Racers in Isolation: Renger van der Zande

Sportscar365 is contacting drivers from around the world to ask what they’re doing during the coronavirus pandemic and how they’re coping with the racing downtime.

Wayne Taylor Racing’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver Renger van der Zande (Twitter/Instagram) tells us about his Sebring in-car commentary gig. Pictured above is his apartment in a typical “end of the day, a true mess after my kids have taken over.” 

Where are you sitting out the COVID-19 crisis?

Together with my wife Carlijn, my daughter Lola James and my son Lux Wolf we are living in Amsterdam. Pretty much downtown which is great with all the activity nearby but we have not seen this place this quiet yet!

What’s your go-to for food when no-one feels like cooking?

We go for the Spagetteria around the corner which is a very relaxed place to go, and they started to do takeaways now during this coronavirus period. 

Current favorite Netflix/TV show?

We watched Peaky Blinders which was crazy and good to watch. Obviously the Drive to Survive Formula 1 series was great to watch too and fun to see a lot of drivers in there which I know well and raced against in junior ranks.

Do you do sim racing?

I used to do a lot of Gran Turismo and when the tracks in the U.S. were new to me I would use a good simulator on the University of Delft.

But at the moment I am not active, apart from the pre-race Dallara simulator sessions we do with WTR in both Italy and Indy.

Do you have any pets?

My son behaves like a pet sometimes but that’s it!

Favorite section of any race track in the world?

Corkscrew at Laguna Seca!

The funniest thing you have heard or said over a team radio?

Peter Baron of Starworks is the funniest guy on a racing radio you will ever hear. At one point during the 2016 season people (fans and IMSA officials) came up to us that they specifically tuned in on our radio channel to have a good laugh.

At one point during the Twelve Hours of Sebring we were many laps down and Peter was doing commentary from the pit-stand about the front of the field and I started doing commentary from inside the car when I was behind some of the GT battles.

What’s the one thing you are most looking forward to the first day you return to a race track?  

Pressing off that pit limiter! I will have a very big smile on my face at that moment.