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January 03, 2016
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In the second and final part of Thomas Hinss's preview of the Masters Series for 2016, he looks at the teams who have raced in the GPVWC prior to this series.
The second and final part of Hinssy's preview of the 2016 Masters Series, this time taking at look at the teams we have seen competing here at the GPVWC before.
Ice Cold Racing
We start with the team that had a highly successful 2015 campaign throughout the GPVWC. They won (by a large margin it should be mentioned) both the Formula Challenge and International Touring Cup series', as well as finishing a solid fifth in the World Sport Series. With this sort of form heading into 2016, you would expect that they will be a serious challenger toward the top end of the field.
In terms of drivers it is a familiar combo from ITC last season for ICR, as Eric Stranne and Lewis McGlade partner up once again for this series. Stranne probably doesn't need much speculation at this stage as he has proven time and time again how quick he is in a wide variety of cars, so I would expect him to be right up at the front fighting for wins and podiums.
McGlade is a driver that I think could be one to watch out for in the series, as his pace and consistency has been constantly improving. This coincides with the large amount of racing he did in 2014 and 2015, as he gained more and more experience driving all manner of vehicles from open wheelers to GT and tintop cars. At the very least I expect him to be fighting for consistent points finishes, but I wouldn't bet against him to be in the top ten either.
Epic Racing Team
A team that found resurgence in the GPVWC in 2015 after missing the previous year, Epic Racing are certainly ones to keep an eye on as they continue to improve over this coming season. Last year saw them compete in the ITC and FC series', with ITC being the series that most stood out to me, as their combination of Geoffrey Fournier and Chris Shepherd produced consistent results at the top end of the field.
Driving the number four car will be Englishman James Ross, who certainly doesn't lack GPVWC experience having started racing here in 2012. Whether he has the pace to match his team mate throughout the series is something I am not too sure of, as throughout 2015 in his main series of FC, Fournier consistently outperformed him over the season. The Audi is a very different beast however, so hopefully for Ross this means a surge in pace and points results to follow.
In the second car the team retain the Frenchman Fournier, who I would expect to be fighting for points, if not top ten. His strength seems to lie in tintops going by his results last year in FC and ITC, so if he can get to grips with the Audi TT Cup car quickly I think he could bring consistent handfuls of points.
TSA Racing
This team had an interesting season in 2015 with two very different stories in terms of results. In their two Independent Series' (Atlantic Series and World GT) they fared quite well, with fifth and fourth respectively, their drivers having some very impressive results over the season. Meanwhile in the Supercup they had a polar opposite affair, with a season to forget in the series. With the new primary sim for this season I expect the team to continue their form from the Independent Series', as their usual staple of drivers continues to prove their competitiveness.
Filling the number six car will be Phillip Morby, who had just the one series which he competed in last year, which was World GT. Consistent points results were what he produced and for this series I expect his aim will be to match those results, though with the level of talent and competition being at a high level for the 2016 Masters it certainly won't be a easy task.
In the number seven car is Tom Parker (or possibly better known as ParkerLAD), who had a very solid 2015 season. His most notable rise in talent was during his races for CSG in the top tier Superleague series, proving the amount of raw talent he has. If he can have the consistency to compliment that pace in this series I would be expecting top ten finishes from him, maybe even knocking on the door of the top five if he gets the car setup to its best.
Racing Team Schroten
RTS are another of the more experienced teams in the GPVWC, having first arrived on the scene in the league in 2011. They had a solid season in their 2015 FC campaign with seventh in the teams championship, however their WSS efforts of last season were not quite of the same caliber, seeing them finish fifteenth in the teams title fight. Their experience in the league is something that could help them in this series, how much it could assist them remains to be seen.
Driving in the first of the team's car will be Venezuelan Argenis Riera, a driver who had a relatively successful run of points in his late season races in FC in 2015. Also appearing in SC in the last few round, his pace seems to be something that could put him in the fight for points, though whether his consistency is able to match that is something I am not sure of. Points results will probably be the aim for Riera, though top tens could be possible if he can get on top of the Audi.
In the second seat will be another seasoned campaigner in the GPVWC, Dutchman Roy Schroten. Having been racing in the league since 2011, he has had much experience within the top tiers of the league, having competed for Woods in the Superleague series during 2015. His inconsistent points results weren't helped by a car that certainly was not at the top of the field, but even so I think for the Masters he will be hoping to try and land consistent points and top ten results for the RTS team, bringing his wealth of experience to the fore.
CM-Tech Racing
The Dutch team that debuted at the GPVWC last year in the WSS, they come to this year's Masters with a solid lineup that could see them challenging for points throughout the season. Their WSS season of 2015 was marred with an inability to get a consistent lineup throughout the season, as eight drivers cycled through the team. Whether this will follow over to this year's Masters remains to be seen, but I think with the new mod and sim the chance of it happening again is certainly lessened.
Team owner Wopke Hoekstra looks set to drive for the team in the first car, a driver who has plenty of experience here at the GPVWC. His results over his career here seems to suggest open wheelers are his strength in terms of pace, so how he will go in these Audi Cup cars is not entirely clear for me. I would be expecting him to be fighting toward the back end of the points, though whether he can challenge the top ten will be answered over the first few races of the season.
Menno Klont will drive the second car for the Dutch team, another driver who is no stranger to GPVWC competition. I think he is certainly someone who could be the steady hand for the team, scoring consistent points results throughout the season. After getting ninth in SC last season I think he could even feature as a regular top ten finisher, though this will depend on how he adjusts to the Audi he will be driving.
Malta Force GP
Established in 2010 and entering GPVWC competition the next year, Malta Force head into the Masters Series off the back of a solid campaign in the 2015 Supercup series. They took sixth in the team championship with two wins over the season, proving their worth as the championship went on.
Bart De Vos will pilot the number one car for the team, a driver who also has much experience in a variety of cars in the league. He drove for Kernov in the top tier Superleague throughout 2015, certainly showing solid pace and consistency in a car that was not top of the field by any stretch of the imagination. For me the key thing to note from 2015 is his races in ITC and WSS, where he was consistently around the edge of the top ten, even getting a win in WSS. With this in mind I wouldn't be surprised to see De Vos in the top ten, at the very least a consistent points scorer for Malta Force.
Driving the second car will be team owner Jason Muscat, a man widely known at the GPVWC for his vast experience in sim racing and trusty hands at the wheel. With that in mind I do not think much really needs to be speculated with the Maltese driver, someone I expect to be toward the top end of the field. With De Vos being a possible top ten finisher and Muscat bringing his vast amounts of talent and experience to the table, I think Malta Force could well be up among the top teams in the series, how close to the top is something that we will find out throughout the championship.
Hinss Motorsport
The newest of the established teams in this year's Masters Series, the Hinss Motorsport outfit obtained the services of two drivers who could put the team in among the fight at the top end of the field. Owned by Australian Thomas Hinss, they first appeared in the Atlantic Series in 2015, the team managing to be first of the single car entries in the series by seasons end.
Driving the first of the team's cars will be Argentine Agustin Canapino, a driver who has a vast amount of experience in a wide variety of cars in the GPVWC. Having competed in the top tier Superleague series among others in 2015, Canapino is another driver who will be one to look out for in this year's Masters, having pace that should see him fighting right at the front of the field.
In the second car will be Croatian David Francic, who made an impressive stamp on the league during his 2015 season. Grabbing a sixth in the WSS and fifth in SC, Francic is a driver who could end up being towards the front of the field as the season progresses. Fighting for top fives is something that I would not put out of his reach, giving the Australian team a shot at challenging some of the more experienced teams at the top end of the teams title fight.
Simtech Enterprise GP
Joining the GPVWC in 2013, Enterprise have established themselves as a team to watch out for, with a third and second in the ITC and WSS series' of 2015. This strong showing indicates to me that they will be a team to watch in this year's edition of the Masters, with a driver lineup that compliments their impressive form from last year.
In the number one car for the team is Enterprise regular Kevin Siggy, a driver who has proven his talent throughout his career here and will be a driver I expect fighting at the front with the likes of Canapino, Stranne and Waring. Having shown his consistency last year by winning the WSS series and claiming second in the ITC, he is one of the guys who I would put in the title fight for this Masters series.
Backing Siggy up in the second car will be Estonian Argo Teder, a driver who I think is one to watch out for as his experience continues to grow in 2016. His raw pace is certainly there, as he proved during his time behind the wheel in 2015, snagging a win late in the season in the WSS. If he can become a more consistent driver in his results I think he could definitely be in the top ten often throughout the series, possibly even nipping at the heels of the top five.
Cosmo Autosport
One of the more recent of the established teams here at the GPVWC, Cosmo Autosport are another team that I am expecting to have quite a successful Masters campaign ahead of them. After their debut season in 2014, a surge in form was found throughout the 2015 season. With this in mind I would not be surprised for this to continue into 2016 as the team continues to grow.
Driving the first Cosmo car will be Canadian Andrew Waring, a driver who I think could be compared in terms of pace with Eric Stranne, as he is extremely fast in a wide variety of cars like the Swedish driver. I would expect him to be right up at the front with the likes of Stranne, fighting for wins and podiums throughout the season.
In the number two car will be Cosmo regular Matt Richards, who I would not be surprised seeing toward the top end of the field like his team mate. After a highly successful season in ITC with fourth in the standings by the end of 2015, I would be expecting him to be fighting in among the top five on a regular basis. With these two drivers Cosmo certainly look like they could be in for the fight at the top of the team championship, so they are a team I will be watching closely as the season progresses.
SimTech Jota Sport
The Irish based team of SimTech Jota Sport make up the last of the established teams in this years Masters, after a less than stellar performance in last years Atlantic and World GT series' (finsihing thirteenth and tenth respectively). However, with a very experienced and consistent lineup for this years Masters, they could be a team to watch throughout the series.
Driving the first car will be Englishman Jordon Weekes, a driver who has plenty of sim racing experience under his belt to put on a strong showing in this series. First appearing in 2012 here at the GPVWC, his 2015 campaign in Superleague was one marred with nearly endless bad luck, dampening what could have been a very solid season in the league's top tier series. If he can get lady luck to be more on his side I would be expecting him to be a regular points scorer, something I am sure the team would be more than happy to take from the series.
Filling the second seat will be Turkish driver Adam Ozgur, who started racing here in 2014 in the Formula Challenge series. His pace has not shown to be one of his strongest assets; instead his consistent racing style allows him to have a relatively high finishing rate, something that always is a handy skill to have. With the talent level of the field around him I think inconsistent points finishes would be his aim, though if races turn into battles of attrition, I would expect Ozgur to be one the guys to most benefit from them.
That's a wrap up of the in-depth look at the teams and drivers taking part in this year's Masters Series, we hope it was both entertaining and (somewhat) educational.
Ice Cold Racing
We start with the team that had a highly successful 2015 campaign throughout the GPVWC. They won (by a large margin it should be mentioned) both the Formula Challenge and International Touring Cup series', as well as finishing a solid fifth in the World Sport Series. With this sort of form heading into 2016, you would expect that they will be a serious challenger toward the top end of the field.
In terms of drivers it is a familiar combo from ITC last season for ICR, as Eric Stranne and Lewis McGlade partner up once again for this series. Stranne probably doesn't need much speculation at this stage as he has proven time and time again how quick he is in a wide variety of cars, so I would expect him to be right up at the front fighting for wins and podiums.
McGlade is a driver that I think could be one to watch out for in the series, as his pace and consistency has been constantly improving. This coincides with the large amount of racing he did in 2014 and 2015, as he gained more and more experience driving all manner of vehicles from open wheelers to GT and tintop cars. At the very least I expect him to be fighting for consistent points finishes, but I wouldn't bet against him to be in the top ten either.
Epic Racing Team
A team that found resurgence in the GPVWC in 2015 after missing the previous year, Epic Racing are certainly ones to keep an eye on as they continue to improve over this coming season. Last year saw them compete in the ITC and FC series', with ITC being the series that most stood out to me, as their combination of Geoffrey Fournier and Chris Shepherd produced consistent results at the top end of the field.
Driving the number four car will be Englishman James Ross, who certainly doesn't lack GPVWC experience having started racing here in 2012. Whether he has the pace to match his team mate throughout the series is something I am not too sure of, as throughout 2015 in his main series of FC, Fournier consistently outperformed him over the season. The Audi is a very different beast however, so hopefully for Ross this means a surge in pace and points results to follow.
In the second car the team retain the Frenchman Fournier, who I would expect to be fighting for points, if not top ten. His strength seems to lie in tintops going by his results last year in FC and ITC, so if he can get to grips with the Audi TT Cup car quickly I think he could bring consistent handfuls of points.
TSA Racing
This team had an interesting season in 2015 with two very different stories in terms of results. In their two Independent Series' (Atlantic Series and World GT) they fared quite well, with fifth and fourth respectively, their drivers having some very impressive results over the season. Meanwhile in the Supercup they had a polar opposite affair, with a season to forget in the series. With the new primary sim for this season I expect the team to continue their form from the Independent Series', as their usual staple of drivers continues to prove their competitiveness.
Filling the number six car will be Phillip Morby, who had just the one series which he competed in last year, which was World GT. Consistent points results were what he produced and for this series I expect his aim will be to match those results, though with the level of talent and competition being at a high level for the 2016 Masters it certainly won't be a easy task.
In the number seven car is Tom Parker (or possibly better known as ParkerLAD), who had a very solid 2015 season. His most notable rise in talent was during his races for CSG in the top tier Superleague series, proving the amount of raw talent he has. If he can have the consistency to compliment that pace in this series I would be expecting top ten finishes from him, maybe even knocking on the door of the top five if he gets the car setup to its best.
Racing Team Schroten
RTS are another of the more experienced teams in the GPVWC, having first arrived on the scene in the league in 2011. They had a solid season in their 2015 FC campaign with seventh in the teams championship, however their WSS efforts of last season were not quite of the same caliber, seeing them finish fifteenth in the teams title fight. Their experience in the league is something that could help them in this series, how much it could assist them remains to be seen.
Driving in the first of the team's car will be Venezuelan Argenis Riera, a driver who had a relatively successful run of points in his late season races in FC in 2015. Also appearing in SC in the last few round, his pace seems to be something that could put him in the fight for points, though whether his consistency is able to match that is something I am not sure of. Points results will probably be the aim for Riera, though top tens could be possible if he can get on top of the Audi.
In the second seat will be another seasoned campaigner in the GPVWC, Dutchman Roy Schroten. Having been racing in the league since 2011, he has had much experience within the top tiers of the league, having competed for Woods in the Superleague series during 2015. His inconsistent points results weren't helped by a car that certainly was not at the top of the field, but even so I think for the Masters he will be hoping to try and land consistent points and top ten results for the RTS team, bringing his wealth of experience to the fore.
CM-Tech Racing
The Dutch team that debuted at the GPVWC last year in the WSS, they come to this year's Masters with a solid lineup that could see them challenging for points throughout the season. Their WSS season of 2015 was marred with an inability to get a consistent lineup throughout the season, as eight drivers cycled through the team. Whether this will follow over to this year's Masters remains to be seen, but I think with the new mod and sim the chance of it happening again is certainly lessened.
Team owner Wopke Hoekstra looks set to drive for the team in the first car, a driver who has plenty of experience here at the GPVWC. His results over his career here seems to suggest open wheelers are his strength in terms of pace, so how he will go in these Audi Cup cars is not entirely clear for me. I would be expecting him to be fighting toward the back end of the points, though whether he can challenge the top ten will be answered over the first few races of the season.
Menno Klont will drive the second car for the Dutch team, another driver who is no stranger to GPVWC competition. I think he is certainly someone who could be the steady hand for the team, scoring consistent points results throughout the season. After getting ninth in SC last season I think he could even feature as a regular top ten finisher, though this will depend on how he adjusts to the Audi he will be driving.
Malta Force GP
Established in 2010 and entering GPVWC competition the next year, Malta Force head into the Masters Series off the back of a solid campaign in the 2015 Supercup series. They took sixth in the team championship with two wins over the season, proving their worth as the championship went on.
Bart De Vos will pilot the number one car for the team, a driver who also has much experience in a variety of cars in the league. He drove for Kernov in the top tier Superleague throughout 2015, certainly showing solid pace and consistency in a car that was not top of the field by any stretch of the imagination. For me the key thing to note from 2015 is his races in ITC and WSS, where he was consistently around the edge of the top ten, even getting a win in WSS. With this in mind I wouldn't be surprised to see De Vos in the top ten, at the very least a consistent points scorer for Malta Force.
Driving the second car will be team owner Jason Muscat, a man widely known at the GPVWC for his vast experience in sim racing and trusty hands at the wheel. With that in mind I do not think much really needs to be speculated with the Maltese driver, someone I expect to be toward the top end of the field. With De Vos being a possible top ten finisher and Muscat bringing his vast amounts of talent and experience to the table, I think Malta Force could well be up among the top teams in the series, how close to the top is something that we will find out throughout the championship.
Hinss Motorsport
The newest of the established teams in this year's Masters Series, the Hinss Motorsport outfit obtained the services of two drivers who could put the team in among the fight at the top end of the field. Owned by Australian Thomas Hinss, they first appeared in the Atlantic Series in 2015, the team managing to be first of the single car entries in the series by seasons end.
Driving the first of the team's cars will be Argentine Agustin Canapino, a driver who has a vast amount of experience in a wide variety of cars in the GPVWC. Having competed in the top tier Superleague series among others in 2015, Canapino is another driver who will be one to look out for in this year's Masters, having pace that should see him fighting right at the front of the field.
In the second car will be Croatian David Francic, who made an impressive stamp on the league during his 2015 season. Grabbing a sixth in the WSS and fifth in SC, Francic is a driver who could end up being towards the front of the field as the season progresses. Fighting for top fives is something that I would not put out of his reach, giving the Australian team a shot at challenging some of the more experienced teams at the top end of the teams title fight.
Simtech Enterprise GP
Joining the GPVWC in 2013, Enterprise have established themselves as a team to watch out for, with a third and second in the ITC and WSS series' of 2015. This strong showing indicates to me that they will be a team to watch in this year's edition of the Masters, with a driver lineup that compliments their impressive form from last year.
In the number one car for the team is Enterprise regular Kevin Siggy, a driver who has proven his talent throughout his career here and will be a driver I expect fighting at the front with the likes of Canapino, Stranne and Waring. Having shown his consistency last year by winning the WSS series and claiming second in the ITC, he is one of the guys who I would put in the title fight for this Masters series.
Backing Siggy up in the second car will be Estonian Argo Teder, a driver who I think is one to watch out for as his experience continues to grow in 2016. His raw pace is certainly there, as he proved during his time behind the wheel in 2015, snagging a win late in the season in the WSS. If he can become a more consistent driver in his results I think he could definitely be in the top ten often throughout the series, possibly even nipping at the heels of the top five.
Cosmo Autosport
One of the more recent of the established teams here at the GPVWC, Cosmo Autosport are another team that I am expecting to have quite a successful Masters campaign ahead of them. After their debut season in 2014, a surge in form was found throughout the 2015 season. With this in mind I would not be surprised for this to continue into 2016 as the team continues to grow.
Driving the first Cosmo car will be Canadian Andrew Waring, a driver who I think could be compared in terms of pace with Eric Stranne, as he is extremely fast in a wide variety of cars like the Swedish driver. I would expect him to be right up at the front with the likes of Stranne, fighting for wins and podiums throughout the season.
In the number two car will be Cosmo regular Matt Richards, who I would not be surprised seeing toward the top end of the field like his team mate. After a highly successful season in ITC with fourth in the standings by the end of 2015, I would be expecting him to be fighting in among the top five on a regular basis. With these two drivers Cosmo certainly look like they could be in for the fight at the top of the team championship, so they are a team I will be watching closely as the season progresses.
SimTech Jota Sport
The Irish based team of SimTech Jota Sport make up the last of the established teams in this years Masters, after a less than stellar performance in last years Atlantic and World GT series' (finsihing thirteenth and tenth respectively). However, with a very experienced and consistent lineup for this years Masters, they could be a team to watch throughout the series.
Driving the first car will be Englishman Jordon Weekes, a driver who has plenty of sim racing experience under his belt to put on a strong showing in this series. First appearing in 2012 here at the GPVWC, his 2015 campaign in Superleague was one marred with nearly endless bad luck, dampening what could have been a very solid season in the league's top tier series. If he can get lady luck to be more on his side I would be expecting him to be a regular points scorer, something I am sure the team would be more than happy to take from the series.
Filling the second seat will be Turkish driver Adam Ozgur, who started racing here in 2014 in the Formula Challenge series. His pace has not shown to be one of his strongest assets; instead his consistent racing style allows him to have a relatively high finishing rate, something that always is a handy skill to have. With the talent level of the field around him I think inconsistent points finishes would be his aim, though if races turn into battles of attrition, I would expect Ozgur to be one the guys to most benefit from them.
That's a wrap up of the in-depth look at the teams and drivers taking part in this year's Masters Series, we hope it was both entertaining and (somewhat) educational.
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