PR1/Mathiasen, Inter Europol “Working in Both Directions”

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Inter Europol Competition and PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports are “working in both directions” as part of its new partnership in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship according to team bosses Sascha Fassbender and Bobby Oergel.

The Polish and California-based squads have joined forces for the LMP2 season, with its No. 52 Oreca 07 Gibson entered under the Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports banner.

Both teams enjoyed success in their respective series last year, with PR1/Mathiasen winning the LMP2 title in the WeatherTech Championship and Inter Europol claiming class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“We first considered to make an entry by Inter Europol [ourselves] but we found very quickly that it’s much easier for us to use an existing team to get into the IMSA structure,” Fassbender told Sportscar365.

“When you come the first year, you always make mistakes because championships are different than what you’re used to.

“We don’t want to make those mistakes so we decided to look for a partner.

“In 2020, the two races we did with Kuba [Smiechowski], when we changed from the Ligier to the Oreca, I worked already with Bobby together. I’ve known Bobby since then and we always had a good relationship.

“It just makes sense to cooperate together because PR1 has a great structure, great history in IMSA and I think the racing in Europe is a little bit different.

“Bringing the European knowledge into this relationship is just a gain for both sides.

“We’re learning from PR1 and PR1 is learning from Inter Europol. I think it’s a great start for a long-term cooperation we’re willing to do.”

Oergel has retained his title-winning crew, with Inter Europol working in a “shared property” with engineering and several other fronts, including being responsible for securing the driver lineup.

The joint engineering is similar to last year when PR1/Mathiasen worked with JOTA Sport.

Additionally, Inter Europol technical director Andi Kohler has been embedded into the team.

“It’s actually very pleasant,” Oergel told Sportscar365. “We have a really good working relationship.

“It is still all the original PR1/Mathiasen crew and it’s nice to add a few intelligent, well-versed people into it as well.

“I’m really enjoying it. So far, so good.”

Ex-Vanwall Hypercar driver Tom Dillmann is confirmed for the full seven-race season, with Smiechowski on board for the Michelin Endurance Cup races and Bronze-rated Boulle currently committed to the majority of the Endurance Cup races so far, according to Fassbender.

PR1/Mathisen Crew Could Assist Inter Europol at Le Mans

Fassbender revealed that Inter Europol could utilize several crew members from PR1/Mathiasen for the 24 Hours of Le Mans should the team secure two entries for the French endurance classic.

A change in the ACO’s auto-invite process for 2024 means that the team doesn’t currently have a confirmed entry despite winning the race last year.

Fassbender confirmed plans to submit two LMP2 entry requests.

“It depends on how many cars we run,” he said. “If we run two, we would for sure look for support from some of the crew from PR1.

“If it’s just one… We’re running two P2 cars in ELMS. We have the structure. There’s no need to bring guys in.

“But for example, the PR1 crew chief is our crew chief in ELMS.”

PR1/Mathiasen was represented at Le Mans in 2021 as part of an effort that was largely run by Panis Racing.

Oergel added: “We’re working back and forth on both directions. It’s not a one-sided thing. But seeing the PR1 name in ELMS or Le Mans, that’s not the plan.

“But as far as people goes, there’s a lot of possibility.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John