SVK BY SPEED FACTORY RACING SEEKS SUCCESS AT PAUL RICARD

After summer break, SVK by Speed Factory Racing heads to Paul Ricard HTTT for Round 4 of the European Le Mans Series with Ginetta´s upgraded package. Dutch Mirco van Oostrum, replacing Jesús Fuster in France, will team up with Konstantin Calko and Dainius Matijošaitis.

SVK by Speed Factory Racing is ready for another action-packed weekend in European Le Mans Series, this time taking place on French soil: Paul Ricard HTTT, the complex located at Le Castellet in the Var region. Despite summer break, SVK by Speed Factory Racing didn´t take a holiday but kept busy even during the summer vacation.

SVK by Speed Factory Racing planned major upgrade for its Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 during the summer and the British prototype made a step forward in its VdeV debut on Sunday. Konstantin Calko, Dainius Matijošaitis and Mirco van Oostrum qualified 2nd in class and brought home a podium finish. The trio of SVK by Speed Factory Racing even led away at the start of the race but finally finished second.

After a troublesome weekend at Red Bull Ring, when the Spanish-based team couldn´t score a single point, the outfit led by Dalius Steponavicius eyes a podium finish in France. It is worth mentioning SVK by Speed Factory Racing claimed their first podium in the series at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, in only their second outing in the European Le Mans Series.

Dalius Steponavicius (Team manager of SVK by Speed Factory Racing): “They are busy weeks for the team. We contested the VdeV 4-hour race at Paul Ricard last weekend as a preparatory work for the ELMS event. As we have a new driver joining us, we needed to try different things for the ELMS. Our LMP3 has new upgrades, so we will require extra set-up work. Our goal for the European Le Mans Series round is to step onto the podium again. After our bad weekend at Red Bull Ring, we all at SVK by Speed Factory Racing are keen to fight for new success in France, and we are highly motivated. Let´s see what the weekend holds for us. ELMS are a very professional racing series and even small details have a massive impact to achieve a good result.”

Konstantin Calko (Driver of SVK by Speed Factory Racing): “It was a long time since our last race in the ELMS in Austria, so I am very eager to sit in the car. Since I made my debut at the track with the Radical Series, Paul Ricard was always unpredictable for me, but I expect an exciting race weekend with many intrigues. I like the track as itself, specially the long back straight and that demanding third sector. During the summer, our Ginetta has been upgraded. So, I am looking forward to driving it again, for sure a new challenge for us. Also we will have a new driver line-up, with Mirco joins us replacing Jesús Fuster for this round. He proved a good pace during VdeV, so we will continue performing extremely well. Regarding Dainius and I, we are ready to prove our speed and will try to get back on podium this time.”

Mirco van Oostrum (Driver of SVK by Speed Factory Racing): “This is a good test in preparation for a full 2016 ELMS campaign. Next year our goal is to enter the series with Álvaro Fontes and Jesús Fuster, and this is a first step for that future challenge. I had my first taste of the Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 during the VdeV race last weekend, so I was able to put valuable mileage under my belt for the ELMS round. I´m sure there are great things to come.”

Established by Lithuanian rally driver, Dalius Steponavicius, in 2008, Speed Factory Racing Team was most successful team in Radical Masters series with wins of driver´s title in 2008, 2009 and they are looking to bring that success with them to ELMS.