Buggyra to take another big step, entering the world of endurance racing at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend
This season is full of new challenges for the Buggyra ZM Racing team. One of them is this weekend's start in the 24h endurance racing series. And where else to start a new chapter than on a legendary track? And Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium is undoubtedly that.
The premiere scheduled for January's six-hour race in Abu Dhabi was scuppered by Covid-19. But this weekend nothing will stop the trio of Aliyyah and Yasmeen Koloc and Adam Lacko from taking to the track in their Mercedes-AMG GT4 for the Hankook 12h Spa-Francorchamps. The Belgian 12h race is split into two parts with racing on both on Saturday and Sunday. The first day the race will be five and a half hours, on Sunday it will be an hour longer.
It will be a great return to sports car racing for Adam Lacko. He has already driven one 12-hour race at the famous Belgian circuit: in 2010 as part of the European Le Mans Series. Although he has not yet been able to get to know the Mercedes-AMG GT4, he is very much looking forward to Spa-Francorchamps.
"After a long time, I'm going to drive a GTE again. I'm looking forward to it. We'll see what we can do. I haven't sat in it yet, and it's practice and qualifying today with the first of two long races on Saturday," said Lacko, who is having a very busy week. Before the 24h Series, he also tested the Buggyra truck on the Most circuit in the Czech Republic.
The two 17-year-old twin sisters have been busy too. Aliyyah and Yasmeen took turns behind the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in the French FFSA GT4 series at Nogaro last weekend. Endurance racing will be a completely new experience for all of the Buggyra ZM Racing team.
"We both enjoyed the race at Nogaro. There were a lot of on-track fights and overtaking, we learned a lot. I think that the Hankook 12h Spa-Francorchamps race will also help us gain more experience," said Yasmeen Koloc.
"We'll be alternating between Adam and myself on both days, so we'll get a lot of driving. Endurance racing is new for us, we will all be learning as a team," said Aliyyah Koloc.
The endurance event of the 24h Series championship includes GT3 specials, GT4s, touring cars of the TCR class. Buggyra ZM Racing team's competitors in the GT4 class include three-time European rallycross champion Andreas Bakkerud and three-time Le Mans 24 Hours competitor Markus Palttala from Finland.
