A new adventure on the Nordschleife at the wheel of a BMW M235i in Germany
Alex Fontana will be involved in the start of one of continental Europe’s most eclectic and interesting championships. The Swiss driver, who has already announced that he will be participating in the Blancpain GT Series 2018 with Emil Frey Jaguar Racing, with whom he recorded the fastest lap in last week’s tests at Monza, has a second fascinating project lined up. Alex will, in fact, be taking part in a number of rounds of the VLN Endurance Championship, a series featuring nine races, all on a very special circuit, the Nordschleife. Inaugurated in 1927, this is the best-known configuration of the various Nürburgring variants, famous for staging modern Formula 1, Grand Touring and DTM races in Grand Prix form (in place of the Sudschleife), and is no less than 23 kilometres long. Having become famous as the Green Hell, the circuit was definitively abandoned as a Formula 1 venue following Niki Lauda’s crash in 1976. However, it remains one of the greatest and intact motor racing circuits and as well as the VLN series hosts the Nürburgring 24 Hours, one of the world’s most interesting marathons, together with Daytona, Le Mans and Spa. Alex will be starting one of the first two rounds scheduled for 24 March and 7 April, at the wheel of a BMW M235i Racing Cup in the dedicated CUP5 single-marque category. Alongside him in the PIXUM Adrenalin Motorsport team, Alex will find the German Robert van Husen, a driver with a number of years’ experience with the car and the German track and an excellent companion for the start of this new and very special adventure.
Alex Fontana
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity of undertaking this new adventure. Everything came together almost by chance having known Robert since he moved to the Canton Ticino and sharing a great passion for this sport. This year’s programme has given me the chance to explore new ventures and VLN is certainly a challenge that has always attracted me. It’s a training series for the Nürburgring 24 Hours, which you can enter thanks to a “Permit” issued by the organizers after the drivers have competed in touring car races and before moving up to GT3. At the moment it would be great to take part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours as well as the first two rounds, and maybe double up with Spa in the summer too. Robert’s support will be very important, because he knows the car and the circuit well and will be a great point of reference for me in this adventure.”
Robert van Husen
“Having a driver of Alex’s talent alongside me will provide great motivation. The Nordschleife is a circuit that demands respect and I appreciate the humility with which this young man is approaching these races. For some years I have had a permit to race on the Nordschleife and I have to say there is nothing easy about it. Along its 23 kilometres you come across numerous pitfalls, slower or faster cars and less experienced drivers who can at times represent a risk. Our BMW M235i is without doubt the best car for this event as it offers the right blend of speed and driveability for such an unusual circuit. I’m happy to be able to put my experience at the service of Alex in his new adventure and I’m sure we’ll both learn plenty from each other over the course of these races together.”