Sandberg Amongst Reiter Young Stars Drivers

Photo: Reiter Engineering

Reiter Engineering has named the 16 drivers who will join its Reiter Young Stars program for the GT4 European Series Northern Cup, including reigning Pirelli World Challenge GTS champion Brett Sandberg.

The drivers will be split across the eight KTM X-Bow GT4s entered for the series, which kicks off this weekend at Misano, with a drive in the 2018 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup awarded to the two most successful RYS drivers over the course of the season.

Sandberg secured three race wins in an ANSA Motorsport-run KTM en route to the PWC GTS championship last season, and in January finished second in class at the Hankook 24H Dubai with Reiter.

He will join Benjamin Mazatis in the RYS Team Pankl entry for five of the six Northern Cup rounds of the GT4 European Series.

The RYS program won’t run at Brands Hatch, the second round of the GT4 Series Northern Cup.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Cecotto joins series returnee Lennart Marioneck in the RYS Team Kiska KTM car, while Jamie Vandenbalck and Mads Siljehaug both return to share the RYS Team InterNetX entry.

Laura Kraihamer and Cedric Freiburghaus are also set for a second attempt at winning the Blancpain GT seats, piloting the RYS Team True Racing KTM, as Marylin Niederhauser and Reiter works driver Naomi Schiff join forces in the RYS Team WP car.

Reigning Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Finland champion Emil Westman will share the RYS Team Holinger car with Samuel Sladecka, with the RYS Team KTM entry driven by Reinhard Kofler and Eike Angermayr.

The eighth and final car will be driven by Stephane Kox, daughter of long-time Reiter Lamborghini driver Peter Kox, and Arne Hoffmeister.

Unlike last season, there will be no seperate male and female champions, but instead the two best-placed competitors at the end of the season will graduate to the Blancpain GT Series next year.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.