Hungary you have to be financially wealthy.
back2back titles in 2003 and 2004, winning 17 races out of 26.
AutoSimSport — Yes, I can imagine that in a country as small as Hungary it is pretty tough to raise enough local sponsor interest. Actually, what is going on motorsports-wise in Hungary? We know the Hungaroring of course, and Zsolt Baumgartner, but what about motorsport in general. Are there touring car or other national series, rallies... ?
AutoSimSport — I bow my head in awe! Congratulations! So you are quite a star in Hungary? GW — I am well known by now, but not a star - though sometimes it feels like, especially when theyʹre taking pictures with you and asking for a signature, or congratulating me on the street. AutoSimSport — If I remember right, you actually were a race driver before you became a sim racer? Didnʹt you participate in some race through Europe - in your very early years? GW — Nope. I was a snooker player for 8 years, playing in Euro Champs and Opens in Austria for example, my only experience was karting before.
“… listening to the anthem – goosebumps all over…” Gábor GW — Hungarians are in love with motorsport, compared to the size of the country we are interested in racing well over average. Rally is the big thing here, although touring cars are on the rise, but rally creates more interest - sponsor- and spectator-wise too. We have the national touring car & formula series running together: Opel Astra Cup, Renault Clio Cup, Group N, Group A and Formula categories. AutoSimSport — Are you competing in one of them? GW — I was running in the Astra Cup in my rookie year, finished 5th overall, then went for Clio, and won
Oh! [long pause] --- What you do remember is the Beaujolais Nouveau race! AutoSimSport — -- Yes! The night when you told me that I was the one drinking alcohol, and you stayed sober! Until 6 in the morning! -GW — -- It is a street legal run from Lyon to Budapest, but has nothing to do with professional racing although the speeds are high. AutoSimSport — Now please tell us a bit more about that one. GW — Well, each November they race from France to several countries, to promote the new Beaujolais wine, and the aim is to get home 1st with the new wine, starting midnight on the 3rd Wednesday of November. AUTOSIMSPORT – Volume 1 – Number 4
Originally the English started this cannonball race. You can imagine the kind of speeds we were doing in the night only stopping for the checkpoints and fuel. 1,500 km in one mad run - and there wasnʹt any serious accident. We had an average speed of well over 100 km/h - with stops and everything. And in those days youʹve had the borders still active in Europe. AutoSimSport — Did you give the guys at border a bottle of the Beaujolais nouveau for a speedier passage? GW — No, the bottle was stamped, we had to bring it home in one piece. Was great fun, but with a few risky situation involved. I finished 2nd, but lost a lot of time nearly running out of fuel. AutoSimSport — Is this Beaujolais nouveau race kind of official, is it organized by some one? GW — Wine producers, yes, and Hotel Kempinski here in Hungary. Officially, it was not about speed, but that was all that mattered. AutoSimSport — If you look at your many career steps, what role does sim racing play here? Did it help you in the Astra and Clio Cups? GW — For sure, it helped a lot. Not in technique or natural ability - those are born with you, but you can develop them a bit. But in concentration and the mental preparation for racing it was more than a good school - it was worth gold. Knowing how to handle the pressure, how to keep up concentration after 30 minutes, how 87