Balfe Motorsport To Field Audi In GT Open

[Steve Q]

Balfe Motorsport will field a new Audi R8 LMS GT3 for the full 2021 International GT Open season for Shaun Balfe and Adam Carroll.

Shaun is already a familiar face in the GT Open paddock having taken the 2017 Pro-Am honours alongside Rob Bell in 2017, courtesy of three wins and a further five podium positions. Prior to that, Shaun won the Spanish GT Championship and more recently finished third in the British GT Championship.

Adam Carroll brings a wealth of experience to Balfe Motorsport in 2021. His racing CV is an impressive one dating back to 2000 when he secured the Formula Ford Winter Series title and soon after Formula 3 titles in the UK and Europe. The A1GP series saw Adam compete under the Team Ireland moniker, wrapping up the 2008/9 title.

Spells in both GP2 and IndyCar followed, before a GT3 programme in the R8 LMS with Team WRT saw him secure his first FIA GT1 podium position at Donington Park in 2012. Since then, Adam has raced in a variety of championships, including GT Open with Balfe Motorsport in 2016 where he secured a podium on his debut.

Having tested the new #22 Audi at Silverstone, the pairing expects to be competitive at the front of the field when the seven-round championship gets underway at Paul Ricard next month.

Shaun Balfe: “We’re happy to be going back to this series again this year and we’re looking forward to getting a good number of laps on the car next week in the Barcelona test. We’re hoping for good weather, reflective of what we expect this year in the championship itself in terms of track temperature.

“As we’re committed to this championship, it is important to do the Barcelona test as it will be significant to the start of the season as we need to be out with our competition. We believe the Audi will be competitive in GT Open and for me personally, I find the days travel to a European event useful in separating my work life from the sport of racing. Championship aspirations? It’s way too early to even think about that.”

 

Adam Carroll: “I raced with Shaun back in 2016 at the Red Bull Ring and immediately had a strong relationship. We have remained in contact ever since and this year it came together nicely and I’m really happy to race with him again. He is mega-quick and is always amongst the best Am racers in the field.

“I’ve had a shakedown in the Audi and was immediately impressed by its consistency and how well it worked out of the box. We’ve got another test in Barcelona shortly and then we’re off to the first round at Paul Ricard. We’ll be giving it everything we can and aim to do our very best with the expectation of fighting at the front.”

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2021/04/13/balfe-motorsport-to-field-audi-in-gt-open.html