Scherer hopes for enough race luck

This weekend, the fourth round of the European Le Mans Series will take place in Barcelona. Fabio Scherer hopes that he can achieve a podium finish, as he did last time in the USA. 

He already succeeded in the USA in the IMSA. Now Fabio Scherer hopes that he can also land his first podium finish in the European Le Mans Series. The opportunity to do so will come this weekend when Scherer competes for his team Inter Europol Competition in the fourth round of 2022 ELMS season at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. Together with his teammates David Heinemeier Hansson from Denmark and Pietro Fittipaldi from Brazil, he will share the cockpit of the #43 Oreca LMP2.

“After my podium finish in IMSA, I am of course highly motivated for this race,” says Scherer. “However, it is a change. The tracks in the USA are very different – they have an old-school character. I like that. Also, the change from the car I drive in the US to the LMP2 we drive here in Europe isn’t easy. The High Class Racing car in the US is faster and lighter. We have more aerodynamics there. Also, the tyres don’t degrade as quickly as in the ELMS.”

According to the weather forecast, the weekend in Barcelona could also become a lottery. Rain showers are forecast for Saturday. “That means that we maybe have an exciting qualifying session,” says Scherer, who is supported by STOBAG and ATS Banding System. “Because if it gets too hot, then we’ll just be fighting with the tyres.”

Scherer knows the track in Barcelona very well. It is not one of his absolute favourite tracks. “The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona is familiar to me,” says Scherer. “However, I don’t find it really exciting. Especially the last sector is not really demanding. I like it to be fluid and fast. If they would eliminat the last chicane, the track would be more attractive in my eyes.”

The 23-year-old from Engelberg is still waiting for a highlight in the 2022 ELMS. In Le Castellet at the season opener, Scherer finished eleventh. At the second race in Imola, the former DTM driver finished ninth. Most recently, he and his team finished 11^th again in Monza. “I’m not worried about speed. But we have lacked the necessary race luck so far.” 

The start of the four-hour race in Barcelona is at 11.45 a.m. on Sunday, 28^th August. The race can be followed on Motorsport TV and livestream (www.europeanlemansseries.com). The German channel Motorvision also broadcasts from Spain.

Timetable
Friday, 26^th August
11.00-12.30, 1^st free practice session

Saturday, 27^th August
11.10-12.40, 2^nd free practice session
16.25-16.35, Qualifying

Sunday, 28^th August
11.45, Start of the race