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Guerlain Chicherit Q&A: "Everything i do, i go all in..."

The GC Kompetition FIA World Rallycross Championship team officially unveiled its brand new Renault Megane R.S. RX Supercar in Paris this week, in front of an assembled crowd outside the Automobile Club de France (ACF) on the Place de la Concorde.

We caught up with GCK Team Principal and driver Guerlain Chicherit to get his thoughts on the culmination of two years hard work, the input of Prodrive and his big plans for his home Loheac World RX of France round.

Q. You've spent two years working towards launching your own World RX team with your own car, it must feel pretty special to have done it in Paris?

GC: "Yeah it's really amazing, it's like two years' crazy work with a lot of risks to find sponsors, find budget and it was really not an easy road. We are one week away from the first race and to launch the car in Paris as a French team, French brand, two French drivers, at a really iconic place, in front of all these communities that we have so much support from; to feel that big push is really amazing."

Q. You've done some really crazy and cool things in your career from skiing to driving and jumping cars. How does the GCK World RX project compare?

GC: "That's just me. You know with everything I do, I like to go all in. I like to go crazy for everything and when I decided to go for this project, the idea was to go crazy anyway. There's nothing really I can compare with my ski career because it was a completely different feeling, a different risk. Now it's much more organised. I would say the project is bigger, but the craziness still the same."

Q. How exciting was it to drive the Megane R.S. RX for the first time?

GC. "It was amazing, you know, it's like the first time you see your baby. I was waiting more than nine months actually for this car. I definitely felt really confident. She gave me that confidence, she's easy to drive and she looks fast. The balance of the car is amazing and the brakes are really unreal. But the thing is, my reference is quite low because I didn't drive a really fast car before, so for sure it's the best car I ever drove, but to see how good she is, we'll see in one week."

Q. Prodrive, who built the Megane R.S. RX, has introduced a lot of new ideas and innovations. How does the Megane compare to other cars on the World RX grid?

GC. "If we have to compare this car with the others, the only thing is she still has two doors, four wheels and that's it; the rest is different!"

Q. How much are you looking forward to your home round at Loheac in September (1 - 2) with your French team, French cars and French drivers?

GC. "At Loheac we will go big, really big. We are coming with some surprises. I don't want to say too much for now but I love surprises and I've been working on something really amazing. Let's see if I can make it happen, but it's looking good."

Q. Jerome (Grosset-Janin) was fast in the official World RX test at Silverstone and has a lot of experience in rallycross. How much are you enjoying working with him as your team mate?

GC. "I'm super happy with Jerome because first of all he's one of the first guys to trust in my crazy ideas to do this project and he has been focused all winter working physically and mentally to be ready for this season. He understands also it's a big chance for him to sit in this car because he never really drove top, top cars before. But, he's already made some good results, he knows the sport so I think the other drivers should care. We will see, but I think he will make some trouble for them."

Q. Finally, what are your hopes for round one in Barcelona. Everybody is playing down their changes, but what will you hope for when you line up for Q1 next week?

GC. "We have to be realistic, the level is very high. The drivers are super-fast, the other teams and cars are also super-fast. But I'm an athlete; I've been fighting to win my whole life and yes, that's for sure, I want to win. I really try to do everything possible to make it happen, but to be honest I have just no clue. It's a big step between what I hope and what we can really see at the moment because we don't really know. Even for me, I don't really know my speed because this is the first time I'm driving a proper car and comparing myself with some of the drivers with the same car. But, my mind is full on, full gas, and I will try to fight as much as possible to be in the final."

Thanks Guerlain!

Zdroj: fiaworldrallycross.com