Moss & Osborne confirmed for GT Open at Monza
Optimum Motorsport has revealed that Nick Moss and Joe Osborne will make a one-off GT Open appearance at Monza in the Pro category.
Last year, the pair enjoyed GT Open race-winning success at the Italian circuit together, winning Sunday’s Race 2. They will share Optimum’s #72 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO (above).
EBM to run GT4 Aston in Singapore
Earl Bamber Motorsport is set to compete in the Super Series meeting supporting the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix this weekend with an Aston Martin Vantage GT4. It will be the team’s first outing as an Aston Martin customer team.
“We are really looking forward to debuting the Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 with (EBM) Earl Bamber Motorsports and the AMR Junior driver Romain Leroux this weekend at Singapore GP,” Earl Bamber, EBM’s team owner said.
“Obviously Romain did a stellar job and swept both the races last year so we are really excited to have him in the car and as a team we are really looking forward to demonstrating the full potential of the AMR product this weekend at Singapore GP together with AMR Asia.”
Weiron Tan, the director of AMR Asia, said this news is exciting for the Aston Martin brand’s Asian motorsport activities.
“We have two cars participating at the TSS Singapore GP this year,” he said. “The Vantage GT3 driven by bronze driver Douglas Khoo for Viper Niza Racing and the Vantage GT4 driven by AMR junior driver Romain Leroux for Earl Bamber Motorsports (EBM).
“Last year saw us having a near podium miss with Douglas in the GT3 and Romain winning both races in the GT4. This will be the first race EBM participates with the Aston Martin brand and we’re excited to witness the continuous success and will be pushing to have a strong result again as we did last year.”
Isotta out testing at Aragon
Last weekend, while the 2023 FIA WEC teams were out racing at the Fuji Speedway in Japan, 2024 Hypercar hopeful Isotta Fraschini was out testing its Tipo 6 LMH Competizione at Motorland Aragon in Spain.
It was the third test for the Tipo 6 at Aragon and was used as a first opportunity to run the car at night. Over the three days of running, the Italian manufacturer also had the chance to test the car in damp conditions after rain on the final day.
The car completed 251 laps of the circuit and 1341 kilometres, with Marco Bonanomi, Jean-Karl Vernay and Matteo Malucelli sharing the wheel.
“We expected three days of intense testing, and so it was,” said Claudio Berro, the motorsport director of Isotta Fraschini.
“Apart from a small electronic problem on the first day, the tests developed very well. We had very variable conditions, as you normally find in endurance racing. Heat, sun, night, rain… everything needed to temper and consolidate an car studied for long-distance races.
“We are therefore satisfied with the kilometres completed in all these conditions, another important step for developing the car.”
BHA to run special livery at Indianapolis
Bryan Herta Autosport’s Pilot Challenge TCR championship-leading Hyundai Elantra N will sport a new look this weekend at Indianapolis.
The Hyundai is shedding its normal light blue and orange livery for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 in favour of a yellow-and-white paint scheme adorned with multicoloured children’s handprints. It’s all to honour the 25th anniversary of the Hyundai Hope On Wheels programme raising funds to find a cure for childhood cancer.
The handprints symbolize the programme’s fight against pediatric cancer and hope for a cure. 11-year-old Raynie Clark, Hyundai Hope On Wheels national youth ambassador, will attend Saturday’s four-hour race and become a member of the BHA team for the weekend.
Clark’s name will be added on the #33 car alongside the names of drivers Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker. In addition, Hyundai Hope On Wheels will donate $100 to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis for each lap led by any of the seven Hyundai entries in the race.
“We’re honoured to represent Hyundai Hope on Wheels with a special livery at our home race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Bryan Herta, co-owner of Bryan Herta Autosport. “We look forward to welcoming special guest Raynie Clark as our honorary co-driver alongside Robert Wickens and Harry Gottsacker in the #33 Elantra N TCR car.
“Hyundai Hope on Wheels has special meaning to us at BHA,” Herta added. “The #33 car number is in honour of Reese Imhoff, who was a friend to our team and sadly lost his battle with a rare bone cancer, osteosarcoma.
“The #33 was Reese’s lacrosse (jersey) number and we still run that number in his honour along with ‘Reese is a Beast’ decals on all our entries. What Hyundai Hope on Wheels does to help fight these childhood diseases and their families when they need it most continues to inspire us to do better in our own lives.”
Wickens, Gottsacker and the #33 BHA Elantra hold a 50-point lead in the TCR standings heading into this weekend.
