As Rene Rast, arguably one of the greatest sports car and
touring car drivers on the planet, begins to calmly answer my questions, I’m
struck by how down to earth he is. Not in an underwhelming way either but in a
relatable way.
“For me I achieved already more than I ever expected in my
life it’s quite nice to have that feeling,” he says, towards the end of the
interview.
And that’s when it hits me, Rast is a man who has had the
opportunity to live his dream and this success has not only brought unbridled
joy but also a clear sense of fulfilment and contentment. How refreshing it is
to speak to someone who loves what they do, is proud of their career without
being cocky, and doesn’t just bang on about what more they want to achieve.
Rast is quite pragmatic. He is fully aware that he has accomplished more than
some people could even dream of, and so isn’t greedy when talking about the
future but grateful for the opportunities and experiences he has had, and continues
to have. That is not to say he isn’t motivated anymore, on the contrary, he’s
targeting more DTM titles to add to the one he won in 2017.
“Obviously two or three more titles would be great but in
the end I’m very happy with where I am right now. I love DTM, I love the sport
and I’m in a really happy place so what comes on top comes on top but you know
I will not force it. I’ll just enjoy the moment, try to maximise every weekend,
if I win the title great, if I don’t win I had a great time.”
Rast’s rise to touring car success started in single seaters
as he completed two seasons in Formula BMW.
“Obviously as a young boy driving Formula BMW the ultimate
goal was always to be in Formula One one day. But rather soon I realised that
the route was quite expensive. When I finished 2004 my last BMW year, we found
out that the next step would be Formula 3. And the budget for Formula 3 was
back then already two or three times as much as Formula BMW. We couldn’t afford
it at all, that’s why we decided to basically stop Formula racing and jump into
a touring car which back then was the VW Polo Cup.”
It was a somewhat inspired move as Rast won the VW Polo Cup
in his first season before moving to the SEAT Leon Supercopa German
championship in 2006 in which he finished second. This then led him into
Porsche racing.
“The next logical step for me was to do Porsche Carrera Cup
in 2007; the ultimate goal was always to be part of DTM and the Carrera Cup was
basically part of the programme of DTM and we decided to go that route and in
the end I think it was quite a good one.”
Again, Rast’s modesty is abundantly clear. His time in
Porsches yielded three Supercup titles, two German Carrera Cup titles and in my
view the accolade as the best driver in Porsche one make racing over the last
decade. More than quite a good outcome I’m sure you’d agree!
On which of his titles was his favourite, he says: “The
first one is always the most special one I would say. I cannot really tell you
why but the first one always feels different to the second or third title. I’m
not saying the other two were not feeling good [sic] but the first one is
always the most special because you have achieved something which you’ve
dreamed of and you worked for, for a long time. And then once it’s there it
feels like a big relief and all the pressure is down and goes away basically. So
for sure the first one feels always the best.”
I suggest that he would have felt vindicated for turning his
back on Formula One but his response gives me an insight into the steely
determination with which he approaches his racing, and how he never allows
himself to get carried away.
“I still was not really a factory driver and my goal
obviously when I was racing in a Porsche was always to become a factory driver
in either DTM or for Porsche but still I was not a true factory driver so I
felt a bit in the air let’s say. Driving for teams is cool and nice but in the
end you want to become a factory driver and this was the ultimate goal. I
didn’t think I achieved something crazy (by winning the Supercup) because my
goal was always to go the route to become a professional race driver racing for
a manufacturer.”
This isn’t said arrogantly but in a way which shows that
once Rast sets himself a target, he’ll stop at nothing until he achieves it and
won’t get carried away with any success that comes his way in the meantime.
I pluck up the courage to ask him who the best driver he’d
ever competed against in Porsches was. He answers before I’ve scarcely finished
the question: “Sean Edwards. He was my team mate in 2012 at Tolimit (in the
German Carrera Cup) and I had a very hard time fighting him and beating him, he
was a pure natural talent. I would say he was for sure the greatest opponent I
ever had in the Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup.”
His voice is tinged with emotion and it is as if he is
playing the battles they had over in his head as he answers. Edwards was
tragically killed in an accident while instructing a member of the public in a
private test session in late 2013. I can hear the sadness at a life cut short
and the fact that they’ll never compete against each other again. I resist the
urge to ask more about their rivalry out of respect. He’s already given Edwards
one of the biggest complements possible in his answer; no other words are
needed.
All three of Rast’s Supercup titles were won driving for
Walter Lechner’s team. The legendary team owner still runs numerous cars in
both the Supercup and German Carrera Cup and he celebrated his 70th
birthday at the Hungaroring last weekend.
On Lechner, Rast says: “He is a true legend. Seeing him on
the race track still, how passionate he is, he still has the fire in him. He’s
still taking pictures of every lap time, of every sector time. When I was
racing he was really analysing deeply and I know he’s still doing that. He’s
really still into the racing and he’s fully motivated even though he’s turning
70 this week. It’s crazy! When I’m his age I still want to be motivated like him.”
One of Lechner’s current drivers, Michael Ammermuller is
bidding to equal Rast’s achievement of three consecutive Supercup crowns this
year. At the moment, he trails team mate and championship leader Julien
Andlauer by a single point. In Rast’s mind there is no doubting Ammermuller’s
quality.
“He’s a great driver! I never had any doubt that he’s a good
driver, he showed it when I was racing.
And for sure he’s very close to winning a third title, I just wish him
all the best ‘cause he’s a great guy, a great driver. And hopefully one day we
will race somewhere outside Supercup because I haven’t really raced him since
then. Hopefully he will become a factory driver sooner or later and then we will
have the pleasure to race against each other again.”
The respect he has, and the esteem in which he holds
Ammermuller, as well as hoping he emulates his feat, is testament to Rast’s
character.
After Rast achieved his third Supercup title he was signed
by Audi as a manufacturer driver and competed in a range of endurance and GT
series before two guest outings in the DTM in 2016. An impressive sixth place
in the first race at Hockenheim played a part in securing Rast a full time seat
in the series for 2017. He then did the unthinkable and won the title in his
first season, denying his vastly experienced double champion team mate Mattias
Ekstrom despite not leading the title race heading into the final meeting of
the season.
“There are not many words I can really use to describe it. I
mean back then I couldn’t really realise it, it was like something just
happened from one second to the next which I never expected in my life. I was
so far away from DTM one year before I won the title. I wouldn’t have expected
to win the title but we had a good weekend, it just happened and then (in) one
moment you become DTM champion. You know (a) life achievement and I cannot
really say how it felt it was one of the best moments of my life I would say.”
When it comes to talking about working for Audi and representing
the brand, one cannot fail to notice the boyish enthusiasm and the fond tone
with which Rast speaks.
“Audi is for sure one of the best car manufacturers in the
world. I would say with the quality of the road cars, the quality of the German
work they have put into these cars is outstanding, amazing. They look great,
they’re quick. Working with Audi engineers, the whole company is just something
very special. I think everybody who is racing in touring cars dreams about it,
so I think I’m quite privileged to race for them.”
It isn’t public relations spiel straight out of the
handbook, or the same worn out phrases that have been churned out hundreds of
time to the media. Each word is said with an intense honesty and effortless
cheerfulness that can be nothing but genuine. He clearly loves and feels loved
by the company.
After narrowly missing out on retaining his title last year,
Rast currently leads the standings by 22 points with eight races remaining. Two
of those races take place at Brands Hatch in the UK this weekend, a circuit and
country Rast always enjoys visiting.
“Yeah it’s one of the best (circuits) Brands Hatch I would
say. It’s still an old school track, no run off, quick corners. It’s a very
challenging track and I really like it. You need some big balls around there,
it’s pretty cool, I like it a lot. British fans: you can see that racing has a
big history for them. They are always very nice, friendly and kind so always a
good place to race.”
I ask Rast what advice he’d give to young aspiring drivers
trying to follow in his footsteps. His response is typically thoughtful, valuable,
and of course brutally honest.
“It’s quite difficult nowadays to really shine, all the
younger categories are filled with a lot of talent. In the end it’s about
making the right decisions at the right moment and working your ass off for
success I would say. You know success doesn’t fall from the sky, you need to
work for it, and without work there is no success. Sometimes you can win a race
but not continuously so you need to work a lot and try to maximise every little
detail to be up front every race, not only once a year.”
The old adage you get out what you put in has never been
more applicable. It’s clear from these words of wisdom that Rast knows the
sacrifice and graft needed to make it in frontline motorsport; equally though
he’s reaped the rewards and enjoyed more scintillating highs and victorious
triumphs than most because of it.
I close the interview by asking him about his ideal weekend
away from racing. His answer is delightfully simple and succinct: “The perfect
weekend would be to spend some time with my family, with my son, with my wife.”
What was Porsche one make series’ loss is certainly Audi and
DTM’s gain, not only in driving talent and as an ambassador of the brand but
most importantly as a good natured character in the paddock.
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| Rast driving for Lechner Racing in the 2012 Porsche Supercup en route to his third straight title. |
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| Rast (R) with his former team mate, the late Sean Edwards. |
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Rene Rast in 2012, the year in which he clinched his second German Carrera Cup.
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All photos courtesy of Porsche and Audi Motorsport.
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