Emil Frey Racing: Excitement ahead of sprint debut
PREMIERE WITH TWO LEXUS GT3 After the successful debut with the Lexus RC F GT3 in the 2017 International GT Open, Emil Frey Racing will compete in the Sprint Cup of the Blancpain GT Series for the first time this weekend in Belgium. The test drives were very promising. After five years in the Endurance Series with the Jaguar, Emil Frey Racing takes [...]
After five years in the Endurance Series with the Jaguar, Emil Frey Racing is also taking part in the Sprint Cup with the new Lexus RC F GT3. There are separate championships over the short and long distances, and together they form the Blancpain GT Series.
Emil Frey Lexus Racing's successful involvement in the 2017 International GT Open (four race wins and third place overall) enabled it to prepare for this racing format. In contrast to the endurance races, qualifying is now particularly important. Without a front grid position, the prospects of a podium in the two one-hour sprint races diminish.
Chance increase with two cars
For the first time, the team from Safenwil is also fielding two Lexus RC F GT3s, as was the case in 2017 with two Jaguars in the Endurance Series. Team boss Lorenz Frey explains the reason.
Lorenz Frey: "It's always better to have two irons in the fire. If one car fails, the second can still score points. At the same time, we can gather more information with two cars to set them up as optimally as possible for the different track layouts."
The various test drives in the past weeks went smoothly. The work primarily focused on chassis tuning. Since the Blancpain GT Series uses Pirelli tires (Michelin in the GT Open), adjustments also had to be made to the traction control system.
Given the strength of the competition, the team remains realistic in its expectations.
Technical Director Jürg Flach: "We can be satisfied with a top-10 finish. We certainly have a very good car with the Lexus, but we are still at the beginning with our entry into the Blancpain GT Series and with the setup for the Pirelli tires. We are definitely aiming to deliver the best possible performance."
Start of the season on a technically demanding track
The two driver pairings are Albert Balboa Costa/Christian Klien (E/A) in the Lexus #14 and Stéphane Ortelli/Norbert Siedler (MC/A) in the Lexus #114. Ortelli won the Sprint Cup in 2013, Siedler won two races in 2015.
The season kicks off this weekend in Zolder, Belgium. With its ten corners, three chicanes and two long straights, the former Formula 1 circuit is considered to be technically highly demanding.
