Champion: Ričards Šubeckis
In motorsport and racing tracks since his earliest childhood.
The Jūrmala native, Ričards Šubeckis, dominated the most competitive Baltic motorsport discipline this year – circuit racing class “BMW 325 CUP”. Seven wins in ten races and the titles of Baltic, Latvian, and Estonian champion were well-earned, securing his place among other legends of the class.
“The season turned out great – I couldn’t have wished for more. A convincing champion’s title for me, five wins in the first five races of the season. My teammate Matīss Maļinovskis achieved second place overall in his first full season, and accordingly, our team, ‘Jūrmala/Papas Racing Team,’ took first place in the team standings. Both as a driver and as a team, we made significant progress compared to the previous season, and the results followed!”
It’s worth noting that Šubeckis had the potential to win every single race. In one race at the Kaunas track, he crossed the finish line first after two excellent overtaking maneuvers in the final lap, but a penalty was issued post-race for an incident at the start. In the final event in Poznan, Šubeckis’ main task was to finish directly behind his teammate Maļinovskis to deny points to the teammate’s direct competitors. This teamwork ensured Maļinovskis secured second place in the championship standings. Moreover, technical regulations required the fastest drivers to add compensation weight to their cars, meaning Šubeckis consistently raced with an additional 70 kg starting from the second round.
In the 2023 season, Ričards was also very close to the champion’s title. Throughout the year, he engaged in a fierce battle with the Frenchman Leo Messenger. However, the 424 points Ričards earned were four points short of his rival’s total. This resulted in a second-place finish in the Baltic Championship but first place in the Latvian Championship standings. Over three full seasons in the “BMW 325 CUP” class, Šubeckis has become the winningest driver in the class’s history with 10 race victories.
How did Ričards Šubeckis’ motorsport journey begin?
“When I was 4 years old, my dad, Normunds, built my first go-kart. I drove it all around our backyard until we started heading to tracks and later participating in karting competitions. I spent about 10 seasons in karting, once becoming the Baltic and Latvian vice-champion. Afterward, together with Valters Zviedris and Ernests Veismanis, we began driving in winter conditions – both on frozen lakes and specialized tracks. Initially with a front-wheel-drive VW Golf, then occasionally with a Lada, but when my dad saw that we couldn’t handle rear-wheel-drive cars, he got us a BMW for the next winter.”
As the “BMW 325 CUP” class rapidly developed, Uldis Timaks joined the participant lineup, and his race car was prepared by Normunds Šubeckis. Timaks competed in sprint races himself, while Ričards assisted in two-hour endurance races, completing his first kilometers in circuit racing. It was immediately clear – success was on the horizon! A strong second half of the 2021 season led to a dominant 2022, with “Jūrmala/Papas Racing Team” securing first place, thanks to drivers Uldis Timaks and Ričards Šubeckis.
“The foundation of my success is my dad, who doesn’t let me slack off, pushes me forward, and helps us find that extra edge to win races and stay ahead of others. Clocking kilometers is also crucial – whether in karting, winter driving, simulators, or training with race cars. A lot of time must be dedicated to different types of training to perform at the top level in races and engage in exciting battles with the fastest Baltic drivers. Among those, I most enjoyed side-by-side racing with Leo Messenger and the Estonian Romet Reisin – very fast guys, but I knew they wouldn’t do anything reckless on the track. We could race very close to each other and still trust one another. Apart from them, I consider Karolis Jovaiša and Edvinas Žadeikis to be the fastest drivers ever in the ‘BMW 325 CUP’ class. A respectable group!”
2025
“I won’t be competing in the ‘BMW 325 CUP’ sprint races next season. Perhaps due to the team’s success in 2024, the cars have already been rented out to other drivers, including some from abroad. To stay sharp, I’ll participate in the ‘Nankang 2h Endurance’ endurance races, but during race weekends, my priority will be the team’s success. I believe we can fight for the highest positions, and preparations are already in full swing.
When participating in races myself, it’s challenging to balance being a driver and taking on the role of a so-called coach. The ‘Jūrmala/Papas Racing Team’ is growing, so I’ll focus more on helping team drivers improve, analyzing data and video footage. Coaching isn’t new to me – I’ve helped young karting drivers and motorsport enthusiasts from business and sports environments. I’m always open to offering advice and will gladly share my knowledge and experience!”
See you next year!
