From the challenges of last weekend’s 24-Hours of Spa to this weekend’s IMSA Endurance Series 2.4-Hour in Brazil, the Simucube GT3 Series 3-hour at VIR, and the Nürburgring 4-Hour Championship, Octane Racing had an outstanding weekend. Two of our cars claimed victory on the top step of the podium, with another 3 cars finishing in the top 10. One driver showcased incredible determination, fighting back from a lap 1 incident that dropped them to 52nd place, eventually finishing in an impressive 20th. A huge congratulations to all our drivers—what an incredible team effort and an unforgettable weekend!.
The weekend kicked off with Marcel Schutz and Brett Gray delivering a fantastic performance. Marcel secured an impressive 4th position on the grid during qualifying, handing the car over to Brett to start the race. With the updated GT3 tyre model, Brett took a cautious approach during the opening laps to get the tyres up to temperature, which initially dropped him to 7th place. However, Brett skillfully worked his way back through the field, finishing his stint in 3rd place before passing the car back to Marcel. As Marcel began his stint, the team once again fell to 7th place as he focused on warming the tyres. Once the tyres were ready, Marcel launched a determined charge toward the front of the pack. About 30 minutes into his run, the rain arrived. Marcel made the bold decision to stay on slicks, a move that ultimately paid off. With exceptional driving and strategy, the boy's brought the car home in 1st place. Congratulations to the team—an outstanding strategy and a well-deserved victory!
Simon Tervo and Maddox Leitenberger took on the Nürburgring Combined Championship with determination and delivered a stellar performance. Simon showcased exceptional skill during qualifying, securing pole position for the team in the Ford Mustang GT3. The strategy was set: Simon would start the race and complete a double stint. From the moment the lights went out, Simon got off to an incredible start, leading the pack into Turn 1 and dominating the field. After an impressive double stint, he handed over the car to Maddox in first place. Maddox proved to be just as formidable, expertly maintaining the lead throughout his double stint. The duo demonstrated remarkable consistency and control, leading the race from the very first lap all the way to the checkered flag. To lead every lap at one of the most grueling and demanding tracks in the world is an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations to Simon and Maddox on a truly phenomenal effort – a performance to be proud of!
After completing his required stint in Brazil, Brett Gray made his way to the United States to compete at the renowned VIR circuit. There, he teamed up with Kev King for the Simucube GT3 Endurance Series. Despite some car issues during qualifying, Kev managed to secure P12 on the starting grid. The race, however, got off to a chaotic start. On lap one, turn four, a car in the top five spun out, triggering a massive pile-up ahead of Kev. In an attempt to avoid the crash, Kev veered onto the grass, but unfortunately, a spinning car collided with him. After towing the car back to the pits and enduring over six minutes of repairs, Kev rejoined the race all the way back in 52nd position. Despite the early setback, both Kev and Brett showcased exceptional determination and skill, putting in impressive lap times throughout the race. Their relentless effort paid off as they fought their way back to an incredible 20th position by the end of the event. Hold your heads high, guys—you made the team proud with your resilience and refusal to give up!
Brett Gray had a whirlwind weekend following the VIR race, as he headed to the world-renowned Nürburgring to team up with Ferrin Katz in the Nurburgring Combind Championship. Ferrin qualified their GT3 992R Porsche in 26th position and delivered an incredible opening stint, skillfully advancing the car to 5th place. Brett's first stint began smoothly, holding onto 5th position. However, just before his pit entry, disaster struck when another car cut across in front of him, resulting in a major incident and forcing the team to use their fast repair. Ferrin took over for his final stint, rejoining the race in 7th place. He drove brilliantly, climbing to 6th before handing the car back to Brett. Unfortunately, mid-way through Ferrin's stint, a minor incident caused some damage to the car. When Brett returned to the track, he found the car very loose at the rear due to the damage. Despite this, the team decided against pitting to repair it, as doing so would have dropped them to around 22nd position. Instead, Brett made the strategic decision to back off slightly, keeping the car manageable on track. While this caused them to drop to 9th position, Brett skillfully managed the car to the finish. Both drivers performed exceptionally well under challenging circumstances. Ferrin's outstanding pace and Brett's ability to bring the damaged car home safely earned the team a hard-fought top-10 finish at one of the most demanding tracks in the world. A top-10 result at the Nürburgring is an achievement to be proud of—well done to both drivers!
Mark Buttigieg boldly decided to take on the IMSA 2.4-hour race at Brazil entirely solo. This was a courageous choice, as competing in a 2.4-hour race alone demands exceptional stamina and unwavering focus. Even the slightest lapse in concentration could spell the end of the race, making Mark's decision all the more impressive. Mark qualified the car in 12th position and had an impressive start to the race, quickly climbing up to 3rd place. However, a miscalculated pit strategy combined with an incident involving another car caused him to drop back to 9th. Despite the setback, he maintained a steady performance and crossed the finish line in 9th place, securing another top 10 result for the team. this weekend.
The Octane Racing management team at the last minute received a request from Nandor Gabriel Oproescu to participate in the IMSA 2.4-hour race in Brazil, alongside a teammate. Committed to supporting their drivers, the team worked diligently to fulfill Nandor's request. After Marcel and Brett's winning car #17 performed earlier in the weekend, the team quickly got to work, servicing and preparing the car for its next run. When no suitable teammate could be found, Brett Gray once again stepped up and volunteered to join Nandor for the race, exemplifying true team spirit and dedication. Nandor qualified the car in 4th place and handed it over to Brett for the start of the race. Brett had a strong start, skillfully avoiding a major incident at turn one. He quickly worked his way up to 3rd position and was holding steady before things took a turn for the worse. While attempting to lap the 10th place car, they were hit by P10 and subsequently collected by another car behind them. This forced the team to tow back to the pits, where they spent over six minutes repairing the damage. Once the repairs were complete, Nandor rejoined the race in 22nd place and delivered an absolutely stellar stint, climbing all the way up to 6th position. For the final stint, Brett took over, leaving the pits in 11th. As the rain began to fall, he expertly navigated the challenging conditions, stayed out of trouble, and brought the car home in 9th place, securing another top-10 finish for the team.
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