TF Sport comes away with a robust and determined top ten finish after IMSA Rolex 24 debut
TF Sport claimed seventh in the GTD class at the 59th Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in Florida, USA, last week. It was looking certain that the team’s IMSA debut would yield a higher result, however avoidable contact from the #64 Team TGM Porsche, whilst Ben Keating was aboard the Aston Martin Vantage, resulted in performance-altering damage and left the drivers to maximise the potential of the stricken GT3.
Double-duty driver Keating shared the #97 with American youngster Maxwell Root, 2020 Le Mans GTE Am champion Charlie Eastwood and previous Rolex 24 victor, Richard Westbrook.
The ‘Roar before the 24’, which took place the week leading up to the ‘twice around the clock’ event, was a huge learning curve for the British-based team. Despite having raced and won in America, in the World Endurance Championship, the rules and regulations of IMSA’s season-opener are vastly different. The team swiftly got up to speed, however a technicality with a pass-around during the Rolex 24’s qualifying race, left the #97 lining in P13.
Young-charger Maxwell took the start of the Rolex 24 and did a superb job in avoiding start-line scuffle and a spinning Porsche as the lights turned green. Despite this causing him to lose some ground, Root drove a solid triple stint before handing over to Eastwood.
A highlight for the crew was during the second FCY (full course yellow) procedure, where a strategically timed call to the box saw #97 jump 11 places up the order. From then on, the TF Vantage consistently ran towards the front of the field.
During the fourth hour, Irish pro Charlie carved his way through the GTD pack and after an impressive move around the outside of the #57 Mercedes, took the class lead. Some contact from the rear meant this lead was cut short, yet Eastwood pushed on as the race went into the night, before handing over to Richard.
Despite having just dominated the LMP2 field, Keating took the GT3 over from a double-stinting Westbrook and immediately began posting some very impressive lap times. The American Am shared the stint honours with Charlie until the sun rose around Daytona.
With around six hours of the race remaining, Keating was hit by the #64 Porsche, sending him into a spin and had to box early for damage repairs. Unfortunately, the chance to push for a win was taken away, and all the drivers could do was get the Vantage to the flag, whilst losing as little ground as possible. Eastwood brought #97 over the line in seventh position.
To finish a 24-hour race is a challenge in itself, but to finish within the top-10 of the largest, most competitive class, is testament to the incredible effort put in by the team and drivers.
Ben Keating, Bronze Driver - "What a race! TF Sport did an amazing job for their first ever IMSA race and their first ever Rolex 24 at Daytona. Preparing for this race is just a little different with the IMSA rules and the set up for the high-banks of the speedway. I was super impressed with how the team managed everything. To finish seventh in the ultra-competitive GTD class is a strong statement. Our Aston Martin GT3 ran flawlessly. The team of drivers were great, and I am ready to go again right now! I think we all have a lot to learn from the experience and would perform even better next time.”
Tom Ferrier, Team Owner - “We were under no illusion at just how hard this race was going to be. We came for the win, as we always do, and that was taken out of our hands. The drivers all did a great job and as per usual, the crew were faultless. We’ll certainly be back to aim for another 24-hour victory!”
A return to Daytona in 2022 is certainly a consideration and TF Sport will be looking to add to their 24 hour victory list.
The team now switch their focus to the Asian Le Mans Series in Dubai, February 4-6 and Abu Dhabi February 13-14.
Source material - TF Sport
Monday, February 01, 2021 |
Read more...
Accident free running by AMR teams in Rolex 24 Qualifying Race
With the Roar before the 24 traditionally a purely testing event a couple of weeks in advance of the season opening Rolex 24, this year has seen the two events scheduled just a week apart and in the hope of saving some track time on leading up to the actual main race weekend, it was decided to have a Qualifying session on the Saturday of the Roar ahead of a 100 minute Qualifying Race on Sunday to determine the starting positions for the Rolex 24.
With the younger and less experienced drivers within the GTD Class runners required to first Qualify and the drive in the Qualifying race, that left Max Root at the wheel of the #97 TF Sport Aston Martin Racing GTD and Ian James at the wheel of the #23 Heart of Racing AMR Vantage GTD doing the Qualifying and then the opening stint of the Qualifying race.
Originally, the #23 car would Qualify in P5 and the #97 in P9 on Saturday afternoon but a technical issue for the #1 Paul Miller Racing Lamborghini on the grid on Sunday meant for a one place elevation up the starting line for all cars from P2 back and for the first time over the weekend, the drivers would have to deal with both a rain-soaked track and a cold air and track temperature for at least the start of the 100-minute race.
With up to 35 Championship points being awarded to the winners of each class, that was supposed to have been the inducement for teams to race like they always did but for some, it was clear that self-preservation was the order of the day whilst others maybe didn’t compete as hard as was expected or indeed over excelled in performance as seen prior to this event!!
Yes, that right – allegations involving sandbags were quickly to be heard across all classes.
Taking things rightly steady at the start, both Astons dropped a place each in the opening laps as the remnants of any racing ‘rust’ was quickly got rid of by the forty-seven runners. An early Full Course Yellow for three spinning LMP cars loaded the gun for the inevitable green flag drama as the #23 car was lucky to survive an over ambitious move from the #88 Porsche at the Bus stop that saw the Porsche go off heavily into the tyre wall and James lucky not to have followed it. A badly damaged car at this stage of the proceedings would have been chaotic.
A second and very long FCY to recover that stranded car lead to the first wave around for the cars stuck between the Safety car and the overall leader behind and at some point during this (and unforeseen on camera) had the #97 fall foul of the rule book, earning themselves a hefty stop and three minute hold in pit lane for their error and whilst the other GTD cars pitted for full service and driver change – they could pit for service but would have to come back in to serve their penalty under green – something that would ultimately destroy their race plan.
By now Roman De Angelis had stepped into the #23 HoRT car and he had little over an hour to consolidate and improve his position as the track continued to dry and all cars had reverted to slicks. Whilst Charlie Eastwood had now dropped right down to P14 in class as a result of their penalty, De Angelis was able to hang out between P3 and P5 in class for much of the remainder before each car ultimately they both finished P13 and P7 respectively.
For the Heart of Racing team, their new and lighter Balance of Performance suggested greater performance than last year when the AMR Vantage GTD was literally brand new and unseen to the Championship. Ever improving race mileage last season with both James and De Angelis was noticeable from them at the Roar so with the added benefit and experience of both Darren Turner and Ross Gunn, the #23 car should be in a good place when it comes to the Rolex 24 this weekend.
For the #97 TF Sport AMR, they came to the Roar before the 24 as complete novices within the IMSA Championship and rule set. That error with the wave around was a scenario never faced before by the team and driver so whilst obviously regrettable for them, that was an error best served in the build-up event than in the 24 hour race itself.
For both Root and Eastwood as well as fellow co-drivers in Ben Keating and Richard Westbrook, there is much more to be seen from the very distinctively liveried #97 car come the start of the Rolex 24 as long as small, but significant errors can be kept to a minimum.
For the Weathertech Sportscar Championship runners, track action starts with three Free Practice sessions on Thursday ahead of a final one-hour session on Friday before the start of the Rolex 24 at 15:40Hrs local on Saturday.
Photo credits – HoRT / TF Sport / Jamey Price / Lagunas photo / AMR / CSJ
Monday, January 25, 2021 |
Read more...
Two mighty Aston Martin's amongst a healthy Rolex 24 grid of 50 cars
Straight off the back of that sizeable news earlier today from TF Sport competing again within the 2021 World Endurance Championship with one Ben Keating, today also sees the official entry list released for next weekend’s Rolex 24 from Daytona within which Keating again figures highly with the Aston Martin Racing Partner Team.
Like last year, two AMR Vantage GTD (GT3) again feature within this year’s opening round of the IMSA sanctioned Weathertech Sportscar Championship with the charitable fund raising Heart of Racing team return for a second year with their Aston and TF Sport’s first visit to the USA and the IMSA series with one of their own Vantage GTD’s.
These two cars join a further eighteen cars within the GTD class to form another impressive grid of fifty cars spread across the new five class arrangement of GTD/GTLM/LMP3/LMP2/Dpi classes.
As previous announced, the #23 Heart of Racing AMR returns with its two drivers of last season in Roman de Angelis and Ian James and they will be joined this year again by Darren Turner for the longer endurance rounds with Ross Gunn for the Rolex 24.
With none of the above being strangers to the event now and with a full year’s worth (and two races at the Florida circuit) now firmly under their belts, the #23 will be expected to run to run further forward to what they did last year before an unfortunate accident going into the deceleration lane for the pit lane put them out of the race during the night.
First time to the USA for TF Sport but not so for most of their four driver line up. 2020 Le Mans GTE Am winner Charlie Eastwood will race his first experience of the Daytona Speedway banked oval and infield 3.6mile circuit this weekend at the Roar before the 24 (as all entries are mandated to do by Regulation) but it will not be the same for the rest as Richard Westbrook, Ben Keating and Max Root have all been there before. Also like last year, Keating will again be running a dual GTD/LMP2 race programme at the Rolex 24 with the #52 PR1 Mathiasen team.
The Roar before the 24 for these guys will of course involve some private testing sessions across the weekend – where data will also be used by the race organisers to validate their earlier Balance of Performance settings apportioned to each make/marque of car but to also set the Qualifying positions for the Rolex 24 the weekend after an inaugural 'Qualifying Race' on Sunday.
Photo credits - IMSA/HoRT/TF Sport
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 |
Read more...
TF Sports to continue in WEC with Keating and AMR
2020 vice-champions, TF Sport will once again enter the GTE Am class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, as they aim to go one step higher in the standings and repeat their Le Mans winning performance of last year.
Ben Keating, Bronze Driver - “I am very excited about 2021! The whole program, Daytona and WEC, came together at the same time and joining TF, along with Aston Martin meant that I had great options for many of my goals. I have always enjoyed working with Tom Ferrier, and once 4 Horsemen Racing came along as a partner for the WEC program, it was an easy decision! This will be my seventh year in a row at Le Mans and it will be my seventh different car to drive! This sport, this series, and this class is so awesome! It is the only place I know of where a guy like me can compete on the same field, at the same time, in the same game with the best in the world, and still be crowned World Champion, which is the ultimate goal for this season!”
Texas-based Keating is kicking off his season this week in the USA, as he takes on IMSA’s Roar before the Rolex 24 and the Rolex 24 at Daytona, in TF Sport’s Aston Martin GT3 alongside Charlie Eastwood, Richard Westbrook and Maxwell Root.
Tom Ferrier, Team Owner - “There isn’t many bronze drivers in the world that can top Mr Keating! He’s fast, fit and hungry. He brings two great team mates in Dylan and Felipe to the party. I hope with our car, team and drivers we can deliver the World Championship title that eluded us in 2020 and repeat the Le Mans victory. Everyone at TF is really excited to get started!”
Keating has proven himself to be one of the fastest Am drivers in the GTE field, and alongside two strong teammates, the line-up is sure to produce great results this season.
The 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship opening round will take place in Sebring, USA, on March 19.
Source Material - TF Sport
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 |
Read more...
Looking forward to TF Sport's IMSA debut at the Rolex 24 ###UPDATED###
Some awesome came out of the UK based TF Sport Aston Martin Racing Partner team earlier today with news of their IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship Rolex 24 GTD audition at the Daytona International Speedway early next year.
With presumably some significant involvement with the factory team going on in the background in order to achieve this ‘scoop’, Tom Ferrier’s team will make their American debut at Daytona in January with a driving squad featuring now less than Ben Keating, Charlie Eastwood, Richard Westbrook and rising silver star Maxwell Root.
With presumably some significant involvement with the factory team going on in the background in order to achieve this ‘scoop’, Tom Ferrier’s team will make their American debut at Daytona in January with a driving squad featuring now less than Ben Keating, Charlie Eastwood, Richard Westbrook and rising silver star Maxwell Root.
The recent racing exploits of bronze rated Gentleman driver Ben Keating need no introduction as the American has ventured his way up from one make Series and up through the national ladder and through the American Le Mans Series, to the now IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship in GTD (GT3) to most recently the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans itself in the bigger GTE.
He will be joined by his younger countryman, Maxwell Root who has spent much of his racing career so far within the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama in the States where he finished fourth in 2018 and second in 2019, each time just behind a certain Roman De Angelis.
All four drivers also raced at Le Mans this year where of course, Eastwood and TF Sport claimed the overall GTE Am race win whilst Westbrook supported the #97 full WEC season car to their P3 overall finish in GTE Pro. Root raced the JMW Ferrari 488 GTE Am and Keating the Project 1 Porsche.
The significance of convincing a man like Keating to swap to the AMR marque from the likes of Porsche cannot be under-estimated considering some of his driving performances of late, especially when he actually outperformed many Pro drivers who should have been faster than him!!!
Whilst today’s announcement just state that this is a ‘one off’ entry for the team and drivers, it does also give scope for it to develop into a full season IMSA entry at some point in the future – just how soon that may be, we will just have to wait and see.
With 2021 expected to be a ‘different year’ in terms of financial commitment for the AMR Factory team, today’s news will certainly be one way they will be using to maintain the good work already undertaken in the Continental USA last year by the Heart of Racing GTD and all the GT4 runners and Champions from the IMSA and SRO sanctioned series, all under the watchful and supporting eye of their strategic partners CSJ Motorsport.
Whilst we wait for some official confirmation of what our American teams will be doing in 2021, this is at least some good news!!
This announcement also makes for a busy start to the New Year for the TF Sport team with all drivers needing to get in an adequate level of pre-season testing before the Roar before the 24, official test in mid-January before the main event itself at the end of the month.
The team then move onto the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series from Abu Dhabi just a few days later with a further three rounds at the circuit in February where they have two AMR Vantage GT3’s entered.
###UPDATE###
15th December - it is confirmed that Ben Keating will again be running a split Rolex 24 racing programme with the PR1 Mathiasen LMP2 entry confirmed today alongside that of the TF Sport Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTD.
Photo credits - TF Sport / AMR / Social media
Thursday, December 10, 2020 |
Read more...
TF Sport to open their IMSA account at Daytona 24
The UK-based team will enter the fiercely competitive GTD class, at the opening round of the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. TF Sport’s entry will be a guest appearance, with a view to running full-season IMSA campaigns in the future.
Ben Keating announced that “This will be my 11th Rolex 24 at Daytona and it’s my favourite race of the year! I know that my first Le Mans experience came on the heels of me winning the Rolex 24, so why not be with TF Sport at their first Rolex 24 experience, on the heels of just winning at Le Mans? I have never driven the Aston Martin, but I competed against them all year long and was very impressed with the GTE car - I expect that the GT3 car will handle similarly. What’s not to love about this program?!”
Following on from the stellar GTE-AM win at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, TF Sport is confident for a strong showing at the world-renowned twice around the clock race in Florida.
The ‘Roar Before the Rolex 24’ will take place on January 22-24, with practice beginning on the following Thursday and the Daytona International Speedway lights will go green for the 24, on January 30.
Source material - TF Sport
Thursday, December 10, 2020 |
Read more...
