HB Racing adds to the Endurance Cup entry

A nice addition to the 2017 Endurance Cup entry list is Austrian team HB Racing which will enter a single Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

For its entry, the team has yet to confirm any drivers, though they are set to be revealed soon.

Walkenhorst confirms entry

VLN regular Walkenhorst has also confirmed that it will compete in the Blancpain Endurance Cup with a pair of BMW M6 GT3s.

The German team has expanded its horizons in 2017, racing in the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this year.

No drivers have been confirmed yet, though its lineup will be announced in due course.

24 cars take on Monza Test

24 cars including a handsfull of LMP3s, a Radical prototype, 18 GT3s and 3 Seat Leons tested at Monza over the past two days. These sessions were timed and with official results.

The Kaspersky Motorsport/AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 (featured) clocked the fastest lap with a 1’46’145. It was followed within two and seven tenths of a second by the two Ligiers JSP3s of team Eurointernational.

AKKA ASP’s Mercedes AMG GT3 finished fourth fastest, one and a half second behind the lead car. The Radical of team Monza Garage was fifth ahead of the second Mercedes AMG GT3 of team AKKA ASP.

The rest of the field included four cars entered by McLaren’s new customer team Strakka Racing. The British team’s McLarens ended up in seventh, ninth, thirteenth and fourteenth position.

Barwell Motorsport also tested two of its Lamborghini Huracan GT3s (eigth and fifteenth fastest). The Jaguar G3 of Emil Frey finished eleventh, some 2.3 seconds behind the fastest car of the sessions.

Kaspersky Motorsport, AKKA ASP, Strakka Racing, Barwell Motorsport, Emil Fray Racing will compete in Blancpain this season.

RESULTS >>

With thanks to Fausto Mattei

Kessel Racing announces part of its lineup

Reigning Blancpain GT Pro-Am champion and Endurance Cup Am class winner Kessel Racing has shed light on part of its driver roster for this season.

As was revelled before GT Asia regulars Piti Bhirom Bhakdi and Carlo Van Dam will share the Ferrari 488 GT3 in TP12 Singha Motorsport colours in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.

In the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup though reigning Am Cup drivers champion Marco Zanuttini will share his car with two new drivers: David Perel – who raced in Blancpain last season – and 2015 Ferrari Challenge Europe champ Jaques Duyver, who will make his series debut.

Further driver names for the team’s other cars will be announced shortly.

Lathouras grabs AF Corse drive

Pasin Lathouras will compete in his second Blancpain Endurance Cup season in 2017, with AF Corse in a 488 GT3.

The 23-year-old Thai driver will again be part of an unchanged driver crew with Italians Michele Rugolo and Alessandro Pier Guidi.

“It’s great to be back in Blancpain GT and with the same lineup of drivers, team and car, I think we have a good year of gelling with the new car behind us and we are well positioned to push for the podium,” he said.

“I have to thank AF Corse for getting this together, it’s good to be back with them, I’ve spent my whole sportscar career with this team and they have really helped me come on as a driver.

“Michele and Alessandro drove superbly last year so I think we should be fast out of the blocks. Thanks to everyone that has helped put this together and now I look forward to getting back on track and delivering results.”

HTP expands its MANN-FILTER partnership

After working together last season, German team HTP Motorsport and filtration company MANN-FILTER combine again for 2017.

This deal means that going forward the Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars from HTP Motorsport will race in MANN-FILTER colours. The team’s plans include the ADAC GT Masters, the Blancpain Endurance GT Series and individual heats of the VLN endurance championship at the Nürburgring.

The team will also compete in the Nürburgring 24 and Spa 24 Hours.

Three drivers confirmed for RJN

Nissan-supported outfit Team RJN will race in this year’s Blancpain Endurance Cup with the 2015 Blancpain championship-winning pair of Katsumasa Chiyo and Alex Buncombe and the GT Academy’s inaugural winner, Spaniard Lucas Ordoñez.

The trio will compete in just the Endurance Cup rounds this year in the #23 Nissan GT-R GT3.