The Italian GT Endurance Championship returns to the track this weekend for its second round of the season as Mugello plays host to an impressive thirty-seven car grid.

Amongst them will be the L&A Infinity (formerly Lazarus Corse) Aston Martin Racing team as their prepare their older 16A variant of the Vantage GT3 for their drivers William Alatalo, Jorge Lorenzo and Mahaveer Raghunathan.

 

Former multiple Moto GP world Champion Jorge Lorenzo completed his GT race debut at the weekend at the wheel of the L&A Infinity Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3.

Competing at the latest round of the Italiano Gran Turismo Series from Vallelunga, the Spaniard stepped up another notch to his four-wheel racing career as he partnered team regular William Alatalo and another team newcomer in Indian racer, Mahaveer Raghunathan.

 

For those thinking that perhaps that the race action the 24 Hours of Le Mans and its supporting series have to offer this weekend is not quite to their taste, then there is perhaps the third round of the Italian Gran Turismo Championship from Vallelunga.

Last weekend saw the FIA Motorsport Games 2019 take place at the Autodromo de Vallelunga near Rome in Italy as a replacement to last years Nations Cup which Salih Yoluc and Ayhancan Guven won at the first time of asking in their Ram Racing prepared Mercedes AMG GT3. Unfortunately for the spectacle that was the event, track action was marred and dramatically limited by some heavy and persistent rain storms that hung over the city for the entire weekend.

Swapping this year to one of Tom Ferrier's Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3, the Turkish drivers looked like a safe bet against some of the other teams who had come together specifically for this event with no prior knowledge and experience of either themselves, car nor the team. Joining the AMR family for this event (and who were also one of these 'newbie' teams was that of the Optimum Motorsport entry for Team Kuwait in their AMR Vantage GT3 for Khaled At Mudhaf and Zaid Ashkanani.


A drive through the Rome city centre by some of the race cars involved across the four road car formulae looked spectacular to witness although not always good for the race car as, not designed for this constant starting and topping of urban traffic flow cooked more than one clutch in the GT Cup Class.

Then the rains came......................... albeit at first throughout the Friday night Opening Ceremony where the cars and drivers were introduced to the crowds and waiting TV audience, that was not necessarily a problem - but then it hit the track action of the weekend!!


With the event featuring Qualifying for two one hour feeder races on both Saturday and Sunday which themselves would be used to determine the starting line up for the 'main' one hour race on Sunday afternoon, even they became quick victims to the weather as Race Control limited running as the track quickly became washed out ahead of the first race on Saturday.

With a point per finishing position up for grabs and this time the lowest total from the first two races winning Race 3's pole position, things began very badly for the two AMR runners as the Kuwaiti car of Al Mudhaf was tapped into a spin at turn three of the very first lap that resulted in race ending, heavy frontal damage to the #007 car - the culprit, Team Belgium would loose their podium position at the end as a result.


Whilst that was all being recovered under the Safety Car, the rains returned with torrential downpours  and despite Team Turkey's P2 starting slot, Yoluc began to fall back as the track got wetter with the whole grid on slicks!

Fifteen minutes in and a move from Team Portugal on the #1 car of Yoluc was drifted out wide, just enough for the Portuguese Audi to hit the wet grass of the infield and majestically spin out to hit the barrier on the outside of the circuit - they would retire from the race because of that and Yoluc would be served a post race time penalty for causing a collision.


As the rainfall intensified and the number of track casualties increased Race 1 would be red flagged at the half way stage to (a) allow the debris field to be cleared and (b) wait for better weather. Over twenty minutes would be lost and Race Control would mandate the required driver change in pit lane before the restart but not compel the remaining runners to fit wets as well as a late addition of last track time to the race clock! Wets would have lasted eight minutes but not over twenty minutes!!

Originally restarting on wets from P3, the track quickly began to dry soon making slicks the preferred rubber of choice with the nett result of the #1 car tumbling down as the wets overheated themselves. Team Turkey would eventually finish P13 against Team Kuwaits DNF - not a good start!!


Race 2 on Saturday wasn't much better either - it started behind the Safety Car and had a red flag of its own as once again the heavens opened and the track became another washout.

Thankfully, Optimum had worked their magic (with a little help from TF Sport) to rebuild their damaged Vantage GT3 for Ashkanani to get his first racing laps in of the event (although both cars had started from towards the rear of the grid after weather related issues in Q2) but sadly for all they were all behind the Safety Car before the race was red flagged after ten minutes of following the leader.


Another hour lost waiting for a window of opportunity and it was off racing again with 30 minutes now left on the clock - again Race Control had mandated the driver change whilst the race was under suspension . Despite some early glimmers of hope in the restart when Yoluc moved up to P9 from his P13 position at the break, late contact with the Team China car was see him hobbled before the end where Team Turkey claimed P16 and Team Kuwait P17.

Those results meant that both AMR teams had lowly starting positions for the final race of the Motorsport games with Team Turkey and Team Kuwait starting P16 and P19 respectively for the start of a race the was actually almost dry at the time - although more rain was expected not before too long.


Originally starting on wets, both cars soon decided that that was the wrong choice and soon pitted to swap to slicks which was great for a handful of laps before the rains returned again. Up until then, things were going well for Ashkanani in the #007 car as he drove the stint of his life and elevated his position as high as P5 and within visual range of the race leading Japanese Lamborghini.

Within minutes of the rain starting to fall, cars began to fall off the track again as all slowed hoping that the pit window would open and saving them all a second stop. By the time all (and the all sickly did) stop Race Control put the Safety Car back out on track with still twenty four minutes remaining. The race did go back to Green for about a lap before another stranded car from teh restart forced further Safety Car intervention and effectively the end of the race and the event which finished behind the Safety Car.


Disappointing for all concerned but Mother Nature is someone who not even the FI and SRO can influence. Team Turkey would finish the event in P12 - a massive disappointment for the defending champions who really did nothing wrong except battle the elements to the best of their abilities and do what they thought the Regulations expected of them. For Team Kuwait and their pair of drivers who had never driven an AMR Vantage GT3 until the first Free Practice session of the event, the can hold their heads high with their overall P14 finish and fastest driver of the day for Ashkanani.


Next up for TF Sport is of course in Shanghai and the next round of the World Endurance Championship for Yoluc, driver coach Charlie Eastwood and works driver Jonny Adam!

Photo credits - Motorsport Games / TF Sport / Optimum

The opening sessions of the 2019 FIA Motorsport Games kicked off this afternoon under the gloomy skies of Rome as the cars drove through the streets of Rome ahead of this evenings opening ceremony.

Amongst the six categories of racing feature the twenty two GT Cars, amongst them two Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3's from TF Sport and Optimum Motorsport racing this time under the country names of both Turkey and Kuwait respectively.


Reigning Champions Salih Yoluc and Ayhancan Guven have this year moved across from the Mercedes AMG GT3 to the similar engined #90 AMR Vantage GT3 of TF Sport, the team who presently supports most of Yoluc's international racing programmes.

They are joined by new recruits into both the event and the V8 Vantage GT3 of Kuwaii drivers Khaled Al Mudhaf and Zaid Ashkanani in the aptly numbered #007 Optimum car for the all Bronze/Silver driving partnerships.


Seeing some extraordinary photos today of AMR race cars queuing up with local people going about their normal business, waiting at traffic lights was incredible although this evenings heavy rain put a large 'dampener' upon proceedings.

First track action for the GT cars at the nearby Vallelunga circuit is tomorrow with two Free Practice sessions ahead of Qualifying and the first hour long race on Saturday before Sunday sees two further one hour races.


Further information on entries, timetables and TV coverage can be found HERE

Photo credits - FIA / TF Sport / Optimum

This weeks update of this years FIA Motorsport Games Nations Cup now includes (so far) two Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3's to represent two nations at the racing games that take place at the Vallelunga Circuit in Italy in just three weeks time.

We are already aware of Salih Yoluc returning to the event with co-driver Ayhancan Güven in a TF Sport prepared Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3 to defend their Turkish victory from last time out in Bahrain.


Now we see that Optimum Motorsport have also been employed to prepare the Kuwaiti team entry of Khaled Al Mudhaf and Zaid Ashkanani as part of a twenty two car grid confirmed so far.

The FIA Motorsport Games will feature races in GT, Touring Car, Formula 4, Drifting, karting and in digital formats.

Last year in sweltering conditions in Bahrain, Salih Yoluç stood proudly on the top step of the podium having clinched the inaugural FIA GT Nations Cup for Team Turkey. It was a sensational victory for Salih and teammate Ayhancan Guven, and one the pairing is aiming to replicate this November at the Italian circuit of Vallelunga.

Salih continues his close relationship with TF Sport as the British-based team enter the newly renamed FIA Motorsport Games GT Cup for the first time with the now-familiar #1 Aston Martin Vantage GT3. While it will be a new experience for the team, Salih is well versed with this unique event.

The format remains the same as in 2018, with practice and qualifying followed by two 60-minute qualifying races that determine the grid for deciding hour-long contest. Last year with Ayhancan, Salih finished the first qualifying race in P2 and the second qualifier in P1.

The deciding race saw Salih start from the pole ahead of the other 17 National entries. He remained right in the battle before ultimately making history by winning the event for Team Turkey and RAM Racing.

For Salih, he will be competing in the event between rounds two and three of the FIA World Endurance Championship in Japan and China with TF Sport, making it a busy schedule heading towards the end of what has been a busy, and ultimately very fruitful year.

Salih Yoluç

“Winning last year was a very special feeling for me. I’ve won some big races now, but to do it for Team Turkey was just an amazing feeling, so to return with Ayhancan was an easy decision to take. We’re not sure yet what the competition will be like in terms of quality, but we showed well last year and with TF Sport we expect to be up there and challenging. To win it on successive years is a tough challenge, but we have a good chance with Team Turkey.”

Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder & CEO

“I am delighted to welcome back Team Turkey for this year's FIA Motorsport Games GT Cup. In every sporting contest you want to see the previous winners return to defend their crown, while also setting a benchmark for the opposition. More broadly, I am pleased with the hard work and on-going developments we have seen ahead of this year's FIA Motorsport Games. It promises to be a fantastic showcase of international talent both on and off the circuit, as well as a fitting spectacle to close the 2019 racing season.”

Tom Ferrier, TF Sport Director

"It’s an honour to be competing in the FIA Motorsport Games GT Cup with Salih and Ayhancan. We’re a British-based team with a very international flavour so it’s great to be competing as Team Turkey. For us, the opportunity to run the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in this series was too good an opportunity to miss. Our drive, as ever, is to give Salih the best package as possible so that he can make it back-to-back wins in Turkish colours."


Source material- TF Sport

Full Aston Martin Racing Partner team - Solaris Motorsport hit the race track late last week as they prepare themselves for the 2017 assault on the european GT Open Championship.

Testing at the Vallelunga circuit, just north of Rome saw the team introduce new driver Mauro Calamia to their V12 Vantage GT3 as he and established team driver Francesco Sini look to establish a successful driving understanding before round one in Estoril, Portugal at the end of April.



Despite being a highly competent race driver, 25 year old Calamia will need a degree of transformation time to learn the traits of the V12 AMR having only raced Porsche's and Maserati's previously.

The team now move on to the GT Open winter test at Paul Ricard next weekend.

Photo credits - Solaris

Vallelunga, Italy - It was a bittersweet weekend for Solaris Motorsport at Vallelunga in the fifth round of the Italian GT Championship. In front of a large crowd, the Aston Martin driven by Sini and Muselli brought home a fifth place in Race 1 after an huge comeback on the track near Rome, ending up just two seconds far from the podium. The Vantage GT3 showed a good pace, close to the best competitors. The Sunday Race was marred by an accident at the Curvone, in which another car hit that severely damaged the English coupé. Sini-Muselli were forced to bit the bullet and aim to finish the race, bringing home a ninth place in SuperGT3 class.

The Vallelunga weekend began with the 6th and the 7th times in the two free practices sessions and a record split in the first sector, testifying the competitiveness of the English coupé. Qualifying was held on Saturday morning with low temperature and a cloudy sky and the Vantage GT3 was not in its best shape, facing some grip trouble in sector 3. Moreover Max Mugelli was slowed by yellow flags in his best flying lap and ended up on the fifth row on the Race 1 grid, while Francesco Sini, despite a lot of oversteering, was in fourth row.

With a good start in Race 1, Mugelli climbed two positions early and was 8th at the Cimini bend, just behind Eddie Cheever's Ferrari, maintaining a good pace. The race continued with no changes until lap 12, when the pit stop window opened. Thanks to a smart strategy, Sini exited the pits in P4, just in front of Mapelli's Audi. They immediately started battling for position and on lap 19 the Audi had the better hand on the Aston Martin. During the final laps, Sini and Mapelli closed the gap on the Venturi-Gai Ferrari in P3, looking for a way to overtake. The Vantage GT3 ended its comeback in fifth, just 2 seconds far from the podium under the checkered flag.

After an incredible eight week summer break the Italian GT Series returns to the track this weekend with a 36 car entry for round five at Vallelunga.

Aston Martin Racing customer team Solaris Motorsport will be hoping that their #007 cars summer rebuild will afford them some better fortune than last time out at Mugello when Am driver Max Mugelli was unceremoniously taken out out in the opening laps of race 2 severely damaging the car.


Both Mugelli and co driver Francesco Sini presently lie mid table in the Super GT3 championship but with six races spread over three events, anything is still possible.

With Free Practice on Friday, qualifying for both races is held on Saturday morning before Race 1 that afternoon and Race 2 on Sunday. Live streaming can be found at HERE

Photo credits - Solaris AMR

The latest addition to the #TeamAMR family, Italian GT squad Solaris Motorsport have wasted no time  in preparing their AMR V12 Vantage GT3 for track action with a two day test at the Autodromo Vallelunga just north of Rome, Italy.

Sporting a very seductive looking plain gloss wrap the car was put through its paces by its drivers Francesco Sini and Marcello Puglisi.


Whilst the team were presumably focussing on just establishing themselves with the functionalities of the car  the team, who had previously raced a Corvette C6R GT3 in 2015 soon found that even the simplest of things proved 'different' and needed focus.

The team shall compete in the Italian GT series that kicks off at Monza at the beginning of May but if the team keep up with their fantastic level of social media based information like they have this week they will soon be gaining AMR fans from across the world.




We understand that this chassis was formerly the third Motorbase GT3 car that was raced by Phil Dryburgh and Matt Jackson at the opening rounds of the 2015 British GT Championship.

Photo credits - Solaris Motorsport