6H Silverstone: World Championship campaigns begin in LMGTE Pro
Get ready for some of the hottest competition in the world of endurance racing! The WEC’s GTE manufacturers are this year contesting a full FIA World Endurance Championship title, and the driver line up among the eight entries is second to none.
Get ready for some of the hottest competition in the world of endurance racing! The WEC’s GTE manufacturers are this year contesting a full FIA World Endurance Championship title, and the driver line up among the eight entries is second to none.
Aston Martin Racing’s 2016 championship-winning Dane Train of Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen return to defend their title, alongside AMR stalwart Darren Turner - a former winner of the event in 2014 – and British GT champion Jonny Adam.
AF Corse and Ferrari’s Sam Bird will be hoping to defend his victory at Silverstone last year in the first WEC appearance for the Ferrari 488 GTE. Bird and team mate Davide Rigon led home a 1-2 for Ferrari, with James Calado in second. The Italian cars will be wearing a new heritage red paintwork for the 2017 season in celebration of the Prancing Horse’s 70th anniversary.
Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK also has a pair of determined Brits hoping to win local pride. Harry Tincknell and Andy Priaulx were victorious in Fuji and Shanghai last year, and will aim to hit the ground running from the start alongside GT rookie Pipo Derani who joins the duo for the first three rounds of the year. Team mates in the sister Ford GT, Olivier Pla and Stefan Mücke will be joined by American Billy Johnson.
Porsche’s new 911 RSR has made an impressive debut on the international racing stage this year, and performances at The Prologue indicate they will be strong contenders for victory. 2015 GT champion Richard Lietz and his team mate Frederic Makowiecki have already won at Silverstone and will be looking to add a second victory to their tally as will their team mates Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre.
International flavour in LMGTE Am
In the GTE Am class, the passionate and knowledgeable home fans will have plenty of new cars and drivers to cheer on, including Britain’s Ben Barker and Mike Wainwright in the Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR (991).
Irishman Matt Griffin will proudly represent the Emerald Isle in Clearwater Racing’s first appearance in the WEC, and will be mentoring his new team mates in the No.61 Ferrari 488 GTE, just as Francesco Castellacci will be doing in the No.54 Spirit of Race Ferrari. He will be joined by former DTM hot shot Miguel Molina who will race in the Ferrari factory entered No.51 at Le Mans.
A full entry list for the 6 Hours of Silverstone is available to download HERE.
Practice and qualifying at the 5.901 km circuit which is based in Northamptonshire, approximately 70 miles north west of London, takes place on 14/15 April, with the 6-hour race itself getting underway on Sunday 16 April at 12h00 local time.
For more ticketing information, click HERE.