After a thunderous inaugural meeting, the Sébastien Loeb Racing team had a more contrasting weekend at Zolder, where the team performed well but suffered from bad luck. For the third meeting of the FIA GT Series, the Soultz-Sous-Forêts based team has only one goal : reverse their fortunes by putting both McLaren MP4-12C on the podium at Zandvoort and gain points in the championship.
Alvaro Parente shares this clear goal, who will be driving the No.9 McLaren with Sébastien Loeb : « In the first two meetings, we had a chance to win. In fact, we won the qualifying race at Nogaro before encountering difficulties in the following races. But in terms of pure performance, we’ve always been at the front. Things started off on the wrong foot with qualifying at Zolder…For next weekend, we’re aiming for the podium in both races and more than that even for the championship race. The Zandvoort track doesn’t seem to have changed all that much since I was last there for the F3 Masters in 2003 and 2004. We’ll have to adapt the McLaren MP4-12C setup to the course but I’m confident we can do it. »
This will to win is shared by Andi Zuber, teammate to Mike Parizy on the No.10. « We’re coming off two good results, just outside the podium in Belgium. It’s hard to predict what will be the result in this Dutch round, but in the meantime I think it’s time for us to play our cards. Fromm y F3 experience, I know this track favors good aerodynamics, which is one of the McLaren’s qualities. As for me, I’m excited that this two-month break is coming to an end ! We’re finally going to get back behind the wheel…and I’m really looking forward to racing. Mike and I will do everything we can to reach the podium for both races ! »
Scheduled for Saturday, July 6, in the morning (9am), the qualifying session will determine the grid for the qualifying race, which will be run the same day at 1 :45pm. As is usual in the FIA GT Series, the results of the qualifying race will be used to set the grid positions for the championship race, planned for Sunday, July 7 at 11 :45am, which will also mark the halfway point of the season.
About the circuit …
Zandvoort is located 30 km west of Amsterdam. Situated among the dunes along the North Sea shore, this track has had a tumultuous history : after welcoming the Formula 1 circus for several years, the track was nearly abandoned. Only the will of the Zandvoort town and the help of the Dutch government would start to save the track starting in 1995. By 2001, the new infrastructures were again welcoming prestigious events : F3, DTM, A1GP and of course the FIA GT Series. The track is fast and technical, with several undulations.
Source : Sébastien Loeb Racing