GT4 European Series Northern Cup: Paddock Stories from the Red Bull Ring

Ekris Motorsport, Las Moras Racing, Sofia Car Motorsport by BADI and RYS Team Schönramer / Racecom were the class winners at the Red Bull Ring in the third round of the 2017 GT4 European Series Northern Cup. The Silver Cup was successfully introduced during the weekend, but there was more to talk about in the paddock in Austria
First Certina watches awarded to fastest qualifiers
Following the announcement of the partnership with Swiss watch brand Certina, the first watches were awarded to the fastest drivers in the Pro-AM and AM class qualifying sessions at the Red Bull Ring.

Bullitt Racing driver Andy Meyrick (Pro-AM) and RYS Team Schönramer / Racecom driver Achim Mörtl (AM) received the first watches for their lap times in Qualifying 1 from Certina’s Manfred Sulyok, while Philipp Ritter handed out the watches to RN Vision STS driver Gabriele Piana (Pro-AM) and Sofia Car Motorsport by BADI driver Eduard Anton (AM) for their times in the second qualifying.

“It was wet at the start and it was a drying session, so with my experience I knew that it was going to be the last lap or so. The last two laps I pushed like hell. I nailed it, got a perfect lap in that conditions and I am really, really happy to win the Certina watch and be the first winner,” said Andy Meyrick, after he received his watch on the podium at the end of Race 1.
Max Koebolt wins the Pirelli Junior Cup in Austria
Ekris Motorsport driver Max Koebolt won the Pirelli Junior Cup for the best scoring driver aged 26 and under at the Red Bull Ring. The 19-year-old Dutch driver won both races, scoring the maximum amount of points and after the second race he received a cheque from Pirelli circuit activity manager Matteo Braga in the GT4 European Series Northern Cup paddock.

For the young driver, winning the Pirelli Junior Cup with a double race win felt like a confirmation that he has made the right decision to join the series this season.

“It feels great to win the Pirelli Junior Cup and I really feel at home in this series. Before joining the GT4 European Series Northern Cup I raced in GT3 for two years. The first season I was thrown in at the deep end as I came from the Supercar Challenge. I had no high expectations but did quite well and when I changed to another team for the next season, the car didn’t really work. However, I knew I had the pace. After two years of bad luck I came into this series with the aim of winning the title and it’s all going so well that even those two ‘bad’ years were worth it.”
Allied-Racing back on the podium after double DNF at Brands Hatch
German squad Allied-Racing faced a lot of work after its two Porsche Cayman CS MR GT4s were involved in a shunt at Brands Hatch, causing severe damage to both cars. But the men from Huglfing worked hard and the team was back in action at the Red Bull Ring, finishing on the Pro-AM podium in both races.

“Both cars sustained heavy damage at Brands Hatch and were completely stripped. We repaired one Porsche, the other chassis is still at the workshop. But, because we have so much interest we bought a new, third chassis as well, which is with us this weekend,” said Allied-Racing’s Jan Kasperlik, who recently tested a number of drivers looking to get into GT4 next season. ‘Driver casting’ is how Kasperlik named it in Spielberg.

For the fourth round of the season, next month, Allied-Racing has entered two cars. At the Slovakiaring, Joachim Bölting and German rally driver and TV presenter Niki Schelle will join Kasperlik and Stupple.

Emotional weekend for Sofia Car Motorsport
Sofia Car Motorsport by BADI and its driver Eduard Anton won the AM class in the second race of the weekend at the Red Bull Ring, which turned out to be an emotional event for team owner Rosen Daskalov.

Two years ago, on June 7, 2015, Daskalov was involved in a last lap crash at the Austrian circuit in the second race of the weekend. The Sin R1 GT4 of the Bulgarian and the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 of Jörg Viebahn touched and crashed into the barriers, launching both cars into the air and back across the track. Both drivers walked away, but went to hospital for checks.

This weekend Daskalov was back at the Red Bull Ring for the first time since his crash and he looked back at the day of the incident and how it changed it him..

“Two years ago it was a special weekend as I had just learned that my wife was pregnant and it was the first time I was back in the car after a long time. I drove the car as it wasn’t as I wanted it to be at the Zandvoort Balance of Performance test and I thought I had to race it myself in Austria.”

“After the crash I decided not to race anymore, just some test work, and to focus on the development of the car and managing my team. This is what I did this weekend. I had a lot of work with our young driver and I helped him as much as possible. Winning the race was like a revival of my happiness. By returning to the track and winning the race, I feel we turned a page and are now beginning a new chapter.”

Charlie Fagg looks back on first half of the season
At the age of 17 Charlie Fagg is one of the youngest drivers on the GT4 European Series Northern Cup. The British driver is racing the #23 Sean Walkinshaw Racing Nissan 370Z this season, having raced Ginetta Juniors in recent years. At Misano and Brands Hatch Fagg raced with Romain Sarazin and at the Red Bull Ring he was joined by 16-year-old Micah Stanley.

“When I came to GT4 I knew it was a big step up. We had the opportunity to do British GT, but we felt like GT4 European Series was a lot better, because the aim for me is Blancpain. Three of the six rounds are supporting Blancpain, so it seems perfect. It’s a fantastic championship and the racing is very competitive,” said Fagg.

“Race wise, with the Nissan being a slightly older car than the McLaren and the Porsche we always knew it was going to be a bit of a struggle. But I think me and Romain showed great pace. Had it not been for the penalty, we could have gone for a podium at Brands Hatch.”

“Sean Walkinshaw Racing is very supportive and Romain has his Nissan GT background, which helped me to accelerate my learning at things like the strategy, pit stops and preserving brakes. It’s such a good learning curve. Especially at the Red Bull Ring and I was the Pro, helping Micah along, it just teaches you so much. It has been so valuable. I can’t thank Sean and the entire team enough.”

SRO Motorsports Group – The architect of modern GT Racing

Since 1995 SRO has specialised in the promotion and organisation of motorsport series. Inextricably linked with GT racing’s revival, SRO predominantly promotes categories that adhere to its successful GT3 and GT4 regulations. Indeed, these rules – a common framework allowing manufacturers, teams and drivers to compete equally with one another – has helped establish SRO as the global leader in customer GT racing.

Today, SRO’s influence and organisation can be seen around the world. SRO’s flagship is the European-based Blancpain GT Series, which combines the Sprint and Endurance Cups, of which the iconic Total 24 Hours is the highlight.

The same regulations and Balance of Performance parameters governing the Blancpain GT Series have been adopted in the United States by the Pirelli World Challenge (in which SRO is also a major shareholder), while the inaugural Blancpain GT Series Asia begins in 2017. In addition, the world’s best GT races from all four corners of the globe are brought together under the umbrella of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, and amateur drivers are also fully catered for via the Blancpain GT Sports Club.

Likewise, select European race weekends feature the GT1 Ultracar Sports Club where the world’s fastest and most technologically advanced limited-production road and track-only cars gather to demonstrate their awesome capabilities.

SRO is also strong domestically. The multi-class British GT Championship, which it has presided over since 2005, pairs GT3 with GT4 machinery, while France’s national series – now known as the GT4 European Series Southern Cup / FFSA French GT championship – was recently added to its existing Northern Cup counterpart.

SRO also operates the SRO Race Centre by MMC – a high-level technical centre at Paul Ricard Circuit in southern France – and Curbstone Track Events, which provides ultimate track driving opportunities on world renowned circuits.

SRO Motorsports Group is chaired by company founder and CEO Stephane Ratel and has offices in London, Paris and Liège.