Blancpain Endurance Series – Preview
A Great Season In Prospect

As the opening round of the Blancpain Endurance Series was broadcast last year, sadly without David Addison's excellent commentary, a gripping battle of endurance played out between Autorlando's Porsche 997 GT3R and the WRT Audi R8 LMS.

From that moment, a new star was born in the world of international GT racing. Having established itself as the rightful heir of FIA GT, the Blancpain series looks to grow further in 2012, with a staggering 56 entries for the first round in Monza.

The home of the Italian Grand Prix once again hosts the opening round of the series and will no doubt prove a spectacle to behold. The long straights of the circuit allow the cars to stretch their legs and machines with high power and torque should hold the advantage over the more agile chassis during Sunday's race. Last year's event showed the Italian circuit to have an added tactical element, with fuel mileage proving essential in Autorlando’s victory overcoming the raw pace of WRT's Audi.

With the Audi in particular, it remains to be seen if last year's splash-and-dash stop for fuel can be prevented, and the added efficiency of the Ultra model may well prove a decisive factor, as could the forecast of wet weather. Early predictions expect the Ferrari's top speed and grunt of the Mercedes SLS to mark those cars out as front-runners for Round One.

Sadly, the Autorlando car that was victorious last year is absent, destined for a year in GT Open, but there is no shortage of quality in the field. Heading up the challengers for wins and the overall title are three Belgian teams; reigning champions, WRT Audi, winners of the final two races of 2011, VDS Racing and the team whose cars were 1-2 at Spa for approximately five seconds before colliding with each other, ProSpeed Competition.

Rudi Prenders' Porsche outfit may be new to a season-long BES campaign, but they are no strangers to endurance racing and two strong crews should mount a legitimate title challenge. In their lead car, Marc Hennerici, Xavier Maassen and Marc Goossens are a strong lineup that will give away nothing to each other or their rivals in terms of pace. In Hennerici, the team have found an experienced Porsche pilot to compliment their regular star in Goossens and hotshot Maassen. The second car, which qualifies for the Pro-Am trophy and must surely be a favourite, adds impressive teenager Dylan Derdaele to the experienced GT3 European Championship duo, Maxime Soulet and Paul van Splunteren.

The second team for a focus is Marc VDS Racing Team, who bring two brand-new BMW Z4s to the full 2012 season. Having finished 2012 with victories in Magny Cours and Silverstone, the team enters the season full of expectations and with the championship in their sights. Few professional pairings know each other as well as Maxime Martin and Bas Leinders and, as shown in performances last year that netted him second in the points, Finn Markus Palttala is much more than the standard companion. The team's second lineup is no less experienced, with Mike Hezemans and Bert Longin parting with their longstanding teams to join the Gosselies' team's banner, where they are joined by Swiss Hexis AMR refugee Henri Moser. Both crews will be eying the championship laurels at the beginning of the seasons, although familiarity with the Z4 will put greater expectation at the door of Martin, Leinders and Moser.

Finally, the narrow favourites and defending champions, WRT; Vincent Vosse's men were more stoic than spectacular in their run to the title last year, but the consistency and pace over the five races earned them their place as the inaugural BES winners. The squad returns for a second year, but is now fighting on more fronts than their rivals as they target the World GT championship and a debut in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. However, a solid 1-2 in both GT World Championship races last weekend puts them in good stead for the opening round and both winning drivers – experienced Stephane Ortelli and the young star of Nogaro, Laurens Vanthoor – travel to Monza. In the lead car, Ortelli is joined by Christopher Mies and factory favourite Christopher Haase. The second car sees Vanthoor joined by factory pilot Marco Bonanomi and Swede Edward Sandström in a lineup that is, on paper at least, just as strong as that of the #1 car.

If McLaren can sort the gremlins that have bugged the MP4/12 GT3 since its inception, United Autosports can surely be considered championship pretenders too. Although the team have rarely been frontrunners in the top events over their two years' existence, 2012 sees a new push for the Anglo-American team with the recruitment of 2009 Le Mans winner David Brabham adding to works driver Alvaro Parente and youngster Matt Bell. If Bell can complement the racecraft of Brabham and pace of Parente, we should see this car running at the front of races this year; but expect Monza to be a case of bedding in the drivers and car and picking up points rather than a showing of outright speed. The team's second car, entered in the Pro-Am class, sees Americans Mark Patterson and owner Zak Brown team up with Mark Blundell. Expect this car to be quick on occasion but unlikely to challenge for either championship.

Vita4One seem to be challenging on all fronts in 2012 although it remains to be seen if the black and turquoise BMWs will be in the BES for the full season or just for selected rounds. 2011 BES champion Greg Franchi returns to the circuit he partnered Ortelli to second place at one year ago with his new team. The third driver is yet to be announced but, in Frank Kechele, Franchi is partnered with a driver who will need to improve on his performances in the Ferrari last year to have any realistic hope of wins in the stronger 2012 field.

Mercedes' top contender for overall wins is likely to be the KRK squad. After entering two cars under Dutch colours for the Spa 24 Hours last year, the team are back for a full season in 2012, led by Karl Wendlinger and Anthony Kumpen. Kumpen and Wendlinger form a pairing second to none in GT racing, but third driver Koen Wauters lacks the speed of the professionals around him, if none of their popularity, and renders the car unlikely to challenge for victories. KRK's second lineup of Raf Vanthoor, Dennis Retera and Marius Ritskes should prove consistent, if not spectacular, as they contend for points in the Pro-Am category.

Other outsiders for the overall classification include Philippe Gache's SMG Challenge team who, although ably supported by prototype star Olivier Pla, will be slowed by Eric Clément for one stint of each race. A year's experience in the Porsche will mean Clément is well equipped, though, and fourth place in the Pro-Am class in a guest Magny-Cours appearance with Gache was a strong introduction to the series.

A second Pro McLaren is in the offing courtesy of the newly-named Boutsen-Ginion Racing. British single-seater refugee Jack Clark and Belgian touring car driver Edouard Mondron join Nico Verdonck, who was unable to establish himself as a pacesetter in Vita4One's Ferrari in 2011. The trio are likely to need time to bond and to learn the car before they will expect to compete for podiums.

Although appearing to struggle in familiarising himself with the McLaren at Nogaro, ART Grand Prix's Grégoire Demoustier finds a strong partner in Superleague Formula race winner Duncan Tappy and will be a prime contender in the Pro-Am category. Two further McLarens looking to challenge in this classification will be those of Gulf Racing UK, with the pairing of works driver Rob Bell and Mike Wainwright slight favourites to edge their stable mates Stuart Hall and Roald Goethe. McLaren's ranks are further bolstered by Von Ryan Racing, who have the talented Rob Barff on board to lead South Africans Leon Price and Jordan Grogor in one car, whilst BTCC star Stephen Jelley assists brothers Julien and Matthew Draper.

Ferrari are expected to be strong in Monza and with no fewer than 16 458 GT3s on show have numbers on their side. Despite this, none of the crews entered look like overall race winners, although expect several cars to feature strongly in the Pro-Am trophy. British teams MTECH and Scuderia Vittoria look set to continue what began in the British GT opener at Oulton Park on Easter Monday, with the former's Anglo-Irish combination, Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin, looking strong on the back of two podiums.

Both Kessel Racing and AF Corse bring four cars to the opening round, with WEC GTE driver Andrea Bertolini sure to help 2011 Pro-Am champions Nick Hommerson and Louis Machiels defend their title, this time on behalf of Amato Ferrari's behemothic team. The late Loris Kessel's team's strongest lineup may be that of Stefano Gattuso, Davide Rigon and Daniel Zampieri, but all eyes in Monza will be on the #46 art car, to be driven by seven-times MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi and his childhood friend Alessio Salucci.

However, the strongest Ferrari challenge may well emerge from returning French team SOFREV Auto Sport Promotions, managed by Jérôme Policand. Runners-up in the Pro-Am category last year, Jean-Luc Beaubelique and Ludovic Badey are once again joined by the experienced Patrice Goueslard as they aim to go one better in 2012.

As Marc VDS Racing Team look to the overall championship, several other BMW teams are aiming for Pro-Am success. Strongest amongst this number is the Dutch team DB Motorsport, whose lead car sees Belgians Jeffrey van Hooydonk and Stéphane Lémeret supporting Team Principal Jeroen den Boer. Whilst the rebirth of Ecurie Ecosse brings another iconic name to the grid, Andrew Smith, Joe Twyman and Ollie Millroy will be looking to gain experience and pick up points before their return to Spa.

Following the car's international debut at the BES Magny-Cours round last season, Nissan is back for a full season, with RJN Motorsport making the step up from GT4 to the premier GT3 class for 2012. Still in partnership with Nissan's GT Academy project, this year's graduate Jann Mardenborough is showing all the early signs of following the footsteps of Jordan Tresson's success last year. Team mates Alex Buncombe and Chris Ward are tasked with bringing Mardenborough up to speed, but that may be an unnecessary task judging by Jann's pace in the opening British GT round last week. The Pro-Am class may prove out of their reach, but the aim is to develop both car and drivers to be challengers by the season end. 

In addition to the title challengers, there are a number of other drivers and teams who will be legitimate pole position contenders, albeit paired with gentlemen drivers who will not be able to maintain their stars' speed in the race but are to be commended still for bringing further beautiful looking and sounding cars to the grid.

Chief amongst this category is Richard Westbrook. Having partnered Mike Stursberg and Hans Guido Riegel in the VLN, Nürburgring 24 Hours and at the Blancpain Spa round last year, Westbrook returns to boost the pace of his German co-drivers and, if the car allows, is sure to be towards the front of the grid in his first race at Monza since winning the GT2 class of the 2008 LMS round.

Fellow Brit Sean Edwards will be another contender for top qualifier, with the Black Falcon Mercedes-Benz likely to be at its best on the long straights. Partnered with American Bret Curtis and Luxembourger Steve Jans, Edwards is not expected to be in the hunt for overall wins, but pole position and strong finishes in the Pro-Am class will be the season's target.

At Monza in particular, eyes should be on Mirko Venturi of Black Bull Swiss Racing too. The Ferrari of the Lugano outfit upstaged the more renowned teams to take the inaugural series' pole position and the Lamborghini Super Trofeo star will look to repeat this feat.

Numerous others will also be striving for a strong result in Italy. Fresh from GT3 Europe success at Nogaro last weekend, Saintéloc Racing will be challenging in both the Pro-Am trophy with their Ultra model of the Audi R8 and are early favourites for the Gentlemen's Trophy with their older machine. The Jones twins struggled in the wet with their Mercedes on Easter Monday on the twisty Oulton Park, but will be looking to the car's strengths this weekend, ably aided by Mike Jordan. Anthony Beltoise leads a two car effort from Pro GT by Almeras and several other cars, including GPR's Aston Martin V12 Vantage and the new, Swiss built, Jaguar XKR-S are set to join the championship at the Silverstone round.

One thing is for sure; with 56 cars taking the start, there is unlikely to be any shortage of action and the scene is set for both an exciting race and an intriguing season ahead.

© Rodger Davies (Twitter - @thesoapboxracer)