Photo Above: Britishgt.com
It was a typical mid-March pre-season week for news as teams announced drivers, embarked on testing and positioned themselves for 2017.
On Sunday March 5 Jackie Chan Dc Racing in partnership with Jota Sport announced its full driver line-ups for its two-car entry into the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship.
In the #37 ORECA 07, and joining co-founder David Cheng, will be Alex Brundle and Tristan Gommendy. Alex Brundle is no stranger to the Kent-based LMP2 Le Mans-winning team as he joined it mid-way through 2016. Radio Le Mans commentator and son of former F1 pilot Martin, Brundle is delighted that he has a full season drive for 2017.
“I’m delighted to be making a full time return to the WEC with Jackie Chan DC Racing,” said Brundle. “After a hat trick of wins to conclude last season my objective this winter was to return for a full WEC campaign to build on that success.”
Tristan Gommendy has enjoyed a long career in motorsport and first raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003. He competed in the 2016 European Le Mans Series for Eurasia Motorsport in the ORECA 05.
In the #38 car, and partnering Ho-Pin Tung, will be the young Frenchman Thomas Laurent and 2016 FIA WEC runner-up Oliver Jarvis. Jarvis will be combining his full-season seat within the FIA World Endurance Championship with his driving commitments at Bentley Motorsport in the Blancpain Endurance Series.
You can read the full Jackie Chan DC Racing story on EnduranceandGT here.
FALKEN announced on Monday March 6 that it will contest selected rounds of the VLN series as well as the 24 Hours Nurburgring with two cars. Joining its existing FALKEN Porscge 911 GT3 R (Type 991) will be a new arrival – its BMW M6 GT3.
The BMW M6 GT3 will be driven by Peter Dumbreck and Alexandra Imperatori whilst piloting the Porsche 911 GT3 R (Type 991) will be FALKEN driver Martin Ragginger and Porsche works drivers Jörg Bergmeister, Dirk Werner and Laurens Vanthoor.
You can read the full story on Falken-europe.de here.
As we count down to the season-launching Media Day for the 2017 British GT Championship, driver announcements came thick and fast.
Macmillan AMR announced its drivers for its GT4 entry with the news that William Phillips will be partnered by Danish newcomer Jan Jønck.
Jonck has made the switch this season from single-seaters after contesting part of the BRDC British F3 campaign in 2016. The 18-year-old sampled the Macmillan Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT4 at the end of last year and tested the car recently at Portimao.
“The British GT Championship is one of the most competitive series in Europe, with lots of international-standard drivers and teams,” said Jønck. “The circuits are great, too. Well-run, exciting and challenging – some of the best anywhere – and the mix of classes, with GT3 and GT4 together, makes for very competitive and very exciting racing.”
Read the full Macmillan AMR story on EnduranceandGT.co.uk here.
Century Motorsport will have two entries in the GT3 class in the 2017 British GT Championship for the first time. The Fenny Compton-based squad announced on March 8 that 16-year-old American Chase Parker will join long-standing Ginetta driver Charlie Robertson in the second factory-supported Ginetta G55 GT3.
“I am very excited to extend my arrangement with Ginetta,” said Chase. “2016 was an incredibly successful year in the G55 GT4. I can’t wait to be part of the 2017 season with Ginetta in the GT3 car. This will be another exciting year. I really appreciate all of Ginetta’s support.”
Read the full Century Motorsport story on EnduranceandGT.co.uk here.
In an exciting media development on March 9, the British GT Championship announced that Front Runner, the UK’s only free-to-air sports channel who recently announced coverage of the 24H SERIES, will be airing the UK rounds of the 2017 championship live.
“This is fantastic news for British GT and MINI Challenge, their drivers and teams, who, together with Front Runner, now have a platform capable of reaching millions of new and existing fans,” said British GT Championship Manager Benjamin Franassovici.
Read the full story on EnduranceandGT.co.uk here.
Looking forward to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Clearwater Racing, who was awarded two entries into the 2017 French classic, has announced its drivers for its second entry. Richard Wee will be joined Alvaro Parente and Hiroki Katoh in piloting the team’s Ferrari 488 GTE.
Wee, Parente and Katoh will join the team’s first entry which will be driven by Weng Sun Mok, matt Griffin and Keita Sawa.
