The perfectionist. Antti Jartsev.

Antti Jartsev’s racing story started with time attack races, excelling there and looking for next options which logically was circuit racing and battling with opponents side by side. Antti has spent now 1,5 seasons in BaTCC and acquired quite a lot of awards – 3rd places in BTC2 sprint racing and 2h Endurance in 2022 and 2nd place in 2023 and winning the 2023 Nankang 2h Endurance series, also taking a seat behing Audi TCR car with DMK Racing team. And for 2024 he is looking for some new challenges in circuit racing – get to know the story of Antti Jartsev!

How did the road to circuit racing start for Antti Jartsev?

 

I’ve had a serious interest in cars and racing since childhood, but I started my racing activities quite late, around the age of 26-27. At that time I had a useless Honda CRX Delsol in my garage and decided to build a trackday car from that. The initial goal was to have fun and relieve everyday work stress. However, once I started competing in the local Time Attack series, it became clear that car and perhaps the driver too, have a good potential. The journey quickly gained momentum and I spent the first few years practically living at the Pärnu track, pushing both the car and myself to the limits through training and racing. Results were fantastic and for most years, I competed in upper classes due to a lack of serious rivals in my own.

 

You have a background in time attack series, but what is the reason you are here in the BaTCC?

 

After four racing seasons and overall class wins in the Time Attack series, the car reached its maximum limits and I felt the need to move up. I had considered joining the BaTCC a few years earlier, but life has its own way of making decisions.

Can you share the story of the car – Honda Integra Type-R, that is quite unique and legendary not only in the Baltics but also in the world of motorsports? And why such a choice?

 

There are three reasons.

First –  I’ve always adored the Integra Type-R as a legendary JDM car.

Second –  It made sense to join the BaTCC with a platform I already knew well, understanding how to make it fast and how to drive it fast.

Third – I had a rollcaged Integra rolling body in my garage since 2018, so option was build a racecar from that.

 

So, after deciding to move up from old car, I calculated for some time to build that body or buy a new racecar.  End of 2021, I found this red Integra from Kaunas, where it had competed at Kacergine for some years. In that time it seemed logical to buy driving condition racecar and come to compete instantly in BaTCC, not wasting time to build a new car from scratch. After half season 2022, which ended pretty well too, we decided to rebuild the car and make a nice campaign for season 2023. Well, it turned out pretty good!

Which of the tracks is your favorite one?

 

I’d like to say Kacergine, but with its current conditions and driving a low and stiff car there is hellish. Once it’s rebuilt, it would be a wonderful track.  Currently, my favorite Baltic track is definitely Riga, with good flow and fast corners it suits me well. I’ve achieved a lot of good results there.

What does it take to be successful in Racing?

 

Consistency, analyzing and preparation are key facts. Half of the success is achievable outside of racing events. Watching videos, analyzing the track and most importantly your own driving. The last and best seconds can be found from yourself! Starting my racing career with a slow car taught me a lot, especially the importance of improving driving skills, not just throwing money for more horsepower. Probably this was reason, why I was instantly with good pace when I join the BaTCC. The other half of success lies in good car preparation. With a reliable car, you can win championships, even if it’s not the fastest. 15 races, 13 podiums and 0 DNF shows it perfectly!

 

What would you say to encourage Estonians to race in local circuit racing events?

 

GO FOR IT! There are plenty of budget classes available if money is an issue (and it always is).

The emotions and relief you get from racing are worth it. If I have any regrets in my racing life, it’s that I didn’t start sooner when I first thought about circuit racing around 2018. And I will always remember two races –  my first start at the Pärnu Summer Race in 2022 and my first victories at the Riga Final Race in 2022. The emotions were unforgettable!

 

What is your aim, maybe dream, in racing? Plans for 2024?

 

The next step up.  My racing speed has been consistent for some years now. Having secured BTC2 podiums, its right time to move into the TCR world.  First trial at the Pärnu Summer Race in 2023 was successful, and I really liked that platform. Season 2024 will be probably a half-year for me due to distance and lack of time, but I plan to compete in the BaTCC 4h series and maybe the Palanga 1006km race too. My dream is to compete on legendary European tracks like Spa, Monza, Barcelona, etc. I’m working to achieving these goals!

Who is Antti Jartsev outside racing?

 

First and foremost, I am a father to a princess and a husband to a lovely wife. Since the autumn of 2023, we’ve permanently moved to Tenerife, Spain, and bought a rental car business, which we’re developing. So, if you’re coming to vacation here and need a car for exploring the beautiful mountain roads, hit me up!