The Molitor Racing Services team has entered two McLaren MP4-12C GT cars for the final rounds of the 2013 FIA GT Series at the Baku World Challenge next weekend. The team from Lonsee in Germany opens its winter season and will be aiming to repeat their excellent showing on the streets of Baku in 2012.
The team has committed two professional drivers for one of their McLaren MP4-12C cars. Oliver Turvey (McLaren F1 test development driver) will share the work behind the steering wheel with Spaniard, Andy Soucek (ex-GP2, F2, F1 test driver). Both have significant experience in the cockpit of the McLaren GT3 sport car and will form a formidable partnership on the streets of Baku.
Also in the Pro-Am class the MRS team will enter a McLaren, for Canadian racer, Mark Thomas who lives in Baku. Thomas is an experienced driver who started his racing in the 1980s with single-seaters (Formula Ford Canada, FF2000) and continued after a break with endurance racing (Belcar, 24hrs of Spa and FIA GT). For Mark this is not the first time racing in Baku, as last year he drove a Porsche 997 GT3 R. His partner in the car will be announced shortly.
Karsten Molitor (team leader): “Of course we are very happy that we could commit to Oliver Turvey and Andy Soucek for Baku, at this point we say a big thank you to McLaren F1, who could make Oliver Turvey available. The circuit should make concession to the lightning-swift McLaren, the driver line-up is to very competitive; this combination allows us to fight for victory. Of course we are aware that we have very strong competitors, the final run of the FIA GT Series has attracted the best sports car drivers and teams. Also we are very happy about the engagement of Mark Thomas, who will start in the Pro-Am class in the #77 McLaren. His team mate is not certain at the moment, but you can assume that we will have a competitive package for this car.”
Mark J Thomas (Driver): “Baku is a fantastic city, just like the people who live here. It has a rich history as the crossroads between Asia and Europe on the Silk Trail and today has all the modern amenities of a great city. The interest in motorsports grows each day and I’m sure there will be a huge turnout over the Baku World Challenge weekend. The new track layout takes in a few of the famous sites and I am excited to show my fellow competitors all the Baku has to offer.”
Andy Soucek (Driver): “I would like to thank MRS for this great opportunity. I´m very excited to race in Baku for the last round of the FIA GT Series with McLaren, which is a car that I know well after my season in the Blancpain Endurance Series. The level of teams and drivers will be very high but I´m sure we can fight against the best in a very special weekend that will close the 2013 season. Having a good team mate like Oliver is always an extra piece of motivation as the whole package has credentials and possibilities to work well. It will be the first race with the team but I´m sure we will work well together, they have shown a lot of interest and will in the preparation of the race.”