Tom Ferrier’s TF Sport team is banking on podium finishes when it re-enters the Dutch Supercar Challenge, but admits breaching the top three places will be a tall order on unchartered territory at TT Circuit Assen in The Netherlands (2-3 August).
The official Aston Martin Racing Partner Team based in Redhill, Surrey received an overdue boost in the most recent British GT round at Belgium’s historic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps just a fortnight ago, after having its programme stymied by a series of unfortunate incidents.
Eighth place in GT3 and victory in GT4 was a solid return from the one and only ‘flyaway’ on the British GT calendar and just reward for TF Sport’s ongoing hard work and determination as it attempts to conquer the world’s most prestigious national and international GT racing contests.
A triumphant attack on the flourishing International GT Open series at Silverstone followed, TF Sport representing Aston Martin Racing in fine style by convincingly beating a formidable grid of teams and drivers with a single GT3-spec V12 Vantage for Darren Turner and Jody Fannin.
One of many exploratory outings in other high-profile GT racing series alongside its full-time British GT campaign, TF Sport is revving up for a return to the Dutch Supercar Challenge fray at TT Circuit Assen in The Netherlands (2-3 August).
The 2.83mile circuit has undergone several major facelifts since it was built in 1955 and is known for its rapid changes of direction and providing spectators with excellent views of the on-track action on its extensive grass banks and grandstands.
However, Paul Bailey and Andy Schulz boast very little knowledge and no prior experience of Assen and will have a very narrow 40-minute window in which to learn the circuit and its intricacies to at least have a shot of taking on the established frontrunners for a place on the podium.
“I don’t know anything about Assen and you can’t learn a lot from the internet, so we’ll have to wait and see what we find on our track-walk and during the weekend’s short free practice session,” said Schulz. “It’s going to be quite tricky, but we’ll go with an open mind to have some fun and see how we get on. There will be lots of very quick cars there and I don’t think we will have the legs on the Ferraris and some of the silhouette cars in GT3 specification, but there’s less pressure than a British GT weekend and, while it might be a tall order, my target for the weekend is to achieve a podium.”
TF Sport Director, Tom Ferrier, said: “TF Sport has never been to Assen before and we will get minimal testing during the weekend, but I hope we will finish of the podium again. It will be all down to how quickly Paul (Bailey) and Andy (Schulz) can learn the circuit, but we have made some improvements to the Aston Martin’s chassis and the drivers have performed exceptionally well during recent races and test days, so I hope they can keep up the momentum going into this weekend and the following British GT race at Brands Hatch. The fact is we have always achieved podium finishes at these events, so I’m hopeful.”
For more on TF Sport, visit the official www.tfsport.co.uk website, ‘like’ the team’sFacebook page of follow @OfficialTFSport on Twitter.