THE racing driver of Turkey – it’s fair to refer to Cem Bolukbasi like that. The former sim racer and F1 Esports driver made his debut in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, which is often the last step before one makes it into Formula 1.
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What was your very first experience of motor racing?
At the end of 2019, I was invited to race in the GT4 European Series at Paul Ricard. The first time in a race car and on a Formula 1 track was simply breathtaking. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. As for the results, I qualified 3rd and finished in P5 with the team Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport.
What advice would you give now to someone eager to start racing?
The journey might be very long and difficult, just like every other high-performance sport. All things considered, I think it’s important to make sure that you enjoy the journey as a whole and not just the final destination.
I am the first and only driver in the world to come from esports to actually race in Formula 2
What’s your recipe for finding sponsors?
To be honest, I have a pretty unusual way of getting into motorsports: I am the first and only driver in the world to come from esports to actually race in a Formula 2 car. I believe this story is an exciting one, it’s getting a lot of attention, which of course is a key element for finding sponsors. I’m working with a very talented and experienced manager Temuçin Ünalp and his own agency. With their solid support, and my ability to adapt fast to the real tracks, I am telling my story both locally and globally in a very successful way.
How do you deal with the competition on the track?
I think my esports experience will be really helpful, although I have much less experience than others do on the F2 grid, however, having done thousands of races in the simulator should be a big advantage for me to deal with everything that’s happening on the track.
What are your most important career highlights?
My first podium at my second race in the GT4 European series, my first pole position in Barcelona and the first race win in Budapest – both at the Euroformula Open. These are memories that will last a lifetime.
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