Pro class. Ferrari crews were caught up in a chaotic start in the Pro class. Miguel Molina, in car no. 72 of SMP Racing, got off to a great start, which saw him in the lead at the entrance to the first chicane. Immediately behind him was the Bentley no. 7 of Guy Smith that in pulling ahead of the no. 50 488 GT3 of AF Corse team touched the Lamborghini no. 19 of Ezequiel Perez-Companc, sowing panic among the group and putting ten other cars out of the race, including the Ferraris of Lorenzo Bontempelli (AF Corse) and Mirko Zanuttini (Kessel Racing), with Marco Cioci, in the 488 GT3 of Kaspersky Motorsport, pulling off a miraculous manoeuvre to emerge unscathed. Molina drove to the first pit stop when he handed the wheel to Victor Shaytar. At that stage the Lamborghini of Grasser Racing with Engelhart-Bortolotti-Caldarelli took the lead, which it held to the end. Behind the 63 car the Ferrari of SMP Racing looked set to secure a podium before running into a drive-through penalty for overtaking under the yellow flag. The standard bearers of AF Corse, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Michele Rugolo and Pasin Lathouras thus inherited second, while the 488 GT3 of Kaspersky Motorsport climbed back up to fourth, finishing ahead of the car of Rigon-Shaytar-Molina.

Am Cup. The Am Cup saw another triumph for a woman Ferrari driver. After Christina Nielsen won the title and three rounds of the IMSA series in 2016, now it was the turn of 25 year-old British driver Abigail Eaton, a competitor in last season’s British GT4 Championship at the wheel of a Maserati. At Monza she triumphed along with Italy’s Davide Rizzo and Lebanon’s Alex Demirdjian in the 488 GT3 of AF Corse. The crew of Ferrari no. 961 also came first in their class after starting from last position due to having to replace the gearbox, an operation that the AF Corse mechanics performed in a record time of 45 minutes. The same class witnessed an unlucky race for the 488 GT3 of Rinaldi Racing with Pierre Ehret and Rino Mastronardi, which had dominated for the first two hours.

Pro-Am Cup. Ferrari also won a podium in the Pro-Am Cup where after a great recovery victory slipped from the grasp of reigning champion Michael Broniszewski with just two laps to go. The Kessel Racing team crew had been slowed by the accident at the start but Matteo Cressoni’s extraordinary stint put them in first position. However, in the end Andrea Rizzoli was powerless in the face of a comeback from the Aston Martin of Oman Racing Team with TF Sport of Jonny Adam who also clocked the race’s fastest lap. The Blancpain GT championship returns on 6 and 7 May at Brands Hatch for the Sprint Cup. The Endurance Cup returns to Silverstone on 13 and 14 May.

Today was also race two of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, won by Antonelli Motorsport drivers Loris Spinelli and Mikael Grenier.

Matteo Braga (Pirelli circuit activity manager):
“The tyres performed well from start to finish, even though the conditions weren’t easy: there was a lot of debris on the track due to various race incidents. Still, we had a very entertaining three hours of competition and the tyres enabled all the manufacturers to have a close battle all the way to the flag, which is our key objective.”

Christian Engelhart (#63, GRT Grasser Racing Team, Lamborghini Huracan GT3):
“For me it was the perfect stint, getting in the car in the lead and driving for one hour; managing the tyres to the end. I couldn’t feel any drop off on the tyre, it was very consistent over the whole race and it was easy to manage them.”

Fact of the day:
Tyre strategy was absolutely at the heart of the strategy for the winning Lamborghini today. The crew deliberately saved three new sets of tyres for the race, using only two sets for free practice and qualifying to ensure peak performance throughout all three race stints. Andrea Calderelli said: “In my view, that strategy helped us win the race. We sacrificed a bit in qualifying, but it meant that we had peak performance after each pit stop, when it counted, which really made the difference.”

Number of the day:
32. The number of cars within one second of each other during qualifying today: a new Blancpain GT record.

Kevin Ceccon
“It wasn’t the best week-end of my life, but still a good chance to make more experience on a GT car. Thanks to Zakspeed for the call and for the support in this race. I would have like to know this car a bit better before enter qualifying, but in the laps I did during the race, the feeling was good. I was almost on the same pace for Ludwigh, which is a specialist on this car. Unluckily I had to stop as suddenly the steering wheel wasn’t properly working anymore and had strong vibrations. It’s a shame as from 16th row we’re fighting for Top-15, and looking at some final issue for other opponents, maybe as well Top-10 was in our reach”.

The Swiss team set all hopes into the opening round of the Endurance Cup in a bid to end the enduring string of bad luck at the Autodrome Nazionale Monza. The intensive work over the winter paid already off during the free practice sessions and pre-qualifying. With competitive lap-times, Emil Frey Jaguar Racing was able to fight with the big teams. However, due to BoP regulations, the GT3 Jaguar were the second heaviest cars in the entire field of 54 cars.

With P17 (GT3 Jaguar #114) and P22 for the #14 GT3 Jaguar, the hoped for qualifying positions were not met and the team hoped for the race, knowing well of the cat’s strong performance in the long-runs.

Right at the beginning of the race, there was a heavy accident with a number of cars towards the first chicane, in which the #114 suffered severe damage to the left-hand-side of the car. The mechanics used the 30-minute break of the race to repair the damage as best as they could. Despite all efforts, the car did not get out on track at the re-start and lost six laps to the front.

The sister car (#14) was luckier and could start the race again from 22nd position. Ortelli put down a fantastic stint with twelve overtaking moves and handed the GT3 Jaguar #14 to Lorenz Frey from 10th place. Frey also had a strong stint until Albert Costa Balboa took over the car for his stint in P12. A technical problem ended the great drive 45 minutes before the end of the race, with Costa Balboa having to stop the #14 Jaguar in the second chicane out on track.

The sister car suffered bad luck once again: 300 metres after passing the entrance to the pitlane, the car had another tyre puncture front left. Marco Seefried lost a lot of time bringing the car back into the pits on a slow lap. After the tyre change, team-mate Jonathan Hirschi took to the wheel in the #114. But there was a further tyre problem in the following stint and the team was forced to retire the GT3 Jaguar.

“It already started in qualifying, because we didn´t get the results we should have done and were surely beaten below value”, said Jürg Flach, Technical Director Emil Frey Jaguar Racing. “We knew that we would be able to do something in the race, because we tested here twice during the winter and we had very good lap-times especially during the Long-Runs, which we did show in today´s race. I was convinced, that we would improve from our positions in qualifying and work our way up. But the starting accident destroyed the race for the #114, because you could not make up the lost laps. The #14 suffered a technical issue in the engine area towards the end.”

So once more, the team did not see the finishing line in Monza. After great performances and consistently strong speed, the Team from Switzerland did not reach the deserved results.

Driver Quotes Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar #14

Stéphane Ortelli (MCO)
“I could see that the green Lamborghini was not spinning, but I could see that it could be a mess so I decided to back-off and actually stop the car. We did lose a lot of positions, we could have even lost more, but it was my choice. At the re-start we were in P22 and I had twelve overtakings and a really good stint. We received great support by the new Pirelli tyres, which I think are very consistent. However, it was mainly down to our hard work over the winter. The car was always strong and we have come a long way from last year. We have also improved on our pit-stops and the team did a great job. I am very proud that we are able to fight against the bigger teams and we are right there at the front. It is a good sign for the future.”
 
Lorenz Frey (CH)
“After the driver change, I was able to meet the pace of Stéphane and everything worked well on the car. The conditions were not easy today, because there was not much grip on the track. The second pit-stop was very good and quick and Albert was able to drive up into eighth place. Unfortunately, he had to stop the car in the second chicane. Therefore, it was the same as last year when we had to retire right before the end whilst running in the points ranking. It is really really sad, because the car does have the potential to drive in the Top-10. Now we have to prepare the cars for Silverstone, especially the #114 suffered quite a bid of damage.”

Albert Costa Balboa (ESP)
“After the re-start, both Stéphane and Lorenz had great stints and were able to make up some ground. That underlined the performance the GT3 Jaguar is capable of doing. When I went into my stint, everything was normal to start off with, but then I lost power in the engine area and there was also an alarm within the car. The car rolled out slowly and I parked it at the side of the track. It is really a frustrating end to the weekend, because we really hoped for a good result here following the good tests we had during the winter.”

Driver Quotes Emil Frey GT3 Jaguar #114

Marco Seefried (GER)
“I did not have much time to react at the start. I simply did not have enough room at the front left. It looked like the Lamborghini stayed on the throttle, because once he came back on track, he caught me again at the rear left. The boys did an amazing job to get our car back out altogether. I did not really know where we were from a speed point of view, but I was really impressed with our pace. The car was more difficult to drive afterwards because of the movement of the front bumper, making it that more difficult to turn into the chicanes. But still, the car had a great balance and we were the sixth quickest car in the field. The second tyre puncture was simply bad luck, but the performance of the GT3 Jaguar was top.“

Jonathan Hirschi (CH)
“After the accident, the steering was bend. We had such a good start to the weekend and in the end it all came different. We did not go back on track after the second tyre failure, because the damage on the car was already quite big and it was a wise decision to stop the race earlier than intended. The team did a great job for the entire weekend. Unfortunately, it is what it is and it is very disappointing, but we are looking ahead to Silverstone.”

Christian Klien (A)
“It is very annoying, because the car has much more potential. We were not able to exhaust the potential during qualifying, and we also had a lot of traffic. The GT3 Jaguar should have been in the Top-10 and it simply shows the great work, the team has put into this during the winter. The race start was pure bad luck and there is nothing you can do about it. Afterwards, the car was bend. Shame, no points despite a great performance, but that makes us hoping for the rest of the season.”

Team Principal Vincent Vosse was philosophical on Sunday eve: “It has been a chaotic weekend, and I don’t want to sound like Calimero, but we had again a good share of bad luck. We lose two cars on circumstances out of our control. The two others do a good race despite starting from the second half of the grid. It’s really not the start of the season we wanted, but it’s not the first set-back that we have to overcome. We have the strength and the determination to fight back and that is what we have to do as from the British races.”

From the start of the weekend, it was clear that competition, with 53 cars on rack, was going to be extremely close, as proven by the result of the combined qualifying, which saw no less than 32 cars within a second! In a power track such as Monza, the Audis R8 LMS did relatively well, with car #5 of Fässler-Stevens-Vanthoor being in the top 4 in free practice and pre-qualifying. Qualifying proved to be a more difficult exercise, as expected, and started with total drama for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT: Berthon got hit from the back by the Lambo of Filippi, who missed his braking, in the very opening lap of the session. The consequences for car #2 were catastrophic, with damages to the chassis, which meant ‘weekend over’.

Car #5 eventually qualified in P20, although only 6 tenths from the pole, with car #17 in P33 and car #3 in P47.

More drama was to strike as soon as the start was given on Sunday, with the Bentley of Smith and the Lambo of Pérez-Companc at the front of the field colliding in the straight, well before the first chicane. The spinning Lambo inevitably provoked disaster in the middle of the field, resulting in ten cars out of contention and the race being red-flagged. Unfortunately, among the innocent victims, was the #5 of Will Stevens. The team made a great effort trying to repair the car during the stop of the race, and the Brit effectively re-took the track once the race had restarted but only to stop after a few laps, as the car’s behaviour had been severely affected by the damage sustained. “It’s just bad luck, there is nothing to say”, commented Dries Vanthoor, “It’s a pity, because we were quick, despite we couldn’t do that well in qualifying because of traffic.”

For the two surviving Audis of the Belgian squad it was a catch-up race. In car #17, Markus Winkelhock did a good stint, running among the top 18, but lost some positions after a spin at the first chicane caused by a contact from the back. The car performed an early and perfect pit stop, with Stuart Leonard going back to the track in P17 and gaining ground during his stint. The young Jake Dennis finished the race strongly, climbing some more positions to finish 12^th and very close to the points.

Car #3 performed an even bigger come-back, benefitting at the beginning from the numerous retirements. Niki Mayr-Melnhof managed to get in in the top 25 during his stint, with the car gaining four positions more during the pit stop. Jon Venter and Josh Caygill, in their first outing in the Endurance Cup, had to battle hard in the most crowded part of the field, and did it well, the car crossing the line in P24.

The Blancpain GT Series will continue now with the UK campaign, with the Sprint Cup race at Brands Hatch on 6-7 May and the Endurance Cup round at Silverstone one week later.

The victory of the Grasser Racing Team’ Huracán GT3 comes after the first place at the Nürburgring last September, during the last race of the 2016 Blancpain GT season. This demonstrates the growth in the past few months, thanks to teamwork and drivers. Talking about drivers, the crew that has brought the Grasser Racing Team’s Lamborghini to the victory is partially new for the current season: Mirko Bortolotti and Christian Engelhart, already teammate in 2016, welcomed the talented Italian driver Andrea Caldarelli.

The three-hour race held at the Autodromo of Monza, with ten Huracán GT3s fielded on track out of fifty cars on grid, began with a thrill: the # 7 Bentley Continental GT3 caused a collision In which ten cars were involved, including the Lamborghini # 19, the sister car of Grasser Racing Team, started from the front row with Perez Companc, Giammaria and Siedler.

After restarting, the # 63 Hurácan GT3 with Mirko Bortolotti behind the wheel started gaining positions, from fifth to the lead thanks to the impressive race pace imposed by Bortolotti. After the first hour, Andrea Caldarelli took the wheel for the second stint. Again, the Lamborghini Factory Driver kept an impressive pace that allowed to leave the car to Christian Engelhart with about 20 seconds of advantage. Engelhart, during his last stint, managed perfectly the race and led the Lamborghini to the checkered flag over the AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 and the HTP Motorsport Mercedes AMG-GT3.

Thanks to a perfect race strategy, teamwork and drivers work, Lamborghini now leads the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup standings.

Noteworthy is also the excellent debut of the Huracán GT3 fielded by Orange 1 Team Lazarus, the 2016 International GT Open champion and now engaged in the Blancpain GT. The # 27 Lamborghini driven by Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 Junior Drivers Fabrizio Crestani, Gustavo Yacaman and Nicholas Pohler, fought in the top ten during the first stint but due to a tire issue and the consequent time loss had to end at 21st place.

The next round of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup is scheduled at Silverstone Circuit from 12 to 14 May.

In Pro-Am the #97 Oman Racing Team with TF Sport Aston Martin took the win after a majestic final stint of Jonny Adam, while the honours in Am Cup went to the #961 AF Corse Ferrari. The race was red-flagged for some 20 minutes after a crash at the start. All drivers involved were ok, but more than a dozen cars were unable to take the restart.

The TM Performance 3 Hours of Monza were yet again one of the must-attend events of the international motorsports calendar. 20.500 spectators travelled to the mythical Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, not only to enjoy the beautiful Italian weather, but also to admire a plethora of impressive supercars, witness some interesting support races and meet the teams and drivers of the Blancpain GT Series.

But it was the TM Performance 3 Hours of Monza, the first endurance race of the 2017 Blancpain GT Series that claimed most of the interest. With 52 cars on the entry list, the Blancpain GT Series emphasized its status as the biggest GT series on the motorsports planet. Unfortunately, not all cars made it through the first corner. A contact in the run-up to the Rettifilio chicane caused the #19 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini to spin in front of the oncoming cars and mayhem was unavoidable. Some 16 cars were involved in the crash, but fortunately no driver was injured. The necessary race stoppage to clear the track only took 20 minutes, and after a safety car start the remaining cars could well and truly get underway.

Meanwhile, the race stewards had found the #7 Bentley Team M-Sport Continental responsible for the crash and the car was given a 15 second stop&go penalty. When the car did not serve that time penalty during the reglementary three laps, the car was black-flagged. This reduced the fight for the lead to two cars, the #72 SMP Racing Ferrari of Miguel Molina and the #63 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini driven by Mirko Bortolotti. During the first pitstop the Austrian squad made the difference, leaving the pitlane with a five-second advantage. Blancpain GT Series rookie Andrea Caldarelli and Christian Engelhart increased the lead to a massive 29 seconds at the chequered flag. For the Grasser Racing Team, Bortolotti and Engelhart, this is the second consecutive endurance victory in the Blancpain GT Series after taking the win in the Nürburgring round at the end of the 2016 season.

Behind the green Huracan, the fight for the other podium positions was decided by a closely fought duel between the #72 SMP Racing Ferrari, the #75 ISR Audi and the #50 Spirit of Race Ferrari. But when Davide Rigon had to serve a drive-through in the Russian Ferrari (for overtaking under yellow) and Clemens Schmid suffered the cruel fate of having to park the ISR R8 some six minutes from the end – the left rear tyre let go – Alessandro Pier Guidi (who had set the car on pole), Michele Rugolo and Pasin Lathouras took the second step on the Monza rostrum.

Behind them, championship leaders Maxi Buhk and Franck Perera, sharing the #84 Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport car with Jimmy Eriksson, scored important points by moving up to third. Buhk, who had started from 16th, showed his reflexes at the start and barely avoided the crashing cars. Behind the Mercedes-AMG, the Ferraris of Kaspersky Motorsport and SMP Racing completed the top five.

Another driver that had a lucky escape in those first lap incidents was Ahmad Al-Harthy in the #97 Oman Racing Team with TF Sport Aston Martin. In the Italian heat, the Omani driver went on to complete an impressive double-stint, holding off the #911 Herberth Motorsport Porsche early on, in an effort to hang on to the Pro-Am Cup lead as long as possible. But when Jonny Adam took the wheel to complete the final stint, the Scotsman had some 12 seconds to make up to the new leader, Andrea Rizzoli in the #11 Kessel Racing Ferrari. Thanks to some magnificent driving – Adam even set the overall fastest lap of the race – the Aston Martin driver managed to close the gap and take the Pro-Am Cup lead with only a couple of laps to go. Adam, who on Sunday morning had placed the Aston on the Pro-Am Cup pole, also finished in eighth overall. Behind the Kessel Racing 488 the #53 Spirit of Race Ferrari of Niek Hommerson, Louis Machiels and Andrea Bertolini took third in the Pro-Am Cup. No fewer than eight Pro-Am cars finished in the top-20, clearly showing the high level of the category.

In the Am Cup the #488 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari of Pierre Ehret and Rino Mastronardi looked set to take an emphatic win, but when Mastronardi ended the middle stint with well over a minute in hand, the green Ferrari caught fire and that was that. The Am Cup lead went to the #961 AF Corse Ferrari, a car that barely made it to the start. The AF Corse mechanics had to change the gearbox less than an hour before, but managed to do so. Alex Demirdjian, Blancpain GT Series rookie Abbie Eaton and Davide Rizzo completed the job with a faultless drive. Eaton thus becomes the first woman driver to win her class in a Blancpain GT Series race.

The next round of the Blancpain GT Series will be held in Brands Hatch. The second sprint event of 2017 takes place on May 6th/7th.

Christian Engelhart (#63 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini, 1st overall): “This is amazing. I’ve been watching this Series for a long time before I made my debut at the Nürburgring last year, and now to be in it, to be working with this team and these drivers is just a dream for me. Especially since I was able my second endurance race. For the championship this win is important, and now we want to be at the front at all of the races.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi (#50 Spirit of Race Ferrari, 2nd overall): “I know we were a bit lucky to take second – it would have been very difficult to overtake the Audi, for it was quicker on the straights – but that does not diminish the fact that this is a fantastic result for us. We had a perfect strategy, perfect pitstops and the car felt pretty good. We will try to beat the Lamborghini next time, for sure.”

Maxi Buhk (#84 Mercedes-AMG Team HTP Motorsport, 3rd overall): “I had to take to the grass to avoid the crash at the start, but I gave Blancpain some extra promotion by hitting one of the distance markers with their label on it. After that I had pretty busy first stint. There was plenty of overtaking all the time. We were a bit lucky to finish third, but we take it. These are important points for the championship.”

Jonny Adam (#97 Oman Racing Team with TF Sport Aston Martin, 1st Pro-Am Cup): “I was never really sure that I could take the lead to be honest. In the beginning of my stint I had to fight with some Pro cars, but we did a lot of work on this new car and it paid off. The Aston behaved perfectly. The team was keeping me informed of the gap and I knew I had the pace, but it wasn’t until the Ferrari made a slight mistake that I was able to overtake him. We have been waiting a long time for this win. I know how much work Ahmad does behind the scenes, to get the sponsors, to get Oman Racing here, so this one’s for him and the team.”

Alex Demirdjian (#961 AF Corse Ferrari, 1st Am Cup): “I have to thank the whole AF Corse team for changing the gearbox right before the start. Everybody helped, it was very stressful, but we made it just in time. After my stint Abbie and Davide did a perfect job and I am very happy to take the win here. It’s a reward for an exceptional effort of the whole team.”

ROWE RACING is now in its third season in the Blancpain GT Series. The greatest success in the team’s history came in 2016 at the 24-hour classic at Spa-Francorchamps. The driver line-ups for the two BMW M6 GT3s for the coming season are yet to be finalised. The allocation of drivers to cockpits will be announced by the pre-season test in Paul Ricard, southern France, on 13th/14th March. Among those up for selection are a host of fast and experienced drivers from ROWE RACING and the squad of BMW Motorsport works drivers.

The series, which is run by the French SRO Motorsports Group, under the guidance of Stephane Ratel, with the support of Swiss watchmaker Blancpain, features a wide range of sprint and endurance races at famous and iconic circuits throughout Europe. The season starts on 1st April in Misano, Italy, with the first of five one-hour races in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup. The remaining sprint races follow at Brands Hatch (7th May) in Great Britain, the iconic Belgian racetrack at Zolder (4th June), the Formula One circuit in Budapest (27th August), and ROWE RACING’s home race at the Nürburgring on 17th September.

The Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup consists of five endurance races. As well as the highlight of the season at the Spa 24 Hours (29th/30th July) and the 1000-km race at Paul Ricard, a further three three-hour races will also be held at current Formula One circuits: Monza (23rd April) in Italy, Silverstone (14th May) in England, and the season finale at the Circuit de Calalunya on the outskirts of the Spanish metropolis Barcelona (1st October).

Hans-Peter Naundorf, team principal of ROWE RACING: “We are really looking forward to racing in the Blancpain GT Series for the third year in a row. The series is the benchmark for GT3 racing in Europe. It is brilliantly organised and littered with cars from strong manufacturers and the best drivers in the sport. Our big goal for 2017 is obviously to defend our title at the Spa 24 Hours. It would be a dream come true for us to repeat last year’s win. We are still in the process of finalising the driver line-ups for our two BMW M6 GT3s, however, we are very confident that we will once again be able to field very fast and experienced teams of drivers, just as we did last year.”

Marco Bonanomi (ITA), Filip Salaquarda (CZ) and Frederic Vervisch (BEL) will defend the colors of the Czech team alternating behind the wheel of the number 75 Audi R8 LMS ultra on the challenging Belgian track, which is considered as the university of world motor racing. This round will be an emotional moment for I.S.R. racing, that made its debut in the most challenging series for GT3 cars in the world on this very track one year ago. The team brought to Spa a new hospitality, a modern and futuristic structure that has already aroused the curiosity of staff of the paddock, to celebrate this first anniversary.

The long marathon of the 24 Hours will be particularly challenging also due to the uncertain weather that characterizes Ardennes. Weather forecasts schedule unstable weather for Saturday. This track will award double points which will be crucial for the fight in the Blancpain GT Series Team, where I.S.R. is currently seventh at 43 points, that is 3 short of P5.

Igor Salaquarda (I.S.R. racing, Team Principal):
“Racing in Spa Francorchamps is a strong emotion for a team and this is going to mark the first anniversary since we started this sporting challenge. We are very motivated and proud of lining up a strong squad with Bonanomi, Salaquarda and Vervisch. The level of the competition is going to be extremely high and it is going to be difficult to fight for top positions. In rounds like this, competitiveness and performance are not enough, constancy, determination and a touch of good luck are going to be necessary. We aim to be in the game”.

In total, 9000 Pirelli tyres will be made available, transported by 21 trucks, and involving 90 Pirelli personnel on the ground – plus many more behind the scenes. As well as key motorsport staff from Italy, expertise from countries as far afield as the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Australia has been flown in: all territories where Pirelli has a key presence in major GT or stock car championships.

These people will work non-stop throughout the weekend, with Pirelli being exclusive supplier to the hugely popular Blancpain series. More than 60,000 people are expected to watch the round-the-clock race this weekend, which was first held in 1924.

As always though, the biggest challenge is presented by the epic 7.004-kilometre Spa circuit itself, thanks to rapid corners and fast compressions such as Eau Rouge. One of the key characteristics of Spa is variable weather, which means that the wet weather tyres are also likely to be used over the course of the weekend.

Pirelli will supply the P Zero DHC tyre for dry conditions and Cinturato WH for wet conditions. These tyres have to work equally well throughout the huge variety of weather conditions that are typical of Spa, and on a wide range of different vehicle architectures that include both front and rear mounted engines, with different drivetrain layouts.

More than 10 different brands are represented on the Blancpain GT Series, ranging in size from the Bentley Continental GT3 to the BMW Z4, presenting a radically diverse set of vehicle dynamics. In spite of this, there is just one single P Zero compound for dry conditions, and one for wet conditions.

This brings the tyres used on the Blancpain GT Series even closer to those used on supercars for the road, with Pirelli having established itself as the world leader in the Ultra High Performance market. Most of the car makes represented at the Spa 24 Hours use Pirelli P Zero tyres as original equipment on their road models, leading to a high degree of technology transfer. The lessons learned from competition at Spa have a direct benefit on the products that Pirelli creates for road-going supercars.

Although it is a race circuit, Spa offers several types of conditions that are seen on normal roads: a variety of asphalt, big changes in elevation and plenty of time spent at full throttle. Spa has a famous microclimate: it’s perfectly possible for it to be raining on one part of the circuit, but completely dry on another part – making it the ultimate test track for tyres.

Coping with these changing conditions is an important part of the tyre strategy, in order to minimise the effects of getting caught out. In general, the cars use one set of tyres per stint (which depending on the car is around 23 laps, or just over an hour). However, in the past, some crews, prioritising endurance over pure speed, have double-stinted the tyres. The time gained in the pits by doing this has to be offset against the time lost through degradation: all part of the complex strategy calculations.

The tyres themselves have to cope with huge lateral and longitudinal forces, as well as some sharp compressions. A total of 60 drivers will take the start, including Alex Zanardi (driving a BMW) and former grand prix driver and Le Mans class winner Gianmaria Bruni, in a Ferrari. Former DTM champion as well as Le Mans winners Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler will also be driving for Audi.

Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery commented: “The Spa 24 Hours is a true highlight of our sporting calendar and one of the most relevant applications of motorsport to our road car market, with race versions of the cars that we supply with original equipment competing for the overall win. As a venue, Spa needs no introduction: it’s an awesome challenge for every driver and with 60 cars expected to start, the battles are always extremely close, despite the wide variety of machinery. From a logistics point of view, Spa is actually our most complicated event: we’re supplying three times the number of cars that we do in Formula One, for a race that lasts 12 times longer! The road and weather conditions always vary a lot during the 24 hours, which is part of what makes it such a fascinating spectacle.”

It is the second straight year the Australian V8 Supercars-star has contested the world famous 24 hour event, raced at the formidable Spa-Francorchamps circuit. In 2014, Lowndes raced a Ferrari 458 for the AF Corse team in the Total 24 Hours of Spa, finishing third in class and eighth outright. His only previous visit to the legendary track was an F3000-race, back in 1997.

Craig Lowndes: “Naturally I am delighted to be returning to Spa, it’s the most amazing event on the best track ever. I learned so much last year and really wanted to go back and have another crack, and I have to thank Roger (Lago) for the opportunity. The driving line up is incredibly strong. David (Russell) is very fast and very experienced in these cars, as is Steve (Owen), and they both drove this event with Roger last year, so they also know the track and the event, and what to expect. Our Lamborghini will be brand new, to the very latest Reiter spec, so it’ll be a weapon for sure.”

Roger Lago (team owner): “Craig is of course an Australian motor racing legend, so I am over the moon that he’s accepted our offer to join the team. I think with his experience combined with that of David and Steve, we will be very competitive. We also have a lot of experience with these Lamborghinis now and I have no doubt the new car will be something even better, so I am very excited. Can’t wait to get there and fly the Australian flag.”

Max Koebolt was successful in karting before stepping up into single-seaters. He leaves no doubt about his ambitions in motorsport: “I want to be on the starting grid for the Le Mans 24 Hours one day and eventually stand on the podium there,” he says firmly. That also explains his choice to race GT cars, a decision he already made at an early age. “GT racing is getting stronger and more popular every year. As a driver, you can show your skills there,” Koebolt says. “When you succeed, there are also many opportunities to move on to the next level.” With Gulf Netherlands, Koebolt already has a fitting sponsor: Gulf’s blue and orange corporate colours are among the most famous liveries in motorsport, not in the least thanks to Steve McQueen’s film ‘Le Mans’.

In the Blancpain Endurance Series, Koebolt will be racing an Audi R8 LMS ultra, run by the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. The team of Vincent Vosse, René Verbist and Yves Weerts has more than made its mark in international GT racing over the past years, including a pair of victories in the Spa 24 Hours (2011 and 2014) plus teams’ and drivers’ titles in the Blancpain GT Series, the Blancpain Sprint Series and the Blancpain Endurance Series. “The Belgian Audi Club Team WRT has been tremendously successful in international GT racing,” says Max Koebolt. “I am proud that I can be a part of the team for this season. Moreover, the team has close links with Audi Sport, so who knows what that may lead to one day…”

Former driver Vincent Vosse, who runs the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, says: “We are delighted that we can give a talented driver like Max Koebolt the chance to get experience at an international level. He is by far the youngest driver ever to race for our team, but it is our intention to give him an environment in which he can learn as much as possible and can develop his talent.” In the Blancpain Endurance Series rounds, Max Koebolt will be sharing driving duties in the Audi R8 LMS ultra with French driver Sacha Bottemanne and Belgian Laurent Pasquali. Bottemanne previously raced in the French Porsche Carrera Cup, in which he competed for the team owned by rally legend Sébastien Loeb, while Pasquali caught the attention by winning the 2011 French GT Tour title.

A total of 56 cars to GT3 regulations from eleven different brands have been entered to race in the 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series. The calendar includes five events in Italy, Great Britain, France, Belgium and Germany. There are three races with a duration of three hours, one race that runs over 1,000 kilometres and one 24-hour race. In The Netherlands, RTL GP will be broadcasting the races on TV. The station will be present with its own team during the races.

Today, at the offices of the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium in Brussels, SRO Motorsports Group and the RACB announced that the cooperation between the two organisations for the Total 24 Hours of Spa will continue until at least 2018. The partnership between the RACB and SRO Motorsports Group started well over a decade ago, and translates into various forms of collaboration. The Belgian federation is not only the sporting authority for the Blancpain GT Series, but over half of the permanent officials in the Series are RACB license holders as well.

At the same time, title sponsor Total and Belgian national broadcaster RTBF confirmed their extended support to the blue riband event of the Blancpain GT Series. Besides being the official fuel supplier for the Belgian 24-hour race, Total traditionally launches an extensive promotion campaign for their customers in the weeks leading up to the event, considerably increasing attendance by fans during race weekend. Due to the partnership with the RTBF the whole of Belgium can enjoy the event through an exciting mix of live reports and extensive highlights, not only on the RTBF’s television channel, but also through its radio and internet outlets.

Exactly three months before entries close for the Belgian classic the participation of some 60 cars has already been confirmed, a number that will probably increase significantly in the course of the coming weeks and months. The number of teams entered in Pro Cup is at an unprecedented high level, and with new cars from Audi, Lamborghini and McLaren, the Belgian round of the Blancpain Endurance Series is sure to attract the interest of numerous race fans. Competition in the Pro-Am Cup and Am Cup promises to be fierce as well, with several teams adding the Belgian classic to their 2015 programme. And that is not all, since Alex Zanardi has decided that completing the Total 24 Hours of Spa will be his next great challenge. The Italian superman will surely be a popular presence on the starting grid.

To ensure that the whole of the Blancpain GT Series, and the Total 24 Hours of Spa in particular, can be organised in the safest circumstances possible, SRO Motorsports Group and RACB are implementing a strongly reinforced package of measures for the 2015 season. This will principally concern three major areas.

The first concerns amateur and rookie drivers. As previously announced as part of SRO’s collaboration with the Sean Edwards Foundation, all Bronze and young Silver drivers will need to take and pass a computer-based test which will gauge their knowledge of basic motorsport rules and regulations.

The usual Bronze test session has been extended and made mandatory for all Bronze and Silver drivers intending to take part in the Total 24 Hours of Spa, as well as for any Gold or Platinum drivers with no experience of the Circuit. This three-hour session, taking place on the Tuesday afternoon of the race week, will include a mandatory briefing and track walk. During the session, driver performance will be examined and supervised. SRO is delighted to announce that former Spa-winner Vincent Vosse and experienced GT-racer Bas Leinders will be joining the team to oversee this innovative training session. It should also be mentioned that the night qualifying session on the Thursday evening will be extended by 30 minutes to allow drivers more time to get used to the conditions.

A slight change in the calendar means that the Paul Ricard round will more than ever be the preparatory race for the Total 24 Hours of Spa, due to the new 1000 km race format, held on the Saturday afternoon and evening, with at least one hour taking place in full darkness. This will give teams and drivers the opportunity to test before the season highlight at Spa.

In collaboration with RACB, the sporting environment will be strongly reinforced in terms of both technical facilities and the personnel in charge of them. This includes race control, the stewards of the meeting, the pit lane officials and all those concerned with the sporting framework for the meeting. Improvements to timekeeping, internal messaging, additional radios and video camera supervision of the pit lane will all help to increase sporting equity and the smooth running of the event. A new team of safety car drivers, with suitable high-speed experience, will allow the field to be brought up to speed after yellow flag periods. Also, safety car exercises will take place during free practice to allow for proper training for both the safety car and the teams. A new control system for the pit exit lights will give greater control to the Race Director, while the Driver Advisor, former F1 and long-term GT3 Balance of Performance test driver Jean-Marc Gounon, will be working in close collaboration with the Officials of the meeting.

In terms of the sporting regulations of the Blancpain Endurance Series, a number of measures should also increase safety. This includes a new Full Course Yellow procedure, bringing all cars down to 80 km/h with no overtaking. Revised procedures for eventual red flag situations during the 24-hour race have also been added. Telemetry is now authorized from car to pits, giving teams the possibility for additional information on the state of their car. Last but not least, the Blancpain GT Series will be adopting Accident Data Recorder units in all full-season cars, as part of the FIA Institute programme, to allow data from any incidents to be fully examined and help to prevent accidents and increase safety in the future.

In short, everything is in place to make the 67th running of the Total 24 Hours of Spa an edition to remember for years to come. You know where you have to be during the last weekend of July…

François Cornelis (President Royal Automobile Club of Belgium): “The Total 24 Hours of Spa are part of our national sporting heritage. Together with the Formula 1 Grand Prix this event forms the highlight of the Belgian motorsports season, and is always attended by a large crowd of passionate fans. During this race, some of the most heroic pages of the history of Spa-Francorchamps have been written, both on the old and the new circuit. The race has adapted itself to modern times and it is still a must on the international calendar. After 15 years, our cooperation with SRO, and Stéphane Ratel in particular, is still a joy. Together we were able to let the event and the Blancpain Endurance Series evolve. We at the RACB are very happy to renew our confidence in this partner, who was able to revive the race and find the right formula to please fans, drivers and teams. We are convinced that the coming years will see even greater success for our organisations and for motorsports in general. I would also like to thank the people of Total, who has taken over from Proximus to promote endurance racing, sportsmanship and motorsports.”

Paul Mannes (CEO of Total Belgium): “Total and motorsports is a story about passion and performance. It also a unique test lab, allowing us to improve our consumer market products. That will be the case again this year, during the Total 24 Hours of Spa. Motorsports are the best possible laboratory to test our fuels and lubricants. It is the best possible way to question ourselves and to adapt our products to the new rules in motorsports, whether it is in Formula 1 or endurance racing. The information gathered will allow us to improve our products destined for the consumer markets. The best possible example is the launch of our Total Excellium New Generation range.”

Jean-Paul Phillipot (CEO of RTBF): “The link between the RTBF and the Total 24 Hours of Spa is a bit special, to say the least. The event is one of the highlights on the Belgian motorsports calendar, and this for two reasons. First, it is part of the motorsports history in our country, and the performances on this legendary track almost get mythical status. The Total 24 Hours of Spa are also an essential part of the sporting calendar covered by the RTBF. A very diverse calendar, but a calendar which includes all important sporting events on Belgian soil. We are very proud to be affiliated with the Spa event, which is why its coverage is of utmost importance to us. So whether it is on television, radio or internet, we will bring it all on July 25th-26th.”

Stephane Ratel (Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group): “I would like to thank the people of the RACB, Total and the RTBF for their continued support in making the Total 24 Hours of Spa one of the highlights on the international motorsports calendar. Motorsports is and always has been a team effort and SRO cannot imagine better partners to organise this great event. We all want to entertain the fans and give the teams and drivers the opportunity to fully exploit their talents in the safest of conditions. To make sure that this epic race fully realises its enormous potential, it was paramount to implement the necessary safety measures. I think that, together with the Sean Edwards Foundation, we have made a lot of progress in this area and I am already looking forward to what promises to be a historic edition of the Belgian classic.”

The Audi R8 LMS was in the spotlight at the Geneva Motor Show just recently, at the beginning of the month, and about three weeks later it has to prove itself for the first time in the ‘Green Hell’ of the Nürburgring. The Audi R8 LMS will be competing there on the last weekend in March. In the opening race of the VLN Endurance Championship, the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT and Team Phoenix Racing will each be fielding one of the brand new GT3 race cars. Both teams have excellent references. The Belgian team of Vincent Vosse decided the Spa 24 Hours in its favor last year, while Ernst Moser’s Phoenix squad based in the Eifel won the endurance race on its doorstep.

“Our new Audi R8 LMS is ready for a rigorous testing program in racing conditions,” says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “We selected the two toughest 24-hour races in Europe that GT3 cars are permitted to compete in. In Phoenix Racing and the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT we’ve got two teams that have been spoiled by success at our side. Towards the end of the year we’re going to deliver a powerful new race car to our customers.”

Successful Audi race drivers from various motorsport series are going to take turns at the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS in the events at the Nürburgring and at Spa. The former DTM Champion Mike Rockenfeller and his fellow Audi driver Nico Müller, the Le Mans winners Marcel Fässler and Stéphane Ortelli, WEC driver René Rast, last year’s winners at the Nürburgring and at Spa, plus many other top-caliber GT drivers are completing the line-up of both teams.

In addition, the new Audi R8 LMS will be competing in selected other races in the 2015 season, such as the second VLN race on April 25 and individual rounds of the Blancpain Endurance Series.

The driver line-ups of Audi Sport customer racing

March 28, 2015, VLN 1

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT
Christer Jöns/Nico Müller/Edward Sandström/Nicki Thiim (D/CH/S/DK)

Phoenix Racing
Marc Basseng/Christopher Haase/Mike Rockenfeller/Frank Stippler (D/D/D/D)

May 16–17, 2015, Nürburgring 24 Hours

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT
Christopher Mies/Nico Müller/Edward Sandström/Laurens Vanthoor (D/CH/S/B)
Christer Jöns/Pierre Kaffer/Nicki Thiim/Laurens Vanthoor (D/D/DK/B)

Phoenix Racing
Christopher Haase/Christian Mamerow/René Rast/Markus Winkelhock (D/D/D/D)
Marc Basseng/Marcel Fässler/Mike Rockenfeller/Frank Stippler (D/CH/D/D)

July 25–26, 2015, Spa 24 Hours

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT
René Rast/Laurens Vanthoor/Markus Winkelhock (D/B/D)
Nico Müller/Stéphane Ortelli/Frank Stippler (CH/MC/D)

Phoenix Racing
Marcel Fässler/Christian Mamerow/Mike Rockenfeller (CH/D/D)
Christopher Haase/Christopher Mies/Nicki Thiim (D/D/DK)

“The driver line-up for the Blancpain Endurance Series has been finalised, we are ready for the season to start,” Hans-Peter Naundorf enthuses. ROWE RACING’s team principal has plenty of reasons to be happy: with Stef Dusseldorp, he has added a high-quality new driver to the team. In previous years, the Dutchman already successfully competed in the Blancpain Endurance Series (BES) and scored one victory and further podium finishes in the process. In 2014, he was fifth in the final BES drivers’ standings.

A quick trio of drivers for the BES

The other two ROWE RACING drivers Nico Bastian and Klaus Graf, who will be sharing driving duties in the number #99 Mercedes-Benz gullwing with Dusseldorp, are by no means less successful. Both in 2014 and 2013, Nico Bastian finished third in the Nürburgring 24-hour race. Klaus Graf also has a third place in the Nürburgring 24 Hours to his tally.

“We are delighted that we have got an experienced driver like Stef on board for our team. He is the perfect addition to Nico and Klaus. I am confident that the three will be able to be among the front runners in the BES right away,” Naundorf says. The team from Worms in Germany will be competing in all BES rounds for the first time this year, including the Spa 24 Hours. The opening round of the BES season will be held at Monza, 12 April.

Parisy will start his first season with Bentley Team HTP, but is not completely new to the team, as he competed with HTP Motorsport two years ago in a race at Baku. “Driving for Bentley Team HTP is a great opportunity”, says Parisy, who is a race winner in the FIA GT3 Endurance Championship, GT1 World Championship and national French GT. “The success story of HTP Motorsport is impressive, the team and the car look great.”

At Bentley Team HTP, Parisy will form a team with Abril and Primat and also with race engineer Renaud Dufour, with whom he was successful in the past. With Dufour engineering his car, Parisy won races in the FIA GT3 European Championship in 2010 and 2011. “It is great to work with Renaud again. I started my career in GT racing with him, we know each other very well. The drivers, the team, the car and the race engineer form a very strong package at HTP Motorsport, and this is very important.“
 
Parisy has tested the Bentley Continental GT3 on several occasions in the past months and is impressed by the car. “The car is very good, I have a good feeling with it and our tests were promising. The Bentley is fast and well balanced so I’m hoping we can have a successful season.”

In the five-round Blancpain Endurance Series Parisy will form a trio with newcomer Abril and Primat, who has already been successful with the team in 2014. “Together we will have a good chance to fight for podium positions in the Endurance Series. With Harold and Vincent we are a fast and very consistent trio. We are a small “French speaking clique“, which is good for our teamwork and a good starting point. The atmosphere in the team is great, not only among the French, it’s also great to work with Norbert Brückner and Gerhard Ungar.“

Parisy sets a clear goal for his first season with Bentley Team HTP: “I’m looking forward to a great season with Bentley Team HTP and would like to do my part to add another chapter to the success story of the team.“

This year’s prestigious Blancpain Endurance Series boasts a packed grid with an unprecedented 23 cars in the Pro Class and competition for the title is set to be fierce with no fewer than 56 cars expected to descend on Italy’s iconic Monza circuit for the championship’s opening round on April 11-12.

“We’re all really looking forward to this year in the Blancpain;” said Team Boss Bartrum. “GT’s has a become a big focal point of our business now so to have such a strong line up at the right time is crucial and I think that’s what we’ve got this year with Ahmad, Dan and Jonny.”
 
“Having Jonny on board this year is fantastic. He’s a proven works driver and obviously knows the Aston very well but he’s also familiar with the Motorbase set up from racing with us in the BTCC back in 2009.”

“I’ve known Dan from my days watching him in the Porsche Carrera Cup and I’ve always thought that he’s a very fine talent.  Having worked with him over the past few weeks he seems a top lad and a top driver and a perfect fit for Motorbase.”
 
The five events on the Blancpain Endurance Series calendar see Motorbase compete on several of Europe’s most iconic circuits with proceedings starting at the Autodromo Nazionale, Monza before the series’ only UK round at Silverstone in May where the squad secured its highest placed result during its maiden season in 2014.

“This will be Ahmad’s third year with us and our second full season in the Blancpain and we’re confident that with our new driver line up we’re coming back to the grid stronger and wiser than last year;” Bartrum added. “We have unfinished business in the Blancpain and we’re all keen to get started and head to Monza for round 1.”

Paul Ricard (FRA). The fantastic French circuit of Paul Ricard was the place for the first official exit of Glorax Racing in the prestigious Blancpain Endurance Series. The two days of collective tests, with nearly 50 cars, have allowed the Swiss team directed by Rino Mastronardi to perform all tasks scheduled with the technical staff in front of the first race of the season at Monza. The optimal climatic condition allowed the team to work on the set up of the Ferrari 458 GT3 to concretize some solutions with more than satisfactory results. Three drivers alterned on board: Russian Andrey Birzhin, Greek Dimitrios Deverikos and also Rino Mastronardi. The team, which took over in late 2014 Blackbull Racing’s cars and technical staff, will attend the Blancpain Endurance Series with Birzhin and Mastronardi, with Deverikos pretty sure; ongoing negotiations with other drivers for a second car and for a seat at the Spa 24 Hours.

Rino Mastronardi: “The two testing days have represented a real set up for cars, team and drivers. In particular from race simulation, we understood we have a good level of overall performance”.

Andrey Birzhin: “I have a good experience in motocross, but car races need a different precision and consistency: with Mastronardi’s help, I’m trying to improve these two things. Because of this I’m very happy about two testing days because I drove with regularity and without any error”.

 The 67th edition of the famous race at the “Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps”, with a long tradition dating back to 1924, will be held from 25th to 26th July 2015. It will be the first appearance in a 24-hour race for Zanardi, who had lost both of his legs in a severe accident in 2001. From 2003 to 2009 he successfully competed in the FIA European Touring Car Championship (FIA ETCC) and the FIA World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC) with BMW Motorsport. After a break of four years he returned to racing in 2014 as a BMW works driver and competed in the Blancpain Sprint Series in a BMW Z4 GT3 modified to his special needs.

 The participation in the top category of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, however, will mark a new challenge for Zanardi and BMW Motorsport: for the first time ever, Zanardi will share the cockpit with other, non-disabled drivers. The task for the technicians at BMW Motorsport was to find solutions to modify the BMW Z4 GT3 in a way that allows driver changes within a very short time. During the pit stops, the car must be adapted to the different needs of a driver with legs and a driver without legs as fast as possible. For this reason, BMW Motorsport is developing special components for accelerating, braking and changing gears. Zanardi’s team and team-mates will be announced at a later date.

 “We are really excited to take on this great new adventure with Alex”, said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “In his 2014 comeback season with the modified BMW Z4 GT3 he once more demonstrated that everything is possible if you bring determination and technical know-how together. To participate together in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is the next milestone in our long and close partnership. For sure, it is not an easy task to develop the modifications which are required when Alex shares the cockpit with other drivers. But is a great challenge for our engineers at BMW Motorsport which we face with a lot of enthusiasm. We can’t wait to see Alex lining up on the grid of this prestigious race in our BMW Z4 GT3.”

 “To compete in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will definitely be the next highlight in my career”, commented Zanardi. “I have been dreaming of racing in an endurance classic like this for a long time, and it is great that Jens Marquardt and BMW Motorsport turn this dream into a reality. If you first look at it, it seems impossible that a guy with no legs like me lines up together with ‘normal’ drivers in such a highly competitive, tough and prestigious event. But I know that my friends at BMW Motorsport have all the technical expertise and innovative ideas to master this challenge. I really want to thank them for all their efforts and am looking forward to this new adventure of our BMW family.”

 To prepare for the endurance race, the BMW works driver will participate in the Paul Ricard round of the Blancpain Endurance Series on 19th and 20th June in Le Castellet (FR) and will join the official test for the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on 24th June. Further race participations are planned but still have to be confirmed.

 2015 will be another busy year for Zanardi, as the BMW Brand Ambassador again combines his activities as a racing driver and a para-athlete. He will take part in the Para-Cycling World Cup and only one week after racing in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, he will compete in the Para-Cycling World Championships, which are held in Nottwil in Switzerland from 28th July to 2nd August. Zanardi has so far won four world championship titles, two in 2013 and two in 2014. This year, he is aiming to continue his winning streak with his hand-bike.

 In October, he wants to head to Hawaii (US) again and compete in the famous long-distance triathlon for the second time. Last year, he successfully debuted at this ultimate challenge in endurance sports. Zanardi completed the overall distance of 226.255 kilometres in a time of 9:47:14 hours. He was 272nd overall among the 2,187 athletes to reach the finish. In his age group M45-49 he finished 19th out of 247.

Daniel will be back behind the wheel of the Motorbase-run Aston Martin Vantage V12 GT3 alongside 2014 British GT runner up Ahmad Al Harthy and an as-yet named, third driver as the Kent-based squad mounts its challenge on the Pro Cup class for the second year running.

The prestigious Blancpain Endurance Series pitches many of the world’s leading marques and works teams such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren against each other and this year boasts a packed grid with an unprecedented number of professional drivers and teams taking part. Competition is fierce with no fewer than 56 cars set to appear on Italy’s iconic Monza circuit for the championship’s opening round on April 11.

“It’s really exciting to be finally announcing this news; said Daniel. “We actually knew about the Blancpain programme at the same time as the British GT but we had to wait a bit longer to announce our plans. The Blancpain is the next piece in the jigsaw for me; it ticks all of the boxes in regards to where I need to be and what I need to be doing to take the next step in my racing career. It’ll be my second year in GT racing, so after a bit of a rocky season last year to now have such a good drive with a front-running team for this year is a great feeling.
 
“The two campaigns work alongside each other perfectly. It’s a great fit for our sponsors to have the exposure from the British GT in the UK and also allows me to move forward racing alongside the big factory teams in Europe in the BES, which is a fantastic opportunity for my career.”
 
The MSA Team UK driver added; “It’s a really competitive grid this year, with 23 cars in the Pro Cup.  Being in the Pro Class, we’re up against all of the factory teams, and in some cases against fully paid professional drivers so the competition will be tough but we’re aiming to be competitive from the off. We showed that last week at the official [Paul Ricard] test where we finished the first day third quickest. We proved that the car can do it, it’s just a case of seeing where we stand against the other teams come the first round.”

The five endurance events on the 2015 Blancpain GT Series calendar take place on some of Europe’s most iconic circuits throughout the season with proceedings starting at the Autodromo Nazionale, Monza before moving onto the series’ only UK round, the Silverstone 500 in May.  Next stop on the calendar is France’s picturesque Paul Ricard circuit before the highlight of the season – the Total 24 hours of Spa – in July, with the series coming to close on Germany’s legendary Nürburgring in September.

“I’m 100% ready for the start of the season. We’ve got the first British GT round at Oulton Park the weekend before heading to Monza and this year will be the first time that I’ve done a dual campaign. Monza is the only circuit on the calendar that I’ve not been to before so that’s going to be a bit of a hurdle to learn, but I’m hugely excited about racing there for the first time – it’s an incredible circuit with a great history and I can’t wait.”

“I’m massively looking forward to heading back to Spa for the 24 hour race this year;” added 23 year old Daniel. “I went there last season and it was the most amazing event but unfortunately I didn’t get a lap in the car so to go back and have another shot at it is something that I’m especially looking forward to.”

Motorbase Performance Team Principal David Bartrum added: “I’ve known Daniel from my days watching him in the Porsche Carrera Cup and I’ve always thought that he’s very fine talent.  Having worked with him over the past few weeks he seems a top lad and a top driver and a perfect fit for Motorbase.”
 
“We have great support from our sponsors once again this year and it’s really thanks to them that we’ve been able to put this campaign together for this season;” added Daniel. “The dual European campaign really does offer an amazing business opportunity and we are still looking for new partners and sponsors to join us for what is set to be our most exciting season yet.”

Daniel’s season gets underway at his local circuit, Oulton Park, over the Easter weekend (April 4-6) with a double header opener in the British GT before he makes his Motorbase debut on Italy’s world famous Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit the following weekend (April 11-12) for the opening round of the 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series.

Two days of official testing in Blancpain Endurance Series saw Danish Insight Racing finish on a high. Second best lap time overall was testiment to progress made by the Ferrari team based in Hedehusene, Denmark.

45 cars took part in testing in France. Thirteen cars were within a second on day two of testing with Martin Jensen’s 1:57,065 second only to the TDS BMW Z4 GT3.

Martin Jensen, teammanager and driver:

“That was a really great test – not only because of the result, but also because of how the team gelled. We have made a few changes to the team during the winter and had to get used to that, but everything worked out fine.

We managed to try a number of setup changes that we have pondered for a long time, but never really had the opportunity to test. Having tried those changes, it would have been great to have had the time to try them earlier, as we gained a lot.

Dennis managed to do some longer stints and even cut quite a bit of time off his previous best.

Now we are looking forward to some more testing the next couple of days in Misano, Italy. Having two tests so close will be really productive with everything fresh in our memories, and we even get to try out the latest upgrade kit for the 458 GT3.”

Dennis Andersen, driver:

“The first day was all about getting ready, learning about the car and going through the programme and getting some track time to get used to the car again.
.
On day two we worked a lot on the setup and brakes – something both Martin and I appreciated, Martin by setting second best time and me by shaving off a second of my personal best. There is still a lot to improve on my side, but that is what fascinates me in racing!”

In this extremely important two-day test, laps were completed by all six official Lamborghini Squadra Corse drivers involved in this year’s Blancpain Endurance Series. Fabio Babini, Jeroen Mul and Andrew Palmer joined the track on Wednesday while Adrian Zaugg, Mirko Bortolotti and Giovanni Venturini were out on the circuit yesterday.

In a demanding session which involved more than 45 cars, the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 demonstrated its potential as it covered an impressive number of laps. The Huracán GT3’s next outing will be in Vallelunga on the 1/2 April for a final test before the Monza opening round on 12 April 2015.

Paul Ricard was the scenery for the traditional official collective test of Blancpain Endurance Series 2015. An Incredible entry list of 43 cars was entered in this preseason event, with 11 different constructors involved and more than ninety drivers in the circuit in the two days of testing.

High Class Racing was present with his Audi R8 LMS GT3 by the hand of Anders Fjordbach, who will run all the season with I.S.R Racing team. After a good private test in Slovakia Ring the Danish comes to the Mediterranean track full of confidence “Last week we were testing some different adjustments on the R8, and I felt very comfortable with what we gain. This two days here in Paul Ricard, for sure that will be very useful to continue improving things on the car”

The test, which was divided in two days, started on Wednesday in a excellent sunny conditions that permitted the team run without interruptions with the Pirelli slick tyres. The compounds worked perfectly in all the stings done and the drivers left the baket of the R8 satisfied.

Cacá and Jimenez will also compete in the seven races of the GT Sprint Series, where they got four podiums last year.

The team, led by Antonio Hermann and Washington Bezerra, also has another car in the championship, the BMW Z4 #77. The drivers Valdeno Brito and Átila Abreu are already confirmed in the Sprint and Endurance Series. Their teammate in the endurance will be announced soon.

Fraga will make his debut with the team on 12nd of April, at Monza circuit (Italy), in a race of 3 hours. But he will already feel your new car this weekend (14th and 15th) in a private test of the BMW Team Brazil in Portimao circuit in Algarve (Por). Cacá and Átila will also participate in the test program. The Brazilian team will still have the German Dirk Müller, factory BMW driver, in the track. He was invited to the tests and can be a substitute for the holders in the case of coincidence of the Blancpain GT Series dates and Stock Car in Brazil.

With a lot of tittles in go-karting, Fraga raced in Europe in 2012 in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps, which provided him know most of the tracks where he will race this year. The driver returned to Brazil in 2013 and was the champion in the Brazilian Tourism Championship. He debuted in Stock Car Brazil last year and became the youngest driver to win a race in the category, precisely in his debut race. Now, the driver celebrates this new challenge and the chance to return to Europe.

“I am very happy. To race alongside Cacá, who is my manager and mentor, and Jimenez will be very good and I am sure that we will form a very strong trio. I am also happy to return to race in Europe. Of all the calendar tracks, the only one I don´t know is Silverstone, so I think that this point will help my adaptation. The car is different, has more power than a stock car, so I hope to learn a lot in testing and I look forward to start working with the team”, said Fraga.

Even though these two days of testing at Circuit Paul Ricard in the South of France were more about improving the cars for the 2015 season than about clocking a good lap time, the numbers on the timesheets give a glimpse of what we can expect during the 2015 season of the Blancpain Endurance Series. With thirteen cars within the same second on the second day of testing it was clear that every little detail will be important in increasing the competitiveness of the cars. After the #88 Reiter Lamborghini Gallardo took the honours on the opening day, it was the #12 TDS Racing BMW Z4 that set the quickest day on Thursday, beating the #17 Insightracing Denmark Ferrari by just over two tenths of a second.

The fact that there were barely any incidents of note during the two days of testing on Circuit Paul Ricard only confirmed that the Blancpain Endurance Series will enjoy a high level of racing in 2015. With plenty of new cars in action, as well as teams testing their new 2015 machinery, there was no lack of interest from fans, media and teams alike. The ideal weather conditions only added to the pleasure of watching the best GT teams and drivers hurtling their GT3 chariots around the 5.791 km long ribbon of asphalt.

The cars that claimed most of the attention were the new Lamborghini Huracán of Grasser Racing Team and the McLaren 650S of Von Ryan Racing, both making a first time appearance in an official Blancpain Endurance Series session. There was also pleasant surprise in the form of the unannounced and new Audi R8 LMS ultra. The striking white machine will participate in its first Blancpain GT Series race during the course of the season.

Some teams also took the opportunity to announce their line-ups for the upcoming season. In the MRS GT Racing Nissan GT-R Nismo, Craig Dolby and Sean Walkinshaw will be accompanied by former LMP2 Le Mans winner Martin Plowman. The 27-year old made his GT debut during the testing days and although satisfied with his performances, Plowman admitted that he still had a lot to learn.

McLaren GT customer team Von Ryan Racing has announced its drivers for the new McLaren 650S as well, with Rob Bell, Kevin Estre and Alvaro Parente being joined by recently confirmed factory drivers Bruno Senna and Shane Van Gisbergen.

The #23 Nissan GT Academy Team RJN Nismo GT-R will be driven by Frenchman Gaetan Paletou and Mexican Ricardo Sanchez, laureates of the European and International GT Academy competitions in 2014. Other teams are finalising their line-ups for the upcoming season and the coming days should see a number of interesting announcements.

Martin Plowman (#14 MRS GT Racing Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3): “The Blancpain Endurance Series takes us to some fantastic circuits, with big grids and more than 20 cars in the Pro class alone. These are races that any team and any driver would be proud to win, in particular the blue riband event, the Total 24 Hours of Spa. A race I would love to add on my CV alongside the Le Mans win!”

Renaud Dufour (Technical Director Bentley Team HTP): “We are rather satisfied with the progress we have made. The car proves to be very competitive. We have tried several set-ups, and gave the drivers plenty of opportunity to get acquainted with the car. The Bentley Continental GT3 is a very reliable machine, and easy to drive. We still have some work to do, but we are getting there, step by step. Even though the size of the car means that some tracks will suit it better than others, we hope to be at the front from the opening round of the 2015 season.”

Gottfried Grasser (Team Principal Grasser Racing Team): “The Huracán has shown during these and previous tests that it is a very strong car. We have completed some 8.000 kms during winter testing, and have not encountered one major problem. It is the best way to start the season. Performance-wise we will see where we are at the first race, but since I think that most lap times here in Le Castellet were representative, I guess we should be able to finish inside the top 10. Of course we would love to win, but such a result would be a good base to start from. Don’t forget that there still is some development to do on the Huracán. But these tests have shown that we have taken the right approach, this car is perfect for the future.”

And there was the first opportunity too to see the full 2015 driver squad as the already confirmed Sean Walkinshaw and Craig Dolby were joined by new season signing Martin Plowman.

Plowman joins the MRS GT-Racing effort with an impressive CV behind him:

A race winner in Indy Lights, Martin went on to race in the IndyCar Series, including the Indianapolis 500.

More recently he has had global success in sportscars taking the FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class, powered by Nissan, in an Oak Racing Morgan in 2013, including a win at the world famous Le Mans 24 Hours.

For 2015 he turns to GT Racing and is very excited by the prospect of a season aboard the MRS GT-Racing Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.

“I already know what NISMO can do. It was their engine that powered me to World Championship success so I am expecting great things from the new Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.
 
“The car looks great, feels great and I am super happy with the programme that MRS and JRM Group have put together.
 
“Looking at the entry list it is going to be a tough year, but I’m sure the others are looking too and my guess is that we’re on their ‘hard-to-beat’ list.”

“My time in the World Endurance Series showed me that the discipline of a multi driver squad and longer races suits me very well.  
 
“The Blancpain Series takes us to some fantastic circuits, with big grids and 20+ cars in the Pro class alone. These are races that any team, and any driver would be proud to win, in particular the blue riband event, the Spa 24 Hours. A race I would love to add on my cv alongside the Le Mans win!
 
For MRS GT-Racing – Karsten Molitor said:

“It is great to have a driver line-up, and a car, that we can be confident will be in contention this year.
 
“NISMO have made a great step forward with the 2015 GT-R and now it is up to us to make the most of its potential.

For JRM Group Partnership Manager James Walters said:

“Martin is the perfect final piece in the jigsaw. Everyone is now looking forward to the racing that lies ahead.
 
“To have Martin’s experience, alongside that of Craig Dolby, should be the perfect environment to develop our new young development driver Sean Walkinshaw.  
 
“The next two days give us a great opportunity to get the whole team working well together, learning about the car and each other. We want to hit the ground running when the season proper starts.

Vervisch, class 1986, moved to single seater racing in 2004. It was the start of a long series of wins and titles, such as French Formula 3 Vice Champion, German & Asian Formula 3 Champion and Champcar Atlantic Rookie Champion.
The Belgian finished his single seater career with a 3rd place in the highly valued Superleague Formula.
Since his GT entry, he has been one of the protagonists of the Belgian Racing Car Championship – Long Races Cup, where he ended last season taking the title of vice-champion.

Frédéric Vervisch:
“Racing in a highly professional team was my first objective for 2015 and when Igor Salaquarda showed me I.S.R Racing sporting programme and the team’s working method I realized what my future would have been. Marco and Filip are two excellent team mates and the Audi R8 LMS ultra is a very competitive car: I am certain a successful season is ahead of us”.

The new lineup will make its debut next 11 March at Paul Ricard for the two collective testing days proceeding the Blancpain Endurance Series. In that occasion, Team I.S.R. Racing will take on track the two Audi R8 LMS ultra that will be running during the season.

“The entry in the Blancpain Endurance Series is another step in the integration between the Audi Sport platforms in Asia and Europe. Phoenix Racing is one of the most successful and experienced motorsport teams worldwide. The partnership will further elevate our development program for young Asian talents like Shaun Thong”, said Rene Koneberg, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia.

Over the years, Phoenix Racing has achieved number one positions with Audi in a range of prestigious events, like the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), Nürburgring 24h, Spa 24h and Bathurst 12h.

“Asia, especially China, is one of the largest markets for Audi in the world and there is a constantly growing racing scene there with many young and talented drivers. It’s great to have a first step in to such a market with this project and we are very happy to enter the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2015 with Marchy and Shaun alongside our well-known Phoenix Racing driver Markus Winkelhock”, commented Ernst Moser, Director of Phoenix Racing.

Hong Kong youngster Shaun Thong will also race in the new Audi Sport TT Cup in Europe, where he will again meet teammate Winkelhock, who is the official Audi Sport TT Cup coach. In 2015, 12 Audi Sport TT Cup races will be held at six DTM race weekends.

Thong will also be part of the first all-Asian team of Audi race experience for the 2015 Nürburgring 24h. For the endurance race in the famous “Green Hell”, he will be joined by drivers from the Audi R8 LMS Cup. The final team will be announced soon after more testing during upcoming VLN runs.

In addition to offering opportunities for Asian talents in Europe, Audi is actively developing motorsport activities throughout Asia. The Audi R8 LMS Cup was founded in China in 2012 as the first brand Cup of Audi worldwide and has since expanded all across Asia. In 2015, the sprint race series will visit China, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia. For the first time, the GT competition will also have a stop in Taiwan. The 2015 season kicks off on March 21-22 at South China’s Zhuhai.

Furthermore, Audi Sport customer racing Asia supports entries in a range of regional motorsport events, like the GT Asia series and the Macau GT Cup.

“We are already eagerly anticipating our new task. The Blancpain Endurance Series is a demanding category with very attractive circuits in Europe that we already know from test sessions and other races. We have a background in endurance racing, an area in which we have already had a lot of success. Therefore, we want to find our way quickly and be able to challenge for positions at the front of the field. We will soon announce our driver line-up with which we want to achieve this goal,” ROWE RACING’s team principal Hans-Peter Naundorf is looking ahead to the start in March.

Next to the Blancpain Endurance Series, ROWE RACING will again be competing in the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring in the 2015 season as well. Last year, the team clearly showed its abilities with two victories and a third place. However, Naundorf doesn’t intend to rest on these laurels: “We will continue to work on our performance to ensure that we can be contenders for victory in every race.” The first VLN round at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife will take place on 27 and 28 March. Once again, the Nürburgring 24-hour race, scheduled to take place from 14 till 17 May this year, is also firmly included into the ROWE RACING calendar. Here, the gullwing from the team from Worms is among the favourites after its pair of third-place finishes in 2014 and 2013.

The start for the 67th edition of the biggest GT race in the world will be given on Saturday July 25th at 16:30, but the Total 24 Hours of Spa is much more than a race twice around the clock. The action on the iconic Belgian track gets underway on Tuesday July 21st, with the new three-hour practice session for Bronze drivers.

On Wednesday July 22nd , the 60 or more cars participating in the event will form the ever-spectacular parade from the circuit to the centre of Spa. It will be followed by a lengthy autograph session, an excellent opportunity to admire cars and drivers up close before the start of the race.

Thursday will be time to focus on the free practice, pre-qualifying and qualifying sessions. The starting grid will be determined on Friday afternoon, with the spectacular Super Pole session, reserved for the 20 fastest cars from qualifying.

You can admire all this, plus a lavishly filled support program (consisting of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, the Italian and French Porsche Carrera Cups, the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC and the Trofeo Abarth Europe) with one single ticket. Race tickets (valid for both Saturday and Sunday) are available from 30 €, and provide free entrance during the practice and qualifying sessions on Thursday and Friday. The ticket also allows you to enjoy the events in the Total 24 Hours of Spa Village, where young and old will certainly appreciate the cheerful atmosphere. On top of that you can also attend the exclusive concert on Saturday evening, the line-up of which will be announced shortly.

Further ticket formulas include separate tickets for Thursday, Friday and Sunday (from 15 € upwards), and a variety of VIP packages, starting at 180 €.

Practical information – Total 24 Hours of Spa

When: 21-26 July 2015

Tickets: from 15 €
General Entrance : 30 € (includes free entrance on Thursday and Friday)
General Entrance + paddock : 60 € (includes free entrance on Thursday and Friday)
VIP packages : from 180 €

Children aged 12 or under, accompanied by an adult, enter for free
Sales on : www.ticketmaster.be

Test Day: Wednesday June 24th

Race Week

Tuesday July 21st
Bronze test 15:00 – 18:00

Wednesday July 22nd
Parade Spa 16:00
Autograph session 17:00-18 :00

Thursday July 23rd
Free Practice 12:00-13:30
Pre-Qualifying 18:10-19:10
Qualifying 20:30-21:45
Night Qualifying 22:15-23:45

Friday July 24th
Super Pole 15:30-15:55

Saturday July 25th
Warm Up 09:05-09:25
Starting procedure & Grid walk 15:45-16:30
Start of the Total 24 hours of Spa 16:30