Liam Talbot: "I've ticked the Nordschleife off my list-I don’t want to take that risk anymore"

Brisbane-based driver Liam Talbot has made no secret about his aspirations to return to racing in Europe; but as we nudge closer to the new year, we caught up with the Australian to see if we could find out a little more about his future plans.

Having won the Spa 24 Hours in 2016 at the wheel of a Kessel Racing Ferrari in the Am Cup, Talbot has mounds of success under his belt in the European motorsport scene.

Now competing in the Australian GT Championship, the former Blancpain GT Series driver has been working towards plans for 2019 but is yet to decide whether he will continue racing on home-soil or pursue any opportunities to race in any outstanding ‘bucket list’ events.

“I haven’t given too much thought to 2019, there’s so many things that can happen and not happen,” says Talbot.

“Everyone promises the world and says this and that is going to happen, so, yeah, not thinking about 2019. I’m still in the heat of battle, got a great car, great team, track and car are ready to go, it’s all to fight for.

“I want to go back to Europe, but I still think it’s too soon. We’ll see how it all plays out,” he added.

“I’ve raced at the Spa 24 Hours and it’s a special race track and event. I think there’s too many crashes, I think there’s too much of a discrepancy in speed and I see they’re not going to allow the national class, which is a good move. So, the Porsche cup cars and Super Trofeo Lambos won’t be there.

“It’s such a special track, even if you’re a passenger in a road car, it’s like unbelievable and you can’t experience it until you do that lap.

“I’ve been to the Nürburgring, my license unfortunately expired with the dates clashes with the endurance race at Phillip Island so for two years in a row I missed the 24 Hour.

“And you know what, I’m in a place in my life where it’s too much risk for me and I don’t want to take that risk at the Nordschleife. I’ve been lucky, had a crash or two there and got some podiums, just tick that off the list, but for me, that’s a definite no that race.”

So, what about the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

“It’s so hard watching Le Mans 24 Hours this year. I raced the support category there two years in a row and just loved it,” he says.

“It’s such a special track and it’s unlike anything; like Spa is so unique, Bathurst is so unique, Le Mans is so unique. I mean, every opportunity to get there I would say ‘hell yes’ every day of the week, but a lot depends on all the options available; there’s many different things that can happen and I don’t want to think about them.

“If and when they happen, then we’ll do them, until then, just sit back and watch the Live telecast.”

With only five years on experience in motorsport, Talbot enthused that he continues to learn things every single day out on the race track or even at home on the couch while watching on T.V.

“There’s still room for improvement in myself; I just genuinely love the sport, I’ve never followed it until I started racing a couple of years ago, working out how to overtake,” explained Talbot.

“For me, there’s just so much more to learn. Even watching other people’s races and seeing what mistakes they make and I learn what not to do, or conversely, what they did right.

“I love the sport, still got more in me and I hope I get the chance to become the best driver I can be. Every year I’m improving, I’m enjoying the challenge and every year it gets tougher, you know – the level of competition gets harder.

“We go to these events and there’s not much track time, just can’t wait for the next challenge and the next challenge after that.”