Team owner Tomáš Miniberger agreed with the decision to give Sovička, who previously raced a Corvette Z06 in the Carbonia Cup, more track time. “This is a new experience for him, competing at a much higher level than he’s used to. His big advantage is his discipline and professional approach. I’m confident he’ll improve quickly, and we’ll see further progress as the season goes on,” he added.
Pavel Sovička arrives at the Hungaroring with a different mindset compared to Oschersleben. Three weeks ago, the German event marked not only his debut with the KTM X-Bow GTX but also his first time on the Oschersleben circuit. This time, he is more familiar with the car and has prior experience at the Hungaroring, where he previously raced on motorcycles.
“Compared to Oschersleben, I have more experience with the car. I also know the track, albeit from my motorcycle days. That should help. I’m aiming for another step forward in performance. In terms of lap times, I want to get closer to Petr Lisa again,” said Sovička.
Stiff competition ahead
Repeating their endurance victory from Oschersleben will be no easy task for RTR Projects. Both the sprint and endurance races will see the team face six other cars in the GTX class, including two additional KTM X-Bow GTXs fielded by MZR and Janík Motorsport.
“The competition will be tougher, and the track will be crowded. That’s great for spectators, but on a narrow circuit like the Hungaroring, it won’t be easy. Over 30 cars are expected to race, which will be chaotic. We just hope to bring the car home in one piece and enjoy some great racing,” Sovička predicted.
Petr Lisa emphasised that, as at Oschersleben, qualifying will be crucial. The Hungaroring, often dubbed the “Monaco without barriers,” offers limited overtaking opportunities.
“It’s a challenging, technical circuit. To move up the field, you’ll need to be aggressive in the first corner and make it work with the brakes, which is obviously risky. There are other overtaking spots, but in most cases, you have to wait for the driver ahead to make a mistake. Studying your opponents will be key,” Lisa said.
Lisa has confidence in his teammate after their first outing together: “Pavel is extremely talented and humble. The important thing is that he learns quickly. Oschersleben was his first big race and his debut at that track. He’ll be even better now—more seasoned—and I expect him to make further progress,” he predicted.
RTR Projects will begin their weekend with the first sprint race on Saturday at 13:50, followed by a one-hour endurance race at 18:00. The weekend concludes with the second sprint on Sunday at 13:40.
