Buggyra ZM Racing with Aliyyah Koloc to fight for championship lead at the 24H European Series in Monza this weekend
Since the 12 Hours of Spa in May, the latest race of the 24H European Series calendar, Buggyra ZM Racing, and Aliyyah Koloc in particular, have been rather busy. Only a week after Spa, she drove her first ever off-road rally in South Africa, the Sugarbelt 400. In a T1, the highest vehicle class in off-road rallying, she finished the grueling event in 22nd overall. On the back of some further testing in the desert of Namibia in a T1 last week, Aliyyah will now concentrate again on the very different challenges of circuit endurance racing.
Buggyra ZM Racing comes to Monza leading the GT4 standings and being third in the overall championship standings. While the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, a historic race track in the North of Italy built in 1922, is a new experience for Aliyyah Koloc and David Vrsecky, Adam Lacko has already driven the track.
David Vršecký will now be adding the famous Italian circuit to his list of conquered famous race tracks, alongside Silverstone or Spa-Francorchamps. "I'm really excited about Monza. It's a high-speed track, but that doesn't mean it's easy. You have to drive flawlessly, as there's less room for capitalizing on your rivals' mistakes or gaining an advantage. That's what will make the on-track battles even more challenging," said the two-times FIA ETRC champion.
The battle for a favorable position in the crowded field starts right from the qualifying session. David Vrsecky explains: "The incidents at Spa-Francorchamps, where I lost my timed lap, taught me that it's better to be cautious during qualifying. However, it's of course always preferable to start from a higher position." On his expectations for the team’s results, David adds: "We are still newcomers in the world of endurance racing, so I would consider a podium finish to be a success. However, I wouldn't be disappointed at all if we were able to move up to second place in the overall standings.
His teammate Adam Lacko has already experienced racing at Monza in the FIA WTCC with Alfa Romeo and Mosler GT1. " It is exciting to return to this track. Each track has its own unique features. Monza, with its park setting, creates a special atmosphere. It features some great corners and holds a special place in the heart," explained the experienced racer.
For 18-year-old Aliyyah Koloc, the 5.793 km long circuit with its 11 turns will be a new experience she is very much looking forward to: “Monza will be another new track for me. I didn’t get to train on the simulator as much as I would have liked because of my recent traveling schedule and also testing the T1 in Namibia a week before the race. But we will have some training sessions before the race weekend, so I will make the most out of those days. Even though it will be the first time in Monza for me and even David, we will aim to get the best position possible to try and keep the lead in the GT4 championship.”
The race weekend starts with a free practice session followed by Qualifying on Friday. The race will be divided into two parts, 6.30 hours on Saturday and 5.30 hours on Sunday, with a scheduled race finish at 4 pm on Sunday.
