New cars, new aims and new challenges, the 2011 season is opening new horizons for Team SOFREV ASP.
"After eight seasons at the highest level of the Porsche Carrera Cup, it was time for a change… Moreover, we really wanted to move onto the international scene.»
Jerôme Policand’s objectives are now totally based on GT racing. Two Championships and two racing programmes will be run simultaneously. The first, in France, sees the entry of three cars in the GT Tour, two in the GT Pro-Am category and one in the GT Gentlemen Trophy.
The second , on th e international scene, will be with the brand-new Blancpain Endurance Series. Two cars will be entered in thi s European series, the highlight of which will be the 24 Hours of Spa. A busy schedule which will start at 200 km/h, with three events already taking place in April…
As far as the cars are concerned, there is change as well
Team SOFREV ASP remains faithful to Ferrari and will be running two of the latest marvels to emerge from the Ferrari stable, the 458 GT3…
« We will have the first two cars in the world ! We have an excellent relationship with Ferrari ’s official tuner, Michelotto, and we will be the first to take delivery of the cars. This is the start of a cycle of at least three years with these cars. »
Concerning the drivers, things are also looking good…Whether in France or Europe, Team SOFREV ASP will i nclude internationally renowned drivers in its lineup.CREWS• GT PRO-AM CATEGORY ( 2 cars)Ludovic BADEY / Jean-Luc BEAUBELIQUE FERRARI 458 GT3Olivier PLA / Gabriel BALTHAZARD FERRARI 458 GT3
• GENTLEMEN TROPHY CATEGORY (1 car)Fabien BARTHEZ / Gilles DUQUEINE FERRARI 430 GT3
2011 CALENDARLEDENON - 9 & 10 AprilNOGARO - 23 & 24 AprilDIJON - 14 & 15 MayVAL de VIENNE - 25 & 26 JuneMAGNY-COURS - 9 & 10 JulyALBI - 3 & 4 SeptemberLE CASTELLET - 29 & 30 October
THREE CARS on the GT TOUR
The 2011 season will open with the GT TOUR and the French GT Championship.After eight seasons of Porsche Carrera Cup, Team SOFREV ASP is closing a chapter of its history. A history which saw Jérôme Policand put his name in golden letters on the category’s honour role : six team titles, three drivers titles in the A class, three titles of vice-champion in A, three Junior titles and one vice-champion in B. No fewer than 110 races, 46 wins and 80 podiums…
«We have lived through some intense moments during the eight years we have competed in the Cup. My first thought is for the drivers who have built up this amazing record race after race, and I would like to thank them all. I would also like to thank the partners who have followed us through this adventure and who have placed their trust in us, including SOFREV, the team’s title sponsor, with us since 2004. Some new partners have joined us, including Minerva Oil, an independent French petrol company. Almost all the drivers who were with the team in 2010 have chosen to take this new step forward with us.On the GT TOUR, we will enter three cars, two Ferrari 458 GT3 in Pro-Am and a Ferrari 430 GT3 in the Gentlemen Trophy. On the first 458, Ludovic Badey will team up with Jean-Luc Beaubelique, two drivers who have remained faithful to the team. A very well -balanced crew, which isdetermined to defend itself and never let go. Ludovic will be able to test his top speed up against some well-known drivers, while Jean-Luc will make the most of his experience with the Ferrari. The second 458 will be driven by Olivier Pla and Gabriel Balthazard. A top-class line-up… the ‘heavy artillery’ !
Olivier has won many GP2 races and was the LMP2 Champion in the Le Mans Series in 2009. As for Gabriel Balthazard, the keyword would have to be ‘fidelity’. He was for many years my most faithful partner, first during my career as a driver, and then as part of my team, but also on the track. Our aim is now to give these two crews the necessary equipment to fight for the lead !
In the Gentlemen Trophy, Fabien Barthez is back on track… He made his debut with us in 2008 and it is a great pleasure to see him return. His aim is to do a full season and to show that he can make a success of his conversion to motorsport. He will be driving with an old friend, Gilles Duqueine "I made my debut with his cars back in 1988… In the 430 GT3, Fabien and Gilles are aiming for the category title. We are hardly on unknown ground with the GT Tour, as we know the circuits and race format well, and we are masters of our subject ! Our aims ? A Championship podium and a few wins ! It will not be easy to repeat what we achieved in the Porsche Cup, but we are determined to prove that our team is competitive in GT on both the national and international fronts."
Team SOFREV ASP will also enter a team in the Mitjet Series, part of the GT TOUR. This will be made up of Adeline Badey (Ludovic’s wife) along with Joachim Policand (Jérôme’s nephew). The first meeting of the season will take place on April 9th and 10th in Lédenon.
FLASHBACK...PORSCHE CARRERA CUPRECORD since 2003...8 seasons110 races46 victories :•40 in ch.A (Badey, Beltoise, Estre,Moullin-Traffort, Policand)•6 in ch.B (Balthazard, Cattaneo,Savary, Tonelli)80 podiums:•48 in ch.A (Badey, Beltoise, EstreMoullin-Traffort, Policand)•33 in ch.B (Adam, Balthazard,Beaubelique, Cattaneo, Morel,Savary)6 titles TEAM Champion3 titles DRIVERS Champion(Beltoise)3 titles DRIVERS Vice-Champion(Beltoise, Estre)3 titles JUNIOR Champion(Estre, Moullin-Traffort)1 title DRIVER B cat. Vice-Champion(Tonelli)
DESTINATION... THE BLANCPAIN ENDURANCE SERIES 2011.The second part of this 2011 programme will be the Blancpain Endurance Series. Italy, Spain, France and Great Britain, the most beautiful European circuits will be on the programme for the three-hour races. And the cherry on the cake, the 24 Hours of Spa, a veritable temple for GT racing, the legendary race which will be the third event of the season.
« It is always interesting to become involved in a new series, and moreover the regulations governing the Blancpain Endurance Series are close to those from the major endurance championships. This is something that has to be taken into account when considering the opposition. The Carrera cup was a sprint discipline, and here we are entering a new universe. An endurance race needs a totally different strategy!
The season highlight …. The 24 Hours of Spa!The crews running under the colours of SOFREV ASP will be of the highest level. On the first Ferrari 458 GT3 Pro Cup, Patrice Goueslard will team up with Julien Jousse, where I will step in as third driver unless I find a competitive driver who knows the rules of endurance racing… Patrice has an exceptional career record inGT competition …
FIA GT Champion, GT1 Champion in the Le Mans Series, 15 entries in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (where we were team-mates on some occasions)… he is a real specialist in this category. Julien Jousse is hardly unknown either : second in the Formula Renault 3.5 in 2008, and a multiple race winner in the Super League. He is a young and talented driver that I met during the last edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Team Luc Alphand Aventures. On the second car, a Ferrari 458 GT3 Pro-Am Cup, the Badey-Beaubelique duo, also entered in the GT Tour, will join up with Franck Morel. Franck, an excellent Porsche Carrera Cup driver in our team last season, has placed his trust in us again, and is setting off with us on this new adventure.
The season highlight will be, of course, the 24 Hours of Spa. For this race, Guillaume Moreau will join the Pro-Am Cup line-up. A leading driver who has plenty of experience in endurance racing, and with whom I drove in the 2007 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now, we just have to get to work! »
The first race will take place on April 17th on the Monza circuit. A challenging track, which tests both man and machine.
