Emil Frey Confirms GTWC Europe Return With GT Open Champions

Photo: GT Open

Emil Frey Racing has confirmed plans to return to the GT World Challenge Europe after a year away from the series, and is set to run two Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evos with Pro lineups.

The Swiss team competed in International GT Open this year after switching to Lamborghini, and won the title with Albert Costa and Giacomo Altoe.

It previously competed in GTWC Europe, then called the Blancpain GT Series, with Lexus and Jaguar machinery.

Emil Frey will use the same four drivers next year as it did in GT Open this year, with Costa and Altoe pairing in one car and Norbert Siedler and Mikael Grenier sharing the other.

Those pairings will compete in the Endurance and Sprint rounds of the SRO Motorsports Group-run championship, and will be joined by Franck Perera and Ricardo Feller as third drivers for the five Endurance races.

Sportscar365 reported in August that Emil Frey was in line to run Lamborghinis in GTWC Europe after a hint from head of Lamborghini Squadra Corse Giorgio Sanna. 

“After a successful season with Lamborghini Squadra Corse and the corresponding wins of the teams’ and drivers’ championships in the International GT Open, it is now time for a move up and a comeback into the GT World Challenge Europe,” said team principal Lorenz Frey-Hilti.

“I am looking forward to continuing our success of 2018 at the GT World Challenge Europe in 2020. I am very pleased with Lamborghini’s professionalism and the constructive exchange between engineers and drivers.

“The GT World Challenge is the premium class of the GT3 sport. The level is intensely high.

“The drivers and their teams are very accomplished and experienced, but I am confident that, with hard work, we will learn fast and make the best out of what we have.

“Our goal for the first season is to be the best Lamborghini team and to consistently be in the top ten.”

The team is expected to join defending champion Orange 1 FFF Racing Team in the top class, although the Andrea Caldarelli-led operation is set for a slightly reduced program as it expands into the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli.

Grasser Racing Team won’t return to GTWC Europe, meanwhile, and instead will focus on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and ADAC GT Masters.

Jake Kilshaw

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