EU3: Silverstone: Matech Racing preview

Full house for Matech Racing at Silverstone!

A few days before the official kick off of the European FIA GT3 championship at Silverstone, the Swiss Matech Racing team has once more become the talk of the town in announcing the drivers about to defend the colours of the team "powered by Ford" on British soil.

Having recently announced the reputable duo of Jurgen Von Gartzen and Luca Pirri at the wheel of the first impressive Ford GT, the Italian having taken part and become acquainted with the power beast during the recent collective test sessions at Nogaro, two other teams have now been officially confirmed. Present since the start of this Matech GT Racing adventure in FIA GT3, the German Thomas Mutsch had teamed up last season with the Swiss driver Martin Bartek, the man also in charge of the team. The latter has now decided to fully concentrate on managing an ever more efficient and impressive team, and in this light the British driver Ian Khan will now become Mutsch's team-mate for the entire championship.

Ian Khan, 47 years young, a Monegasque resident is well versed with the GT3 category, having competed with a Ferrari these last two seasons. A real hands-on individual in international motor sport, he competed in single-seaters (F3 and F3000) prior to opting for Touring and Grand Touring cars. In addition he has several 24 Hours of Le Mans races under his belt. It goes without saying that together with the German Thomas Mutsch, who in fact also stems from single-seaters and the German V8 Star series, they will undoubtedly form a highly homogenous team...

At the wheel of the third Ford GT, we find the British pair Edward Morris and Bradley Ellis, who in fact only competed in one FIA GT3 meeting last year, namely at Monza. Outcome: one 2nd and one 3rd place. ! This team could well cause a few sparks on home soil !

In close collaboration with Ford Racing, Matech is also entering three Ford Mustang FR500GT3s this season. These are spectacular beasts, with a highly impressive look, and whose performances have increased no end since last year. Having previously announced the Canadian Scott Maxwell and the Belgian Eric De Doncker, winner of the GT4 European Cup last year (at the wheel of a... Mustang, what else!), the Swiss team is proud to confirm the presence at Silverstone of the Frenchman Romain Bera and the Belgian Stefan Van Campenhoudt. A powerful duo and well known within the Matech Racing ranks! In fact it was last year at Bucharest, in Rumania, that they had the privilege of offering the Ford GT its first victory in the European championship.

As for the third Ford Mustang FR500GT3, it will be driven by a novel duo at this level, comprised out of the Frenchman Thierry Blaise, gentleman driver stemming from the Club Europa, who rubbed shoulders with Martin Bartek at this level in the past. He will be teaming up with a British driver who is building a reputation for himself, Nigel Greensall, whose career includes several years of racing on Belgian soil. Both fast and reliable he literally fell for the charm of the Mustang FR500GT3 during a test session organised on the French Magny-Cours circuit. .

It goes without saying that for the kick off of the European FIA GT3 championship at Silverstone the Matech Racing team cut a pretty fine figure. It is now high time for some action, and to watch these cars excel within the framework of the programme "fully supported by Ford Racing US", the outcome of an exclusive partnership concluded last year and covering the entire European continent.

-credit: matech