Great show and big battles, as the 2021GT Open kicks off in the sign of variety

‘Start your engines !’ The time has come for the International GT Open to have the lights on green for its 2021 season, its 16th edition. The series that has become one of the top references in the world of GT3 racing in Europe is ready for another exciting season: while 2021 is still marked at this stage by the effects of the pandemic, which still keeps fans away from the tracks, the show promises to be more exciting, and the fight closer, than ever.

Without surprise, the season kicks off at the Circuit Paul Ricard, the magnificent venue in Southern France and the first of the seven two-race rounds calendar that will bring contenders to other stellar F.1 tracks such as Spa, Hungaroring, Imola, Red Bull Ring, Monza and Barcelona.

Variety is the keyword this year, as no less than seven different car brands (Audi, Bentley, Honda, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes and Porsche) and 13 teams are already represented in this first round, with the grid bound to further grow as from Round 2.

To maximize the show, a novelty has been introduced this year, with Race 2 on Sunday seeing the fields of the GT Open and its junior sister series, the GT Open Cup Europe, racing together, which will offer again the fun of multi-category action.

Lechner Racing, the well-known Austrian top team, has taken the task to bring back the Porsche name to the battle for the title, with a new 911 R, for former F2 Champion Andy Soucek and Oman’s Al Faisal Al Zubair, a specialist of Porsche trophies.

The 911 with starting number 77 will be entrusted to a pair of top drivers:  Oman’s Al Faisal Al Zubair (22), a double Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East champion (2019-18) and a Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup top contender, and Spain’s Andy Soucek (35), the 2009 Formula 2 champion and a well established star in the GT scene. For Al Faisal, the debut in the GT Open is not only an extension of the successful partnership with Lechner Racing, but also the next logical step in his career, while   Andy, who has  Austrian roots, will bring to the team all his experience in GT3 racing.  

Al Faisal Al Zubair: "After so many years of working with Lechner Racing in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East, I am looking forward to taking the next step on the international stage with the same team. My thoughts will often be with Walter Lechner Sr, from whom I learned everything at the beginning of my career and to whom I owe a lot."

Andy Soucek: "By joining Lechner Racing, the dream of driving for an Austrian team can finally come true. I believe we have a strong package, and I will try to use all my GT3 experience and know-how to be a valuable asset to the team. It's also a pleasure to return to GT Sport events, an environment I know since my times in the Spanish Formula 3 championship which I won in 2005."

Walter Lechner Jr., CEO Lechner Racing: "We had planned to return to the championship already last year, but due to the difficult circumstances we postponed the commitment by a year. We have never had so much time to prepare for the season – from the race car to the truck, we rebuilt everything and are now even better prepared. After the big family loss, we're sticking together even more and we're sure we’ll have a spotter looking down from above."