Barrichello Joins Strakka for 24H Spa

Photo: Richard Dole/IMSA

Rubens Barrichello will join Strakka Racing for next month’s Total 24 Hours of Spa, the British team revealed on Thursday.

The former Formula 1 driver will drive alongside fellow Stock Car Brasil driver Felipe Fraga and Mercedes-AMG DTM reserve Christian Vietoris in the No. 44 Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Since retiring from Formula 1 in 2011, Barrichello completed a full season of IndyCar before moving full-time to Stock Car Brasil in 2013.

He has made several other sports car starts, most notably finishing second overall in the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Wayne Taylor Racing.

“I am very much looking forward to racing at Spa once again, this was where I got my first pole position in F1 so it brings back great memories,” said Barrichello.

“I am still very active with my racing in Brazil and I want to thank Strakka Racing for the opportunity. It will be great to race with my good friend Felipe and I am looking forward to sharing the car with Chris.

“All being well we should prove a competitive lineup.”

Strakka will campaign three Mercedes for the Blancpain GT Series and Intercontinental GT Challenge round on July 28-29 with Barrichello, Vietoris and Fraga in one of two Pro Cup entries.

The No. 43 car will feature its full-season lineup of Maxi Buhk, Maxi Goetz and Alvaro Parente while the third Mercedes will compete in the Pro-Am category.

It also has the full-season Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup trio of Nick Leventis, Lewis Williamson and Chris Buncombe listed, although they will be joined by David Fumanelli for the Belgian race.

“We are looking forward to the challenge that Spa 24 Hours will bring,” commented Strakka Racing Director Jay Davenport.

“We are confident that with the driver line ups we have we will do all we can to bring home overall victory and class wins.”

Jake Kilshaw

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