JAS-Rennsport

November/December Update: Final Races in Germany & Flight Home

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER UPDATE: FINAL RACES IN GERMANY & FLIGHT HOME

Matt’s final monthly update from Germany in 2020 sharing stories success and failures in racing, life under partial lockdown in Europe, and reflecting on a truly memorable experience. This is a long one (sorry)!

This update begins during the second leg the flight back to San Diego. The day started early in Berlin, transitioning to Frankfurt a few hours ago and I’m currently over the Atlantic on Lufthansa due to land in Washington, D.C. before rushing myself through customs and onto my domestic flight home.

A quick catch-up; my name is Matt Million, I’m a 20 year old racing driver and college student from San Marcos, California. I’ve been competing since the age of five where I spent eight years in karts. I transitioned to race cars in the Spec Miata category at age 14, developing and finding success in the Mazda Motorsports grassroots program up to Spec MX-5 Challenge in 2018. In 2019, I became a class winner of the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

From back to karting days, I’ve been obsessed with European touring and sports car racing. The dream was Germany and all goals led racing there. But not coming from wealth or a racing family dynasty, I knew the financial hurdles of that leap might be impossible. In late 2019, I came across a competitive, cost-effective spec touring car cup there. I had to make this work. Just one team actually took my inquiry seriously, and my family and I weighted the variables and commitment. Before I knew it I was off to test at Hockenheim in February. The pandemic happened, pushed the season from March to July and I finally got clearance to fly in September. My college work now virtual, I deciding to live there for about three months and finish the season with JAS Rennsport. I returned to California late November and here we are today.

Some quick feelings; It’s mindboggling I was able to enter Germany at all. So much energy went into researching clauses, exemptions, and the most current news on international travel. Forced to miss the opening two rounds of the championship before my incredible team boss Lars was able to get Lufthansa clearance for me. I made a promise to race for them this year and a promise to myself to not give up on my first chance to race here. Well, I made it. Of the three remaining BMW 318ti Cup races we planned to do, only one event went forward. Luckily, we got to do three additional club races of which the latter two are in this report. Wild times and immensely grateful.

Obviously, there’s many more takeaways I could give but in an effort to not have this be a thousand pages I’ll jump into the final race reflections from Germany.

And now I sit under a dim light with a cup of coffee, choosing to write these stories before finishing my final term papers. Hope you enjoy!

Where We Left Off

The last update I shared was Saturday, October 24th. I hit ‘send’ on that report from the attic of (my teammate) Luca Alpert’s village near Börßum. That evening we drove to the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, a superb highly regarded circuit in the Saxony-Anhalt region near center of the country.

Welcome to NATC Oschersleben 1 - October 25th, 2020

After BMW 318ti Cup Round 4 at Nürburgring was cancelled, an opportunity came up to race the following weekend. With cases low in the area, the NATC (North German ADAC Touring Car Cup) was holding their next event at Oschersleben on October 25th. With the BMW 318ti Cup finale (originally planned) at the same circuit in 3 weeks, it attracted 15 fellow 318ti Cup cars to the 2-hour endurance race. Great competition.

As far as race track commutes go, driving to Oschersleben is unrivaled. From Luca’s home, it’s a one hour drive across gorgeous country roads, quaint villages, and the expansive landscape of farmland and wind turbines. The NATC typically holds one-day events on Sunday so the paddock arrives Saturday evening to unload into their garage spots and cook-out with plenty of meats and beers.

Luca and I surveyed the track and I received a hefty earful of information! This is his and JAS Rennsport’s home circuit, having done triple as many laps here than anywhere else. Did my best to absorb all his knowledge of the grip levels, cambers, kerb profiles, lines, cones, pit entry and exit tips. Videos and racing simulators are good tools, but walking it reshaped my perspective of the place!

The practice session was short but straightforward with quite the 27-car traffic jam to navigate in the first lap. I stopped for a routine tire check, performed a mock standing start from a designated area of the pits (that was a first) and got in four laps before swapping to Luca for the final 10 minutes.

During our 20 minute qualifier we realized something was wrong. While my times kept lowering as my track knowledge grew, there was a feeling of power loss. Luca finished off the session falling short of my best by a number of tenths. P7/16. Our times were over a second slower than Luca’s best lap here. He gave a rightfully displeased debrief to our team and we searched for answers but couldn’t yet determine the issue. The car wasn’t healthy so we just had to race our own race, drive clean, and learn along the way.

Race time! The NATC uses European-style standing starts. Since I’ve never experienced one, I would drive the first hour and hand off to Luca for the second. The red lights went off and I made two positions into T1, entering four-wide. Cars everywhere jostling for position, what a moment!

Engaged in a tight battle with two competitors made the first 40 minutes a blur. Did my best outdrive the power deficit and maintain position, but losing a second or more per lap adds up. Proud of the performance I gave, the most ‘in it’ I’ve felt in these few European races so far. The knowledge was accumulating! No mistakes, better pace. As with all of these weekends, the race session itself doubled or tripled my seat time at each circuit. I became more in-touch with Oschersleben’s rhythm. Here’s some notes:

  • Utilize the slight ‘banking’ of each corner. Don’t run too wide in the fast sweepers, let the curving ‘bowl’ of the track hook you.

  • Maximize the green patches of runoff. Done correctly, you can extend the track width an additional half-car length in most exits. That adds up during the lap.

  • Keep the speed up. Might seem obvious, but especially important here. Each corner has a similar maximum and minimum speed, no major philosophy change from corner to corner. Engage the rhythm of Oschersleben, stay in it!

First of two mandatory pit stops completed clean and on time. I noticed afterwards that sections of the circuit could be held flat out when they couldn’t before. More power loss. Reported it to the team and we decided turning on the engine fan might help. Immediately back on the radio, “it feels like I gained 10 horsepower!” Later we discovered the reasons for this; a broken thermostat and broken catalytic converter (mandated on European race cars). My 1:52 laps became 1:50’s again and the fastest laps of our day came soon after. Click here to watch my onboard from those laps!

With 50 minutes left, a Code 60 was deployed for a stricken car. For Americans unfamiliar with this procedure, imagine a full-course yellow but without a pace car. In theory it keeps the gaps between cars equal as the field slows to 60kph until the flags are retracted. NATC regulations permit pit stops during Code 60, so I was called to box immediately and driver changed. Luca got settled as the Code 60 continued for a few laps. He wasn’t so fortunate with the power issue though, as the car became hardly capable of 1:52’s again. Races like this make you truly appreciate the ones where everything runs smooth. Have to believe it builds a better driver able to deal with these situations!

We finished P6, better than expected. Managed the race well all things considered. Completed the 2 hours, maintained position, and had some good battles without a scratch. Frustrating but character building.

Little did we realize our result arriving at the podium ceremony. “Matt and Luca, you guys got third.” Third? How?

During the Code 60 when we driver swapped, a number of 318ti Cup’s ahead failed to meet the minimum lap time while traveling at 60kph. Basically they were deemed to have gained an advantage under the slow laps and got penalized for it; 1 or 2 laps deleted. No penalty for us, we leaped to 3rd! Didn’t expect it nor even consider the chances. Strange podiums are still podiums and we were happy to take it today! Some consolation for what very well could’ve been a better result. Luca and I reentered the JAS Rennsport garage stall holding our hardware up high ensuring happy confusion from the team. It felt nice to see our group smiling after a tough day. Turns out following the rules in motorsport pays off at times!

One or two days following, the German government announced a partial lockdown for the month of November. Schools remained open, but restaurants and shops became take-out only. On the sports front, professional racing like the DTM could continue but pro-am competitions could not. The remainder of the BMW 318ti Cup was cancelled.

The next NATC race was back at Oschersleben one week later, taking place on the Sunday before lockdown. Our last chance to race in 2020, we duly signed up.

Back to Oschersleben: NATC Endurance 11/1

For the second consecutive weekend, we headed back to Oschersleben to compete in effectively the same race. We made a swift decision to enter and ensure we’d close the year together knowing that this was it. With the final two championship races in November were cancelled, this is all we had!

On our drive there, Luca and I became distracted by a landmark on the route. October 31st is a German holiday called ‘Reformation Day’. It commemorates Martin Luther’s efforts toward religious and social reform during the 16th century. People spend the day traveling or visiting family and friends. We came upon on the former east-west border town of Hötensleben to find a local club of classic DDR vehicles like the Trabant, Barkas, and Wartburg. The meeting point was inside the former Inner German Border and part of the old wall and a guard tower still standing. Neat!

Oschersleben’s paddock opened earlier this week so we got to complete a track walk in daylight. A piece in Ross Bentley’s ‘Speed Secrets’ book makes more sense now. The benefit of walking a circuit after you’ve already driven it helps a lot more. Easier to focus on the bits you know are important and learn why they are.

To save words on this email report, click here to read the rest of this reflection! Slight spoiler alert, our power issue resurfaced to plague us worse but we did eventually solve it and the race help put in perspective how much this entire German endeavor has meant to me.

November’s ‘Partial Lockdown’ in Germany

The month of November was quiet as the weather became chilly and shops closed. Still, I had plenty of coursework as a global business student to catch up on dived up by long runs on the countryside trails in my city of Brunswick. On the weekends, I’d see Luca and his family in their small village and enjoy more cultural immersion (and practice my German)!

I took the opportunity to travel nearby. Hopped on a short train ride to the forested, hilly center of Goslar an hour south. The next week I took it the opposite direction to see Hannover. Very cool! The ‘Deutsche Bahn’ (German train network) is awesome; clean, fast, and on-time where you can buy tickets through an app and commute to anywhere as fast or faster than you could with a car.

On the 21st, I drove three hours east to the outskirt towns near Berlin where my team owner Lars Winkler lives. I enjoyed a final dinner with him and his wonderful wife Andrea, both of whom have served effectively as my parents! Afterwards, they gave me a small present containing a trophy engraved with ‘Matt, thank you for the 2020 season’. I struggle for words to describe their generosity. Believing in me, helping me settle in here, and providing so much to the overall experience. More than I could’ve imagined. We set off to the airport the following morning.

From Berlin, I transferred flights and stamped the passport in Frankfurt, setting off to Washington D.C. I miraculously made my transfer there by speeding through customs and running across the airport and onto my plane to San Diego. On the final approach, the pilot aborted landing due to fog and came to Los Angeles. We attempted to fly back, but aborted again and made L.A. our final destination. After 28 hours of travelling, I was back breathing California air. What a journey.

Final Reflections

Probably the closest I’ve come to a life-altering experience in my 20 years. Upon arrival, I faced a steep wall of learning with a new country, culture, and racing environment. Since departing, the most valuable takeaway has been understanding more about myself; as a driver and a person.

Although I came to Germany for 72 hours in February, I entered the country this time with fresh eyes. I’d always dreamt to live here at some point. But right now? Nope, no way I could’ve predicted that!

It was the longest I’d ever been away from home and the first time I could integrate into a new world, one I’ve always wanted to try. All the German cultural elements that I’d only ever read about was surreal. Even small things like getting groceries. “Wait, I can hardly read anything. How do I pay? What are the expectations here?” So many small things become a challenge.

The rationale to chase life as a racing driver is often emotion driven. Sure, it’s the only way of life I’ve ever known. But can I realistically continue it?

The further I go, the more I realize how each step has shaped me more certain, more resilient, and into a more complete driver. It’s difficult to think how different my life would look if I hadn’t been in a kart at five. So many competitive traits paired to a mentality and skillset only motorsport could teach. Seeing my maturity develop. Understanding how to have a better Sunday race compared to the Saturday, and then a better weekend, and a better next season and so on.

There were times in Germany that I felt the weight of my overall goals. 6,000 miles from home, problems can feel heavy sometimes.

Jumping across the pond into a new car, a new team of people that speak a different language, new regulations and standards, compete against serious teams and drivers who’ve invested lots into their programs, and race on tracks they’ve been on for years ahead of you. I mean really, how am I going to do this?

But these are just thoughts that run through your head in situations that mean a lot to you. Do I truly belong here? Can I turn this into more? What comes after this? These feelings were especially strong in the first race weekend, but soon my confidence grew alongside my knowledge of this alien place.

Of course I want to be here. Of course I can do it. This leap was suppose to be a challenge, as beginning anything usually is. Managing all the expectations I’ve had making this European transition.

In full honesty, I surprise myself sometimes with how far I’ve come as a driver and how impressed I am at my own abilities. As well as how I can put pieces together outside of the cockpit to keep going.

No racing driver, despite what they might portray, ever goes absent without doubt. But the more I overcome these milestones, the more I trust I’m headed in the right direction.


Thank You

The list of people that deserve a genuine ‘thank you’ grows every year. First and foremost, my parents. Without Pete and Tamara deciding to put little Matt in a kart and do everything in their power to support me, chasing life as a racer would never have been possible.

I surely wouldn’t have made the leap this year without Lars Winkler and Luca Alpert. The only team in the series to take me in, they got me the clearance I needed to fly, provide me with transportation and temporary accommodation, and were unbelievably excited to have me join their racing family. We had a productive, fun time together with so much learned about a championship new to all of us. Luca is an impressive young driver, fast and full of passion for the sport. We’ll race together again someday!

To the rest of my family, you’ve made these stories worth telling! To everyone at Technik Competition and those I’ve met around it, those who I’ve met through my Spec Miata and karting, and everyone else who continues to follow and wish the best, sincere thanks.

What’s Next?

With the difficulties to plan anything concrete, especially overseas, there’s still uncertainty for my racing in 2021. I would love to compete in more DMV BMW 318ti Cup with JAS Rennsport given the travel situation becomes better, my coursework won’t interfere, and I can secure the personal sponsorship needed. It would be fantastic to keep the momentum going and continue the progress of my aspirations in Germany. The 24 Hours of Nürburgring is the ultimate goal, as well as supporting domestic championships. Looking forward to each step, but pieces need to be put together. Please reach out if you’re considering how to help!

In January, I’ll be racing with my awesome friends at Technik Competition. This time is a different challenge; we’ll be giving the team’s new Porsche Boxster its race debut at Laguna Seca for the Lucky Dog Racing League season opening 14-hour race. Love working with this rad, dedicated group of endurance fanatics.

The next time you’ll hear from me over email will likely be a January update. Until then please get in touch with me over email, phone, or social media!

Cheers, Matt Million

San Marcos, CA - 12/13/2020

Million Returns to Germany; Sachsenring Race Preview

Million Returns to Germany; Sachsenring Race Preview

JAS Rennsport race shop & our 318ti Cup

Fürstenwalde, Germany

After months of travel restrictions, I’ve been cleared to enter Germany and will contest the remainder of the 2020 BMW 318ti Cup with team JAS Rennsport!

The next race is at Sachsenring on September 25/26th. All information on timetables, social media links, and more is below.

After an official series test at Hockenheimring in late February, the series cancelled its opening three races due to the pandemic. The start of the season was delayed from March to July. I will join the series at the third round in Sachsenring after being forced to miss rounds at Lausitzring and Meppen. Rounds at the Nurburgring and Autodrom Most will follow after Sachsenring in October and November, respectively.

Based in the city of Furstenwalde outside Berlin, JAS Rennsport’s race shop has become my home leading up to my personal series debut.

Furstenwalde, Germany

It’s incredibly exciting. Myself, teammate Luca (Alpert), and team boss Lars (Winkler) have been working tirelessly to get me back since all of this started. I received the email a few weeks ago with excitement from Lars that I was granted approval from Germany’s border police. My entire year’s planning changed right there, I didn’t think I would be boarding a plane to until 2021!

Myself and Luca racing for virtual JAS Rennsport on iRacing. Photo: 12h Silverstone

The time away from Germany and the lockdowns have actually given myself and teammate Luca the chance to bond much faster and deeper than would’ve been possible before. We would do endurance racing together on iRacing each weekend, and not only has it been a lot of fun talking to one another, but we’ve learned more about our racing styles, strengths and weaknesses, and communicating how we work best. Coming back to Germany, we feel like we’ve known each other for years! It will be a serious help when we get into problem solving during the fast paced BMW 318ti Cup race weekends! Luca is a seriously quick and passionate young racer, the perfect co-driver for me this year.

JAS Rennsport isn’t new to motorsport or the series, but is new to running the full season in 2020. The extended time has allowed them to be better prepared, making improvements with the car setup, braking, and handling in the opening rounds. We’re prepared to jump straight into the action with competitive potential, shown by Luca scoring the team’s first podium in the last race.

Seat fitting, again!

I’ve only been here a single week, but it might be this week I look back on with fond memories as the next chapter of something truly special in my career and personal life. By the end of my time here, 10 weeks will have gone by before flying back home in late November. Definitely the longest I’ve been away from home, in a foreign country nonetheless! But right now, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Ask me as a 6-year-old in karts what my dream is, and I would respond ‘professional sports car driver in Europe!’ Well, I’ve spent each of the past 14 years in karts, competitive spec racing, and multi-class endurance events in America. I feel the experience and goals I’ve reached there have allowed me to enter this next phase. Seeking and finding an opportunity in the BMW 318ti Cup and team JAS Rennsport at the time I did couldn’t have been better. Delayed 7-8 months by the pandemic did little to affect an aspiration I’ve held for so long. Now the chance is here, the next chapter begins.

Below, you will find a timetable and information about following JAS Rennsport at the upcoming round at Sachsenring. I am working on providing a live onboard, but until that is finalized, please follow my social media links and stay up to date. Thank you so much for reading, reach out to me with any questions. Los geht’s! Tschuß!


2020 BMW 318ti Cup Round 3 - Sachsenring

(LOCAL TIME, CEST) (PDT +9)

Friday, Sept 25

Practice: 11:30 - 12:00 (30m)

Qualifying: 17:25 - 18:05 (40m)

Saturday, Sept 26

Race: 10:40 - 12:20 (100m)

FOLLOW MATT

FOLLOW THE BMW 318TI CUP


IMG_3673.png

Background on the Sachsenring

The Sachsenring is a 3.7km (2.3 mile) road racing circuit located in eastern Germany near the city of Dresden. The circuit dates its roots back to the mid-1920’s when locals organized a race around the town of Hohenstein-Ernstthal in Saxony. The old circuit, which ran on public roads in the area, gained most notoriety as a round of the European Motorcycle Championships for the decades that followed. In the early 1970’s, the East German authorities denied western teams and riders from the event and it continued behind the iron curtain. In 1995, a new multi-use facility was constructed by ADAC Sachsen and racing was revived at the track for touring cars and bikes. The circuit went through considerable changes to make the lap faster and safer and the current configuration has been around since 2003. It is most known today as host to the MotoGP German Grand Prix and ADAC GT Masters events.

Today, the track consists of 12 corners and is popular among drivers for its tight corners and steep elevation changes. Notably, it is run in the anti-clockwise direction which is unusual compared to other circuits in the country. 9 left hand corners and 3 to right give drivers a unique tire management challenge and provides a sensation of constant right pulling G-forces.

'Another World' - Report from 2020 BMW 318ti Cup Official Test

‘Another World’ - Report from 2020 BMW 318ti cup Series Test

Frankfurt, DE / 23 Feb 2020

As I begin to write this on a 12 hour flight back to San Diego, my first trip to Germany has come to a close. Meeting my new team JAS Rennsport, lapping the Hockenheimring, and the culture shock that comes with seeing Europe in person. One of those cultural aspects struggles to leave me; sparkling water in Germany. It was like the national beverage, closely behind beer! While this was rather amusing, let’s dive into das Fleisch (the meat) of the report!

Intro

For those unfamiliar, here is a quick introduction to myself and the season. I’m Matt Million, a 19-year-old racing driver and college student from San Marcos, California. I began in karts at age 5 where I competed around the state for the following 8 years. At 13, I transitioned to car racing in the popular grassroots category of Spec Miata. The next 4 seasons were spent primarily in the Teen Mazda Challenge West, along with various NASA/SCCA club events. In 2017, I finished runner-up in the series capstoned by a podium at the Western NASA Nationals, helping me to a Mazda Road to 24 Shootout invite. In 2018 I transitioned to the emerging national Spec MX-5 Challenge series with 2 wins on the season. 2019 saw a shift toward college studies, but became a 25 Hours of Thunderhill E2 class winner in December. For 2020, I’m competing in the DMV BMW 318ti Cup in Germany, a growing touring car series in the region.

Back in 2018, I began my ‘Weekend Reflection’ reports to chronicle my results and thoughts from each event. It’s been a fun way to reflect on my races, and reach out to new and old friends through storytelling my tales as an aspiring professional driver. If you’d like to receive my updates for this season (or continue to), let me know and tell a friend! If not, that’s fine too!

To Germany

The title ‘Another World’ comes as a combination of all the unknowns I face traversing the Atlantic this year. Searching for a viable and unique option to keep me in the seat for 2020, I came across the BMW 318ti Cup. Everything I’ve done in motorsport has been with Europe in mind. To come across an emerging series of spec touring cars, with a bumper grid of 25 cars that visited major circuits across Germany, I had my target! It followed a 6 race, 6 weekend calendar of 2-hour long races with a 2 driver format. Months of logistics, costs, and feasibility research led to the realization that I had to go for it. As an American, it was a tough sell convincing a team I’d be a better choice than a native European. However, stars aligned after receiving one vital response. One from a fellow young driver, excited at the prospect of getting me onboard as his teammate.

JAS Rennsport was excited and adamant that I become a part of their group for the season. They’re a small auto and race shop located near Berlin and transition into the BMW 318ti Cup after years of regional club racing. Luca Alpert, my now teammate, responded quickly after my request was received. Laying out the details and translating for team owner Lars, they expressed a serious desire to work together, and we bonded through a common passion. Luca and I shared many traits and desires, making for a strong pairing. JAS Rennsport is very much a family-style operation instead of an outright motorsport business; a fun and honest group with a big heart. After our successful series test though, I know now they’re brutally competitive and quick as well. They were the only team to take my request seriously, and looking back I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else!


The Task

With the first race at the Hockenheimring in March, the championship organized an official test for Saturday, February 22nd. JAS and I agreed this would be the best option for me to acclimate myself with the lay of the German lands before returning to compete. I’d meet Luca and the team, settle into the car and circuit, and have a better grasp of the unknowns.

Right then, take-off from San Diego to land in Frankfurt on Friday morning, receive a lift to Hockenheim with our mechanic, spend Saturday testing and fly back early Sunday. These were the ‘hard’ details of the trip, set and planned. But the rest? I’d be going to figure those out! Hours spent building a digital ‘phrasebook’ of German might be of good use, or have little effect. Doing my best to study videos and drive simulator laps of the circuit, when it could feel totally foreign. Only way to know was to go!

Friday

The first challenge to tackle was travel time. Getting myself there came courtesy of a Lufthansa, direct to Frankfurt. Turns out February is a great month to score on nonstop flights! Surreal moments to be greeted with ‘guten Tag’ as I boarded as well. Quite a pleasant flight it ended up being, especially with an unoccupied passenger seat. But those lingering unknowns kept my mind running laps and sleep was difficult. The most important note headed into March; maximize sleep!

Gazing out during the landing, winter was very much still the season draping over the German state of Hesse. The landscape expansively grey, but it did little to damper my smile! We boarded a Mercedes bendy bus to baggage and customs, my body clock not having a clue what hour it was. Passport stamped, welcome to Germany! My hands working feverishly to translate messages of location, I connected with my mechanic Kai. The magnitude of this pursuit this was quickly felt as my German was more fluent than Kai’s english! No big worries though, as hand motions and expressions speak a common language (and so does Google Translate). My first autobahn experience was a fast one, reaching Hockenheim within the hour. Sitting passenger in a mid-90s Mercedes C-Class, doing well to showcase how these sedans were made for 160+ KPH!

We met Lars in the paddock thereafter, another surreal occasion! Turns out Hockenheim’s fancy pit garages didn’t open until evening, so we were the only people there! I took the 318ti Cup for a quick spin through the paddock getting a taste of what to expect, as well as taking plenty of track and group photos with my new German extended family! We stayed in Hockenheimring’s small hotel located on the backside of the main grandstands and I took advantage of my quaint room early to nap away some jet lag!

Waking up in a daze like I was in a foreign country, reality hit harder than dreams realizing I was! Helping JAS unload just beyond dusk, Luca and his father arrived at the circuit for their first time. Funny to think I saw Hockenheim in person before him! With the best English of the group, Luca and I had a great chat. All eyes forward to tomorrow!

Saturday

From a day where everything felt new to one that felt more familiar. Saturday was the single-day official test for the 2020 DMV NES 500 endurance series, of which BMW 318ti Cup runs with. 19 of the 24 confirmed teams opted to test, meaning we had plenty of competition to compare with.

With an obvious hurdle of quick and clear team communication, we decided it was best to focus on the larger picture that day and dissect smaller details during the lead-up into the first race. Lots of track time, make sure we’ve got plenty of video and mental data, and sort it out after!

The driver’s briefing was quick, essentially telling us it was a test day and we knew the rules. My kind of efficiency! Good thing it was quick because we had lots to do. Maximizing our track running, we entered in two run groups with Luca and I taking one each. With only three groups, 40 minutes of every hour was spent driving and the other 20 minutes was for fuel and a quick debrief! Other rival teams did the same, giving both of us time to run with competitors while also learning the circuit and car.

It took me two sessions to wrap my head around the dynamics of the 318ti Cup! Being similar in speed to Spec Miata was about the only commonality. First to note was driving with the windows up, which seems to be more common in Europe, making it oddly quiet as I’m used to wind and engine revs behind the wheel! Power steering and mild ABS gave a sensation I was accustomed to from Spec MX-5, but managing consistency with an open differential was all new! It demanded quick inputs to pivot the front on turn in, yet required a fine balance on corner exit to plant the rear down into the asphalt and gather a jump of traction! Expecting to wrangle an oversteer-happy car, the BMW 318’s slight length disadvantage (to a regular 3 Series) did little to unseat my confidence! I was faced with the opposite; an abundance of grip pushed my trust of the platform deeper into corners, still feeling I’ve got more to find. The Goodyear semi slicks are fantastic. I learned so much, and have plenty to gain! 

Hockenheimring, for being an F1-grade circuit, surprised me in a positive way. Mixing high-speed, high commitment zones like the kerb hopping T1 and blind T12 with sequences of left-right flicks like the tricky T8-11 section or balancing the banked Sachs Kurve down and around to start-finish. At 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) in length, it’s inline with many US circuits I’m accustomed to. Instead of being obstacles, the kerbs here play a key part in lap times. Exit kerbing in T6 and T16 enable a nice ‘hook’ to plant the car for throttle down as well as settling the rear. Entrance kerbs on the high speeds are a big deal in front rotation, setting up bigger speed on the long straights!

Luca and I found our driving styles to be similar with small differences in how we found lap times. He’s a major reason why I decided to join JAS; a similarly passionate teenager with quick hands, speed on tap, and a desire to learn. After nonstop running from 9am to 4pm, our fastest laps were separated by a mere two tenths and each session followed a consistent pattern in our gains! We collected up our onboard footage and the day was done.

Ending the day, I spoke with series marketing manager Alex to do an interview for their social media (which you watch on their Instagram and Facebook pages!) Humbling to speak about the origins of this endeavor and my racing journey thus far on the pitwall at Hockenheimring. I can hardly imagine telling 5-year-old Matt, on the Kid Kart grid at Apex Racing Center near Lake Perris, what dream would be realized in 15 years! I’d like to think I would’ve believed myself, a driven little kid I was back then!

Sunday

Dark and early on Sunday morning, I had myself a complementary kaffee was back flying down the autobahn to Frankfurt with Kai. Arriving before sunrise gave me ample time to reflect on a rapid, yet truly important few days of self-growth - as well as how exhausted I was!

An international journey of just 70 hours from takeoff to final descent in San Diego. It’s a humbling taste of what the professionals do multiple times per month! With my ‘day job’ as a global business student, It’s rather amusing that I didn’t miss a single class in the 12,000 mile scramble. Greeted with plenty of coursework on return however!

Reflecting

It’s been about two weeks since, now grasping the challenges and motivations for the year ahead. I can’t say enough good things about JAS Rennsport, their drive to put Luca and I in the best possible position to fight for top spots has been well noticed. I’ll be doing everything possible to trade results for the opportunity they’ve given me! It’s been a seriously fun exchange of cultures already, and I’m loving it.

In total honesty, this trip was always going to be less about the driving and more facing culture shock learning from all the small nuances. It was fantastic diving into the unknown to extract a more complete perspective of how to better prepare for March’s first round. Sleep and proper nutrition are vital for racing drivers, and the challenge of them is exaggerated driving overseas. Combined with a better grasp of language obstacles, team bonding, and track knowledge, the upcoming race should now feel more similar to my past weekends. 

The theme was to cut down unknown variables for March and I feel well achieved!

Looking ahead

In two weeks, I (hope) to return for the first race on March 29th. Amidst the escalating virus containment efforts, the likelihood of this is fast changing. It would be disappointing but understandable being forced to miss the race, or the event be abandoned altogether. Whatever happens, when that first race and reunion for myself and Luca to put JAS Rennsport on the map as title contenders, it will be even more special.

I’ve planned to be there with two familiar faces - my parents! As I continue making more of my own racing and career choices, their trust and support has been incredible. I still remember their reactions as I delivered the “you’ll never believe what I just found” spiel for this season to happen… and while it must’ve felt far out of their comfort zone as my parents, their faith in me has meant the world. I’ve just promised that I won’t scare them as autobahn passengers!

Sitting in the hotel bar following the test, Luca and I sat aching with ideas. Realizing smoother ways to attack a corner, carry more speed through a section, as well as fun discussions on the strange differences between German and American life. Since returning, our team group chat has been alive with positivity and plans for a strong, memorable season. This next chapter in my motorsport journey might become an important building block of my life for years to come. But for now, I’m focused on writing the first German pages!

Thank you so much for reading.

Cheers, Matt Million

Season Announcement - 2020 BMW 318ti Cup

JAS-Rennsport at the Nurburgring in 2019

JAS-Rennsport at the Nurburgring in 2019

SAN MARCOS, CA - Million is excited to confirm that he will be competing in Germany’s DMV BMW 318ti Cup for 2020. Matt will join team JAS-Rennsport and teammate Luca Alpert for the full season of six rounds, which spans six different circuits across Germany and The Netherlands.

“Having a chance to compete and move my career ahead in Europe, especially Germany, has been a dream of mine since the early days of karting. I can vividly remember stories of fellow karters going on to compete in European touring cars, and I’ve been captivated by it since.”

“When I first came across this championship last year, I tried everything in my power to put something together for 2020. Before this point, I never felt it was the right time to pursue my dream of Europe. I often felt I had more to learn in America, and that the budget to compete overseas was just too much to justify. The BMW 318ti Cup entered my vision at the right time. It offers the tight ‘spec’ racing I’ve become accustomed to, it’s heavily cost contained, and the series is fast growing with double the entries from 2019. However, I likely would not be racing in it without JAS-Rennsport. They were enthused and supportive in taking me as an international driver. I’m seriously grateful for their commitment to myself, and I look forward to our progress this season!”

The championship begins at the Hockenheimring in February for an official series test, with the first round at Hockenheimring in March.

More to come…