Motorsport: New arrival at Emil Frey Racing
MOTORSPORT Emil Frey Jaguar Racing is continuing its commitment to GT3 endurance racing. In 2017, there will be two Jaguars from Safenwil at the start of each of the five races. The new regular driver in the second car will be Marco Seefried (D). If Lorenz Frey drops out as a driver, Philipp Frommenwiler will also be used. The team from Safenwil will be contesting the first race of the season with its two Emil [...]
The team from Safenwil is once again contesting the five-round Endurance Cup in the Blancpain GT Series with its two Emil Frey GT3 Jaguars. This year, both cars are running in the PRO category, where they will be competing against factory teams from renowned manufacturers. The highlight is the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium at the end of July, where Emil Frey Racing set a milestone in its company history last year by briefly taking the lead.
The Swiss team put its second exclamation mark in September 2016 at the final round at the Nürburgring, where it scored its first championship points in the PRO category with a seventh-place finish. The Safenwil-based racing unit, led by Group junior Lorenz Frey as driver and team boss, aims to build on this in 2017.
As in 2016, Lorenz Frey, Spain's Albert Costa Balboa and Monegasque Stéphane Ortelli will take turns at the wheel of car number 14. The sister car with the number 114 will again be entrusted to Christian Klien from Vorarlberg, who lives in Diepoldsau, and Jonathan Hirschi from Neuchâtel. The German professional Marco Seefried is a new third driver. As Lorenz Frey may miss one or two races as a driver, Philipp Frommenwiler will take his place. The Thurgau native previously drove in the Porsche Supercup.
The Safenwil predator is based on the actually retired XK model, which has been optimized in detail for 2017 under the direction of Technical Director Jürg Flach. The V8 engines continue to be supplied by Ilmor from England, the company of Grisons-based horsepower wizard Mario Illien. Emil Frey Racing will not venture into the development of an F-type for the GT3 class until Jaguar in England participates technically and financially.
Lorenz Frey: "We worked hard over the winter, optimized our equipment, practiced numerous pit stops and completed a training camp with the drivers. The test program on the race track began in February. The tests were positive throughout and we're going into the new season stronger than ever. We have set ourselves the goal of regularly finishing in the top 10. As the only private GT3 manufacturer in the world's most competitive GT racing series, that's a very ambitious goal."
The first race will be held in Monza on April 22 and 23, 2017. The season finale will be held in Barcelona this year and not at the Nürburgring as in the past. The team is keeping open the option of additionally competing in the last two Sprint Cup races as part of the Blancpain GT Series. Exactly which parallel program Emil Frey Lexus Racing will contest with the LC F GT3 has not yet been decided.
Close to the team thanks to a VIP package
Emil Frey is offering a special experience for interested guests and fans. The VIP package exclusively for EFR fans includes a ticket to the race, access to the paddock and the EFR hospitality, a "cab ride" on the race track, shuttle tours around the track during the race and a "Meet & Greet" with the drivers and the team.
