ISR Team Italia is set to join the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS grid in 2022 with a pair of full-season Audi entries.
Led by Ferdinando Geri and Igor Salaquarda, the team will deploy two cars for the full 10-event championship, with driver line-ups still to be confirmed. It expands on the existing collaboration between former Audi Sport Italia team principal Geri and Salaquarda's ISR Racing, which this year resulted in a pair of Italian GT titles.
The ISR crew are no strangers to Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS having competed extensively with Audi machinery between 2014 and 2017. Salaquarda will draw on this experience as the technical director for ISR Team Italia, while Geri will act as team principal. The squad will be on-track this week at Circuit Ricardo Tormo Valencia (December 7-8) as part of a collective test organised by Audi Sport.
“The announcement of a such high-level challenge brings huge satisfaction and responsibility," said Geri. "To represent Audi Sport in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS is a great honour and we will produce our best to get results.
"The level of the championship is extremely high, but we will have huge support from the technical management of Igor Salaquarda, which will grant continuous developments throughout the year. We will try to get the most of our competences and determination and convert them into good results on the track.”
Salaquarda, meanwhile, is particularly excited to return to the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa, where his team has previously run factory efforts on behalf of Audi Sport.
“Being back on the most important circuits of Europe is a huge satisfaction and I am happy to share this new adventure with Ferdinando Geri, with who we have great mutual respect," said the experienced Czech engineer.
"ISR Team Italia has been designed to leave its mark: we will compete in some of the most prestigious races in the world like the 1000km of Paul Ricard and the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa, the competition that each GT driver dreams to run at least once in his life.”
The 2022 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS season begins with the official test days at Circuit Paul Ricard on 7-8 March, while the competitive action kicks off at Imola on 1-3 April.