GruppeM Racing,Suzuka 10hr endurance entry
Reigning Blancpain GT Series Asia champs eyeing victory push
Squad named official AMG Customer Performance Team
Formidable line-up of Maro Engel, Raffaele Marciello, Tristan Vautier
Reigning Blancpain GT Series Asia Champions GruppeM Racing will field a sensational line-up of Maro Engel, Raffaele Marciello and Tristan Vautier in this coming weekend’s Suzuka 10 Hours, one of the biggest challenges in global endurance racing – and the team is eyeing nothing less than victory.
Notably enjoying full support from the AMG factory for the 10-hour contest on Sunday, 26th August, which also acts as round three of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, GruppeM will therefore be entered as the official AMG Customer Performance Team.
In-keeping with that status, the ultra-successful squad will field one of the most formidable driver line-ups in the entire 35-car entry with Engel, Marciello and Vautier set to mount a major challenge in the No.888 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Changing from the team’s regular silver livery, GruppeM’s Suzuka 10 Hours car will be resplendent in white, yellow, red and blue in deference to iconic sponsor Gundam Series – the massively popular science fiction-based animated TV series.
Looking ahead to the weekend’s big race, GruppeM Racing team principal Kenny Chen said: “As the only Performance team in Asia, we are very excited and proud to extend our support from the factory to enter the Suzuka 10 hour race and we look forward to doing our best to win together with AMG. In addition to the Suzuka 10 hours, we are also proud to announce GruppeM Racing will be the only AMG Performance Team to defend the World GT Cup title in Macau later this year.”
GruppeM Racing’s quest for victory at Suzuka on Sunday will be spearheaded by three of global motorsport’s most highly regarded, successful and professional drivers. Italian ace Marciello, of course, has been a key part of the team’s Blancpain GT Series Asia challenge this year and the factory Mercedes-AMG ace, along with Brice Bosi, won the second race of the season.
Fellow Merdeces-AMG works driver and brand ambassador Engel currently races in both the FIA Formula E Championship and the FIA GT World Cup. Last year the German was a race winner in the DTM touring car series and is a past winner of the Nurburgring 24 Hours. In 2015, he won the FIA GT World Cup and in 2014 and 2015 he took back-to-back success in the Macau Grand Prix GT Cup.
French driver Vautier has a wealth of experience across a number of disciplines in recent seasons, from endurance racing in the likes of the Blancpain Endurance Cup and VLN series to international single-seater action in the Verizon Indycar Series in America. Back in 2012, Vautier won the Firestone Indy Lights title in the USA.
Following a series of practice sessions on Thursday, 23rd August, and Friday, 24th August, qualifying for the Suzuka 10 Hours will take place on Saturday, 25th August. The big race itself will commence at 10.00 (local time) on Sunday, 26th August.
Exclusive live online streaming of the Suzuka 10 Hours will be available across the Asia-Pacific region and Europe on the Eurosport Player service.
Additionally, as-live coverage will be available at SRO’s GT World 'You Tube' Channel and also through the Intercontinental GT Challenge Facebook page HERE after the chequered flag has fallen.
