You enjoyed tremendous success in single-seater racing, including finishing the 2007 season as Formula BMW champion, so why in 2009, aged just 18, did you switch to GT cars and to the ADAC GT Masters in particular?

"Don't forget, I also competed in Formula 3 after Formula BMW. However, at 1.86 metres in height, I'm not really cut out for single-seaters. Also, there was the fact that it's relatively difficult to get a cockpit in any formula racing series without sponsorship or to earn money, unless you're a Formula 1 driver. GT racing was a great option for me, as I always wanted to race a GT car."

What was the most difficult thing to get used to?

"To be honest, making the switch was no big deal for me, despite having to sort my feet out a little bit at first. In Formula 3, I could brake with my left foot. In my first GT car, an Alpina B6 GT3, I had to use my right foot for braking, because I still needed the left one for the clutch. Of course, GT cars are also much larger and weigh more, and there's a lot more contact in GT racing."

2015 was your best season so far in the ADAC GT Masters with four wins. In the end, you finished third overall after missing the season finale because of Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Nevertheless, the team title still went to your outfit, Schubert Motorsport.

"Yes, precisely. That was an awesome year with Dominik Baumann. Unfortunately, there was a bit of an overlap with Petit Le Mans. I had mixed feelings as I flew to the USA where we finished second in the overall standings. After all, you don't get the chance every year to be a contender for the ADAC GT Masters championship. Finishing in the Top Three was very nice, but I've still not received my trophy yet, not even to this day (laughs). Schubert have it in their display cabinet."

You returned to drive for MRS GT-Racing in 2018 after two years of IMSA racing in the USA. How did you fare that season?

"MRS had taken on a new car and needed a works driver to give them some initial impetus, a bit of a jump-start, so to speak. Testing went very well, and one thing led to another. The team were looking for another driver for Oschersleben, and I stepped in. By that time, I already knew that there was no future for me in the USA, and when all said and done, the Blancpain GT Series and the ADAC GT Masters are the best GT sports series in Europe, so the decision was an easy one."

Things keep getting better for you in this second season with MRS. Even the opening round at Oschersleben was promising depite the fact that Nicolai Sylvest only joined the team three days before the start of the season.

"Right! I did the testing on my own for the most part. Signing Nicolai proved to be a real stroke of luck for us. He's still quite young but very eager to learn. Nicolai is doing a good job. We get along well, and he showed that he can be very fast by putting the car on pole at the Red Bull Ring."

What significance do you attach to your win at the Red Bull Ring, the first for MRS since 2011?

"Everything just fell into place that weekend with the win on Saturday and fourth place on Sunday. That win was very important for both me and the whole team. We struggled last season. We then invested a lot of time and effort in making one or two changes in preparation for this season. Things are now taking shape. I will remember our success at the Red Bull Ring for a long time with a smile on my face. It gave me great satisfaction."

How do you expect to do in the remaining part of the season?

"We're always keen to set a highlight or two, meaning, finish on the podium. Hockenheim should suit us the best of the four remaining circuits. In our experience, we struggle a bit at the Nürburgring with its many tight bends when compared to other makes. As we've made one or two modifications, I'm really keen to see how we do next time out at Zandvoort."