AC Motorsport’s Stéphane Perrin is confident the Belgian team can fight for overall TCE victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend, site of its 24H SERIES debut in 2017.
AC Motorsport will be hoping to break a run of bad luck at the Hankook 24H BARCELONA, the event at which the Belgian team made its 24H SERIES debut in 2017.
Heading into the 22nd edition of the Hankook 24H BARCELONA this weekend, AC Motorsport currently lies just four points from the top of the Overall TCE Teams’ standings after securing TCR class podium finishes at Mugello, Circuit Paul Ricard and the Hockenheimring. The Belgian team will be particularly keen to continue its run of form at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend given its misfortunes at the event over the years.
On the team’s 24H SERIES debut in 2017, AC Motorsport could manage only 13th in-class after losing time during the night. One year later, despite qualifying on TCR-class pole position, the Audi retired with drivetrain problems shortly before half distance. In 2019 meanwhile, the race came to an early end when sheered studs meant the #188 RS 3 LMS ended its race in the turn one gravel trap with only three wheels.
Given the championship considerations however, Stéphane Perrin is keen to overturn AC Motorsport’s run of bad luck in Barcelona.
“We are obviously delighted to be back in the 24 Hours Series and the Hankook 24H BARCELONA this weekend, especially as we aspire to [take our] first overall victory this year,”
Stéphane explains. “Paradoxically enough, it's a circuit that has never really ‘caught us’. We have yet to secure a podium there, as technical issues have sometimes played tricks on us.”
Alongside Perrin, Mathieu Detry, Vincent Radermecker and James Kaye complete AC Motorsport’s driver line-up. Detry has competed at every round of this year’s 24H SERIES thus far with AC Motorsport – “in order to keep the pace, we took part with Mathieu Detry in two rounds of the Ultimate Cup Series in France with excellent results.” – while Radermecker and Kaye – both team regulars – will make their first 24H SERIES start of the year in Catalunya. Radermecker has competed at every Hankook 24H BARCELONA with AC Motorsport since 2017 while Kaye was on the team’s line-up in 2019.
“Barcelona is [about] traffic management that calls for the greatest concentration. With Mathieu, Vincent and James, we put as many assets as possible into our game. The team has fine-tuned the preparation of the Audi, and we are ready for this eagerly awaited return."
Autorama Motorsport by Wolf-Power Racing currently leads the Overall TCE Teams’ standings on 75 points, having secured class wins at Circuit Paul Ricard and Hockenheim and a podium in Dubai. CWS Engineering meanwhile is only one point adrift and only three points ahead of AC Motorsport after finishing all four of this year’s championship rounds on the TCX podium.