Motorsport: What's next for Emil Frey Racing?
Emil Frey Racing's great team performance at the Spa 24 Hours was rewarded with both Jaguars crossing the finish line. But now the question arises: What does the future hold? Instead of Jaguar, Lexus could also be considered. The entry of two Jaguars developed in-house in the world's biggest GT3 race meant the [...]
Entering two Jaguars developed in-house in the world's biggest GT3 race was the highlight of Emil Frey Racing's involvement to date. Because it is purely private, what has been achieved is all the more remarkable. Thanks to a clever strategy and driving skills, the Safenwil-based team achieved the first ever leading laps in the GT3 premier class on Saturday evening.
The euphoria was followed by disillusionment. A night-time accident for one team and a time-consuming defect in the other team's car meant they dropped to the back of the field (see AutoSprintCH live ticker). Lorenz Frey, who changed from driver to team boss after the race, therefore had mixed feelings: "Our performance was great, the strategy worked at the beginning. What happened next was brutal. We achieved our main goal of getting through with both cars with great difficulty. That's positive for the team, who worked so hard to achieve it. It was an instructive weekend that brought us closer together."
Emil Frey Racing expects support from Jaguar
But what happens now? The Jaguar XK, on which today's racing car is based, is a discontinued model. The F-type would be the ideal successor. "But if the factory doesn't cooperate, its development into a GT3 car is out of the question for us," Frey clarifies. "We expect more support from Jaguar on the technical and financial side. Until now, we have done everything ourselves." Unfortunately, talks with the British company have not yet borne fruit. Jaguar is concentrating on entering the FIA Formula E, and the earlier GT failures in the USA are also weighing on their minds.
"I would be sorry if we had to give up the project," sighs Lorenz Frey. In the meantime, however, there are other opportunities to implement the know-how. For example, a delegation from Lexus in Japan was in Spa. Emil Frey Racing is allowed to drive forward the development of the RC F GT3 for Lexus at the Nürburgring. The team boss can therefore well imagine representing Lexus with his team in the toughest GT racing series in future, instead of the brand close to his heart, Jaguar. Frey: "Over the next few weeks, we'll see how things go. We are open to anything."
www.emilfreyracing.com
Photos: Archive
