FIA GT Championship

Phoenix Racing to enter Aston Martin for 2006 FIA GT

© FIA GT

Phoenix Racing has announced that it will be taking part in the 2006 FIA GT Championship. The Nürburgring based team will enter an Aston Martin DBR9 in all ten rounds, to be driven by Andrea Piccini and Jean-Denis Deletraz. The Italian and Swiss drivers have been racing together in the FIA GT Championship since 2002, claiming four wins, as well as four pole positions for Andrea Piccini, most recently in Istanbul last year. “As well as our DTM commitments, this opportunity represents a further step forward for the future of our entreprise, “ explained Dirk Theimann, responsible for the project.

“We are extremely pleased to run this fantastic Aston Martin in the GT1 class. With our tyre partner Michelin, we have the best conditions for a successful entrance into the series.” “We have been working really hard throughout the winter to put this deal together, and we have a really excellent package,” Deletraz explained. “The Aston Martin is a very good car, we all saw that last year. Phoenix is an excellent, very professional team, and it is very good to have them in the FIA GT Championship. And then we will be racing Michelin tyres, which I am very pleased about : the tyres are very good, and the people are really serious about their work.”

Deletraz is also pleased to continue racing with Andrea Piccini : “This was extremely important for me. GT is not like single-seaters; sharing the car with another driver can be very complicated. To drive with someone you get on well with is such an advantage in terms of tactics, and for the smooth running of the weekend. We have a routine, we share out the tasks : this can really save time. Andrea and I form a very homogeneous duo - we are both exactly the same height, 1:80, which is a lot easier for the steering wheel and the set-up. We both like the car to handle the same way.

And then, Andrea is very, very, very fast ! “ With such a combination, Jean-Denis’ aims for 2006 are clear : “With a package like this one, we will be aiming for the top from the very first race. We want to win again…”

Deletraz and Piccini hope to be driving the car for the first time during the official test
days at Dijon, on April 11th and 12th.