Liz Halliday is delighted to be continuing her world tour to China for round nine of the 2005 FIA GT Championship with the Lister works team, taking place at the Zhuhai International Circuit on 23 October 2005.  Following a 3 star three-day equestrian event in Holland which she successfully completed with her horse ‘Foxy’, she heads off to the final round of the ALMS championship at the wheel of the Intersport Racing Lola AER LMP2 prototype where she is vying for her fourth class victory of the year.  Liz will then continue travelling east, flying directly from California for the first of the final three long haul events of the GT season.  Life never stops for the 26-year-old Californian. 

Speaking about her busy schedule, Liz Halliday said:  “I know it sounds like crazy but the calendar is working and we’ve managed to attend key events for the future of my career as a racing driver and a horse rider.  We are now reaching the end of the season and every race is equally important as I’m already preparing for next year and every bit of experience is important in helping finalise my 2006 programme.”

Once Laguna Seca is over, I will be able to concentrate on the last three rounds of the FIA GT Championship with Lister,” explained Halliday.  “They are a series of exotic races with the first in China and the last two rounds taking place in Dubai (20 November) and Bahrain (27 November) which are all new territories and circuits for me.”

The American sportswoman is excited about going to China as this will be her first time in the country.  “It will be a great experience as a racing driver but also as a person as I’ve never been there before and I’m hoping to have some spare time to look around, see some of the country and its people.  I’m actually flying into Hong Kong before getting on the boat to Zhuhai and it’s my first time there too so that will be another experience for me!”

Not only is the country to Liz but also the circuit at Zhuhai, as learning circuits this season seems to have become a matter of course.  “Based on the information I have seen it doesn’t look too complicated but as we all know, it might be a different story in the race where overtaking could be a challenge,” said Liz.

Eager to get back behind the wheel of the Lister Storm GT, Halliday reflects:  “The performance of the Lister during the last race in Istanbul was great and I know that we should be at the front of the field.  I just hope that this time I don’t get stuck behind the safety car for too long!  I made a lot of progress in Turkey during the practice sessions and improved my performance at the wheel of the car.  I have a much better feel for it now so I’m sure this will help for the coming race.” 

“I really want to continue to improve and set lap times closer to those of my team-mate Justin Keen,” Liz continued.  “I’m looking forward to the Zhuhai practice sessions so that I can work more with the team, work on cold tyres and learn more about the car to improve my performance.  It’s important I drive well for the last three rounds of the FIA GT Championship because Lister deserves good results and it would be great to help the team finish on a high.”

The Zhuhai International Circuit was launched in 1996 and it was the first circuit of its kind to be built in the country before the Shanghai F1 facilities were constructed in 2004 and the Beijing circuit in 2005.  The 4.3km circuit, located 10 kilometres northeast of Zhuhai in the free trade area, features four left turns, ten right turns and two straights of 900m and 500m.  The FIA GT championship has visited it before in 1999 and 2004.