24h Le Mans
As current European Le Mans Series LM GTE title holders, Formula Racing will be looking put on an impressive performance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Among their ranks, Christina Nielsen – one of just two female drivers lining up this year – will be the first Danish woman to tackle the iconic Le Mans marathon.
FORMULA RACING (DNK)
Team Manager: Allan Jorgensen
Track Engineer: Andrea Guidotti
Base: Italy (with AF Corse)
2015 ELMS results: 1st in LM GTE teams’ championship (83 points, 2 victories)
2016 ELMS results:
4 Hours of Silverstone: Laursen/Mac/Nielsen (DNK/DNK/DNK), Ferrari 458 Italia #60, 26th (5th LM GTE)
4 Hours of Imola: DNC
Formula Racing was founded in 2007. The Danish team started out in Ferrari Challenge and rapidly moved into endurance racing, first in GT3 in the GT Open, then in the European Le Mans Series in 2014. The team entered a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 in GTC with three Danish drivers: Johnny Laursen, Mikkel Mac, and the very experienced Jan Magnussen. The Ferrari #60 came second in the GTC teams trophy, having won the 4 Hours of Imola.
In 2015 they ventured into LM GTE in the European Le Mans Series. Formula Racing entered a Ferrari 458 Italia with Johnny Laursen, Mikkel Mac and Andrea Rizzoli at the wheel. The season began timidly, with a sixth place in Silverstone and third at Imola. Just like opponent Gulf Racing UK, the Danish team decided to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans test day, to gather data in preparation for a future entry. After Le Mans, Formula Racing won at Red Bull Ring and came second at Paul Ricard. With four points in hand thanks to 5th place at Estoril, the team was sure of the GTC teams title.
In 2016, Formula Racing are continuing in the European Le Mans Series and will also be competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans thanks to their 2015 ELMS title. Once again, AF Corse will be providing technical support. The Ferrari 458 Italia is running in the GTE class in ELMS and in LM GTE Am at Le Mans. It is driven by Laursen and loyal ELMS crew member Mac. Christina Nielsen has been recruited to ensure that the team fields an all-Danish crew. Nielsen drove a Porsche 997 GT3 in ELMS with IMSA Performance Matmut in 2014 and is vice-champion of GTD in the TUSC.
The crew finished fifth at Silverstone, the first round of the season. A month later, the #60 Ferrari had to retire before the qualifying session at Imola due to Nielsen going off in the practice session on Saturday morning. The driver was fine, but the damage to the car was too severe for the team to start the race. Formula Racing will therefore be taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time this year and you can be sure that last year’s test day experience will prove useful. Christina Nielsen is one of two women on the grid at Le Mans this year, the other being Inès Taittinger, in the Morgan-Nissan #28 fielded by Pegasus Racing.
