Safenwil – Switzerland, 15th August 2023
Emil Frey Racing starts the second half of the DTM season next weekend. The Swiss team aims for top results after optimal preparation at the 4.5-kilometre DEKRA Lausitzring, Germany’s most modern racetrack.
The Speedway opened in 2000 and is the only racetrack on the entire calendar featuring a steep curve. The highest cross slope is a maximum of 10 per cent with a gradient of 4.5 per cent.
The last races could not have been more different for the two Emil Frey Racing drivers. While Englishman Jack Aitken was dogged by bad luck in the rain chaos at the Nürburgring, young Dutchman Thierry Vermeulen secured two Top-10 finishes and solid points for the team.
Since the season opener in Oschersleben, where the team celebrated a strong podium result, they fell below expectations in the following races, especially at the Norisring. After successful test drives with the two Ferrari 296 GT3s last week, Emil Frey Racing faces a new challenge. The goal is clearly defined: to deliver faultless performances and continuously compete at the front.
The fifth DTM round of the season takes place at the Lausitzring from the 18th until the 20th August, 2023. The weekend starts with two 45-minute Free Practice sessions on Friday at 11 am and 2:45 pm, respectively. An early qualifying at 09:05 am on Saturday sets the starting grid for the race the same day, which will start at 01:30 pm. Qualifying on Sunday is at 09:35 am, with the race following again at 01:30 pm.
Team Quotes Emil Frey Racing
Jürg Flach, Technical Director: “Competitiveness has been a big issue in the DTM so far. We had a good start to the season but had to deal with some problems. At the Nürburgring, the conditions for further podium finishes would have been very good, but mistakes on our part prevented this. In the upcoming races, we must bring all the components into line for success.”
Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Team Principal: “Certainly, we can’t be delighted with the first half of the season. We often didn’t fully use the car’s potential, and mistakes crept in, such as with the pitstops. We eliminated these at the Nürburgring, and after the excellent test drives at the Lausitzring, we are going into the new weekend stronger. We aim to set a good starting position for podium finishes in both races with strong qualifyings and avoid making strategic mistakes.
Driver Quotes Ferrari 296 GT3 #14
Jack Aitken (Great Britain): „We should be pleased with what we have achieved this year. It has been very up and down, but it is to be expected with a brand-new car, and we showed some excellent potential at times. For the next round, I’m not sure how we will perform. It has both high and low-speed corners, so we must ensure we get the most out of the car to perform here. I expect we’ll keep improving and challenging for more podiums for the rest of the season and hopefully get the first win!”
Driver Quotes Ferrari 296 GT3 #69
Thierry Vermeulen (Netherlands): “We are halfway through the season, and the last two races have been better. So, we want to keep the momentum going and keep improving because that’s our goal. I had two Top-10 finishes at the Nürburgring, and of course, we want to keep fighting for those positions. It was good for the team that we tested at the Lausitzring before the race weekend. But the Lausitzring will be tricky; there have been many different race winners in the DTM so far, and it isn’t easy to know which brand will be at the top. We will do our best to put in a good performance. It’s our first season with the Ferrari and my first season in the DTM. We need to keep learning as a team, and I’m confident that we can get some good results in the second half of the season, and that’s what we’re aiming for.”
CONTACT
Maria-Alejandra Rüeger
Emil Frey Racing
Schürmattstrasse, CH-5745 Safenwil
T: +41 (0) 79 567 25 18
mr@emilfreyracing.com