The FIA GT3 Championship gets back on track this weekend after a long summer break and the venue for rounds seven and eight is the popular Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal.
CRS Racing has a slightly different driver line-up for this event. Klaas Hummel and Chris Goodwin will race Ferrari No.55 as normal, but the Portuguese round sees CRS welcoming Danny van Dongen to the team to race alongside Phil Quaife. Dongen, a Dutch racer, is standing in for Robert Hissom who is otherwise engaged with business commitments this weekend.
The Algarve track was only completed in 2008 but it has already proven to be popular with some of the world’s top racing drivers. The CRS drivers are no exception and have enjoyed the experiences they have had there, whether racing, or in Chris Goodwin’s case, on a recent holiday!
“The Algarve is a fantastic place to go on holiday; I’ve actually just come back from there and I can recommend a great place to buy ice-cream!” commented Chris Goodwin. “The track is a big surprise the first time you go there as it is hidden away. It’s hard to believe it when you come off the motorway and find a very impressive race track tucked away. I really like the track. It’s very imaginative with some fantastic and unusual corners. With so many of today’s circuits being so similar it is refreshing to go to the Algarve track where a lot of the corners are unique. I particularly like the high-speed straight that comes off a fast corner and has a good overtaking opportunity at the end. Mix all this in with lots of elevation changes and I think we will have a great GT3 race on our hands.”
Phil Quaife, who did a good job for the team at the Spa 24 Hours this summer, is looking forward to a couple of rollercoaster races this weekend.
“I’m looking forward to the next round of the FIA GT3 Championship after a long break following the Spa 24 Hours,” said Phil. “It will be great to be back in the seat and especially at the new circuit in the Algarve, where we tested at the beginning of the season. I think it will suit the Ferrari quite well, if we nail the set-up in testing. My first impressions of the circuit were that it is similar to a ride at Alton Towers: very undulating and pretty demanding. I have a new team mate for this event and I am looking forward to working with him and pushing hard for the best result possible.”
The first one-hour race will be held this Sunday (13 September) at 10 30hrs with the second following on later that day at 15 00hrs.
Source : CRS Racing