Benjamin Mazatis: Attack on the Title
with the traditional brand Porsche
"Everything's new in 2019!" Benjamin Mazatis has taken this motto to heart. From this year, the Bruckmühl native will be competing for the Allied-Racing Team in the GT4 European Series. What's special is that this is the first time the 21-year-old will be racing with the traditional Porsche brand. He will be competing in a 718 Cayman GT4 Competition. Who Mazatis will be sharing the car with will be announced at a later date.
For last season's third-placed driver in the GT4 Central European Cup, 2019 will be a year of change. After two successful years with Reiter Engineering in the KTM X-Bow, Mazatis said goodbye to his team at the Dubai 24 Hours race and is now embarking on new challenges. These begin in mid-February in Portimão, Portugal, with a training camp.
The Allied-Racing Team is among the top names in GT4 racing, with its drivers consistently finishing in the top 3 of the championship standings in recent years. The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Competition, used in 2019, was only recently unveiled in the USA. Its 3.8-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine produces an impressive 425 hp on the race track. Furthermore, innovative production methods were adopted, with body parts manufactured from a bio-fibre composite material.
The first race weekend will take place in mid-April at the world-famous Formula 1 circuit in Monza, Italy. With Circuit Zandvoort, Brands Hatch and the Nürburgring, other legendary circuits are in the GT4 European Series calendar.
At weekends, two sprint races with driver changes are scheduled. In the past season, around 50 participants started per race, which is also predicted for 2019. Thus, the series counts among the sprint events with the highest number of participants.
Three questions for Benjamin Mazatis
Congratulations on your cockpit with Allied-Racing. How did the collaboration come about?
I met the team on a test day in November at Circuit Paul Ricard and immediately got a positive impression. They are still a young team, but they have proven how successful they are in recent years. We share the same hunger for success. After two years in GT4 sport, the move to them and the Porsche brand was a logical step for me. Nevertheless, I thank Reiter Engineering for the great and successful time. It will always remain an important part of my life, which I remember fondly.
What goals did you set for yourself for the 2019 season?
I know I'm facing a very big challenge. The level in the GT4 European Series is very high. Those who are at the front here are at the very front of any racing series.
My goal is to be fighting for podium places every weekend again and to play a role in the overall standings at the end. I feel great about this
Challenge prepared and I think that with Allied-Racing I have the right partner by my side. In the GT4 European Series this season, my focus is on
Focus. Perhaps one or two more races will be added in the course of the year, but nothing is planned at the moment.
Is there a race you're particularly looking forward to?
The entire race calendar is really well put together and promises a spectacular season. I already know some tracks like Misano, the Nürburgring, or Zandvoort very well from the past. My personal highlight, however, is Monza. The circuit is so full of tradition and history, and it's a dream come true for me to be able to race there. I'd prefer the season to start tomorrow. But until April, there will be enough time to prepare optimally in the simulator and with my team.