Having raced in sports cars and GT vehicles since 2017, Krabec only joined the GT2 family at the start of this year, driving a KTM X-BOW for RTR Projects. Across the 12 races in the season, Krabec achieved six class victories and ten podium finishes, ultimately clinching the title during a thrilling finale at the Paul Ricard Circuit.
With prior experience racing KTM cars in the 24 Hour Series and later transitioning to GT4 in Germany, we took the opportunity to learn more about Krabec’s remarkable GT2 season through a few questions.
First of all, Jan, congratulations on winning the AM category of the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series. You’re a champion! Has it sunk in yet?
“Thank you! What a season it was! It actually took me a few days to process that we’d done it. It’s an incredible feeling and still gives me so much energy!”
The fight for the title was tight throughout the season, right up to the final race at Paul Ricard. How challenging was it to reclaim the class lead and secure the championship?
“The title battle was intense all season long! It was always fun racing against Klaus, Sehdim, and Leonardo. I also can’t forget Mantas and Aurelije—the battles I had with them and their victories in Valencia. The truth is, I made some mistakes in Valencia, particularly in the second race, which cost me the class lead. That’s why I wanted to be as prepared as possible for Paul Ricard. I trained hard—both physically and on the simulator—doing as many laps as possible since it was my first time at the track. Once I was in the car, I focused on executing the plan we had created with Tomáš Fanta, who serves as both team director and my race engineer.”
When did you know the title was truly yours?
“The title? Not until I crossed the finish line under the chequered flag! I was so focused that I didn’t let myself think about it before then. That’s the only way to compete at this level. We raced hard until the very last metres of the second race at Paul Ricard, and any incident could have been costly. That said, I felt strong throughout the weekend—my preparation paid off, and I could concentrate on the car setup and fine-tuning my approach for the fast yet technical circuit. At Paul Ricard, precision is everything; anything less is either too slow or destroys your tyres, or both. After securing pole position in both races, I felt we had the momentum and started to believe we could reclaim the title.”
How difficult was it to win the title in your first season in the series?
“It was definitely hard work! Looking back, I think the season had two distinct phases.
The first chapter: we didn’t know what to expect. We had no idea how competitive we could be, and the KTM X-BOW GT2 was a brand-new car for us. However, we spent a lot of time testing during the winter, which helped in the early races. The double win at Monza was a miracle! We couldn’t believe it—it was unexpected and incredible. But we also knew we needed to fight hard and improve in several areas. Each race weekend, we focused on making the car faster while maintaining consistency and making the most of our track time. In the first half of the season, we consistently scored points and even held the class lead.
Then came the second chapter. Midway through the season, we started believing we could fight for the championship. That changed our approach a bit. We had to avoid mistakes, penalties, technical issues, and driver errors in crucial moments. We added another layer of responsibility—not just for race weekends but also during preparation. The team did an incredible job during this phase. The car was always 100% ready, and we dramatically improved the setup to make it faster and more responsive. The hard work paid off, and that’s why we succeeded in the—arguably more important—second half of the season.
Overall, it feels like I gained two or three years’ worth of experience in just one season.”
What was the toughest moment on the road to the title?
“Definitely the mistakes I made in the tough second race at Valencia. They cost me the class lead. But I tried to learn from them, and it felt fair when Klaus, with his great performance, took the lead in Valencia along with Sehdim. I told myself, ‘Alright, the title will be decided at Paul Ricard.’”
Was there ever a moment when you thought you might not win the title?
“Of course, throughout the season. In the first half, we weren’t even thinking about the championship. I’m also aware that motorsport—perhaps more than many other sports—depends on many factors outside the driver’s or team’s control. But we focused on doing our best, and it all worked out.”
What was your standout moment of the season?
“I’d say there are two moments I’ll never forget: the first two wins at Monza and the last few corners of the second race at Paul Ricard. Those were truly unforgettable.”
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Do you hope to return next year to defend your title?
“First, I’d like to thank the entire RTR Projects team for the 2023 Fanatec GT2 European Series season: Tomáš Fanta, the amazing mechanics, team managers, and of course, the team owner, Mr. Tomáš Miniberger. Without them, there would be no championship title, and I’m honoured to call them close friends.
As for 2024? Yes, we’re already discussing plans for next season. If all goes well, we might even field two RTR Projects KTM GT2 cars! But nothing is set in stone yet. Honestly, I think I’d find it hard not to race next year—it would be too much to miss. By the way, GT2 cars are incredible machines to race.”
The Fanatec GT2 European Series returns in 2024 with a six-round calendar, kicking off at Paul Ricard on April 5–6.
