#CREVENTIC – Huge interest for first ever #Hankook 12H MONZA
The 24H SERIES powered by Hankook will make its first official visit to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in 2020, an event that already boasts more than 40 confirmed entries and a further 25 still showing interest.
The ‘temple of speed’ is one of the world’s most hallowed and respected Grand Prix facilities with roots dating back almost a century, and will host this year’s 24H SERIES Europe season opener on 27-28 March. Fittingly, the inaugural Hankook 12H MONZA is set to be the longest endurance motor race ever held at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, and could produce among, if not the, quickest average speeds of the entire 2020 24H SERIES.
“Obviously we’re very excited to have Monza on the 24H SERIES calendar for 2020,” explains CREVENTIC’s Ole Dörlemann. “This magnificent venue is a bucket list item for any serious racer and we’re very appreciative of the management team at the Autodromo who’ve helped pull this weekend together with CREVENTIC.
“We’ve received so much positive feedback from our teams and drivers about Monza down the years, so what better place then to start out European season? Given the number of entries that continue to pour in, and the high-speed action we’re sure to see, we’re very confident this will be an event to remember.”
Among the headliners on the entry list so far is Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing, the Overall TCE Teams’ champion in both the 24H SERIES Europe and the 24H SERIES Continents that will enter two Volkswagen Golf GTis at Monza. Expect the tenured Ferrari 488 GT3 of Rinaldi Racing to receive a warm reception from the Tifosi, as, assuredly, will Italy’s DINAMIC MOTORSPORT.
Reigning 24H SERIES Continents Overall GT Teams’ champion Leipert Motorsport, a stalwart of the 24H SERIES, is back in action with the Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo, sure to be a hit with the Italian crowd as will ARC Bratislava’s own raging bull. ‘GTX’ will undoubtedly prove a tough class to top though, given the KTM GTX of Reiter Engineering and MARC II V8 of Dutch endurance racing legend Cor Euser that are also expected to compete.
Defending ‘991’ class champion in both the 24H SERIES Europe and the 24H SERIES Continents, Porsche Lorient Racing, brings its now customary two-car Porsche 911-II Cup line-up to Monza. Reigning ‘GT4’ and ‘CUP1’ (now ‘TC’) class champion Hofor-Racing by Bonk Motorsport meanwhile brings a three-car entry to Monza – two BMW M4 GT4s and a sole BMW M240i Racing Cup – to begin its European title defences.
Inaugural 24H SERIES Continents Overall GT Teams’ champion, and perennial frontrunner, Herberth Motorsport enters two Porsche 911 GT3 R and will be keen to return to the top step once again in 2020. As will Car Collection Motorsport, a previous winner of the Hankook 24H DUBAI and which also brings a two-car entry – Audi R8 LMS – to Monza.
Proving that the 24H SERIES Europe is not just a continental affair, RHC Jorgensen-Strom (together with Century Motorsport) and former series champion CP Racing will represent the white, red and blue of the United States of America in the ‘GT4’ and ‘GT3’ classes respectively.
PROsport Racing, a former series champion, will once again be aiming for title glory with its Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. Also competing for GT4 honours will be the Jönsson consult / eva solo Mercedes-AMG GT4 of long-time 24H SERIES competitor, Søren Jönsson.
As always, TCE looks set to be a barn-stormer, with notable headliners including the CUPRA TCR of last year’s Hankook 24H BARCELONA TCE winner TOPCAR Sport, the Audi RS3 of 2020 Hankook 24H DUBAI winner AC Motorsport, and the Porsche Cayman CS of PR&V. Competition is also set to be high between old sparring partners Holmgaard Motorsport and former TCR class champion BBR, which don the proverbial war paint on their Volkswagen Golf GTi and CUPRA TCR respectively.
On the build-up to the event proper, all competitors will be invited to drive demonstration laps on Monza’s historic oval. Constructed in just 110 days in 1922, the Autodromo was the world’s third purpose-built race track after Brooklands in the UK and the USA’s Indianapolis. The high speed banked oval proved one of Monza’s strongest characteristics until the road course came to prominence from 1970 onwards. The banking though remains a hallmark of the circuit, and promises competitors taking part in the 24H SERIES’ official demonstration run some truly memorable images.
As per our provisional time schedule, on-track action begins with unofficial private testing on Thursday 26th March followed by Official Free Practice and two 30-minute Qualifying sessions on Friday 27th March before the Hankook 12H MONZA gets underway at 14.30 hrs local time later that afternoon. After the traditional overnight intervention, racing gets underway again at 10.30 hrs on Saturday 28th March and continues uninterrupted until the chequered flag drops that evening at 18.30 hrs.
Speed and race fans new to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza will be pleased to hear that the home of the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix every year bar one since 1950 is located just 14.5km from the neighbouring Milan. Lombardy’s most famous city is a beacon of culture, fashion, and, of course, architectural landmarks such as the stunning Piazza del Duomo, the Leonardo da Vinci museum, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the world’s oldest shopping mall.
* Entries are still being accepted for the inaugural Hankook 12H MONZA on 27-28 March. Further information regarding both this and the 2020 24H SERIES Europe is available via www.24hseries.com, or you can speak to our international team directly at +31 485 471 166.