Krohn Racing: A win is the Shanghai target
As the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship comes to a close at the Shanghai International Circuit, the LMGTE Am Krohn Racing team is more determined than ever to reach the top step of the victory podium.
American team owner and driver Tracy W. Krohn and his team mates Nic Jönsson of Sweden and Italian Michele Rugolo have collected four podiums this season, one second-place finish and three third-place finishes in their Krohn-green Ferrari 458 Italia. However, the top step of the podium has eluded them, much to their frustration after winning twice in the LMGTE Am category of last year’s Intercontinental Sports Car Challenge, the fore-runner to the FIA WEC.
All making their debut at the Chinese track, the biggest challenge for the drivers will be getting to grips with the 5.45km Grand Prix circuit, and a long track walk with their engineers has been part of the build up for the week. While the American team no longer has a chance to win the World Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am teams, the opportunity to win the class still exists and is the primary aim of the team.
Tracy Krohn, No.57 Krohn Racing F458 LMGTE Am: “China was fantastic last year and my wife and I both enjoyed the trip and the race in Zhuhai. Shanghai is an ultra-modern city and has been described as New York City on steroids. I have not spoken to anyone that didn't like Shanghai. I have not yet laid eyes on the circuit, so that just makes it all the more challenging!
“It's always a little more difficult for me to get up to speed at the tracks since I normally get about one-tenth of the seat time that a touring professional normally gets. Usually by the time the race starts, I am fairly comfortable with any new track, but certainly not 100%. Hopefully, the FIA will increase the time for guys like me to gain more seat time during the days just before a race.”
Jeff Hazell, Krohn Racing Motorsport Manager: “Well, 2012 has certainly been busy with five races in nine weeks on four continents to round off the year! I think we all knew we would just have to get on with a less than ideal schedule as the 2012 WEC came together quickly late in 2011. However, the expectations for a better calendar in 2013 have certainly been met! We have great tracks, all with best practice safety features, and appropriate breaks between races.”
“This is rarely achieved so the FIA and ACO deserve some praise for this. We also have in place a good dialogue between the teams and the WEC executives. I think this will quickly result in better use of track time and points system that accurately rewards each GT car and its drivers. For the longer term, the process is underway now to improve the GT field with more affordable, and perhaps faster, hardware. In just two years this Championship has made great, positive strides and will surely attract more teams and increasing media value.”
Fiona Miller (quotes from Krohn Racing team press release)
Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE.
