Adam Lacko and Jochen Hahn have spent 2016 fighting for the FIA European Truck Racing Championship. They have been the clear benchmark and the main focus of for fans and the media at the front of the field.
Adam Lacko and Jochen Hahn have spent 2016 fighting for the FIA European Truck Racing Championship. They have been the clear benchmark and the main focus of for fans and the media at the front of the field.
As we reach the climax of the season at Le Mans this weekend the title is still up for grabs and the pressure is mounting. We caught up with the two people who know them best and who have supported them through the highs and lows of their motor racing careers – their other halves!
Katerina Hahn and Diana Hahn have known each other for nearly ten years now and have developed a good friendship in this time, but has the championship battle and all the pressures it produces had any effect on the friendship?
Katerina: “Not on ours, maybe on theirs. No, I am just kidding, I think that they both have a lot of respect for each other. But really Diana and I wouldn’t be, I can’t think of any other word but ‘bitchy’ with each other, well not yet anyway!”
Diana: “We are friends, our husbands may drive to win on track, but none of us take the battle away from the track.
“I think that Truck Racing can be a bit different to some of the other series, in that there is a bit more of a family feel between the teams in the paddock. It can be very social and we also try to help each other if somebody has a technical problem, or even needs some advice. Jochen and the team are happy to do this and we also know that if we need help then I think people will help us.”
Katerina: “No, no, I don’t think we will if you need help in Le Mans… (cue more laughter).”Speaking of Le Mans, we have less than a week to go now, are Jochen and Adam getting nervous and is there anything you can do to help?
Katrina: “In terms of nerves, I don’t really see any in Adam; he just goes out to race.”
Diana: “I do think that Jochen gets a little bit nervous, but he has competed for many titles and he knows what to do, but there are always some nerves. So for example you don’t know what is going to happen at the start when there can be incidents.”
Katerina: “Well, it has been close, but Jochen has pulled out quite a gap, especially in Zolder. It was certainly difficult for us to not finish the race there and that isn’t good for our championship as they (Team Hahn Racing) haven’t had any retirements.”
Diana: “Yes, but you just don’t know what will happen at Le Mans. If the Buggyra can have a technical problem, then so can we. There can be a technical problem, or incident in Le Mans which means we do not finish a race and then the championship is open again.”
And what about you yourselves, do you get nervous?
Diana: “Yes it can be nerve wracking watching Jochen race and if he can win the race and the championship, but also I am working to watch the times and what is happening as Team Manager, so I am busy.”
Katerina: “I don’t really (get nervous) either. It is not that kind of championship and certainly not between Jochen and Adam. So for example there have been many points over this weekend (In Jarama), and at previous races in fact, where they could have done something a bit nasty to each other to affect the result, but they didn’t.”
You must be very proud of them?
Both: “Yes. And now we will wait to see what happens in Le Mans!”
Diana: “I know they will both fight very hard, but also very fair and Le Mans is a good place to finish. It is such a historic venue to go to, the track is great and again there is so much for the fans to enjoy during the day and also into the night with fireworks, a concert and even a nightclub – it is certainly a noisy weekend!”
In part two of this interview Diana and Katerina takes us behind the scenes of the truck racing paddock and explain why the FIA ETRC has such a massive fan base.
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