He is actually the fastest touring car racer from France and was promoted to a full time RC racer some weeks ago. Awesomatix driver Lucas Urbain is living his dream right now and we talked to him before the last ETS race of the season – a season that went very well for him. Let`s find out what Lucas has to say before travelling to Arena Nova in Austria!
Lucas, you just came back from the TITC in Thailand. How was your race, and do you expect more or less traction on track in Austria 😀
Man, TITC was truly a blast, the atmosphere, the food, the grip… Racing-wise I did alright, I sort of reached my goal going there. However, my speed was really good at times, and looking back, with better racing management – and more luck at times – I could have stepped on the podium. Still a very positive learning experience, I’ll be better prepared if I get to come back for sure!
Traction levels reached an all-time high in Daun so I wouldn’t be surprised if high grip is again one of the main talking points in Austria. In any case I think I’ve reached my traction rolling quota for a year in Thailand, so I feel ready to tackle any level of grip😅
You are still having a small chance to win the championship if some things happen at Arena Nova. How will you approach the last race of the season and how big would you rate your own chances, especially against Orlowski?
I do indeed have a chance but it’s very slim, and even if I get the perfect weekend, it is not even down to my result alone. Michal needs to have a very poor weekend by his own standard which given his current dominant form absolutely stacks up the odds against me. Realistically, if I can be a bit of a thorn in his side and give myself a chance to stall his dominance, I’ll be very happy. And let’s not forget Marc and Ronald, they’re both in great form, the latter is overdue a win this year and Marc hasn’t been outside the podium in a very long time.
I did not even do all the maths on all the championship permutations because where my rivals end up is not fully under my control. In the end the plan is just to send it and see where I end up.
You are now a professional RC racer since a couple of weeks. What is different now when you wake up in the morning?
It is indeed life changing. Difference number one is being able to wake up and go to bed at normal hours. This alone is really boosting my energy levels. Since I used to work shifts and spend all my holidays into RC, I could never enjoy consistent rest periods and constantly felt in some state of jetlag.
For the first time in my life, I am in charge of my own work schedule. Initially I was worried I would lack the discipline to get to work on my own, but it hasn’t been the case so far. Let’s see over time if that remains true when the honeymoon period is over🤞🏻. Either way, I am living my best life right now and I want to relish every moment.
You won one race and you are about to finish the season in the best overall position of your ETS career. How do you rate your performances during this ETS Season?
This is clearly my strongest season to date. My standard for what I consider a good vs a bad result keeps on shifting year by year, and I am very keen on keeping that progress going. Still, looking back all I can remember is the mistakes I made here and there, the wrong setup decisions and all the “what ifs”.
I am trying hard to make sure it doesn’t overshadow the highs of the podiums and wins but at the same I feel like it fuels my obsession in becoming a stronger racer. The positive thing in all that is I can see what happens when I get everything right. My task now is making sure it happens more often.
Last but not least: The IFMAR worlds will take place in November. How will you prepare for this event and what do you expect from Finish Line RC raceway?
The IFMAR worlds is still far away but thankfully being full time allows me to project myself much further in the future. On top of it Max (Mächler) is very determined to give us the best chances to do well at that race. I think his support is instrumental to keep me focused on that objective.
We have already booked our trip to the West Coast Invitational to have a first taste of the Finish Line RC Raceway early in May and we’re likely to visit again later in the year. I think the nature of the track is likely to suit me quite well and I am looking forward to seeing how I can stack up against everyone when I am fully prepared.
