Promising line-up for the Silver Cup
The season in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup gets underway at Brands Hatch on the first weekend in May – razoon – more than racing will be competing in the Silver Cup with a promising driver pairing.
Just one week after securing a one-two finish in the ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring, razoon – more than racing will compete in the season opener of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup at Brands Hatch in the UK. The team from Eggersdorf near Graz will compete in the Silver Cup with a Porsche 911 GT3 R. A total of 34 GT3 cars will compete in the race at the historic British circuit – which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The track is popular with drivers and fans alike and is particularly characterised by its ultra-fast sections through the woods. As run-off areas are limited there, mistakes are severely punished.
Danish driver Simon Birch – who secured two victories in the ADAC GT Masters last year with razoon – more than racing – and Norwegian Magnus Gustavsen will take their places in the cockpit of the Porsche 911 GT3 R. The two Scandinavians bring a wealth of GT experience to the table and have set themselves ambitious goals for the season in the Sprint Cup of the top international GT series.
“I’m really looking forward to the start at Brands Hatch and working with the team, which I know very well and know to be very strong!” says 19-year-old Birch, who is regarded as one of the greatest talents in international GT racing. “I’m really looking forward to working together in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, and my goal is, of course, to achieve strong results alongside Magnus and fight for podium places in the Silver Cup.”
Magnus Gustavsen returns to the SRO championship after a year’s break, having previously fought for top results with various Mercedes-AMG teams: “I’m delighted to announce that I’ll be competing in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup with razoon – more than racing, where I’ll be driving their Porsche alongside Simon. This is a fantastic opportunity and I’m really excited to be back in the GT World Challenge paddock after a year’s break. Jumping straight back into competition with a new team and a car I’ve never driven before will definitely be a challenge. However, I’m confident that we’ll adapt quickly together and rise to the challenge. I’m highly motivated to get started and make the most of this opportunity with the team.”
“We’re delighted to be making our full-time debut in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup. With Magnus and Simon, we have a strong line-up for the season. Magnus brings a wealth of experience and I think everyone knows just how fast Simon is. Ultimately, however, we’re approaching this with a great deal of respect, as I think the Sprint Cup – and the pit stops in particular – are very tough. We’ve trained a lot, but it’s the race that counts. If we’re as fast as we were in practice at home, then I’m optimistic. Simon has never driven at Brands Hatch before, and Magnus will be in a GT3 Porsche for the first time, so we need to put that all into perspective. “I hope we’ll have a solid, error-free race weekend – then we’re sure to secure a good result,” explains team owner Dominik Olbert.
Another special feature is that the two one-hour sprint races will be held on Sunday. There are less than four hours between the end of the first race and the start of the second! It is therefore important that the Porsche does not sustain any major damage in the first race, as there is little time for major repairs. Furthermore, there is a condensed schedule on the historic circuit, as the race weekend only begins for the drivers on Saturday, meaning they have to make do with less practice time.
The two races start on Sunday at 12:15 and 16:45 German time. Both races can be watched via the series’ official livestream on YouTube. SRO offers commentary in several languages, including German and English. Qualifying takes place on Saturday at 5.40 pm and, just like the two practice sessions, can also be watched via the livestream. Furthermore, both races on Sunday will be broadcast live on SKY Sport F1 on pay-TV.