Chinese squad Orange1 FFF Racing made history last season with an unprecedented haul of overall titles, an achievement made all the more remarkable by the fact that 2019 was its first year in Europe.
The team was created in 2014 as a collaboration between Fu Songyang’s FFF Automobile China and Lamborghini factory driver Andrea Caldarelli. In 2016 it became part of the Sant'Agata Bolognese brand's Squadra Corse roster and expanded its on-track activities to include Lamborghini Super Trofeo Middle East and Blancpain GT Series Asia.
By 2018 the team had already become a title-winning force in the competitive Asian series. A superb season saw Martin Kodrić and Dennis Lind capture the overall drivers' title, while Hiroshi Hamaguchi and Marco Mapelli were crowned Pro-Am champions. Having conquered Asia, the team set its sights on European glory.
The 2019 campaign began well, with Orange1 FF Racing taking successive Endurance Cup podiums at Monza, Silverstone at Circuit Paul Ricard. The momentum built and results continued to stack up, with a maiden Sprint victory coming on home turf at Misano. Incredibly, it culminated in Caldarelli and Mapelli becoming the first drivers to collect all three overall titles in a single season, while the team was crowned champion of the Endurance Cup and GT Series.
.png)
There was further success in the Pro-Am class as Hamaguchi and Phil Keen clinched the Sprint Cup drivers' title, while Orange1 FFF Racing took the corresponding teams' championship. As if that wasn't enough silverware, the team also entered the FIA Motorsport Games and captured GT Cup gold for Japan, with Hamaguchi once again part of the line-up.
In 2020 Orange1 FFF Racing will focus its attention on the Endurance Cup, with a three-car effort that challenges for overall, Silver and Pro-Am honours. With consistency on the driver line-up, the record-breaking team will be hunting more glory during the season ahead.
GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS – Endurance Cup
#19 – Hiroshi Hamaguchi / Phil Keen (Pro-Am)
#63 – Andrea Caldarelli / Marco Mapelli / Dennis Lind
#555 – Andrea Amici / Florian Latorre / Baptiste Moulin (Silver Cup)