- First time for Emil Frey Racing to be in Spa with Lamborghini and Pirelli
- Changing weather conditions allow for broad range of setups
- 18 hours of extensive day- as well and night sessions
Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), October 02nd 2020
Emil Frey Racing has left Zandvoort (NL), where last weekend’s race took place, to travel to Spa-Francorchamps and do official testing from the 29th to the 30th of October 2020. The crew traveled with a limited number of members due to current travel restrictions. The tight schedule and long working hours meant that the team was going to face two fully-packed testing days. To say that testing would come with serious mental and physical strains for the whole team, is an understatement.
On Tuesday, the first out of two official test days, the two Lamborghinis already logged in an impressive number of kilometres. The #14 Lamborghini recorded 700 kilometres, while the #163 Lamborghini logged 849 kilometres. Emil Frey Racing’s objective for the test days was to get to know the circuit Spa-Francorchamps and to test the Pirelli tires alongside the Lamborghinis on the track. The team was working towards finding the perfect car balance in dry as well as wet weather conditions, and to optimize accordingly. To set a solid base, Emil Frey Racing also worked on its qualy-lap performance. However, the long-run performances were just as important, as it was of utmost importance to find a tire-friendly setup for the longrun. The night session offered the perfect opportunity for the drivers to get used to darker light conditions, while the engineers took the chance to analyse the tires and their behavior. A later-than-usual place in the calendar for the race also brings a whole new set of challenges. Especially the unpredictable weather and lower temperatures will require for the team to be extra agile during the race. Because temperatures will be dropping even lower until the end of October, it’s all the more important to make the right amount of tire pressure the main focus.
Team statements
Lorenz Frey-Hilti, Team Principal
The two test days in Spa were very valuable. The 24-hour race usually takes place during the summer months. The race having been postponed to the end of October means that there will be new challenges that we’ll have to tackle together as a team. Nevertheless, thanks to all the insights and learnings, I’m looking forward to one of the toughest endurance races of the world.
Jürg Flach, Technical Director
We were able to stick to our plan during the official test days in Spa. The very first test day with a total of 11 hours of active racing, of which 4 were at night, were especially gruelling. The drivers were able to get used to the dark and the track characteristics. We’re well-prepared for the changing weather conditions, which are to be expected in late October.
Driver statements Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO #163
Albert Costa Balboa (ESP)
That was a good test for us. The weather was unpredictable as it kept changing from rainy to dry. But that’s also why it was perfect: We were able to try several things on the Lamborghinis and are therefore well-prepared for the big race. I can’t wait!
Giacomo Altoè (ITA)
We went straight to Spa-Francorchamps right after our weekend in Zandvoort, to take part at the two-day official testing. This helped us find a good base for the setup, which we will use starting from the free practice during the 24-hour race weekend. We were able to test in dry as well as rainy weather conditions and are really excited about the race weekend. Of course, a lot of work still needs to be done, but the 24-hour race is a highlight and the biggest race of the year. That’s why now it’s game time! Time to chase the best result possible.
Franck Perera (FR)
The testing days are over, and I am happy to be racing again with Emil Frey Racing. It’s been a long time since Nürburgring and it will be yet another long break until the race weekend in Spa-Francorchamps starts. The test days weren’t easy, especially because of the weather. But that’s no news in 2020! The race weekend itself won’t be easy either, which is exactly why it’s so thrilling. The team is working constantly on optimizing the Lamborghini, and they’re doing an amazing job. I’m confident that we have everything we need to deliver a great performance on the track. I’m looking forward to return to Spa with the whole team.
Driver statements Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO #14
Norbert Siedler (AUT)
It was a very productive two days of testing. We were able to test a lot of different scenarios – in dry as well as in wet conditions. Our engineers now have the next 3 weeks to analyse and evaluate a big set of data. I’m confident that they will do the right adjustments to the setup to get the car ready for the 24-hour race. Many thanks to the whole team!
Mikaël Grenier (CAN)
I’m happy with the two test days. We were able to try out different setups in rainy as well as dry weather, which was very valuable. Of course, there’s still room for improvement before we’re ready to take on the 24-hour race, but I’m still very satisfied with our output during the test days.
Ricardo Feller (CH)
The weather kept changing a lot during the past two days, which was actually perfect because it helped us collect loads of data, which we’ll evaluate and apply to get ready for the big race in three weeks. Our engineers did an outstanding job!