Christian Hahn is driving on the Nürburgring for the first time in Paradine’s BMW M4 GT3 Evo in his first full season of GT3 racing. The Brazilian is enjoying it thoroughly and receives some help along the way from an experienced force: Augusto Farfus.
The 28-year-old previously gained experience in the Porsche one-make series in Brazil. He collected the Endurance Cup championship on home soil and added a vice-championship in the Sprint Cup to it. After his time in the Cup car, he’s progressing rapidly in BMW’s GT3 platform.
Paradine Competition offers him the space to grow alongside Josh Rowledge and Bobby Thompson and he’s enjoying his first full GT World Challenge Europe Endurance campaign so far. “We’re still struggling a tiny bit with the set-up, but when the tires were fresher, the car was very good,” Hahn tells GT REPORT on Saturday at the Nürburgring.
“The sister car is also demonstrating some good pace. I think we’re on the right line for the race. We’re feeling confident. I’m really enjoying the track here, it’s my first time,” the Brazilian says with a big smile on his face. The Nürburgring is a special place, and he’s happy to experience it now too.
Excitement is an understatement: ‘GT3 cars are so fast nowadays’
He’s gotten a taste of the Nordschleife already: “I’ve been here for the touristfahrten many times. When I lived in London while driving Formula 3, I used to drive to Spa and on the way I would stop here and drive my own car on the Nordschleife,” he laughs. “It’s just an amazing atmosphere, so many fans. It shows the motorsport culture here in Germany.”
Hahn joined a couple of GT World Challenge America rounds in the previous season. To have joined the GTWC Europe grid full-time this year makes him proud. “It’s been a dream,” he says. “I did a GT3 race in Barcelona also last year, which was a one-off in GT Open with Mercedes. That went pretty well.
“All the tracks here in Europe are on a completely other level. GT3 cars nowadays, they’re so fast. I really enjoy it when the car is really fast. I like driving prototypes. I drove them a few times in Brazil. But this feels so fast. The team is amazing, the cars are amazing. The competition is amazing,” he sums up.
Flashing headlights at Farfus and getting help in return
A fellow Brazilian, BMW Factory Driver Augusto Farfus, also plays a role in Hahn’s GT3 journey. The experienced driver shares his knowledge with the 28-year-old to get him up to speed. “I was even able to get a bit of a reference from him on Saturday,” Hahn says. “When he was going by, I came out of the pits and I flashed my headlights at him. He knew it was me!” he laughs.
“He’s been helping me a lot. Career-wise, driving-wise. Also with transitioning back to Europe. He’s an amazing guy. It’s just been amazing being around him and his family.”
All things seem to fall into place nicely for Hahn, but there is one aspect that would make his season complete: “I would really enjoy getting a trophy this season. Let’s see if we can make it happen. If not here [at the Nürburgring], we still have Portimão. That is a track I went really well on in the Brazilian Porsche Carrera Cup”, he says.
“I had fifty kilograms extra on my car, but I was able to almost put it on pole, and almost win the race. I’m really looking forward to Portimão and I think we’ll be good. I’m confident that my teammates and I will be able to put in a very good performance.”
