Category: General

Preview: Grande Finale Mugello

Posted on October 4, 2023 by - General

One more time this year, the engines of the BOSS GP Racing Series will be fired up: The grand finale of the 2023 season will take place in Tuscany.

For rounds 13 and 14 of the season, the teams and drivers will travel to one of the most beautiful racetracks on the continent. The 5.245-kilometer track at Mugello (built in 1974) will be the the venue for the finale of a great 2023 season that will be remembered for, among other things, new spectator records.

The Mugello Circuit is owned by Ferrari and traditionally hosts the MotoGP. In 2020, the track in Tuscany also was the venue for a Formula 1 race. The sequences of corners are mostly fluid and fast, the topography hilly. This makes the track, which was built in 1974, a favourite of many drivers. In addition, temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius are forecast for the coming weekend.

Entries

With no F1 cars in the entry list, Antonio Pizzonia (HS Engineering) goes into the finale as the favourite for overall victory. For the Brazilian, however, it is once again a good opportunity to attack the lap record of a non-F1. Should he see the checkered flag in both races yet again, he could finish the season without a retirement and with a 100 percent win rate in the OPEN class.

In the most competitive class FORMULA, where Formula 2 and World Series cars meet, MM Motorsport brings the most promising line-up to the start line: With Simone Colombo (ITA), Marc Faggionato (MCO) and Salvatore de Plano (ITA) three former race winners have entered the event. They will take on Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) who wants to make the most of his last chance for a win this season. Another Italian, Bruno Jarach, will start in Ghiotto’s team.

Nicolas Matile (MCO) and Jean-Christophe Peyre (FRA) will compete for the French Zig-Zag Motorsport team. Both will be driving one of the spectacular Auto GP cars. Andreas Fiedler (GER, Fiedler Racing) is now fully back after a few absences this season and has a good chance of jumping up a few places in the overall standings.

And in the SUPER LIGHTS? Walter Colacino (ITA, Colacino Racing) is also coming to Tuscany with his Formula 3000. He shares the Lola, built in 1996, with his colleague Roberto Vanni (ITA).

Timetable

Friday, 6 October
11:30–12:00          Free Practice 1
16:00–16:30          Free Practice 2

Saturday, 7 October
10:00–10:30          Qualifying (separated in two groups)
14:10–14:30          Race 1 (20 minutes)

Sunday, 8 October
11:00–11:25 Race 2 (25 minutes)

all times CEST

Tickets

On Friday, admission is free. 5 Euros is the price of admission to the grounds on Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the paddock and the main grandstand is 15 Euros. For women, 14 to 17-year-olds and ACI members there is a reduced price of 10 Euros. Free admission is granted to residents of the nearby municipality of Scarperia e San Piero and children up to 14 years of age.

Support program

Other racing series in the program of the PNK Racing Weekend in Mugello are the F2000 Trophy with the Drexler Formel Cup (Formula 3, Formula Renault 2.0, etc.), the Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars, the Sports Car Challenge and Master Tricolore Prototipi, as well as GT and touring car races with modern and historic bolides.

Photos: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

Preview: Nardi Compressori Race Monza

Posted on September 20, 2023 by - General

After two years, the BOSS GP Racing Series finally returns to the Parco di Monza, one of the most prestigious racing venues in the world.

Where just a few weeks ago thousands and thousands of Tifosi were able to experience Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen & Co., Formula 1 history will once again return this coming weekend (September 22 to 24, 2023). With the BOSS GP Racing Series, the fastest racing cars of the past 25 years are lined up to contest again in a race. The great interest in drivers for the sixth race weekend of the season showed how popular the circuit is.

The second of three Italian BOSS GP rounds this season will be held in Monza

The 5.793-kilometer racetrack in the royal park of Monza is one of the most impressive racing facilities in the world. As one of the last high-speed tracks, it is a unique challenge for racing drivers. A large part of the original layout has been adapted to modern safety standards and is still used today, but the steep concrete curves can only be visited on foot. Many drivers and fans also combine their visit with a trip to the centre of Milan, about half an hour away, or to nearby Lake Garda.

Entries

Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed), who is already confirmed as the old and new champion of the BOSS GP F1 Class, will enter the races in Monza as the logical favourite for victory. His STR1 with the V10 Cosworth engine is the fastest car on the grid for Monza.

In the OPEN class, where adapted monoposto cars will be on the grid, Paul O’ Connell is expected to make an appearance. This time, the popular Irish racer will be driving a second Dallara World Series with a 4.5-liter engine, prepared by HS Engineering, in an attempt to stand up to ex-Formula 1 driver Antonio Pizzonia (HS Engineering). The Brazilian has already been confirmed as champion of his class and will once again try to keep up with Gerstl’s Formula 1 car and offer the fans the best possible show.

This time, there is particularly great interest in the FORMULA class, where there are some newcomers: Juju Noda is one of them. The Japanese is the daughter of Hideki Noda, the former Formula 1 and IndyCar driver. On her way towards the top class, she uses the BOSS GP platform as an ideal training environment to familiarise herself with a big Formula racing car. To do so, the former W Series driver will climb into a 3.5-litre World Series of the Austrian team HS Engineering this weekend.

Juju Noda during a test session at the BOSS GP Show Run in Brno earlier this month

With Felix Grosse-Aschhoff and Michael Grosse-Aschhoff (both GER), two drivers from Asche Racing will join the grid in Monza. The international character of the BOSS GP Racing Series is also demonstrated by the entry of David Richert from Canada, who will compete for MM International from Italy. Richert has previously raced in the Formula Renault Eurocup and most recently competed in Formula 3. Now he is celebrating his debut in a GP2 Dallara.

In the duel for the championship title, however, two other drivers are in the spotlight: Once again it is Scuderia Palladio driver Marco Ghiotto (champion 2019, 2020, 2021) and Simone Colombo (champion 2022) who are battling it out at their home race. Colombo (MM International) could clinch the title already this weekend.

Five other Italians will be competing in Monza, including Robert Vanni and Walter Colacino (both Colacino Racing) in a Formula 3000 in the SUPER LIGHTS category. With Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (AUT, Red Rose Racing) in an older Ralt-F3000 and Jody Stadelmann (SUI, Team Stadelmann) in the rare Formula Nippon-Mugen, there are also two returnees in this class.

Timetable

Friday, 22 September
09:00–09:25          Free Practice 1
13:59–14:24          Free Practice 2

Saturday, 23 September
11:20–11:50          Qualifying (separated in two groups)
17:40–18:00          Race 1 (20 minutes/F1 Class 15 minutes)

Sunday, 24 September
11:20–11:45 Race 2 (25 minutes/F1 Class 15 minutes)

all times CEST

Tickets

During the entire race weekend, entry to the racetrack is free of charge. Almost all grandstands are open. Parking costs 15 euros per car and 5 euros per motorbike on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

More to watch

The BOSS GP Racing Series is the highlight of a packed motorsport programme at Monza. In addition to the GT3 cars of the International GT Open, the GT Cup, the Euroformula Open, the TCR Europe and the Porsche Carrera Cup France will be all racing this race weekend in Monza.

Photos: Robert Lösch, Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP, WF Racing

Debut for BOSS GP Show Run

Posted on September 7, 2023 by - General

At the Masaryk Racing Days in Brno on September 9 and 10, the BOSS GP Racing Series will showcase some of its most valuable racing cars.

For the first time, a BOSS GP event will not be contested for championship points. Instead, the focus in the Czech Republic is on the show. Formula 1 cars and F1-related Formula 1 single-seaters will be on track on Saturday and Sunday in six 15-minute sessions at the Automotodrom Brno.

The Wolf F1 WR7 by Rudolf Raml, which James Hunt, Keke Rosberg and Emerson Fittipaldi drove in 1979, will be on display. From the year 2001 is the Arrows A22, which was driven by Enrique Bernoldi and Jos Verstappen. Examples of modern cars are the green and yellow Lotus T127 (2010) driven by Thomas Jakoubek and the Toro Rosso STR1 (2006) driven by Ingo Gerstl.

These and other cars are also exhibited in the pits and can be seen during the pitwalk on Sunday at midday (12:15-12:45 p.m. CEST). The exhibits also include Michael Schumacher’s 1997 Ferrari and the Toro Rosso STR3 in which Sebastian Vettel celebrated his first victory.

Discover more on the event on www.automotodrombrno.cz/en/masaryk-racing-days-2023

Photo: Christian Sandler

Register now for the Grande Finale

Posted on September 19, 2023 by - General

BOSS GP extends the summer with the grand finale of the championship season at Mugello from October 6-8, 2023.

For some competitors, a better ranking in the championship is still at stake, while others want to end the season with a strong sense of achievement. The ideal opportunity to do so and take a ride in their Big Open Single Seater is already in two weeks in Tuscany. The Formula 1 and MotoGP circuit at Mugello will be the venue for two free practice sessions on Friday, qualifying and race 1 on Saturday and a second race on Sunday. This means that a total of over two hours of track time will be available for the BOSS GP Racing Series as part of the PNK Motorsport Racing Weekend.

Anyone wishing to take part in the seventh and final event of the championship season can still register: Registration is open up to and including September 25, 2023. Interested teams and drivers can find all the necessary documents on the website under For Teams.

Photo: Angelo Poletto

Report: Races Assen

Posted on August 13, 2023 by - General

Once again, the event in Assen was a motorsport festival for both participants and spectators.

Tens of thousands of fans in the grandstands at the TT Circuit in Assen (Netherlands), saw Europe’s fastest racing series in action at Jack’s Racing Day. A huge show program surrounded the practice sessions and races of the BOSS GP Racing Series this Saturday and Sunday. Among others, former Formula 1 driver Nyck de Vries hit the track in a World Series car of BOSS GP team HS Engineering. Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) also made headlines, smashing both the track record and the official lap record (set in the race). With 1:15.861, the Austrian lapped the current MotoGP track in his Toro Rosso STR1 Formula 1 car faster than anyone before.

The Dutch Formula E World Champion Nyck de Vries in the HS racing car

The results

The fifth race weekend of this season produced four double winners: Ingo Gerstl (BOSS GP F1 Class), Antonio Pizzonia (OPEN), Simone Colombo (FORMULA) and Henry Clausnitzer (SUPER LIGHTS) secured both race wins in their classes. For Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering) and Clausnitzer (GER, WF Racing) these successes also mean the premature win of the championship. The duel of the weekend saw again Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) and Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) battling for victory in the FORMULA class. These two GP2 drivers were once again split by just a few tenths of a second. There were also celebrations for Simon Jackermeier (GER, Top Speed), who was on the podium for the first time in race 2. In Race 1, Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio) was invited onto the winner’s photo, showing with third place on his return that he has lost none of his speed.

Podium of race 2: f.l. Ghiotto, Colombo, Pizzonia, Gerstl, Clausnitzer, S. Jackermeier

Next up for the BOSS GP Racing Series is Brno on September 9-10, where there will be the premiere of the BOSS GP Show Runs. Next points will be awarded in Monza again, where the engines will be fired up from September 22-24.

Photos: SMW MEDIA, WF Racing

Preview: Assen

Posted on August 10, 2023 by - General

At Jack’s Racing Day, Europe’s fastest racing series will make its comeback on 12 and 13 August at the traditional TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands.

It is the largest combined car, motocycle and kart event in Europe. Finally, the BOSS GP Racing Series is taking part again. Among them is Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) with his Toro Rosso STR1, one of the last ten-cylinder cars in Formula 1 history. With Antonio Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering), a famous driver with F1 past is also at the start in a World Series V8 4.5 car in the OPEN class. The favourites for victory in the FORMULA class are Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) and Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio), who will continue their duel in the Netherlands. Also keep an eye on the father-son duel Thomas versus Simon Jackermeier (both GER, Top Speed) in the Fanatec GP2s. Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio), who was active in BOSS GP for many years and only contested a full season for the last time last year, will celebrate his return. In the SUPER LIGHTS, Henry Clausnitzer (GER, WF Racing) will once again try to take home the full points.

Due to the somewhat unfortunate August date, there are slightly fewer cars than usual at the start of our only race in the Netherlands. However, a visit to the paddock and the pits of the BOSS GP is worthwhile, where more legendary vehicles are on display and the teams can be seen working on their vehicles.

Timetable

Update: 11/08/2023, 12:00

Saturday, 12 August 2023
09:44–10:14          Free Practice 1
13:41–14:11 Free Practice 2
16:43–17:13          Qualifying (two groups)

Sunday, 13 August 2023
10:19–10:39          Race 1 (20 minutes)
14:58–15:18          Race 2 (20 minutes)

all times CEST

Tickets

Tens of thousands of spectators are expected. They can all be there free of charge. Only access to the paddock requires an additional ticket. This costs 45 euros for the whole weekend, otherwise 15 euro for Friday and 25 euro each for Saturday and Sunday. Online reservation is recommended: www.jacksracingday.nl/tickets

Support events

In addition to BOSS GP, the following racing series can be seen: Supercar Challenge, BeNeLux Superbike and Supersport, Dutch GP Superkarts, Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup, Mazda MX-5 Cup. On top of that, there will be numerous star guests such as Nyck de Vries, demo runs such as those of the Rodin FZED, F1 two-seater runs and the possibility of helicopter tours.

Photo: Michael Kavena/BOSS GP

Enter Assen race now

Posted on July 27, 2023 by - General

On August 12 and 13, the next highlight of this season awaits the participants of the BOSS GP Racing Series. The Jack’s Racing Day at TT Circuit Assen is one of the biggest motorsport events in Europe with a unique mix of car, motorbike and superkart racing, stunts and demonstrations. BOSS GP is one of the main attractions of the event!

If you want to take part in the race in the Netherlands, you have to be fast: Registration is open until 28 July 2023. Interested teams and drivers can find all the necessary documents under For Teams.

Report: Races Misano

Posted on July 23, 2023 by - General

The fourth race weekend of the 2023 BOSS GP Racing Series in Misano was a good reason for the Brazilian drivers to celebrate Carnival.

The Italian race organiser PNK Motorsport invited samba dancers into the paddock and proved to have a lucky hand, as two Brazilians were at the front of the grid after qualifying.

Antonio Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering) was the favourite for overall victory at the Misano race. In the absence of Formula 1 cars, for which the Misano circuit is not approved, the ex-Formula 1 driver fulfilled expectations. The wins were the first two overall victories for the driver in the World Series V8 car and the next double in the OPEN category. HS Engineering teammate Paul O’Connell (IRL) was suffering with electrical problems throughout the weekend. At least in race 1, he was able to score with second place in the OPEN category.

Harald Schlegelmilch: World Series beats GP2

In the first race, the FORMULA classification was fiercely contested only in the starting phase. Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) briefly took the lead from third on the grid in class before returnee Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) stormed to the front and claimed a historic victory: For a long time no Dallara World Series car (in Schlegelmilch’s case from the 2012 generation) had won against Dallara’s GP2 cars, which were slightly faster on paper.

The duel of the weekend was between Schlegelmilch and Adriano Buzaid (BRA, MM International) in the second race on Sunday afternoon. After Schlegelmilch had ensured that HS Engineering triumphed in two classes on Saturday, Buzaid was able to convert his pole position into a victory on Sunday. The two were together for the entire race distance, with no more than one second separating the dominant duo during the longer Sunday race. In the end, Buzaid crossed the finish line with a lead of only 0.8 seconds.

Nicolas Matile (f.) was the best-placed driver with an Auto GP car on Sunday

Once again, only a tiny margin separated the winner and the runner-up in the FORMULA class, but the debut victory of the Brazilian Buzaid is also a sensation. After racing at the front of the British Formula 3 Championship more than ten years ago, the now 35-year-old took an extended break from racing. This weekend, he returned to a single-seater racing car for the Italian team MM International in Misano and finished 2nd and 1st. MM International had more than one reason to be happy, because Simone Colombo also beat his arch-rival Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) in the duel for third place, narrowly but nevertheless, to take two more podium places and the next important points for a possible title defence.

Fabian Vettel (GER, Top Speed) finished fifth in the first of the two races this weekend, which was remarkable after he even had to go to hospital on Friday for a closer check-up after an accident. However, he was then able to take part in qualifying and the race in a replacement car of his Austrian team Top Speed after receiving medical clearance. In Sunday’s race, “Checco” Malavasi (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) finished fifth. Best Auto GP car within the FORMULA class: in race 1 Jean-Christophe Peyre (FRA, Zig-Zag), in race 2 Nicolas Matile (MCO, Zig-Zag).

After Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (AUT, Red Rose Racing) won SUPER LIGHTS twice last time at the Red Bull Ring, it was now Henry Clausnitzer’s (WF Racing) turn again. The German continues to make his mark with season wins 5 and 6 in the six-cylinder car class. Although, Walter Colacino (ITA, Colacino Racing) in the 1996 Formula 3000 set a good pace, especially in the second race. The Italian finished second twice in his home race.

Complete podium after race 1: f.l. Colacino, Buzaid, O’Connell, Pizzonia, Schlegelmilch, Clausnitzer, Colombo

There’s a sequel in three weeks’ time. The BOSS GP Racing Series returns to the TT Circuit in Assen from 11 to 13 August, where tens of thousands of spectators are expected at Jack’s Racing Day.

Report: Race 2 Red Bull Ring

Posted on June 11, 2023 by - General, General

Sixth race of the BOSS GP Racing Series season: Gerstl, Pizzonia, Colombo and Eisinger-Sewald celebrate double wins. Vettel again on the podium today.

15 minutes for the BOSS GP F1 Class and 25 minutes for the other drivers were on Sunday’s timetable. Many visitors took advantage of Father’s Day in Austria to make the trip to the Red Bull Ring. Ingo Gerstl in the Formula 1 Toro Rosso did not miss the opportunity to stay longer on the track with his F1 (in compliance with the regulations) and to duel with Antonio Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering) in the tuned World Series 4.5 for the overall victory – much to the delight of the spectators. In the end, Gerstl also won the sixth race of the season in the F1 class ahead of Ulf Ehninger (GER) in the 1997 Benetton.

Like yesterday, OPEN participant Antonio Pizzonia took the overall lead for a while on Sunday. After a full course yellow period, the Brazilian was able to hold on to the lead for a few more laps and further improved on his times from yesterday with lap times just over 1:15 min, which was easily enough to win the class. Second place went to Paul O’Connell (IRE, HS Engineering) in the 3.3-litre World Series, who finished well ahead in the overall standings today.

The FORMULA class was turbulent at times. Lapping, many position changes but finally the same winner again: Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) remained untouched today, even though it was close at times. In the early stages, Fabian Vettel (Top Speed) was the first to take the lead. The 24-year-old German overtook Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) already in the first corner and stayed with Colombo for a long time afterwards. But like yesterday, Vettel lost pace at the end of the race. This gave Marco Ghiotto another chance to overtake Vettel’s Fanatec GP2. Colombo used this stage of the race to pull away decisively. With season win no. 5, the Italian is now also pulling away from his opponents in the championship standings. Behind Marco Ghiotto, Fabian Vettel also took third place today. With two third places, Vettel proved his driving qualities in an open-wheeler, a return at Misano is possible.

“Checco” Malavasi (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) remained without any mistakes today and stayed close to the Top-3 until the end. With 4th place, the ambitious Italian scored a lot of points for the overall ranking. Andreas Fiedler (GER, Fiedler Racing) was able to hold his own against his opponents in the midfield despite used tyres. Bruno Jarach (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) followed in 6th place in the class, ahead of Thomas Jakoubek (Top Speed) as the best Austrian in 7th place. Team boss Armando Mangini (ITA, MM International) also found a satisfying end to his comeback weekend as a driver with 8th place.

Alexander Geier (GER, Geier Racing), on the other hand, experienced a painful end to his race. The man from Salzburg was already in second place in front of Vettel. A few laps before the chequered flag, he was disappointed to end the race in the pits with a gearbox problem.

SUPER LIGHTS driver Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (AUT, Red Rose Racing) was happy that today’s race was five minutes longer. After a spin in turn 3 and a second one when coming back onto the track, he had already fallen far behind Henry Clausnitzer (GER, WF Racing). Two laps from the end, however, Eisinger-Sewald in the Ralt Formula 3000 managed to catch up and finally overtook Clausnitzer’s less powerful World Series car. For Eisinger-Sewald it was a celebrated double victory, but Clausnitzer remained the leader of the standings. Third place went to Walter Colacino (ITA), who shared the car with his colleague Sebastiano Sibani (ITA) this weekend.

The BOSS GP continues the European tour already in mid-July. On 22/23 July 2023 will visit World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano. Points will than be awarded in the OPEN, FORMULA and SUPER LIGHTS classes.

Pictures: Erwin Strassnigg/BOSS GP

Report: Race 1 Red Bull Ring

Posted on June 11, 2023 by - 5, General

The BOSS GP Racing Series was the highlight of the first race day at the Red Bull Ring Classics 2023, with Gerstl and Pizzonia taking the next wins, Colombo claiming FORMULA victory and a maiden win for Eisinger-Sewald on home soil.

In front of a huge crowd and in the best spring weather, the world’s fastest single-seater cars put on a great show in Spielberg. In the first half of Saturday’s 20-minute race, Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) in the Toro Rosso F1, Ulf Ehninger (GER, ESBA Racing) in the Benetton F1 and Antonio Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering) in the modified World Series Dallara stayed close together. Pizzonia quickly passed Ehninger and made his way towards Gerstl. The latter played along and the two experienced drivers swapped positions. Pizzonia led the field after a safety car interruption, but Gerstl shifted up a gear and took the lead again with lap times under 1 minute and 15 seconds, winning for the fifth time this year. While Antonio Pizzonia secured the full points in the OPEN class, Ulf Ehninger took second place in the Formula 1 cars. Second place in the OPEN class went to Paul O’Connell (IRE, HS Engineering), who missed out on a much better overall finish with a flat spot on one of the front tyres.

The top positions in the FORMULA class were again closely contested: Even though Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) and Fabian Vettel (GER, Top Speed) made several attempts to challenge Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) for the win, Colombo remained patient while overlapping slower cars and won again just ahead of Ghiotto. Fabian Vettel was able to separate the Italian duo in the middle of the race, but after the safety car phase Ghiotto was able to pick up the pace faster and overtook the German again. Vettel, however, was extremely satisfied with third place on his debut in a Formula racing car.

Podium on Saturday: f.l. Ghiotto, Clausnitzer, O’Connell, Ehninger, Pizzonia, Colombo, Gerstl, Eisinger-Sewald, Vettel

Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing) also had a stunning FORMULA debut. The young Austrian managed the second-best lap time in the class with his Dallara GP2, finishing fourth in the classification behind Vettel. Andreas Fiedler (GER, Fiedler Racing) followed in 5th place, Thomas Jackermeier (GER, Top Speed) in 6th. Seventh placed “Checco” Malavasi (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) lost a better position shortly before the end with a spin. Marco Minelli (ITA, AM Sport System) was also unlucky on his debut. He spun at the end of the second lap at the last corner and had to retire from the race early on.

Austrian Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (Red Rose Racing) drove to a home victory in the SUPER LIGHTS class. After a problem with the gearshift linkage in qualifying, the Formula 3000 car of the BOSS GP rookie ran flawlessly. He thus prevailed over the German Henry Clausnitzer (WF Racing) at his second race weekend in the BOSS GP Racing Series.

The second race starts on Sunday at 10:40a.m. local time.

Photos: Erwin Strassnigg/BOSS GP, Michael Jurtin