Prosport Racing again take the spoils at the GT Winter Series visit to Navarro
For their recently reconfirmed Nordschliefe Langstrecken Series GT3 runners Jean Glorieux and Maxime Dumarey, it was to be a case of always the bridesmaid for them picking up second in each of the two thirty-minute solo driver rounds before the days ending hour long, pit stop punctuated race to end with.
Whilst Yevgen Sokolovskiy did indeed return to pair up again with Mike David Ortmann aboard their #48 AMR Vantage GT4, it would be just the sole visit to the podium for Ortmann after the opening sprint race for them this time around.
Brothers Guido and Guillaume Dumarey fared somewhat better between them with a P4 and then a pair of P3 finishes, it was to be the young ladies aboard the #250 AMR Vantage GT4 who would come away with the most silverware as both Gabriela Jilkova and AMR GT4 debutant Jessica Bachmann took both a P2 finish in class during each of their two sprint races before rounding the weekend out with another P2 finish in the endurance race.
Whilst the final round of the GT Winter Series will be in Barcelona over this coming weekend, we are more likely to see most of the Prosport Racing team back at their local circuit of the Nurburgring-Nordschliefe in time for the official NLS test.
Photo credits – Daniel Burgin / Social Media
Monday, March 06, 2023 |
Read more...
Big plans for PROsport Racing in 2023
PROsport Racing will be active with up to five cars in the endurance races on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 2023. In addition to the well-known Aston Martin, the team will also field a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. Endurance ace Alex Bundle will also start for the team. In 2023, the Nürburgring Endurance Series and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring will continue to occupy an important place in PROsport Racing's season planning. The team from Wiesemscheid is expanding its line-up in the racing series and will be active with up to five cars in the popular racing series on the world-famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Reigning ADAC GT4 Germany champion Mike David Ortmann will pilot an Aston Martin Vantage GT3 together with Christoph Breuer up to and including the 24-hour race in May. After a few rounds, Hugo Sasse, who won the GT4 series title together with Ortmann, will also join the driver line-up. "Originally, Hugo Sasse was also to contest all the races with the GT3. However, we decided within the team and with Hugo and his family that he would first drive a few more races in one of our GT4 cars," explains team boss Chris Esser. "Hugo has only driven three races so far on the Nordschleife in a near-series Porsche Cayman, so a direct move up to the GT3 car would be out of his league. We want him to get used to the pace and the special features of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife first." Alex Brundle, the son of former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle, will be the fourth driver to start for the team. The 32-year-old Briton has made a name for himself in prototype racing in particular and has already scored race wins in the FIA WEC, as well as winning the championship title in the ELMS LMP3 class in 2016. Brundle has also been able to gain racing experience on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, earning his permit with PROsport Racing, which means he already knows the team from Wiesemscheid. "After winning the SP8T class in 2019, it was always my goal to return to the Green Hell and attack the overall victory in the top class," said the 32-year-old Briton. "It's real old-school motorsport and I'm really excited to be returning to the Nürburgring with PROsport Racing. It's a tough race so you need a team in the pit lane that you can trust to bring a reliable, safe and fast race car to the track. The PROsport team is such a team. It's a nice cycle because I drove my first lap on the Nordschleife in one of the team's cars. I'm also proud to be back behind the wheel of an Aston Martin, as I was in 2019, and to enjoy the technical support from Prodrive to make the most of our efforts. I can't wait to race at the Nordschleife again!" Last year, the dark green #17 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 quickly drove its way into the hearts of fans around the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. In 2023, the car will again contest the entire season in the Nürburgring Endurance Series. The British sports coupé will compete in the SP9 Am class. The two Belgians Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux - who already drove the Aston Martin on the Nordschleife in 2022 - will drive the car for the entire season. Team boss Chris Esser's team is fielding two more Aston Martin cars in the GT4 class SP10. One car will be driven by gentleman drivers. Guido Dumarey will drive the Vantage GT4 for the entire season. The Ukrainian Yevgen Sokolovskiy, who lives in Düsseldorf, will also take the wheel of the car up to and including the 24-hour race. Other drivers from the PROsport Racing gentlemen's squad complete the Aston Martin line-up. With the second GT4 Vantage, PROsport Racing will attack the top positions in the SP10 category. The British sports car will compete on the Nordschleife up to and including the 24h race in May. Belgian Guillaume Dumarey will take his place at the wheel of the car. In addition, ADAC GT4 Germany champion Hugo Sasse will contest the first rounds of the season on the car before making the move up to the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. The racing team will announce the team's other drivers at a later date. In addition, PROsport Racing will compete for the first time in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Nürburgring in 2023, which is contested in the Nürburgring Endurance Series. In the Cup 2 class, the team will field one of the popular 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. The vehicle will contest large parts of the season. Alongside Belgian Simon Balcaen, veteran Jörg Viebahn will take his place at the wheel of the car. Jörg Viebahn, who comes from Gummersbach, and PROsport Racing have a long history together. In 2013, Viebahn won the title in the Am class of the GT4 European Series for the team from Wiesemscheidt, before winning the overall standings in the series himself in 2016 with the self-developed Porsche Cayman Pro4 and former DTM driver Peter Terting and ensuring that he won the team title. The veteran was also able to score further race victories in the top-class SRO Championship with PROsport Racing. The 58-year-old has also scored successes for the experienced team in endurance races on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Source material - PROsport Racing |
Wednesday, March 01, 2023 |
Read more...
Prosport Racing back for some more as the GT Winter Series reaches Navarro.
The provisional entry list for this weekend’s fifth round of the GT Winter Series from Navarro has just been published with the German based Prosport Racing Aston Martin Racing team again filling the grid.
After two podium winning weekends for the team at both Jerez and most recently at Valencia, the team has again entered three of their AMR Vantage GT4’s and one of their AMR Vantage GT3’s albeit it with a slightly adjusted driver line-up between them.
This time around, their #48 car is this time listed with a solo driver in Mike David-Ortmann (no Yevgen Sokolovskiy it appears this time around) with debutant AMR class winner Gabriela Jilkova this time being partnered with young Swedish ADAC TCR racer Jessica Backman after her recent test with the Heart of Racing team.
The teams Aston Martin GT3 crew of Jean Glorieux and Maxime Dumarey are also back looking for that top step of the overall podium this time around after two thirds and a second last time out at Valencia whilst brothers Guido and Guillaume Dumarey partner within the teams #310 GT4 for the weekend’s two 30-minute sprint races and the concluded hour-long endurance race.
Photo credits – Daniel Burgin
Monday, February 27, 2023 |
Read more...
Back to winning ways for the Prosport Racing team in the GT Winter Series
This time fielding three Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4’s and a Vantage GT3, the opening thirty minute sprint race produced a first class win for Gabriela Jilkova in her winter transition from the Mercedes AMG GT4 to the Aston Martin whilst co-driver Celia Martin went onto claim a class podium P3 at the end of her solo sprint race before both lady drivers wrapped up another pre-season event with a P2 class finish at the end of the days hour long, pit stop/driver change punctuated endurance race.
Teammates Mike David Ortmann and Yevgen Sokolovskiy also enjoyed podium success with a class third for Ortmann in the opening sprint before both finished just behind Jilkova/Martin in third in the endurance race.
Then, with the new drivers to the series this year with the team saw Nico Verdonck again out on track with Guido Dumarey within the #310 GT4 where the speedy Belgian scooped a class P2 finish in Sprint race 2 alongside their P5 finishes in both the first and last races.
To round things off, the #170 AMR Vantage GT3 crew of Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux each earned themselves valuable track time and a whole new load of silverware by claiming a pair of P3 finishes in each of the sprint races with a P2 finish in the endurance round, all in preparation towards their respective entries into various European based series later this year.
The next round of the series is from Navarra, Spain over the 4/5th March.
Photo credits – D Burgin
Monday, February 20, 2023 |
Read more...
A bitter-sweet finale for the PROsport Racing team around the NLS Nordschleife
A full season supporter of the German NLS (nee VLN) series, this final four-hour race on Saturday saw both the #17 Pro-Am classed Vantage GT3 car of Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux head back around the infamous Green Hell together whilst their #176 Vantage GT4 car of Guido Dumarey and Yevgen Sokolovskiy partnered each other within their SP10 class.
A P11 Qualifying position for the #17 car was however quickly undone after heavy rear end contact showed distinctive broken rear suspension from an incident otherwise unseen by camera. Sadly for them, their season would end on lap one of the race even and before they had transissioned from the Grand Prix circuit and onto the Nordschleife for the first time.
For their GT4 counterparts however, it was to be a better day as Guido Dumarey and ‘birthday boy’ Sokolovskiy brought their car second overall in class for some much-deserved silverware.
Whilst that event has seen out their 2022 racing endeavours, we understand that the German team will soon be back in GT4 racing action after they indicated a possible two AMR car entry into this coming GT Winter Series that starts at Estoril in early January where we may even see their new all-woman racing crew compete together for the first time in preparation for something bigger later in the year.
Photo credits – Team / NLS
Monday, November 07, 2022 |
Read more...
PROsport Racing see out the NLS series with another multi-car AMR effort
For the Christophe Esser squad, 2022 has been their busiest season so far since they adopted the new Aston Martin Racing Vantage platforms with huge race and championship winning success across the multiple series that their Vantage GT3 and GT4 cars have entered with lots more in store for 2023.
This weekend sees them run just two AMR platforms – the #17 GT3 Pro-Am Vantage for drivers Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux as well as the #176 GT4 of Guido Dumarey and Yevgen Sokolovskiy.
The latter Ukrainian driver raced with the team at last weekend’s FIA Motorsport Games event at Paul Ricard alongside co-driver Ivan Peklin who races within the teams ‘training’ Porsches in the same NLS event.
Further down the list we also see Team Speed Monkeys Jacob Riegel take his first steps in attaining his Nordschleife Permit within a BMW M240i Class car after his first GT season within the DTM Trophy Series.
This weekend’s finale will be a four-hour affair.
Photo credits – Teams
Thursday, November 03, 2022 |
Read more...
PROsport Racing success at latest 12hour round of the NLS around the Nordschliefe
Running two full season NLS crews aboard their #13 AMR Vantage GT3 and #176 Vantage GT4 cars, their third car was a little more of a mix and match after late drivers changes were forced onto the team left the team’s ‘resident’ driver coach Nico Verdonck as a late entry into their #175 car alongside Celia Martin and Guillaume Dumarey (the reason for Emil Heyerdahl’s withdrawal is unclear).
With some of the foulest weather about around the circuit could throw at the some - one hundred and fifty runners, at least these three Aston Martins were able to take the start of Saturday’s opening six-hour portion of the race before Parc Ferme conditions were imposed overnight before the concluding half of the race today.
Eventually finishing earlier today, the full season #17 Vantage GT3 came home second within their GT3 (SP9) Pro-Am class in second with the one off #175 Vantage GT4 entry also coming home second within their SP10 class whilst the sister full season #176 car coming home sixth in class.
Despite their full season status, both cars have either skipped or failed to finish enough rounds of the NLS Series for them not to be in any Championship contention.
Photo credits - Team
Sunday, September 11, 2022 |
Read more...
Mixed results for PROsport Racing at six hour round of the NLS
This time being a six-hour race as opposed to the customary four hours, the one hundred and twenty-four car entry was blessed again with the presence of two Aston Martin Racing cars from the locally based PROsport Racing team.
Being a longer race, each car featured a bolstered driver line up with Christoph Breuer joining the more established line up Jean Glorieux and Maxime Dumarey aboard the teams #17 SP9 Pro-Am class entered AMR Vantage GT3 whilst Simon Balcaen again joined the team with their 176 SP10 (GT4) entered car of Guido Dumarey and Emil Heyerdahl.
With Heyerdahl claiming class pole position during the days earlier qualifying session, hopes were again high for another success round of the formerly named VLN Series, but trouble was to later strike the #17 car down just after the halfway stage for reasons still as yet unknown.
Fortunately, the #176 wasn’t so misfortunate and would later come home third overall in their class.
Photo credits – Eric Metzner Photo Art
Sunday, July 10, 2022 |
Read more...
This time around a six hour race for the PROsport Racing team in NLS
Having taken something of a sabbatical to make space for the twenty-four earlier this year, the formally named VLN Series returned only last week where we had two cars from the locally based PROsport Racing team in attendance with one example of their Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 and GT4 race cars.
That race saw the team’s then Pro-Am classed #17 AMR Vantage GT3 of Maxime Dumarey, Jean Glorieux and Nico Verdonck finish their best result yet second in class whilst their sister #176 AMR Vantage GT4 crew of Guido Dumarey and GT4 debutant Emil Heyerdahl finishing third in their SP10 class by the end of that four-hour race.
This weekend’s longer race sees a slight driver realignment as Christoph Breuer trades places with Verdonck alongside both Dumarey and Glorieux whilst Guido Dumarey and Heyerdahl are joined by returning team racer Simon Balcaen.
Photo credits - @ericmetznerphotoart
Wednesday, July 06, 2022 |
Read more...
Team of the Week - PROsport Racing
If there was an award for “Team of the week”, then that would have to go to the PROsport Racing team whose Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 crews absolutely dominated the latest round of the ADAC GT4 Germany Series as well as two of their other Aston’s doing equally well at the latest round of the NLS from the Nordschliefe.
Full season entries of course for the ADAC GT4 Germany Series saw their Junior Class #24 car of Hugo Sasse and Mike David-Ortmann run with their Trophy Class crew of Yevgen Sokolovskiy and Christopher Rohner as last weekend’s third round of the season at the Dutch coastal circuit of Zandvoort.
There, the #24 car made a clean sweep of overall pole positions of each of the weekend’s one-hour races but then followed that up with two overall victories despite all the full course cautions and weather that the circuit and the series could throw at them.
That in turn was backed up by the #48 crew taking P3 and then P2 in their own Trophy class thanks to their P25 and P19 race finishes respectively.
These results have taken Sasse and Ortmann up to second in the overall Championship table behind that of the Dorr Motorsport AMR crew of Indy Dontjie and Phil Dorr but also to the top of the Junior Class for Sasse and up to second in the Team’s Championship table – again behind the Dorr Team. Sokolovskiy also moves up to third in his Trophy Class as the series moves onto their local circuit at the Nurburgring in early August.
Also running this weekend was another of the team’s AMR Vantage GT4’s as well as their Vantage GT3 which were running again within the Nurburgring Langstrecken Series (ex VLN Series) from the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife.
Having taken something of the sabbatical for the ADAC Total 24H race at the end of May, the third round of the NLS was again ran over four hours with the team’s ‘resident’ driver coach, Nico Verdonck who again joined Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux aboard their #17 SP9 Pro-Am entry to end their Saturday race day P4 in class with their #176 Vantage GT4 car Guido Dumarey and GT4 newcomer Emil Heyerdahl finishing P3 I their SP10 class.
Like many European based GT4 teams these days, PROsport Racing move across to Italy for next weekend’s third round of the GT4 European Series from Misano with their two-car entry, again involving Sasse, Ortmann and Verdonck.
Photo credits – ADAC GT4 / NLS / Teams
Monday, June 27, 2022 |
Read more...
Just two Astons at this weekends NLS 4
After the largest bunch of Aston Martin Racing powered Vantage GT3 and GT4 race cars ever to represent the marque at the flagship 24-hour event, this weekend’s NLS round sees a more modest two AMR car entry with one of each variant from the locally based PROsport Racing team.
This weekend we see the return of the green liveried #17 Vantage GT3 Pro-Am Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux after they took a GT4 seat within the team for the 24hr and joining them will be the #176 GT4 car of Guido Dumarey and Emil Heyerdahl after the latter secured his licence to move up the class ladder as well as a place within the AMR Drivers Academy.
This weekend’s four-hour race will begin at midday (local)
Photo credits – Team / NLS
Tuesday, June 21, 2022 |
Read more...
Three Astons amongst an entry of 160 cars for round three of the NLS this weekend
With round two having been cancelled due to weather even before the day back at the end of March, this weekend we again expect to see a slightly loaded Aston Martin Racing partner and customer team participation as some within AMR circles prepare to think and prepare for the upcoming ADAC Total 24hr race due to run later in May.
As far as the NLS full season entries are concerned, we again see the #17 PROsport Racing AMR Vantage GT3 of Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux who undoubtedly want to build upon the success of that car in the opening round after Nico Verdonck was called into action for an incapacitated Glorieux to claim a P14 in the full Pro class. This weekend, the #17 car is due to return to its GT3 Pro-Am class.
With us expecting not to see either of the team’s AMR Vantage GT4s in action at the NLS by virtue of two cars racing at the opening round of the ADAC GT4 Germany Series at Oschersleben this weekend, we do in fact see again the #176 SP10 classed GT4 of Guido Dumarey and Alex Walker in action in an obvious third car for the team. Last time out, the #176 claimed a P2 in class result at the end of NLS1 in March.
The additional AMR entry this weekend will of course be the TF Sport prepared GT3 Pro entry for drivers Marco Sorenson, David Pittard and Maxime Martin as the crew and team prepare for a full pseudo factory assault on the biggest prize in GT3 racing and one that has illuded the team for some years now at the 24 hours. None of those really need any introduction from us!!
Photo credits - Team
Thursday, April 21, 2022 |
Read more...
And then there were three Aston Martin's at NLS 2 this weekend
Full season entries from the locally based PROsport Racing team see their #17 AMR Vantage GT3 return with drivers Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux hopefully pairing up together in the SP9 Pro-Am Class after Glorieux was taken ill just ahead of the opening round of the NLS two weeks ago.
That situation needed ‘resident’ driver coach Nico Verdonck to step in and assist his customer driver Dumarey as the pairing Qualified P23 overall and eventually finished P14 overall at their first attempt.
That entry is supported again by the #176 SP10 (GT4) entry from the team for drivers Guido Dumarey, Guillaume Dumarey and Yevgen Sokolovskiy who also enjoyed a successful season opener around the Green Hell having qualified P60 overall / P4 in class, to eventually finish P2 in class.
These entries are now supported by the addition of the new TF Sport AMR Vantage GT3 entry this weekend as they prepared for the 24hour event later in May. With existing racing commitments hampering a consistent driver approach in the preparatory rounds, this weekend sees the #21 car being piloted by Nicki Thiim, Marco Sorenson and David Pittard.
With a driver line up like that within the SP9 Pro class, subject to weather conditions around the circuit on Saturday, we would expect a line up like that to be near the front runners by the end of the four-hour race.
Photo credits – NLS / Team / AMR
Tuesday, April 05, 2022 |
Read more...
Great start to the year for Prosport Racing at the opening round of the NLS
This time featuring both a Vantage GT3 and GT4 in their midst for the first time as full season NLS entries, yesterday’s opening four-hour race didn’t exactly start that well for the team as Jean Glorieux was taken ill overnight meaning that he could no longer partner Maxime Dumarey aboard their #17 Pro-Am classed SP9 Vantage GT3.
Originally being there in a team driver coaching capacity only, Nico Verdonck quickly found himself back in the race seat of the #17 car although they did now have to run in the full SP9 Pro class.
Qualifying P23 overall, the #17 car ran a faultless opening race to finish P14 overall whilst the team’s #176 AMR Vantage GT4 crew of Guido Dumarey and Yevgen Sokolovskiy ran a similarly also faultless race from their P60/P4 in class Qualifying position to finish P2 in class at the end.
Despite being listed upon the entry list, it appears that the #151 Doer Motorsport AMR Vantage GT4 that was due to run in the SP8T class didn’t not take part in yesterday’s proceedings.
Photo Credits - Team
Sunday, March 27, 2022 |
Read more...
Three Aston Martins at NLS opener this weekend
As seen just last weekend at the Official test, the #17 PROsport Racing AMR Vantage GT3 of Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux represents the first expected full season entry of the chassis with the team also entering one of their AMR Vantage GT4’s within the SP10 class for drivers Guido Dumarey and Yevgen Sokolovskiy in their traditionally numbered #176 car.
Further down the entry list we also have the PROsport Racing #471 entry for drivers Guillaume Dumarey and Simon Balcaen as they race one of the teams Porsche Caymans in the VT3 class before progressing up to the AMR Vantage GT4 later in the season with third man Emil Heyerdahl.
The Doer Motorsport AMR Vantage GT4 for Phil Dorr is also listed, this time running in the SP8T class with co drivers Stefan Kenntemich and Frank Weishar as Dorr prepares for a possible entry into this year’s twenty-four-hour race at the end of May.
The Doer Motorsport AMR Vantage GT4 for Phil Dorr is also listed, this time running in the SP8T class with co drivers Stefan Kenntemich and Frank Weishar as Dorr prepares for a possible entry into this year’s twenty-four-hour race at the end of May.
This weekend’s four-hour opener, like usual, starts with Qualifying on Saturday morning with the start of the race around midday local time.
Also - look for some familiar names in the less powerful classes as again, many seek their Nordschleife Permit!!
Photo credits – Eric Matzgner / NLS
Photo credits – Eric Matzgner / NLS
Thursday, March 24, 2022 |
Read more...
Aston Martins back out testing at the Nordschleife ahead of NLS opener next week
Just a week ahead of the opening round of the Nordschleife Langstrechen Serie (nee VLN Series) from the infamous German circuit has the teams at the track this weekend for the Series official test.
Presently featuring an undeterminable number of entries at the test ahead of an equally undeterminable entry for the opening four-hour race next week has had at least four Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 and GT4 race cars at their test today.
Featuring three cars from the nearby based PROsport Racing, they have been busy dialling in their Vantage GT3 for drivers Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux ahead of their full season NLS entry (under the watchful eye of Nico Verdonck) as well as we believe their two AMR Vantage GT4’s that will be taken up by drivers crews of Alex Walker/Guido Dumarey and Yevgen Sokolovskiy in one and Guillaume Dumarey/Simon Balcaen and (when qualified) Emil Heyerdahl as previously announced by the team.
Also present today at the test was an AMR Vantage GT4 from the Doer Motorsport team, although they have not so far declared any intention to compete within the Series.
There is no information yet on whether Team Speed Monkeys and RAcing One's desire to race within the series with their AMR Vantage GT4s has come to fruition.
Photo credits – Team / Eric Metzgner
Photo credits – Team / Eric Metzgner
Saturday, March 19, 2022 |
Read more...
Prosport Racing AMR gets busier in 2022 with multiple NLS entries
Today’s news from Christophe Esser’s team sees them confirm one of their Vantage GT3 cars into a full season NLS entry with drivers Maxime Dumarey and Jean Glorieux with Nico Verdonck helping out again in a testing, driver coaching capacity as well further NLS entries for their GT4 cars.
Hopefully with details not being lost in translation from the post, it appears that both Alex Walker and Guido Dumarey will both return to the team, car and series after their exploits last season and will be joined this year by Yevgen Sokolovskiy who is one of their ADAC GT4 Germany racers this year as well.
There will also be hopes of entering their second AMR Vantage GT4 for drivers Guillaume Dumarey and team newcomer Simon Belcaen who will in turn be joined by Emil Heyerdahl once he had attained his NLS licence.
Whilst some NLS GT3 news was hoped for from the team, it isn’t actually with whom we expected after comments from last season. Both Maxime Dumarey and Glorieux both raced the Vantage GT3 at this year’s 24H Series Dubai 24 where they (and others within the car) Qualified in a class third and finished P7 overall by the end.
All great news for us of course.
Photo credits – Team / 24H Series / NLS
All great news for us of course.
Photo credits – Team / 24H Series / NLS
Monday, March 14, 2022 |
Read more...
