Safenwil – Switzerland, 29th April 2024
Emil Frey Racing will be competing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Powered by AWS at Brands Hatch this coming weekend. The British racetrack is the annual venue for the opening round of the Sprint Cup championship, in which a field of 25 cars will fight an exciting battle for the best positions on the 3.9-kilometre former Grand Prix circuit.
The Swiss team will line-up with two Ferrari 296 GT3s in the competitive field. Dutchman Thierry Vermeulen and Italian Giacomo Altoè will join for the first time as new team-mates in the number 69 racing car, while the number 14 car will be shared by Finn Konsta Lappalainen and the newcomer from Great Britain, Ben Green.
The British venue, where the first race was held on a grass track in 1926, is a permanent fixture in the championship and is already represented on the calendar for the tenth time. However, a tight program awaits the drivers in just two days to mark this milestone anniversary. After free practice and pre-qualifying, the decisive qualifying session will take place on Saturday, with the two 60-minute races both taking place on Sunday.
The first round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Powered by AWS will take place from 4th to 5th May 2024 at Brands Hatch (England). All sessions and races will be streamed live on the YouTube channel @gtworld.
Team Quotes Emil Frey Racing
Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Team Principal
“The weekend at Brands Hatch will be very exciting because we only have two days with a full program. There is no room for mistakes or technical problems, as you then run the risk of missing one of the sessions. At Brands Hatch, everything has to be just right. Last year, we were very competitive and qualified in the Top-3 for both races. Unfortunately, we didn’t finish in those positions. However, we have grown as a team and are confident that we will deliver a good performance at the first Sprint Cup weekend.”
Jürg Flach, Technical Director
“We were competitive at Brands Hatch last year, but had to contend with technical problems that prevented us from achieving a better result. I think the two driver pairings are capable of achieving a good result and I’m already looking forward to the first weekend in the Sprint Cup.”
Driver Quotes – #69
Thierry Vermeulen (The Netherlands) #69
“Last year I was racing against Giacomo, this year he is my new team-mate. We’ve always had a very good relationship within the team and we have the same goals in our minds. Our aim in the Sprint Cup is to fight for the title! It will be a very short weekend, so you have to find your rhythm and the best speed quickly.”
Giacomo Altoè (Italy) #69
“After last year’s good experience, our goal for the first weekend is certainly to compete for victory. We have a strong overall package and all the ingredients to do well. Our tests over the past few weeks have gone very well. We’ve done our homework and are now ready to attack – I really can’t wait. I really like Brands Hatch, I was there for the first time last year. It’s an old-school track where there’s no room for error, it’s very demanding.”
Driver Quotes – #14
Konsta Lappalainen (Finland) #14
“The tests went very well and I worked very closely with my new team-mate Ben and the team on various improvements. We were very strong at Brands Hatch last year and I think we have a good chance of being at the front again this time. I feel ready for Brands Hatch and I’m looking forward to racing again.”
Ben Green (Great Britain) #14
“I feel well-prepared and ready to fight at the front. The goal is clear that we should be fighting for wins and the Ferrari was competitive at Brands Hatch last season, which gives me good confidence ahead of the first race. I love driving on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. It’s the place where I achieved my first pole position and my first ever lap record (back in 2017 in the Ginetta GT4 Supercup). I’m looking forward to returning there after many years of racing mainly in Europe!”
Schedule Brands Hatch
Saturday, 04th May 2024
09:00 – 10:00 Free Practice
11:55 – 12:55 Pre-Qualifying
16:10 – 16:40 Qualifying
Sunday, 05th May 2024
11:00 – 12:00 Race #1
16:00 – 17:00 Race #2