Ascari and Damax Given Green Light for GT3

Following todays FIA meeting with the technical working group in Paris, Ascari is all set to return to the race track. Together with Damax, the Northamptonshire based motorsport engineers, Ascari will enter a number of cars in this year’s FIA GT3 European Series, going head to head with the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche for class honours.

The move follows last year’s success in the Spanish GT, where Ascari challenged for class honours in a car that is soon to hit the road in the guise of the stunning new A10. This year the Banbury based outfit plans to up the ante, with the new GT3 drawing heavily on the company’s well established KZ1R.

Among the confirmed drivers are Aaron Scott, already well established in the Damax family, and another team regular, Nick Adams, the World (C2) Sportscar champion in 1989.

While there is much development work still to be done, Aaron Scott is confident of the team’s chances; "The recent ‘shake-down’ at Silverstone confirmed that we have an excellent base package, first impressions are really good. The handling is fantastic."

Nick Adams was equally impressed with the car’s ability; "The Ascari’s pace through Maggotts was very impressive, it was just about the quickest thing out there, humbling a couple of very quick Porsche Cup runners with ease."

With its 5-litre V8 engine, the carbon fibre supercar offers a 200mph top speed and stunning acceleration, with 60mph arriving in 3.5 seconds from rest. In race car KZ1R trim, the car is lighter and sprouts an effective rear wing, translating the already stunning performance on the road into a more than competitive GT3 race car package.

The European GT3 series, which kicks off at Silverstone on May 7th, will be open to road-delivered sportscars that are leveled by their power-to-weight ratios, and driven by amateur racing drivers. Ferrari, Maserati, and most likely Lamborghini will be on the grid to do battle. The inaugural five-round series will accompany the FIA GT Championship on its travels, replacing the FIA World Touring Car Championship on the bill, now that it has split away. The races this year will be held in the UK (Silverstone), Germany (Oschersleben), Belgium (Spa), France (Magny-Cours) and Italy (Imola), with an expansion to six races scheduled for 2007.