Barwell Motorsport is delighted to announce that it will be returning to the Blancpain Endurance Cup this season, for the fourth year in a row. In 2017 we will be fielding a very strong team of two Lamborghini Huracan GT3s, which will both be gunning for the Pro-Am class championship title. Having finished third in 2014 (with the Ecurie Ecosse-entered BMW Z4) and sixth last season in this ultra-competitive arena, and taken a hat-trick of podium finishes at the Spa 24 Hours, the Surrey-based team will be going all out to claim its first Blancpain championship crown this year.
Returning to the Barwell fold will be one of the fastest Am drivers in the series, Leo Machitski, who has scored podium finishes during his previous two Blancpain campaigns with the team. Joining Leo will be another Barwell ‘old boy’, Richard Abra, who has also claimed Blancpain podiums and finished 4th in the points standings in 2014. This duo will have a hugely experienced team-mate alongside them, in the form of Portuguese star, Miguel Ramos, who has been a race winner at world GT1 championship level in the past. Miguel made his debut with Barwell in last December’s Gulf 12 Hours event, and completes a line-up which is rich in both pace and experience in the #78 car. Reinforcing this theme, this car’s fourth driver at the Spa 24 Hours will be Barwell’s ‘in-house Pro’, Phil Keen, who impressed hugely at this event last year as he led the team’s charge towards third in Pro-Am.
Lining up in the #77 car will be three very talented and successful graduates from the Lamborghini Super Trofeo one-make series. Two of which, Adrian Amstutz and Patrick Kujala, won the Pro-Am class title together last season, Kujala’s second crown in a row after claiming the overall Super Trofeo Pro class in 2015. Last year the Finnish driver also had his first taste of the Huracan GT3 during the ADAC GT Masters championship. Swiss Amstutz also has Lamborghini GT3 experience, having contested selected Creventic 24 Hour series races, including this year’s Dubai 24 Hours. Joining these two will be Croatian youngster, Martin Kodric, who impressed greatly in his 2016 Super Trofeo Pro class campaign, taking fourth in the points standings and a victory at the Nurburgring. Who will join this line-up for Spa is yet to be established.
The squad will be starting an extensive pre-season testing programme at Monza at the beginning of March, which will also take in the official Paul Ricard two-day test, and outings at Barcelona and Silverstone, prior to the first round at Monza on April 22-23.
Mark Lemmer, Barwell Motorsport Team Principal: “We have a fantastic blend of speed and experience across our two cars, which I’m very happy with. The team is competing in the most competitive Pro-Am series in the world, but we have all of the ingredients in place to mount a strong challenge!”
#77 car Drivers:
Adrian Amstutz: “I am thrilled to have the possibility to drive together with Barwell this year in Blancpain. In such a highly competitive surrounding it will be my goal to try to be consistent and avoid mistakes. I am very much looking forward to this new challenge.”
Patrick Kujala: “This season will be my first year in Blancpain, a very tight championship with many good drivers and teams. Together with Barwell we will try to get the best result out of the race weekends. It’s a very exciting year coming up and I am grateful for this opportunity.”
Martin Kodric: “Having the right team is always important for a driver and I am really honoured to drive for one with such a high reputation as Barwell. Hopefully we can make this year a great and successful one!”
#78 car Drivers:
Leo Machitski: “I love driving the Huracan and it’s great to be back with a strong driver line-up this year. I can’t wait to get started!”
Miguel Ramos: “I’m looking forward to race with Barwell in the Lamborghini #78 with Leo, Richard and Phil and challenge for victory in Pro Am.”
Richard Abra: “Very happy and excited to be back with Barwell Motorsport in Blancpain once again in this exciting new era of GT3 Pro-Am racing. Barwell has established itself as one of the top Lamborghini race teams so I know we will have a good car, leaving the rest down to us!“
Phil Keen: “Looking forward to racing with Barwell again for the Spa 24hrs, we have a great line up for the race and I am confident Lamborghini and the team will give us the car to challenge for Pro-Am honours!
