Matt Griffin Seals AF Corse Deal

Matt Griffin has been increasingly impressive of late, getting to grips rapidly and achieving rce-winning form with the MTech Ferrari 430 Scuderia he regularly shares with Duncan Cameron in the British GT Championship and also guiding his other regular driving partner Peter Bamford along in a varied programme of GT racing that has seen them climbing up the established Pro-Am order, in particular the International GT Open where some impressive results have been gathered, including an overall win against an impressive field at Monza in 2008.

His efforts have clearly been noticed as Amato Ferrari from AF Corse has now added Griffin to the team's 2010 roster to partner Jack Gerber in a full season in the International GT Open.

Gerber moves up to a full season in the 430 GTC after some impressive form in Ferrari Challenge racing with another AF Corse satellite operation.

"I was absolutely delighted to get the call," Matt told dsc yesterday, "Firstly because they are such a great team and secondly because for this year I will be with AF Corse themselves rather than the Advanced Engineering satellite team where Peter and I have raced in GT2 previously over the past couple of seasons."

That past campaign has seen Matt mix GT2 racing in Europe (including Le Mans Series entries) with GT3 racing on the national scene in the UK.

"I'm pleased too that I will be getting a full season in a GT2 car, I think you need to keep your hand in there, it is an almost entirely different animal from the GT3 - For example, up through Eau Rouge in the GT3 is a full lift in third, in the GT2 it's flat in sixth."

Whilst both AF Corse and Griffin have committed to the full season there is one potential calendar clash for the season's opening race on 19 April in Valencia - "I'm due to become a dad for the first time so yes it's a worry - The team though have been fantastic about it, the family values in Italy run deeply, so either way we'll be OK."

Before then though there's a whirlwind programme of testing - We caught Matt a day or two following a Mugello test with AF Corse, which itself followed 2 days of (very) wet testing in Portimao with MTech.  He was though on his way to the airport for two days testing at Jerez starting from tomorrow, again with MTech before moving on to Monteblanco for three days from Saturday with AF Corse once again.

But as any professional racing driver will tell you - "It's great to be that busy!" 

GG