Together with Klaus Abbelen, Felipe Fernández Laser is contesting his first full season in the Prototype Cup Germany. After the podium in Zandvoort, they are both hungry for more success. Fernández Laser sees the Prototype Cup Germany as a good training platform.

Felipe Fernández Laser (Leipzig) is without doubt one of the fastest drivers in the Prototype Cup Germany in 2024. The 35-year-old shares his Ligier JS P320 with gentleman driver Klaus Abbelen (63/Barweiler, both Frikadelli Racing Team). And the partnership has brought success: the duo currently lies fifth in the overall standings. The highlight of the season so far was the podium in Sunday’s race in Zandvoort, when Laser pulled off some spectacular manoeuvres to climb from seventh to second place in the final few minutes of the race. “Zandvoort was really good fun. Ahead of the race, we didn’t really expect a podium, as it was about 20 years since Klaus had driven there. That made the result all the sweeter in the end,” says Fernández Laser, looking back at the race weekend on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands.

The German, who has Spanish roots, feels right at home in the Prototype Cup Germany, which is organised by the ADAC and Creventic. “The series has loads of potential. In my opinion, the Prototype Cup Germany is an extremely good school for young drivers, for example those coming from Formula 4 but unable to continue in Formula racing,” says Fernández Laser. “The LMP3 class is an excellent platform, on which to learn and to look ahead to LMP2 and hypercars. In an LMP3 car, young drivers learn a lot about car set-up and driving with lots of aerodynamics. It also offers super racing for a relatively low budget – even compared to GT3 racing.”

Felipe Fernández Laser has been putting pedal to metal on the motorsport scene for many years. Having started out in karting, he initially raced in various one-make cups, such as the VW Polo Cup, the Seat Leon Supercopa and the Porsche Carrera Cup. In 2014, he switched to a GT3 cockpit and made a name for himself on the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring. From 2016 to 2022, he was at the wheel of the spectacular cars of US enthusiast James Glickenhaus. At the same time, however, Fernández Laser also made regular appearances for the Frikadelli Racing Team. The really big success came in 2023, when he won the ADAC 24h Race at the Nürburgring in the Frikadelli Ferrari 296 GT3.

Fernández Laser’s other role as a driving coach allows him to pass on the experience gained on the track. For example, he also supports his Prototype Cup Germany team-mate Klaus Abbelen in this way. In 2020 and 2021, the man from Leipzig had a very special student: Michael Fassbender. Fernández Laser lined up alongside the Hollywood actor in a Porsche 911 RSR in the European Le Mans Series, in order to prepare Fassbender for his dream of racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Felipe Fernández Laser does not only ply his trade in a racing cockpit, but has also been working full-time as an instructor at the Porsche Experience Center in Leipzig for about ten years. He uses his expertise as a qualified automotive engineer to give participants a sound knowledge of, and practical experience with, high-performance cars.

In the Prototype Cup Germany, Fernández Laser is hungry to achieve more success with Klaus Abbelen over the remainder of the season. “We have already achieved our main goal for the season, with the podium in Zandvoort. However, we now travel to circuits that suit us more and that we know well. Maybe, with the right race strategy, we could even pick up a win,” he says. “I am particularly looking forward to our home race at the Nürburgring. Klaus will be really strong there.”