Comeback for ”Chappie“ due to strong partners
GTronix360 Team mcchip-dkr starts with Renault R.S.01 GT3 at 24 Hours Nürburgring
It was one of the eye-catchers of last season in the Eifel:The Renault R.S. 01 GT3 that GTronix360 Team mcchip-dkr took to the VLN endurance races and the 24 Hours at the Nürburgring. „Chappie“, as the team named the exotic French car, made the fans hearts leap around the circuit, because it came together what belonged together: a unique car on the most unique race track in the world.
Especially to the fans and enthusiasts around the Nürburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) we are pleased to announce, that GTronix360 Team mcchip-dkr will be back with the Renault R.S.01 GT3 this year so there will be a reunion with “Chappie”. “I’m very happy for the opportunity to continue this once in a lifetime project and compete on the biggest stage of private endurance racing”, says Head of Motorsport Danny Kubasik.
The comeback of the Renault to „The Green Hell“ is made possible by the support of strong partners that have been gained throughout the winter. Primarily the Japanese tire company Yokohama that not only supplies the team with first class tires but also agreed to a broad partnership engagement. We also convinced our long term partner KW Automotive to continue their commitment that not only includes the quadruple adjustable Competition Twin-Tube-Suspensions but also a technician who works with the team. Renault Sport confirmed further support and sends an engineer to each testing- and racing event. Besides providing the team with service know-how RTS Räder Technik Service has also agreed to a partnership.
The first leg of the VLN endurance race (March 24), the 24 Hours Qualifying Race (April 14-15) and the 24 Hours Nürburgring (May 10-13) are already scheduled. The drivers will be the same as last year: Heiko Hammel and Dieter Schmidtmann, who shared the driver’s seat throughout the season 2017, will again be in charge behind the steering this year.
Expectations have been raised after the 24 Hours last year when the team in the VLN endurance races showed that the Renault not only is a beauty in the starting grid but also a fast and competitive racing car. The team’s effort paid off in those races so that number 55 was always in the conversation of a top ten placement with a second place overall at the 57. ADAC Reinoldus-Race as the season’s highlight. Head of Motorsport Danny Kubasik is looking positive and joyful into the new season: „We made lots of improvement throughout last year regarding performance and reliability – This is where we want to persevere.”
Definitiv eingeplant sind bereits der erste Lauf der VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft (24. März), das 24h-Qualifikationsrennen (14.-15. April) und das 24h-Rennen (10.-13. Mai). Die Fahrerkonstellation bleibt dabei im Kern dieselbe, wie im vergangenen Jahr: Das Duo Heiko Hammel und Dieter Schmidtmann, die alle Rennen 2017 gemeinsam bestritten haben, werden bei den ersten Läufen ins Lenkrad greifen.
Bei den Erwartungen orientieren sich das Team an den VLN Läufen nach dem 24h-Rennen im letzten Jahr. Dort bewies man, dass der R.S.01 GT3 nicht nur ein Farbtupfer im Klassement der Langstreckenmeisterschaft ist, sondern auch sportlich mit der Spitze mithalten kann. In diesen Läufen fuhr man stets auf Aussicht einer Platzierung zwischen Top 10 und Podium mit, gekrönt von Platz zwei in der Gesamtwertung beim 57. ADAC Reinoldus-Rennen. „In Sachen Performance haben wir nach dem 24h-Rennen einen Entwicklungssprung gemacht – auch im Hinblick auf die Zuverlässigkeit – und wollen nun nahtlos dort anknüpfen“, freut sich Teamchef Kubasik auf die neue Motorsportsaison.
Tags: VLN, Nürburgring,
