The GT4 South European Series grid keeps solidly growing as a new entry strengthens the field for the season-closing rounds. With support from KTM X-Bow España, a KTM X-Bow GT4 will be driven by Francisco Carvalho and Fábio Mota in the final two rounds of the season.
After announcing an Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 for the event at the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya, Race Ready, who organizes this GT4 series in partnership with SRO Motorsport Group, reveals another entrant for its end of the season events.
With the KTM X-Bow España support, Francisco Carvalho and Fábio Mota will compete in both Portuguese rounds taking place at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in October, and at the Circuito do Estoril, in November, with the technical support from Veloso Motorsport, the team who runs the Mercedes-AMG GT4 for Pro-Am Cup championship leaders Francisco Abreu and Miguel Cristóvão.
Both drivers have experience in GT4 machinery as they took part in the GT4 class of the 2012 Portuguese GT Championship 2012 with an Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Francisco Carvalho was the champion as Fábio Mota finished second.
Fábio Mota moved into the GT4 European Trophy in 2013, driving an Aston Martin again. Afterwards he raced in different international touring cars series as Francisco Carvalho took part in several Portuguese touring cars championships.
KTM X-Bow España hopes to announce its driver line up for Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya event in the coming weeks. An agreement to field in the series a second KTM X-Bow GT4 car should be announced in the next few weeks.
Sergio Borrell (KTM X-Bow España): “We are pleased to join the GT4 South European Series, which is a rapidly growing championship. We all have worked hard to get the KTM X-Bow GT4 back on the grid for the second half of the season, which kicks off on our home turf in Barcelona. I think we have got a strong pairing and the whole project coming together is a hugely exciting prospect. We are very much looking forward racing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. You don’t really know where you are until the first race!”
Francisco Carvalho (driver): “I want to take part in the series, and following a conversation with Fábio Mota we thought it would be possible to build-up this project with the KTM X-Bow España support. The GT4 South European Series is growing, and the grid is very competitive and that excites me. The media exposure is also important, as it offers a good exposure to my sponsors. I believe the car can be very competitive and it will be an opportunity to understand our options for 2020. I would like to thank KTM X-Bow España for the support. I believe that Fábio and I will offer good results to thank for the support that we received.”
Fábio Mota (driver): “this year the Campeonato de Portugal FPAK de Karting is my main programme, but to meet my sponsors’ demands I had to take part in three car racing weekends, one of them was Vila Real. I have been paying attention to the GT4 South European Series, because it has amazing cars and is on the rise, already having a highly competitive level, which fits in my racing career. It has a great media exposure too, with live TV broadcasting, which is very important to my sponsors. It was an opportunity that I couldn’t miss. I’ll take part in the last two races of the season with the KTM X-Bow GT4, a car that I believe it will be competitive. This will be a good way to evaluate my 2020 options. Francisco Carvalho will be a strong teammate, and I would like to thank the KTM X-Bow España’s support.”
Diogo Ferrão (CEO of Race Ready): “The interest in the GT4 South European Series has been growing and the will of KTM X-Bow España to be here proves it. We have been working to have a bigger grid with even more quality and, step-by-step, we are reaching our goals. This is really an Iberian project – a Spanish importer and Portuguese drivers and technical service team – which shows that we are generating interest in both countries. I want to give a warm welcome to KTM X-Bow España, Francisco Carvalho and Fábio Mota and wish them the best of luck. I hope to see them fighting for the top positions.”
The series promoted by Race Ready in partnership with SRO Motorsports Group kicked off at Nogaro, in the Coupe de Pâques, followed by a round held at Jarama. The next round will be held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, on August 30th-31st, with the championship set to conclude later in the year with two double-headers in Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and Circuito do Estoril.
All GT4 South European Series races will be broadcasted on TV – live in Portugal, Porto Canal, and delayed in Spain, Teledeporte – and will be streamed live on the series’ social media
