FIA GT Championship

Jetalliance Racing: Hoping for a change in Oschersleben!

© Planetlemans – Marcel ten Caat

The 2008 FIA GT Championship will visit Germany this weekend (July 4th to 6th). The fourth race will be held at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, a 3.6 kilometre circuit southwest of Magdeburg, situated in the heart of Saxony-Anhalt.

A weekend that certainly will be pointing the way ahead for Jetalliance Racing. Because after the semi-retirement at Monza and zero points at Adria recently, the team from Lower Austria is now in a tight spot. A fact that the Engineering Director is aware of as well:
Othmar Welti: “We have been thoroughly analysing Adria last week. Both retirements can be put down to the drive shaft. A fact that doesn’t please us at all, because we are dependent on the supplier in that matter. That’s obviously why the preparation time involved a lot of substantial extra work. We are now getting new parts and hope that this time we’ll be spared mechanical troubles for once.”

Karl Wendlinger, who is sharing the Jetalliance Aston Martin DBR9 with Scotsman Ryan Sharp, has not lost his optimism yet: “We performed well in the first three races this year, running up front all the time. But for a goodresult you also need a steadfast car. It’s certainly not because of the work the team is getting done. Our mechanics are really doing a very good job. It’s just the parts that let us down recently. But maybe there’ll finally be a change of fortune in Germany.”

Team owner Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer is rather pensive: “We have suffered a severe setback in the fight for the championship due to the recent technical problems. Now the question is whether we’ll be able to close the gap again. We have no other option but to hope the parts hold out. Because our raw speed is certainly good enough to run up front.”

Lichtner-Hoyer is confident as far as his own goals are concerned: “Three weeks ago I was at Oschersleben, competing in the Porsche Sportscup and finishing in third twice. This was the best preparation. And my partner Alex Müller has already proven his pace. If we can escape further mechanical issues, our Jetalliance Aston Martin should be able to finish in the points again.”