FIA GT1 World Championship - Round Two Preview Circuit Zolder, Belgium

After an excellent showing in round one of the FIA GT1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago, the Sumo Power GT team will be back in action this weekend when it heads to Zolder for round two of this global sportscar series. In fact, this will be the second time that the team's two Nissan GT-Rs have visited the Belgium track this year, as all four of the drivers got a chance for a few laps of the circuit a few weeks ago.

For Enrique Bernoldi and Ricardo Zonta in car #20, their partnership started well in Abu Dhabi, with the Brazilian pair scoring an impressive fourth in the first race and Enrique going on to lead the whole first-half of the second. There is little doubt that, if it had not been for a Ford GT driving into Ricardo as he exited the pit-lane following the mid-race stop, then a podium finish would have been on the cards.

For the Anglo-Australian combination of Jamie Campbell-Walter and David Braham in car #21, the second race resulted in a top-ten finish. However, their UAE experience was a frustrating experience overall, as a number of issues during the weekend conspired to delay their progress. Even so, their race-pace proved that, with a clear run, they too could be challenging for a top-three position.

For David, racing a Nissan GT-R in Belgium will bring back some good memories, as it was 20 years ago when, driving from NISMO (Nissan Motorsports International Co. Ltd), he won the infamous Spa 24-hours endurance event.

Having experienced the 4.011 km (2.492 mile) Zolder track during the recent shake-down, all four drivers have commented that the circuit's slow corners and short straights may not ideally suit the Nissan GT-R's characteristics. However, the same concerns were expressed ahead of the visit to the Yas Marina circuit where both cars proved to be competitive.

The team's Belgium weekend starts on Friday with Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying. Competition commences on Saturday with Qualifying at 10.05 CET (09.05 GMT), followed by the first of the one-hour races at 16.15 CET (15.15 GMT). The main 'Championship' race gets underway on Sunday at 14.45 CET (13.45 GMT).

Both races can be watched live on the team's website: www.sumopowergt.comhttp://www.sumopowergt.com/

Team QuotesEnrique Bernoldi (Car 20)"I think we showed good potential in Abu Dhabi by leading during the whole of my first-half stint. I know Zolder well but it's not one of my favourite tracks. The weather always plays a big part in the races here and I think the Nissan can be competitive if we can get the set-up right for the conditions. We need to all work well together during this weekend to achieve our goal: and that is to win. We got very close in Abu Dhabi, so we'll try again in Belgium."

Ricardo Zonta (Car 20)"I was pleased to come away with fourth in the Qualifying Race in Abu Dhabi, but we still have some areas where we can improve on performance. After driving at Zolder a few weeks ago for a shake down, I think some of the track may not suit our car. For instance, the straight is not very long, which will not be good for us, as the Nissan has lots of power. We showed we can be at the front in round one. So, if we don't have any problems - or we don't have anyone drive into us - I think we can score some good points this weekend."

David Brabham (Car 21)"Abu Dhabi was my first race with Sumo Power GT and my first race in the FIA GT1 World Championship. I had a lot to learn about the car, the team, the regulations and the racing, so it was good to get this under my belt. I have never raced at Zolder, but I am looking forward to going there, as the track is narrow and this is likely to generate very close racing. Of course, I hope this weekend ends up the same way as it did for me when I last raced a Nissan in Belgium!"

Jamie Campbell-Walter (Car 21)"We didn't have a great start to our championship bid, but I am confident will bounce back hard at Zolder. I have fond memories of my win there in 2001 in the Lister Storm, when Christophe Bouchut and I crossed the line 0.1 seconds apart! I think the first half of the lap should be good for the Nissan but I am not so sure about the second half; let's hope so! We have to concentrate on qualifying well and collect as many points as possible from the weekend. I would love to give the Nissan GT-R its first win of the year."

Hiroke Furuse (Team Manager)"The Abu Dhabi weekend was a real learning curve for many of us in the team and therefore we were very pleased to score a top-four finish in the first race. Having shown our potential in round one, we aim to keep the momentum going for round two and use what we learnt to good effect this weekend."

Andy Barnes (Team Principal)"We proved our cars can run at the front in Abu Dhabi, so all we have to do now is keep them there. We have four great drivers and two great cars, but of course, that's not the end of it. There's other factors that come into play of course, but at least we start with the right ingredients."