It’s time for the International GT Open contenders to take the track : next week (on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 16 March) a good selection of the teams that will compete in 2016 will be at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a two-day testing session that will serve as a first collective rehearsal.
The Barcelona test will unveil only a part of the new machines on track this year, and namely the two BMWs M6 that Teo Martín Motorsport has just been delivered. Miguel Ramos will be at the wheel together with two other confirmed drivers, Gustavo Yacamán and Fernando Monje. The Ferrari delegation will be led as usual by AF Corse, with three F458. Balfe Motorsport is on for a full-season effort this year, for its excellent duo Phil Keen-Shaun Balfe, with two F458 Challenge in the GT Open Cup brought by Scuderia Niki.
TF Sport will defend the colours of Aston Martin, with the Vantage GT3 entrusted to Euan Hankey-Salih Yoluc. Porsche will also be well represented, while Team Manthey doing its come-back in partnership with Wochenspiegel, with a 991 GT3 R. Similar machinery is entered by another German squad, a-workx GmbH, for Sebastian Asch and Dietmar Ulrich. A 911 in Cup configuration joins from France with Yannick Mallégol.
Another welcome return is the one of Selleslagh Racing Team, the Belgian squad being present with one of its Corvettes. The Renault RS01 GT3 is to have a strong presence this year, with Spanish team Monlau Competición bringing two units to Barcelona, and other cars, notably from V8 Racing, expected in the championship. Also from Spain, Drivex School, is sporting its Audi R8 LMS ultra.
The real grid for the season, which starts on 23-24 April in Estoril, will also include a number of relevant cars that won’t be seen testing next week. Three McLaren 650S are confirmed (including two from a new British top team), as well as at least two new Mercedes SLS, including the one of Portuguese team Sports&You and some new Lamborghinis Huracán from Germany and Italy. Announcements regarding other brands are also to be expected soon. With these entries, a grid exceeding 20 cars is expected for the curtain-raiser of the championship in Portugal, and prospects for a very exciting season, both in quantitative and qualitative terms, are high!