MUGELLO - After a season in the Michelin Le Mans Cup where we didn’t achieve the desired results, we opted for a different path for the 2024 season. We turned our attention to the highly ranked and fiercely competitive Creventic 24h Series. There, we had the opportunity to join one of the best teams in the series: Red Ant Racing, a top-tier Belgian racing team with a history of significant successes. The 24h Series is renowned for its competitiveness in endurance racing across Europe and beyond, offering a platform to challenge oneself against some of the world's finest drivers.
Our season kicked off with the 12h of Mugello, a track I had never raced on but found to be an amazing circuit located in Italy.
The week commenced with a private test on Wednesday, during which we focused on adjusting the car to the technical Mugello circuit and familiarizing ourselves, along with my two teammates, with its beautiful yet unforgiving layout. Everything proceeded according to plan, and we gathered valuable insights for our long runs. Following this, a free practice session allowed us to gradually build up our pace, with a focus on race performance due to the lengthy race ahead.
Friday evening saw our qualifying runs, where each driver of the team had 15 minutes to set their best lap time. An average of these times determined our starting position for Saturday's race. While our laps weren't flawless, we managed to secure P5. Though not our ideal outcome, it positioned us well for Saturday's race, where much can still unfold over 12 hours.
The race's early laps were eventful, with several incidents around us. However, we navigated through unscathed and settled into our race rhythm, progressively closing in on the frontrunners. Our pace matched that of the leaders, and strategic decisions combined with consistent performance propelled us towards the podium. By the end of the day, we had climbed to an impressive second place, a lap ahead of our closest competitors. Only our "PRO" sister car of Red Ant Racing remained ahead. The first part of the Mugello 12h had unfolded as planned, positioning us strongly for the remainder of the race.
However, disaster struck during Sunday's race when my teammate ran wide, resulting in a crash into the barriers. Despite the team's swift efforts to repair the car, we lost nine laps to our competitors, hampering our podium aspirations. As rain arrived in the final hour, I found pace but couldn't bridge the gap, settling for P8.
Although the result wasn't what we aimed for, we remain optimistic for the rest of the season. The car's pace is promising, and we look forward to returning stronger at Spa in a few weeks.
I'm eager to return to the track for the 12h of Spa-Francorchamps (20-21/04), particularly as it's our home race. Tickets for the weekend are available, buy your tickets HERE. We hope to see you all there.
A heartfelt thanks to the entire Red Ant Racing team, my sponsors, and everyone who has supported me. Your backing has been invaluable, driving me to push harder.
Thank you, and let's keep pushing forward!
