Driver – Alexander Prinz
Team – Hofor-Racing (#11)
Driver – Chantal Prinz
Team – Hofor-Racing (#11)
- 2017 Overall GT Drivers’ ‘Europe’ champion; three-time GT Ladies Cup winner
Alex – “So the first race we did together was 2017. It was the last race of the NLS season, and it was with Hofor-Racing by Kueperracing.”
Chantal – “We were racing an SP6-class BMW M3.”
Ch – “Right after our wedding, in Imola [in 2018], my father surprised us with the sticker ‘Just Married’ on our AMG [racecar]. They also put, without me knowing, some empty cans on the back of the racecar before I went out for Free Practice. The team showed me the video back in the garage. I think it looked really good!
“My father also gave us, as a present, a model of the car, in… 1/16 [scale], I think…
A – “1/12.”
Ch – “1/12, with the ‘Just Married’ sticker and everything. That was really cool. In fact, that whole Imola race after the wedding was so much fun.”
A – “That weekend, Roland [Eggimann] was still in the car. So we weren’t technically teammates then.”
Ch – “No, but we had been teammates in the NLS by then.”
A – “Our first podium at Spa. So that would have been… 2019?...”
Ch – “I was pregnant then.”
A – “Ah yes, so not 2019! Then it must have been 2018, because Roland couldn’t be there, so I was in the car.”
Ch – “That was also our first GT3 race together with CREVENTIC.”
*Although the Imola ‘wedding’ race weekend didn’t quite go to plan for Hofor-Racing’s GT3 Mercedes – a gearbox change meant Chantal, her father Michael, Roland Eggimann, Kenneth Heyer and Christiaan Frankenhout finished 6th in-class – the sister ‘Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport’ BMWs secured an impressive 1-2 in CUP1. On top of that, the Mercedes qualified on the overall front row for the second event in succession, one month after securing outright pole position at Navarra.
A special surprise from Chantal’s father Michael to celebrate her marriage to Alexander ahead of the 2018 Hankook 12H IMOLA.
Mr and Mrs Prinz celebrate their first 24H SERIES podium together at the Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS in 2018.
Ch – “I would say ‘the Green Hell’.”
A – “Yes. Nürburgring, absolutely!”
A – “Barcelona. She loves Barcelona!”
Ch – “I do love Barcelona. We’ve done quite well there in the past!”
A –[Long pause] “I would love to go to the Circuit of the Americas. Hofor-Racing did go to Austin with CREVENTIC [in 2017], but I was not driving. It would be nice to do a race there together at some point because I just love that racetrack.”
Ch – “I think going to Austin could be fun! And maybe Bathurst…”
A – “Ooooooooh, Bathurst! That would be a dream!”
Ch – “As a driver, he’s really quick. Faster than us. Now that we don’t have any [PRO] drivers racing with us, Alex does most of the setup work and explains to our mechanics what we need. He’s very caring like that: he tends to think about my driving and my father’s driving, rather than his own.”
A – “Chantal is always the calm point in the team. She really holds everything together. She cares about everything.
“Also, as a driver, she’s very consistent. We never need to worry about if she’s doing something stupid in the car, or taking too many risks. She is still fast but consistent, which is perfect for [the 24H SERIES]. I love to race with her.”
2017 Overall GT Drivers’ champion Chantal collects her award for winning the 24H SERIES’ Ladies Cup in 2018.
Hofor Racing returns to the 24H SERIES at the 2022 Hankook 24H BARCELONA after a two-year hiatus.
Ch –[Long pause] “I know how this sounds! But there is nothing really embarrassing I can really think of…”
A – “For me, taking sleeping pictures of my wife!”
Ch – “That’s not embarrassing, I look cute when I sleep!” [Both laugh] “Sometimes, Alex can get frustrated on-track if he has a problem with another car. If that happens, when he gets back to the pits, he’s quite angry when he jumps outs of the car. Often he’ll walk straight out of the garage – we’re all thinking, ‘oh, oh, who is he going to? Should we stop him?’ – but then he’ll calm down really quickly, and talks decently to the other driver!”
- 12 Hours, or 24 Hours?
Both together – “24!”
- Coffee, tea or Red Bull?
A – “Coffee for me, definitely.”
Ch – “And for me…?”
A – “Tea!”
- Petrol or electric?
Ch – “Petrol.”
A – “Petrol.”
- Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?
A – “No!”
Ch – “For me, yes.”
A – “PINEapple?!” [Words can’t really do justice to Alex’ look of horror here…] “Wrong answer!”
Ch – “I enjoy a Hawaiian pizza. But I don’t make them too often at home because I know you don’t like it.”
- Max or Lewis?!
A – “Max.”
Ch – “Max.”
Ch – “Perfect!”
A – “Bah! Forget that!”
Ch – [Laughs] “Okay, well, ‘perfect for me’ then, if a sentence is allowed.”
A – [Pause] “Is there one word for ‘completing you’…?”
CREVENTIC – “Soulmate?”
A – “Soulmate! Yes, soulmate!”
Ch – “Oh, I thought you meant ‘better half!’ ” [Laughs]
A – “Actually, that’s more fun! ‘Better half.’ ”
Ch – “That’s easy. It’s him!”
CREVENTIC, to Alex – “Do you agree?”
A –[After a diplomatic pause] “Well, we could say, er…”
Ch – “No. In the racecar, it’s you.”
A – “Okay, yes, it’s me!”
*Despite rain spoiling play during qualifying, an incident early on with Willi Motorsport by Ebimotors, and some rear bodywork damage costing them time, Chantal, Alex and Hofor-Racing fightback at the Hankook 24H BARCELONA to finish 3rd in GT3-Am. The #11 Mercedes-AMG GT3 even secured the podium spot, in grandstand fashion, on the very final lap!
Images – Nico Mombaerts / Petr Fryba
You can also check out this article in our magazine for the 2024 Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, available for download below.
Chantal Prinz. “Tell us about your helmet design…”
“A Cinderella story!” CP Racing signs off its 24H SERIES career with overall victory at the 2024 Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
Herberth Motorsport leads SIX-way fight for 2024 Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS victory
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