment. The car is just one part of the race; we also needed jacks for lifting the car, tanks for filling tires, fuel canisters. We need a lot of equipment for the trip, which might be needed, but it depends on the situation. We've been gathering all this since that time.  What else? Primarily, our training. We couldn't train on tracks during winter, so we tried training on simulators, which also took some time. We tried to conduct our first practice session, but as I said, the car was still in the preparation phase. In April... we only managed to drive for 45 minutes at the Poznań Circuit because the Poznań Circuit has a noise limit. It turned out that the Cupra, with the exhaust system homologated by Seat Moto Sport, was unfortunately too loud, producing 112 decibels, while the limit at the Poznań Circuit is 96 decibels. So, these little nuances meant it took a lot of time to prepare.

A while ago on your Instagram, you shared that you had to withdraw from further participation in the Polish Championship. What caused this break at that time?

It was about the second round because the time between the first and second rounds was only three weeks. In this sport, you have discussions with potential sponsors or companies, and unfortunately, that time was too short to secure the funds for the second start. We knew that we could, bluntly speaking, skip one race out of five and still be classified by participating in the remaining ones, thus fulfilling the plan set at the beginning of the season. So, the plan for the third round was still in place. And now, things are going very well for us.

And what criteria do you consider when it comes to a potential sponsor, what guides your choice?

Generally, we don't have a very strict direction for finding sponsors because it's difficult to align the automotive industry with a specific type of sponsorship. We have an example where a bakery from Warsaw participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and it wasn't directly related to the automotive sector, but it still earned points. I think it all depends on the potential sponsor who sees more in motorsport than just advertising, although they certainly see where that advertising can bring them profits. A sponsor expects that this profit will come, for example, from advertising on the car in the media, which will translate into their profit, meaning potential customers.

Can you explain – because there will probably be some complete laypeople reading this interview – what exactly the races you participate in are about, the scoring, what are the participation rules, and what conditions need to be met to take part in such competitions?

What needs to be met? I participate in Endurance races. These are long-distance races that actually last two hours. In this race, I must have a co-driver, and I cannot drive the entire two hours myself. There is a minimum time that one of the drivers must drive – if I remember correctly, it's about 36 minutes. Additionally, refueling comes into play. In my case, the car has a 100-liter tank and consumes about 50 liters per 100 kilometers, with the Poznań Circuit loop being about 4.2 kilometers. The approximate lap time is around one minute and forty or thirty-eight seconds, so those kilometers add up quickly. During refueling, there is usually a driver change, meaning I get out, my co-driver gets in, and I have to strap him in. If there is refueling, he has to drive to that spot. There must be two mechanics for safety reasons: one holding a fire extinguisher and the other refueling the car. After refueling, I am the only person who can fasten the seat belts for the other driver, tighten them, and only then can we continue racing.

Your adventure with motorsport in this racing format is quite short, as you obtained your license in 2022. How did it happen that you are already at such a high level? How did it go – obtaining the license, training, and then participating in races?

It all actually started before the license because I began driving as an amateur and immediately jumped into the deep end, driving on what is probably the most famous and most demanding track, the Nürburgring in Germany. We drove there for about two years in more tourist-oriented drives, where you can gain initial experience. I think that was the beginning of the journey, which – and I would like this – will someday culminate in participating in the 24-hour race on that track. It's a kind of goal, maybe at the back of my mind, maybe one of many, but it is there.  How did it start? I obtained the license in June 2022. There was, of course, a plan for a car, not immediately to buy it, but – as most drivers do – to buy a place. This means that for a given race, a driver can simply buy a place in a car, with a co-driver like I have with Damian. It works like this: I arrive with my helmet and suit, the car is prepared, I get in, and I just drive. However, there is a downside: there may be a situation where I arrive, prepare for everything, but, for example, my co-driver crashes the car, and I don't get to drive.  I decided that I would rather have my own car, to be able to oversee everything because I also work with cars in our company and know what is actually done to them. The mechanic who goes with me to races is very experienced – Jacek Stolarski, who drove with Gosia Rdest, who raced the Cupra TCR four years ago. He knows these types of cars very well, which influenced our decision to start working together. The experience he gained driving with Gosia translates directly into our current activities.

And what was the process of obtaining the license like, and did it involve any difficulties?

Was it difficult? I think any exam is somewhat difficult and requires preparation. The license itself actually has two exams: theoretical and practical. The theory part consists of 60 questions, essentially from two codes or rather regulations that you just have to learn. Is there anything difficult about them? I don't think so – it's important to understand them well because the questions are about flags, their meanings, and what they tell drivers about what's happening on the track. For example, there are questions about penalties a driver can receive for not complying with such flags, speed limits when driving past the pits. Overall, it's knowledge that pays off in the future and is useful while driving on the track.

Now, tell us a bit about the training – what do they look like on a daily basis, do you have any favorite tracks, how many times a week do you train, and do you only train with the race car, or do you have other cars as well?

As for cars, the Cupra can only be driven on the track because it is not road-legal. It has only a racing homologation, so it can only be used on closed tracks. Regarding training, I try to train with a car that has similar characteristics, so I choose a front-wheel-drive car. I train with a Hyundai i30 N, which is very similar in size to the Cupra. It’s a wider car, so it looks different, but in terms of driving properties, these cars are roughly in the same group. I spent the entire previous season driving on the Nürburgring track. We were there seven times, so really every month, sometimes every three weeks – when it comes to track training, I have covered over three and a half thousand kilometers. I can confidently say that I know that track very well. Regarding Poznań, I have driven less on this track, but since it is only four kilometers long, it is very easy to memorize. The truth is that on the simulator I trained on earlier, you can also drive this track layout, which helps reinforce it in your mind.

Now, I would like to move on to questions regarding social media. How big of a role do they play in your activities, do they drive your popularity, influence sponsors' interest, and are they important to you?

Yes, of course, media are important because most people nowadays use them. In my opinion, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are the leading platforms where you can actually show what you're doing and how it looks 'behind the scenes.' There's always something that piques someone's curiosity, and maybe one video, post, or photo will make someone go deeper and start following my journey. They might get interested in how I got to this place, and someone might want to take the same path. It sometimes seems, for example, regarding obtaining the license, that something might be difficult to achieve. No – it's a matter of desire and a certain impulse that someone can indeed notice and see in the media.

How do you create content on Instagram or other social media platforms – is there a specific strategy, do you have professionals for this, or do you operate more intuitively?

If you don't mind, I'll let Ania, who takes care of this, answer this question.

Sure, no problem.

Ania: When it comes to social media, I'm mainly responsible for publishing content. Well, not all of it, but the content is, of course, approved by Rafał as the boss, and I handle its publication. How do we operate? We're learning everything, so I have a set strategy, but during race weekends, a lot happens, and a lot changes, so we often act quite spontaneously. When something changes or we need to inform fans or our followers quickly – it varies quite a bit.

So you create the photos and videos yourself, and it's your independent work?

Ania: I'll say this – when it comes to photos and videos on race weekends or various photo sessions, Kajetan Zorzycki, who runs kajtophoto.com, does them for us. He is our photographer who supports us with both photography and video materials.

Rafał: And above all, he is our friend. We met him at the Nürburgring track, and that's how our cooperation really started.

Ania: Yes, at the first round, Jarek and Kasia were also there, and they took many photos and videos, so we had the opportunity to share those as well.

And regarding social media, do you receive any collaboration offers in terms of barter or other arrangements?

Ania: At the moment, we haven't had such proposals yet. We're really just at the beginning, and we started our marketing efforts a bit late last season. We only brought the car in November, then had a photo shoot, and really only started working on the website and preparing sponsorship offers at the end of the year. So, by the time we had everything ready, many potential sponsors and partners had already closed their budgets for the year. Many responded to our proposals saying they couldn't help us at that time, but we did receive a few invitations to discuss potential partnerships for the current racing season.

Rafał: First of all, we need to get through this season. (laughs)

So, regarding your social media channels, you are active on Instagram, Facebook, and...

Ania: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. However, YouTube is the weakest at the moment because it requires a lot of time. Considering our overall work and the fact that Rafał and I run a workshop, we often don't have enough time for all the channels. For us, YouTube currently has the least interest. So primarily Instagram, TikTok, and our website, where we also try to upload materials after races as promptly as possible.

Last question to Rafał about your goals and dreams related to motorsport for the coming years. Can you tell us something about that?

Rafał: Goals? Mainly to train, train, and train, because I believe you can't stay in one place in motorsport. Cars change, regulations change. We also change, because unfortunately, our bodies start to weaken with age. So, the plan is, as we discussed at the very beginning – I would like to participate in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, and that’s something I set for myself. I’m not saying it will be the end of my career, but it is a goal I’m aiming for. Time shows that I'm trying to achieve it very... I’m trying to do it very quickly. I know that time is not always a good advisor in this matter, but I’m trying to show that it’s possible to achieve something despite the short period. I also have a plan to start driving on more tracks abroad. The car is already suitable for that. I think sponsors will come in due time and will be convinced of this. Motorsport in Poland is not yet as widespread as we would like. However, I believe that if more people want to drive and promote motorsport, sponsors will see a purpose in it for themselves, and interest will increase. There is currently an opinion that a license or really driving in motorsport is very, very expensive. At some point, yes, it requires very high financial outlays. But we must also remember that we start from a lower level and somehow gain experience, and over time, this will allow us to achieve more. My plan is the 24-hour race. After that, if it can be realized, I’ll see. I would add one thing that I realized. My plan for the future is to expand Spec-Car Racing to the extent that people who would like to try motorsport can do it with us. Because not everyone is able to say 'I want to do this' or 'I don't want to do this' – they usually have to try first. We would like to have one or two cars with us on the track, and a potential person who would like to try such driving on the track could have the opportunity to do so with us.

I wish you the best in achieving your goals and thank you for the conversation.

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