It was a nice moment to bump into the always cheerful Patrick Selleslagh at the Dubai 24 Hours as the ex GT1 Corvette entrant looked after one of his beloved charges under the banner of the V8 Racing team, the car setting pole position and running well throughout.
It’s been almost 3 years since we saw a car run under Sellaslagh’s own team moniker. SRT, Selleslagh Racing Team first brought a Corvette to the fray in 2003 with an ex factory GTS class C5-R.
Fast forward to 2011 and SRT finished with a flourish, a race win for their Corvette C6.R as the FIA GT1 World Championship started its terminal dive.
Now though the team are back, now with both Patrick and his son Niels Selleslagh at the helm, and with a full season programme for a newly acquired Corvette C6 GTE that will see action in the International GT Open and reportedly elsewhere too.
During the period between 2003-2011 SRT achieved numerous successes, ranging from the Belgian championship, over two brilliant wins in the 24 Hours of Zolder, through to race wins too in the FIA GT and GT1 World Championships.
Throughout the team remained faithful to Corvette and Pratt & Miller, and the close links with the race car constructor from Detroit remains good and intact.
Patrick Selleslagh:
“In 2011 I announced my farewell and my son and I then worked for two years behind the scenes for a Dutch Corvette team, with a title in the Supercar Challenge and a team title in the International GT Open as outcome. As such the ties with Corvette was not broken and during the course of these last few month the idea grew to go back into action ourselves.
“With this comeback I will in fact be handing over the torch to my son. He, together with a few young collaborators will run SRT, whilst I will obviously still be standing by. However the future is up to them. Niels will be heading up the team, but it goes without saying that he can always count on my support and if required my expertise also. I will also still be present at the races.”
Niels Sellleslagh has already spent many years in his father’s team, more specifically in the technical field.
Niels Selleslagh:
“From a very young age I have worked on the Corvette and the car became my passion, part of my life in fact. So I’m really delighted that we are back on the scene and we have the new car in our workshops in Merchtem.
The car is the one in which Tom Milner, Oliver Gavin and Richard Westbrook competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, a Corvette C6-ZR1 GTE.
We have fitted the car with a 7 litre power unit and ABS, the car is eligible for the International GT Open. In reality this car is unique and ready to win.
“The car can also be entered in the BRCC or the Supercar Challenge, two competitions in the Benelux, or elsewhere, should there be a demand.
“It goes without saying that we remain faithful to our tradition and philosophy, in other words, a small team, but with a highly professional approach. We are also working very closely together with Pratt & Miller, something we have always done and will continue to do. I’m fully confident that in 2014 that we will be up to holding our own and will be working in close cooperation with my father.”
