"I really like the people and I enjoy the racing very much"
Peter Kox of Kröhn-Barber Racing
By Margot Orenchuk
Photos courtesy Margot Orenchuk
VANCOUVER, BC (October 25, 2004)  -- The Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT is a beautiful sight to behold. And sports-car enthusiasts around the globe hailed the arrival of this magnificent beast when it was announced the 2-car team would be contesting the GTS field in the ALMS in 2004. While all involved in her development knew there would be the inevitable teething pains, they hired the best there was to pilot the #5 Lambo. Peter Kox led his class at Le Mans this year for 16 hours until mechanical heartbreak ended his day; he was the first GTS to win over Corvette last year in the ALMS. Peter was one of the development drivers for the Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT for Reiter Engineering. So who better to get this sexy lady race-ready to roll? Sadly, Dick Barbour made the call to pull the cars for the final round at Laguna Seca, and at Mosport, where Mr. Kox sat down with RFM to chat about his odyssey this year with Lamborghini. 

Margot Orenchuk: When did you get the call to come to the team? Did you know about it at Sebring? 

Peter Kox: No, because they pushed forward the car for Monza, and then [because of] Monza we couldn’t do Petit le Mans (2003) so we could not do it; that was a bit of a disaster there, because the car was not fast enough.  Then they started to develop the programme and I  worked to develop the programme over the winter, and because there was some sort of deal they had to do one race and Monza was cancelled, they opted for Vannecia, and that was like the key point. Before that it was like, would we shelve the programme? And we finished 3^rd which was not so bad. Just before that race Dick called me and asked me if I waned to drive for the rest of the ALMS series. But then, of course, Sebring was already past. And there was the problem that there were no cars! The cars would only be built after Sebring. 

MO: How are you finding driving with your new teammate? Do your driving philosophies mesh? 

PK: My teammate? He is very good. I like him a lot. Because last year, we drove a little bit together in the Prodrive car; in 1988 I think we both drove Auto Lotus. And I did Formula 3000, and then we really didn’t see each other. Then we got back together in 1995, and then we both became BMW factory drivers and then we met up again last year as teammates but not in the same car. But now working with David is really good. I’m happy with it because we think the same way, and because it’s a new team it makes a big difference. 

MO: How do you stay motivated (as a race car driver) against the Corvettes? 

PK: I mean, well, I knew this was going to happen. Because the car was not developed where you could beat them. There was still a lot of potential there, but I knew this was going to happen. Because the car was still not developed yet, and still not where it should be developed yet, but it has so much potential. Obviously, I’ve driven the Ferraris for a long time, and I know what it takes to beat the Corvettes. (Peter was the only one to beat the Corvette in ALMS history last year) but this car has the potential. It’s just now the question of getting it out of the car. Because the schedule of the ALMS is so chaotic, it’s such a short period, we can’t really do anything so we have to live with it, and to build a proper team, to learn the car, you don’t have the time.  And for the future, it’s not going to happen this year. So far the car is not where it should be, and for sure I’m not enjoying this as much as I would have liked to.  

MO: What do you think about this qualifying format (this single car style). 

PK:  My main concern is the time schedule they put the ALMS in, because we are the main star, I think we are, so they should make the time schedule most time effective for us. We are the main event. To have a 1 to 2 hour schedule is fine, but to lead the 2^nd hour and then to have to have a problem and to be stuck, and that is really bad, you are not in a position to go out and challenge like David said. I would rather they stayed with the regular qualifying so that we had time to develop the car. 

MO: Then at least you had 15 laps to try to get a good lap out of the car. 

PK: I am not losing sleep about it, because everybody is the same. 

MO: Do you think this car has the potential to be up there on the podium? 

PK: For sure it has, but you have to be realistic at the same time. We have to know that this wasn’t going to be a fantastic year, and it was going to take time. 

MO: Do you think you can take the Saleen? (Note: they indeed did that for much of the race at Petit Le Mans until oil and misfortune ended their day) 

PK: The Saleen is a very good car. It’s basically a copy of a Mclaren, and it comes right down to how much money is spent on it. At the end of the day, that is the reality. And that car has been around a lot longer than our car. It’s raced already. Our big constraint is time. Time is our enemy this year. 

MO: Do you enjoy qualifying the car? 

PK: It is nice because you can be really aggressive; last year I had trouble doing it because Thomas (Enge) really liked doing it. Now, we share. It’s good. David qualifies, I start, I qualify, and he starts. That works out good.  

MO: The car was holding up very well during Petit. But a frustrating end to your day, I'm sure. Looking back now on the year that was, would you ever hesitate to sign on for a development car again? 

PK: You know from the beginning it’s going to be tough and I think it is a combination of factors.

1^st you need to see it as a long-term program.

2^nd there was the combination of having the cars late and an impossible race calendar in our terms!

MO: Is there a benefit for you as a driver to race over here in the ALMS? And did you enjoy your time coming over here?

PK: Yes I would do it again if everybody would know what was coming at them! I honestly don’t see the benefit of the ALMS, but I really like the people and I also enjoy the racing very much. I would love to come back!

RFM thanks Peter for being such a great sport, and thanks for his time. Look for Peter’s “Winter Interview”, where he will tell us all about his 2004 year in racing, and where we start it all again until the first checkered drops in January at the 24 hours of Daytona!