Barwell Motorsport will be heading to Barcelona in two weeks time, to compete in their third 24-Hour race of their jam packed season. With a strong driver line up consisting of Mark Poole, Richard Abra, Joe Osborne and Jeroen Bleekemolen in the Barwell run MP Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3, the team are certain they can come away with another 24H podium finish. The Barwell crew have already tasted endurance success with the Lamborghini Huracan GT3, after finishing on the podium at the 24H of Spa last month.
Surrey based Barwell’s 2016 season kicked off at Silverstone for the British round of the 24H Series, which saw Mark Poole and Richard Abra, alongside Barwell Team Principal Mark Lemmer and Team Russia by Barwell driver Timur Sardarov, compete in the BMW 235i Cup Class and take the chequered flag in P1. Mark and Rich also claimed outright victory at the Silverstone endurance in 2012 aboard their BMW M3 GTR. The MP duo are familiar with the twists and turns of the Circuit de Catalunya. In 2013 the Barwell run MP Aston Vantage V12 GT3 saw Stefan Mucke start from pole position and lead the early stages of the race, until a series of bad luck incidents took them out of contention. Regular Barwell/MP driver, Joe Osborne, has proved his stellar endurance pace after the young Pro completed multiple mega stints throughout the Spa 24H in July, which led to a podium finish with the Barwell crew.
The team’s target is an outright victory and with 116 race wins, 117 pole positions and 58 fastest laps under his belt, Jeroen Bleekemolen was a stand out choice to complete the driver line up. The Dutch Pro driver is no stranger to endurance racing as he has claimed five 24-hour race podium finishes, including three victories, within the last four years and he also emerged on the top spot at the Le Mans 24H in 2008. Jeroen is enjoying a successful year in the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 after stepping onto the podium at the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Silverstone, and finishing in the top 10 overall at the gruelling 24 Hours of Spa.
The 24 Hours of Barcelona will commence at midday on Saturday the 3rd of September, and the drivers and crew are more than ready to take on the challenge of the Spanish heat, the technical circuit and the 70 strong grid!
Mark Lemmer, Barwell Motorsport Team Principal - “It’s fantastic to be back in the 24 Hour Series again with Mark, Richard and Joe, and great to welcome Jeroen Bleekemolen into the Barwell team. Last time we did this event in 2013 we were on the outright pole and ran at the front until we holed a radiator. We’ve got a great car, team and driver line up, so we are aiming to go back to Barcelona this time and get the job done.”
Richard Abra, MP Motorsport Pro - “We have unfinished business at this event after our attempt in 2013 so I’m really looking to this. We’ve already tested at Barcelona this year so we are well prepared. Welcome also to Jeroen, with such a strong driver line up, team and car there are no excuses!”