Ulrike Krafft would like to step up to TCN2 class

The European Touring Car Cup’s only female competitor in the 2015 season, Ulrike Krafft, has given an interview with the FIA’s AUTO+ Women In Motorsport magazine, where the diminutive German has voiced her hope to move to the ETCC’s new top tier

Krafft was the winner of the 2014 ETCC Ladies Trophy and narrowly missed out on the Super 1600 class title in her Ravenol Team SAN Ford Fiesta, but found herself outpaced by ADAC Procar Series graduate Niklas Mackschin in 2015, however accepts it’s better to have good competition in the category.

“It’s disappointing because I really wanted to win the Super 1600 this year,” said Krafft. “This was my first goal. But it has been pushing me more to win races and it’s more fun to have strong competitors.”

In the interview, the 31-year-old says motorsport is a passion she developed herself, without parental pressure, or even assistance.

“Motorsport is very special. I love speed, I love braking very late,” she said.

“Nobody in my family is interested, not at all. I started all by myself. Everything has been my decision and my force to come up higher and higher. I studied engineering so I’m an engineer and this is why I’m interested in cars…my mother, my father were kind of angry with me and were not liking this.”

After finishing in the top two in the S1600 class during the last two seasons, and with six victories over three years, the German is comfortable with her progress in the ETCC and is targeting progression to the Cup’s new top tier of TCN2 class cars, based on the successful TCR Series’ cars in the near future.

“I’m satisfied with myself. I am driving very fast and always being one of the first two drivers. I would really like to drive a faster car and be in the TCN2 category. This is my passion.”

Krafft also had something to say about Formula One Group chief executive Bernie Ecclestone’s suggestion for a female only championship.

“We definitely don’t need a special category for women,” she said. “I want to compare with male drivers because we all have the same skills. For the physical sport, for the endurance, I need to train more my body and my muscles but sitting in a car and steering the steering wheel it’s the same for a woman or man so I don’t need a special category.”

Parts of this interview are in the latest AUTO+ Women In Motorsport, which also includes a feature on World Touring Car Championship team managers Claire Magnant (Citroën), Julie Berthelot (Sébastien Loeb Racing) and Francesca Valdani (ROAL Motorsport) and is available online here.