Young talents are important for every sport around the globe – and so it is also in the world of RC racing. Phil Langner from Rellingen (close to Hamburg) is our interview guest today, and we like to find out some facts about the young man who had a serious impact onto the Orca 21.5 Stock class at the last ETS race in Austria where he finished second on the podium after a great drive!
ETS – Hi Phil, we hope you had a good trip home from Austria with your father Marc. How did it feel to bring home the 2nd place trophy?
Phil – I didn’t notice much of the journey home because I was asleep most of the time. I was really happy about it, so I woke my mum up at night to show her the trophy.
Before the race in Aigen probably nobody had you on their radar. It was very impressive to watch you driving in all your qualification and final runs. Were you nervous when you realised “hey, I can race at the front here”, or was it “all easy” for you?
I’m always nervous, but after the great qualifying heats I was even more nervous before the first final than I usually am. But when I was standing on the driver’s stand it got better again.
You even won the first A final in the Orca 21.5 Stock class. How did that feel? When you compare the finals at an ETS race with A-finals from other races, what is the biggest difference for you?
Indescribably great, especially because so many people have congratulated me there too. Because it’s a much bigger event with more participants and spectators, the excitement is even greater. Especially when Scotty comments on the whole thing.
The Euro Touring Series is currently the most important racing series for 1:10 electric onroad. But of course there are also numerous other, smaller racing series. Where else do you race? We’ve seen you a lot on off-road circuits recently 😊
With the touring car and the Fronti, I still occasionally race TOS and anything else I can fit into my schedule. In Nitro Offroad I do the SK races to qualify for the German Championship. If time allows, I like to do other big races, the last one was 3 weeks ago in Denmark for the NXC in Hillerød.
Do you remember where and when you did your first RC car race?
My first race was in 2017 with a 1:8th scale electric buggy near Rendsburg at the Schietschmietern Bistensee.
How did you get into our great hobby? Through friends at school, or was it your dad Marc who showed you the hobby?
I think dad is to blame, as the whole basement is full of RC cars and when the time is right the whole family almost always goes along to the races.
What was your first RC car?
My first RC car was a Losi Shourt Course that I still occasionally race with my friends in the car park.
Do you go to practice very often or less often? Which race tracks are the best to get to for training?
In winter we train almost every weekend in Hasloh at the Megadrom. In the summer there is almost no time to train, because there are so many races and we also have to wrench the cars in between.
Do you have a favourite race track? If so, tell us about that track and why you like it better than others?
In Onroad, my favourite tracks are Aigen😉 and Andernach. In offroad I like to drive at the L.A Speedway in Landshut and in the past the old track of Big Hamburg which unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore (but we are building a new one 😁).
You are currently on the track with an Awesomatix. Why Awesomatix, and what cars do you use in your off-road races?
I race Awesomatix because it is the most raced car in our area, so we have had the most help and support. In offroad I drive a Sworkz S35-4 buggy which I also like a lot.
Adjusting a modern touring car is not that easy and you always need someone to learn from! Who have you learned the most from so far?
I’ve learned most from my dad, but we also get tips from many others in the pits. Thanks for that 😊
Do you have a favourite driver or role model in RC car racing? Multiple answers are allowed 😊
I don’t have a favourite driver but to be as successful as Ronald Völker, Marc Reinhard or Bruno Coelho would be great.
When you talk to your friends about your RC car hobby, how do you explain to them what exactly you do when you go to Austria or Luxembourg to pursue this hobby? What do they think?
I’ve been showing my friends the cars in the basement and we race the short course in the car park every now and then. I also make videos of the races and put them in my WhatsApp status and I get messages that they think it’s cool.
Do you have any other hobbies besides RC car racing that you do in your spare time? Or does racing take up more than enough of your time?
I play football as well. But as racing and football matches are usually both on weekends I always have to choose one, usually it’s the races.
What goals have you set for the ETS season #16 2022/23? Which races do you still want to take part in?
Definitely to have fun and, if things go well, maybe to achieve some more great results.
So far we are planning to go to Arena 33, Hann. Münden and Daun.
Phil, thank you very much for this great interview and for your time. We are very happy to call you part of the ETS family. We wish you only the best, and most of all good luck and success on the track!
Thank you too and I am happy to be part of the ETS family. The races are always a lot of fun.
