Alex Fontana’s plans for the 2024 season have been defined. The Swiss driver, Pro-Am class winner in the GT World Challenge Europe – Endurance Cup, will be chasing a new trophy in one of the most prestigious international championships. The series promoted by GT Sport is not entirely new for Fontana as in 2011 he grew up and claimed his first international motor racing title when he was crowned Euro Formula Open champion at the end of a breathless season which was to open the door to the FIA Formula 2 series the following year, a debut in the GP3 Series and eventually a chance to join the Lotus Junior programme and undertake a Formula 1 test.
This return to the GT Sport family led by Jesus Pareja also follows a winning appearance at Barcelona in the GT Cup Open with Porsche. It will be a Porsche, this time the new 911 GT3 992, that Alex Fontana will be sharing with “Hash” for the 2024 edition of the GT Open. This enduring relationship with the US driver came about thanks to the founding of the AF Academy which led Fontana to be firstly a coach and a point of reference and then a teammate for a car enthusiast who has gone on to become a racing driver.
Alex and Hash have already had the opportunity to race together in the 24 Hours Series and in the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the new GT Open challenge represents an important international stage they will share with Car Collection, the outfit that provided support in the 2023 season when Alex won the title thanks to the Centri Porsche Ticino project with Ivan Jacoma and Niki Leutwiler.
The International GT Open calendar features eight events around Europe, with a traditional format of six double Sprint races and two Endurance rounds. Things get underway at Portimao on the 28th of April, then at Hockenheim (12 May), in Belgium on the historic Spa circuit (26 May), in Hungary (23 June), at Le Castellet (21 July), the Red Bull Ring (15 September, Barcelona (29 September) and the grand finale at Monza on 20 October where his many friends and supporters will have a chance to see the Swiss driver close to home.
Alex Fontana will also be driving the same car, the Porsche 911 GT3 992, in a series of selected Endurance races during the season in collaboration with Centri Porsche Ticino.
Alex Fontana
“I’m delighted to be able to announce my first commitments for 2024. Racing with Hash is an important result for a project that has been on-going for the past few years and which only bad luck has prevented us from crowing before now. Hash has come back from a serious injury last season, showing great strength and determination in his recovery and is more motivated than ever to pick up this new challenge. The International GT Open is a fascinating opportunity as it represents the highest level of competition for Pro-Am crews, allowing them to compete for the podium and for victory in the overall standings. Personally, I’ve very fond memories of the GT Sport championships, not just because they brought me the first title in my career in 2011, but thanks to the really competitive nature of the racing which I remember watching trackside when I wasn’t involved in the Formula 3 sessions. I would like to thank Car Collection for supporting us on this adventure, as after having got to known them last season a great relationship of mutual respect and trust has grown up and I’m hopeful we’ll be able to enjoy a thrilling season.”
This return to the GT Sport family led by Jesus Pareja also follows a winning appearance at Barcelona in the GT Cup Open with Porsche. It will be a Porsche, this time the new 911 GT3 992, that Alex Fontana will be sharing with “Hash” for the 2024 edition of the GT Open. This enduring relationship with the US driver came about thanks to the founding of the AF Academy which led Fontana to be firstly a coach and a point of reference and then a teammate for a car enthusiast who has gone on to become a racing driver.
Alex and Hash have already had the opportunity to race together in the 24 Hours Series and in the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the new GT Open challenge represents an important international stage they will share with Car Collection, the outfit that provided support in the 2023 season when Alex won the title thanks to the Centri Porsche Ticino project with Ivan Jacoma and Niki Leutwiler.
The International GT Open calendar features eight events around Europe, with a traditional format of six double Sprint races and two Endurance rounds. Things get underway at Portimao on the 28th of April, then at Hockenheim (12 May), in Belgium on the historic Spa circuit (26 May), in Hungary (23 June), at Le Castellet (21 July), the Red Bull Ring (15 September, Barcelona (29 September) and the grand finale at Monza on 20 October where his many friends and supporters will have a chance to see the Swiss driver close to home.
Alex Fontana will also be driving the same car, the Porsche 911 GT3 992, in a series of selected Endurance races during the season in collaboration with Centri Porsche Ticino.
Alex Fontana
“I’m delighted to be able to announce my first commitments for 2024. Racing with Hash is an important result for a project that has been on-going for the past few years and which only bad luck has prevented us from crowing before now. Hash has come back from a serious injury last season, showing great strength and determination in his recovery and is more motivated than ever to pick up this new challenge. The International GT Open is a fascinating opportunity as it represents the highest level of competition for Pro-Am crews, allowing them to compete for the podium and for victory in the overall standings. Personally, I’ve very fond memories of the GT Sport championships, not just because they brought me the first title in my career in 2011, but thanks to the really competitive nature of the racing which I remember watching trackside when I wasn’t involved in the Formula 3 sessions. I would like to thank Car Collection for supporting us on this adventure, as after having got to known them last season a great relationship of mutual respect and trust has grown up and I’m hopeful we’ll be able to enjoy a thrilling season.”