The approaching weekend is probably one of the most complicated for the riders and official manufacturers involved in the world of endurance.
As we had already anticipated over a year ago, the concomitance of the various GT/Endurance calendars would have put the various manufacturers at risk in having to choose their priority commitments and possibly sacrifice one program over another.
In fact, the GT World Challenge Europe is being held in Monza, the fourth seasonal event of the Endurance Cup, with the same race valid for the IMSA SportsCar Championship taking place in Indianapolis with the 6h.
Needless to say, some decisions had a specific weight in terms of the fight for the title, as in the case of Ferrari, which had to ‘sacrifice’ Davide Rigon in the SRO series to place him alongside Daniel Serra on the 296 GT3 of Risi Competizione in the American championship, where the final victory is within reach.
On this side, the fight for the title in the PRO Class will therefore remain the prerogative of Alessandro Pier Guidi and Alessio Rovera, who will be joined by Vincent Abril at the wheel of the Rossa #51 prepared by AF Corse-Francorchamps Motors. The Monegasque will be moved from the 296 #71, which will be driven for the first time by Yifei Ye, in a crew with Thomas Neubauer and David Vidales.
Rovera himself will not go to America, where he is usually employed for the Ferrari #023 of Triarsi Competizione in the GTD class, which has called Riccardo Agostini for the occasion, already seen at work at the 24 Hours of Daytona with the owners Onofrio Triarsi and Charlie Scardina.
#62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3: Daniel Serra, Davide Rigon
Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images
“We return from the FIA WEC in Japan, the Pole was good but then it was a difficult race right from the start. We hope to be equally competitive in Bahrain to finally get on the podium and in the meantime we dive back into the GT World Challenge”, comments Rovera, currently 19 points behind the top of the overall standings with Pier Guidi and Rigon (who will therefore necessarily remain behind).
“It’s the right championship to start again, the feelings are good and on the eve of Monza we can be quite optimistic. On the track in the first laps we will have to verify the small changes made and the resurfacing”.
“We are motivated and happy to be able to compete on our home circuit again, it’s the first time we’ve arrived so late compared to the start of the season and we know that many duels await us. Given the standings, we must try to aim high without making mistakes.”
#63 Iron Lynx, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2: Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli, Matteo Cairoli
Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo
Remaining in the Motor Valley, changes were also necessary at Lamborghini Squadra Corse, dictated above all by the need to carry forward the development work on the SC63 LMDh, ready to face Indianapolis with Romain Grosjean, Matteo Cairoli and Andrea Caldarelli.
The latter two leave room for Leonardo Pulcini and Edoardo Mortara in the #63 Iron Lynx Huracán GT3 EVO2 in action in Brianza, where Mirko Bortolotti remains the only ‘survivor’.
A reverse choice instead for the #163 of the Grasser Racing Team, victorious with Jordan Pepper, Marco Mapelli and Franck Perera in the 3h of the Nurburgring and therefore forcefully back in the running for the GTWC title, with the trio 18 points away from the lead.
So in IMSA, in place of the Frenchman and the South African, will go the two youngsters from the Sant’Agata Bolognese youth system, Luca Engstler and Maximilian Paul, who after their experiences in the DTM with the cars of the Bull will now share the #19 for the “Battle on the Bricks”.
#98 Rowe Racing, BMW M4 GT3: Philipp Eng, Nick Yelloly, Marco Wittmann
Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo
The situation is more or less similar at BMW M Motorsport: far from the GTWC leaders, Phillip Eng and Nick Yelloly will fly to the United States to drive the Team RLL M Hybrid V8 in the GTP class, being replaced in Monza by Robin Frijns and Max Oosten, who together with Marco Wittmann complete the line-up of the #98 Rowe Racing M4.
“We are facing another double-header weekend, which presents us with particular personnel challenges. However, as BMW M Motorsport, we are committed to a full racing programme and are happy to accept this challenge,” explains Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport.
“We have decided to give the young talent Maxime Oosten the opportunity to compete on the big stage of GT3 against the best in the sport. Despite being just 20 years old, he has already gained a wealth of experience in BMW M Motorsport racing cars.”
“This season, he is playing a key role in the fight for the ADAC GT Masters title with FK Performance Motorsport, which is impressive. This weekend he will certainly learn a lot from top drivers like Marco Wittmann and Robin Frijns, as well as a world-class team like Rowe Racing.”
“From a sporting perspective, the aim in Monza is to keep the title fight open in both the overall standings and in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and, ideally, improve our position. In IMSA, we have another chance to return to the podium with the BMW M Hybrid V8 at the end of a challenging season.”
#22 Schumacher CLRT, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Ayhancan Güven, Laurin Heinrich, Dorian Boccolacci
Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo
In the Porsche ranks, Laurin Heinrich will have to defend the lead in the IMSA GTD PRO class alongside his new co-driver, Michael Christensen, in the AO Racing 911 ‘Rexy’, for which the Weissach-based manufacturer will send ace Kévin Estre to work in the Schumacher CLRT alongside Dorian Boccolacci and Ayhançan Guven in the #22.
Alexander Fach joins Rutronik Racing’s #97 Porsche alongside Dennis Marschall and Dustin Blattner, replacing Loek Hartog, the star and leader of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, which is a support event to IMSA.
Mikael Grenier will co-drive the #32 Korthoff/Preston Motorsports Mercedes in the IMSA GTD class alongside Kenton Koch, so the #777 AlManar Racing by GetSpeed AMG will debut with Broc Feeney, Dominik Baumann and Al Faisal Al Zubair in Lombardy.
Then there is the curious situation of Daniel Morad, who will remain in his place in the Mercedes #48 ‘Mamba’ in the company of Maro Engel and Lucas Auer at Monza; the Canadian overseas also races in the Pilot Challenge, the IMSA series dedicated to GT4 and touring cars, so it will be up to Philipp Ellis to defend the colors of Winward Racing, also splitting the commitment that will see him drive the team’s #57 AMG GT3 in the IMSA GTD Class with Russell Ward and Indy Dontje.
#27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo: Roman De Angelis, Zacharie Robichon
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
Finally, there is Heart of Racing who doubles its Aston Martins in GTD PRO at Indianapolis to give a hand to Ross Gunn in winning the title. The owner of the #23 will continue the chase aided by Alex Riberas and counting on the help of the #27 Vantage of Roman De Angelis/Mario Farnbacher, so Walkenhorst Motorsport in Monza will have Valentin Hasse-Clot as his replacement, ready to get to work in the cockpit of the #34 Vantage AMR with the duo David Pittard/Henrique Chaves.
Other teams have made some changes to their lineups, such as Kessel Racing, which after missing the Nürburgring weekend returns with its two Ferrari 296 GT3s. Nicolò Rosi (again fit and drafted after the accident at Spa), Niccolò Schirò and David Fumanelli are confirmed at the wheel of the #8, while the #74 car will always have Ben Tuck with the new additions Ashish Patel and Alex Fontana. John Hartshorne says goodbye, as he has decided to hang up his helmet.
Madpanda Motorsport has announced that it will discontinue its Endurance Cup programme to focus on the Sprint Cup, with regular Ezequiel Pérez-Companc temporarily joining Saintéloc Racing to drive the #25 Audi.
At Boutsen VDS it will be interesting to see Sérgio Sette Camara make his debut, as he has finished his Formula E commitments and is taking on a new challenge in the #9 Mercedes with Thomas Drouet and Maximilian Götz.
#48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Lucas Auer, Daniel Morad, Maro Engel
Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo
THE MONZA PROGRAM
Thursday, September 19
Test – 14:00–17:00
Friday 20th September
Bronze Test – 17:30–18:30
Saturday 21st September
Free Practice – 9:00–11:00
Pre-Qualifying – 14;10–15;10
Sunday 22nd September
Qualifying – 9:00–10:00
Race – 15:30–18:30
#Ferrari #GT3 #debut #GTWCIMSA #driver #mixup
