Munich. Founded in 2004, Team DKR Engineering has been competing in prototype racing since 2017 and has won the LMP3 class in the Michelin Le Mans Cup four times, the LMP3 class in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) once and the LMP2 class in the Asian Le Mans Series once during this time. Now the Luxembourg-based squad led by Belgian team boss Kendy Janclaes has ventured into the Prototype Cup Germany, relying on the young talents Robin Rogalski and Valentino Catalano. "We would have liked to enter the Prototype Cup Germany last year, back then with our German driver Laurents Hörr. But Laurents has FIA Gold status and Gold drivers were not yet allowed in 2022," says Janclaes. Now Gold-rated drivers are also eligible, but because DKR Engineering had not initially planned to enter Prototype Cup Germany, Hörr reoriented and joined the Finnish team Koiranen Kemppi Motorsport. "Together with his partner Matthias Lüthen, he will certainly be one of the toughest opponents for us," estimates his former team boss.

Meanwhile, DKR Engineering has also decided to participate in the Prototype Cup Germany and is relying on young talent. "Both our drivers have silver status, which is perfect for us. Valentino Catalano is only 17 years old, but he already did the ELMS last year and the Asian Le Mans Series for us this winter. So he's already got some LMP3 experience and he's definitely fast. Robin Rogalski is four years older than Valentino and comes from GT3 racing. He certainly still needs some time to optimally adapt his driving style to the LMP3 cars. But that's completely normal with such a switch; once he's internalized the differences, it won't be a problem for him."

While the German-Italian Catalano moved to French and then German Formula 4 after karting before switching to LMP in 2022, the Lübeck-born Pole Rogalski is a motorsport latecomer. It was only at the age of 16 that the successful breakdancer began his racing career in the Polish KIA Picanto Cup. In both 2019 and 2021, he won the Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup, a one-make cup with identical Audi R8 GT4 cars. Last season, he competed in the GTC Race series with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 and celebrated success there as well. 

"Our goal in the Prototype Cup Germany is to win the title, even though it certainly won't be easy. After all, not only do we have good drivers, but some of the other teams also have really good drivers in their cars," says Janclaes, who is used to success, not afraid of the competition and has great confidence in the talent of his two protégés, who will be driving a Duqueine. Incidentally, in the Prototype Cup Germany DKR Engineering with Racing Experience will be based on