Eighteen-year-old Louis Deletraz will be embarking on his first full season of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Series in 2015 with Josef Kaufmann Racing, and has high hopes for the season ahead.
The Swiss driver is also competing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup for the team, and got that season of to a great start last weekend in Monza with a win pole position in race two.
Speaking to The Checkered Flag ahead of the season opening round of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Series at Motorland Aragon, Deletraz revealed he has loved motorsport for as long as he remembers, and is following in the footsteps of his Father Jean-Denis Deletraz, who was a Formula 1 driver in the 1990s.
“I think my first time on a racetrack was in the stomach of my mother,” said Deletraz. “My father is a race driver and I’ve been following him on all racetracks since I’m born, that’s probably why I love motorsport. It must be in my blood.
“I love racing since really young, but I “only” started karting at 10 years old. I was pushing a lot on my father to start racing and that’s probably how I got into motorsport. He transferred me his passion.
“So far I’m happy about my career. It started well in karting; I won twice the Swiss Vega Championship (2009/2011). Thanks to those national karting results I could join the Formula BMW Talent Cup that I almost won as a rookie.
“Finally last year we ended up Vice-Champion in Formula Renault NEC with Josef Kaufmann Racing, which is really good in such competitive series. So not bad up until now, but I want more!”
2015 will be Deletraz’s fourth year of collaboration with Josef Kaufmann Racing having made his debut in Formula Renault 2.0 NEC back in 2013, and revealed it was contact at the end of his 2012 season of the Formula BMW Talent Cup that the first contact was made between the two parties.
“The deal came in the end of the Formula BMW Talent Cup,” said Deletraz. “The Monday after the race in Oschersleben I received an email from Lars Kaufmann saying that they would like to make a test with me in the Formula Renault 2.0. We did the test in Hockenheim few weeks later and that’s how we started our collaboration. I’m really proud to be part of such a good team.
“I love the way they work. They are able to provide me a winning car every single races and this is amazing. If you ask me again I would make the same choice again and again.”
Deletraz cannot wait to get the season underway, and is looking to take podiums and race wins in 2015, with the Swiss driver feeling motivated to show everyone what he is capable of behind the wheel of a racing car.
“I’m looking forward to race because that’s what I love,” insisted Deletraz. “Hopefully we have plenty of victories and podiums with it.
“The team and I have high expectations. I want to win both, Formula Renault Eurocup & NEC. We worked hard this winter to achieve it and I will give my best in every single lap this year. We are really motivated to achieve it!
“2015 is a really important year for me. It’s my last year in Formula Renault 2.0 and I need to show everyone what I’m able to. The Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 is one of the hardest championships in the world, it’s really important for my future to do well this year.”
Deletraz has recently been included in the BMW Motorsport Junior Program for 2015 alongside Nick Cassidy, Victor Bouveng and Trent Hindman, and admitted his pride to have been selected to a programme that he feels will benefit his career in the long run.
“I’m really proud and happy to join the BMW Motorsport Junior Program,” said Deletraz. “This means I’m one of the four Junior Drivers from BMW Motorsport and it’s fantastic to have the support from such an important brand in Racing.
”BMW Motorsport will give me the opportunity to learn and prepare myself in GT cars/touring cars next to my single seater career. It means I will participate in three VLN races with a BMW 235I Racing as an official driver. In addition to this I will have an intensive testing and training program plus some simulator training.
”I’m really looking forward to start the program. It opens good future possibility in racing; it’s perfect for me. Touring cars are different but I will learn quickly and do my best to help them.”
