This Autumn Trackspeed racing will be heading to Azerbaijan to compete in the final round of the FIA GT Championship. By virtue of Trackspeed securing the 2013 Avon Tyres British GT Team Championship title, for the fourth successive year, the SRO have invited the Surrey-based team to race on the capital city’s street circuit.
Located on a peninsula in the Caspian sea, Baku is nicknamed the ‘City of Winds’ because of it’s year round blustery weather, and Trackspeed will be hoping to storm to the front of the Pro class races. The pair of one-hour races are Baku’s first FIA GT street races, that will be run with a beautiful backdrop of castles, harbours and park land.
Trackspeed will be fielding a pair of 997 Porsches that have secured several victories in the British GT series and helped propel them to the team championship title. In the first GT3R will be Danny Watts and Martin Ragginger who bring their vast experience to the historic city. Watts brings to the table a wealth of experience in endurance racing and Porsches. The Brit not only has a Le Mans LMP2 title to his name, but also a CV that boasts campaigns in Porsche Carerra Cup, Porsche Super Cup, Formula 3, Formula Renault and A1GP.
“I’m personally really excited to be reunited with Trackspeed as I last raced with the team back in 2006 in British GT at Brands Hatch, Donington Park and the Pau race in France, sharing with David Ashburn.” Former Autosport British Club Driver of The Year, Watts, shares. “Our aim is to win both the races, as the Porsche should really suit the layout with it’s good traction. Martin knows the car very well indeed and is the perfect team mate to help me get back up to speed in a GT car compared to the LMP1 prototype I’m used too.”
Austrian, Ragginger returns to Trackspeed for the first time since his last appearance with the team in the 2010 FIA European GT Championship at Silverstone. With regular appearances in FIA GT, ALMS, Le Mans, Grand-AM, Blancpain Endurance Series and Porsche Super Cup, the Salzburg-based racer has the credentials to mix it up at the sharp end of the pack.
British GT regulars Stephen Jelley and Phil Keen will pilot the second Trackspeed Porsche around the historic streets of Baku. The duo who normally race sister cars in the UK’s leading GT Championship will be paired up for the first time in their long established careers, as they bid for success in the Pro class. “I’m looking forward to Baku.” Keen said this week. “I enjoy street circuits and driving with Stephen Jelly will be good. The Porsche is a good car and I feel Trackspeed do a great job with the cars. A good result will be great, me and Stephen get on well, so hopefully together we can do a good job with the car and qualify well, then see how the races go.”
Keen and Jelley certainly have a wealth of experience in the Trackspeed Porsches. Keen who normally partners Jon Minshaw in the British GT series has already claimed a race win and a podium finish in the 997R this year. Jelley, who has partnered classics racer Gregor Fisken for the past five rounds of British GT’s has a proven pedigree in motorsports, with a career that has encompassed F3, BTCC and Porsche Carerra Cup.
For Trackspeed Racing’s manager, Keith Cheetham, the invitation to Baku is an honourable and worthy challenge for the entire team. “We are very excited to be invited and now with two cars so a big thank you to British GT and the SRO.” Cheetham said this week. “We’re looking forward to having two Porsches in the sprint series along with our Pro line up. It should be a fantastic race for Trackspeed and team owner David Ashburn who will, for the first time, watch his team compete as an all Pro line up. The team is looking forward to working as a Pro team and hopefully show we can compete at the highest level. Baku and SRO are doing a fantastic job of helping us organize and prepare for what is going to be the highlight of our season.”
The action from the city of Baku kicks off after the British GT season ends, with two qualifying sessions. Followed by two races on the Sunday, which will be broadcast live from the FIA GT website and on Eurosport