One week after his Nysum race came to an abrupt end within the opening metres of Q1, Slawomir Woloch returns to Estering determined to finish his season on a positive note. At the wheel of the BMW run by Krzysztof Skorupski’s Automax team, the Polish driver hopes to turn his potential into a place in the final this time around.
The Danish round had ended almost as soon as it began. Caught up in an incident on the exit of the first corner, Woloch was forced to retire at the start of Race 1. Although the damage did not require any major repairs, his team still had to spend a significant part of the week getting the BMW back into shape before heading to Germany.
“It was quite a busy week because we had some damage from Nysum. The only part we actually had to replace was the front shock absorber, but there was still more work to be done on the car. So that kept us busy throughout the week.”
Returning to Estering also carries special significance for Woloch. Long before he had the opportunity to race there himself, the Pole had made numerous trips to the Buxtehude circuit as a spectator.
“It’s an iconic track. I came here many times over the years to watch rounds of the European and World Championships, and I always had this little dream of one day being able to come here and race myself. I managed to do that last year and it was really great. I’ve come back this year with the aim of doing a little better.”
With its narrow layout and unforgiving barriers, Estering presents a particular challenge at the wheel of the imposing BMW. Far from putting Woloch off, however, those characteristics are a major part of what makes the German track so appealing to him.
“As for the track itself, I love it. It’s a proper rallycross track. The car is obviously big and there are barriers on both sides, but I love it. It’s simply fantastic.”
After the events of Nysum, Woloch has no shortage of motivation heading into the final event of the season. While he makes no secret of the fact that victory is always the ultimate goal, the Polish driver remains realistic about the level of his rivals and has set himself a more immediate target: securing a place in the final.
“The goal is obviously to win, just like everyone else who comes here. But realistically, there are a few extremely fast drivers who I probably won’t be able to beat. So the goal is to get a good position in the semi-final, maybe second place, and make it through to the final. If I can reach the final, I’ll be over the moon.”