Fresh off the back of a successful participation at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in which they finished second overall, Team Black Falcon has moved to France this weekend for the third round of the 2014 Blancpain Endurance Series.
Armed with two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3s, the team plans to put its previous woes behind as it aims to score its first points finish this season after two pointless rounds in Italy and Great Britain.
As with the past two rounds, Team Black Falcon will trust Abdulaziz Turki AlFaisal, Hubert Haupt and Andreas Simonsen behind the wheel of the #19 Mercedes in the Pro class, while the team’s Russian line-up – consisting of Yuri Loboda, Mikail Loboda, Vladimir Lunkin – shares the #18 Mercedes in the Pro-AM category.
The 3-hour race will be held on the Circuit Paul Ricard at Le Castellet, near Marseille, in France. The track is characterized by its long 1.8-kilometer straight and elongated and very flat design, as it was built on a plateau. Racing will take place on the full 5.8-kilometer course that consists of 13 corners.
The track is considered one of the safest in the world thanks to a number of major innovations including distinctive asphalt run-off zones that replace traditional gravel beds. The run-offs, highlighted by red and blue color strips, offer crucial advantages for safety through their abrasive surface that slows down vehicles going off the track.
Team Black Falcon missed out on a top 10 finish during their last outing in Silverstone yet still walked away with some positives, the most notable of which was the improved performance that should have helped the team score some points if it weren’t for all the on-track drama.
The race weekend starts on Friday, June 27 with a test session, followed by Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying. Saturday’s proceedings kick off with Qualifying (09:20 GMT). However, unlike the previous two rounds, the Main Race will start on Saturday night, at 17:45 GMT.