28th June 2018
Strakka Racing have confirmed they have signed ex-Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello for the 70th edition of the Total 24 Hours of Spa on 28th-29th July. The event, taking place at the 7.004km Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, will see the 11-time grand prix race winner share the cockpit of the PRO class #44 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with fellow Brazilian V8 Stock Car driver Felipe Fraga and Mercedes-AMG DTM reserve driver Christian Vietoris, who is set to make his comeback following an illness earlier in the year.
With a racing career spanning almost 30 years, Barrichello has enjoyed considerable success in Formula One, finishing as championship runner-up in 2002 and 2004. He then went on to contest a full season in IndyCar in 2012, making his debut in the Stock Car Brasil Championship later on in the year which saw him claim the 2014 title. More recently, Barrichello participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017 and currently competes in the fortieth season of the Brazilian Stock Cars.
Mercedes-AMG works drivers Maximilian Buhk and Maximilian Götz will pilot the all-PRO #43 car, together with 2017 Strakka driver Alvaro Parente. The PRO-AM entry will be led by two-times Le Mans winner Nick Leventis, Strakka driver Lewis Williamson, Le Mans driver Chris Buncombe and David Fumanelli in the #42 car.
The Total 24 Hours of Spa marks round four of five of the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and is the second of four events on the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar. Strakka Racing will head to Spa for the official test day on 3rd July in preparation for the main event taking place later in the month.
Strakka’s Racing Director, Jay Davenport, commented: “We are looking forward to the challenge that Spa 24 Hours will bring. We are confident that with the driver line ups we have we will do all we can to bring home overall victory and class wins.”
Rubens Barrichello, commented: “I am very much looking forward to racing at Spa once again, this was where I got my first pole position in F1 so it brings back great memories. I am still very active with my racing in Brazil and I want to thank Strakka Racing for the opportunity. It will be great to race with my good friend Felipe and I am looking forward to sharing the car with Chris. All being well we should prove a competitive line up.”
