Kerstin Taus – “My Heart Beats in RPM”

“The gearbox suited us perfectly right from the beginning — and because we chose the stronger version from the start, increasing the power later on was never a problem.”

For Kerstin Taus, motorsport has been part of life since childhood. Now competing in hillclimb racing with her 800 hp Subaru P4 Turbo, she is not only the driver, but also one of the people building and maintaining the car behind the scenes. We spoke with Kerstin about hill climbing, motorsport life, and her journey with the X Shift sequential gearbox since 2019.

“My heart beats in RPM” — what does that mean to you in everyday life?
I grew up with motorsport from a very young age. For me, it means that no matter what happens, speed, engine sounds, and RPM will always be a huge part of my life. It is simply something that has always been with me and always will be.

Hillclimb is a very specific and intense discipline — what drew you to it in the first place?
When I was still a child, I was already around one of the icons of hill climbing, Felix Pailer, a real legend. My father was his mechanic and chauffeur back then, so you could say I practically grew up with hillclimb racing. That is where it all started for me.

How do people react to you and your car in what is still a very male-dominated scene?
Starting out as a woman in such a male-dominated world is definitely not easy. Jealousy and stupid comments are unfortunately still part of everyday life. But by now I have really found my place in hill climbing, and I always look forward to the races because the friendships I have made now go far beyond the Austrian borders.

You’re not just a driver, but also a mechanic — how does that influence the way you build and drive your car?
In this sport, and especially in the PF1 class where we are currently racing our 800 hp Subaru P4 Turbo, it is only possible because we do everything on the car ourselves. You know every single bolt, you notice every little issue much earlier, and you simply know the whole car inside out. That gives you a completely different connection to the car when you drive it.

You’ve been running the X Shift gearbox since 2019 — what made you choose it back then?
Everybody knows the problem: when you start something new, you always need people who are willing to support you financially as well. Back in 2019, I was simply a little cheeky and sent X Shift an email asking if they would be interested in a cooperation. That was my lucky moment — František said yes.

What was your first impression when you drove the car with it?

The first test drives happened during Corona, and honestly, the feeling was incredible — going from a 400 hp Group A Subaru to a 600 hp car. The gearbox was one of the few parts that suited us perfectly right from the beginning. What I really appreciate is that it also grew with us. Because we chose the stronger version from the start, increasing the power later on was never a problem.

After several seasons of use, how has the reliability and durability been?
We are very happy with the work. You can discuss everything with X Shift, and they are very fair, understanding, and accommodating. That is something you really appreciate in motorsport, because reliability is not only about the parts, but also about the people behind them.

If you had to describe your car and driving experience in one sentence — what would it be?
It is a monster, and you have to treat it well — that is what makes it so special and you cannot drive something like this with anger or a bad mood, otherwise the Subaru becomes angry too.

Photos: Courtesy of Kerstin Taus (@ker_stin2905)