Mois : juin 2024

Local heroes: Stefan Eisinger-Sewald

Posted on juin 7, 2024 by - 5, Allgemein, General

With a 1991 Formula 3000 in vintage colours and still with a genuine manual gearbox, the Austrian from Vienna has become a crowd favourite in the BOSS GP Racing Series.

Why does it have to be a historic racing car and not a modern one?

STEFAN EISINGER-SEWALD: « I’ve been dealing with historic cars for more than ten years now. To me, the value of a historic vehicle is much higher than that of a modern one. I just like the old stuff – it’s still real racing! »

So you still drive an H-pattern gearbox?

EISINGER-SEWALD: « Exactly, I still drive a very old, ’empty’ H-gear. Technically, of course, there are already much better things. We have also tried to convert it, but it doesn’t work. So for the moment, we’re running it as it was designed in ’91. »

His race car: Ralt RT23 Formula 3000

Your car bears the famous colours of a cigarette manufacturer – what is your relationship to this design?

EISINGER-SEWALD: « As a small child, I always liked the colours on the Williams. Now I’ve kept it, because we also had it on the Pedrazza prototypes before. The whole teamwear is based on this design and, as I’m a thrifty person, I didn’t want to design something new (laughs). »

Where does your technical expertise come from?

EISINGER-SEWALD: « I learnt it from my motocross days in my youth. You quickly learn what you’re interested in. Today, Walter Vorreiter and the Fischer Motorsport team from Mödling support me. »

The Red Rose Racing Team around Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (f. right)

What is your favourite track?

EISINGER-SEWALD: « Spa, actually. Spa was my most successful race in my Formula Ford 1600 days. We competed there with a small delegation from the Histo Cup. I finished fourth out of 44 cars – that was my biggest success in the four-wheel sector apart from the 2022 championship title in the Histo Cup Austria. »

What can you learn from racing for your professional life or vice versa?

EISINGER-SEWALD: « Ambition and never giving up! Our company specialises in doing projects where others have said: ‘That’s not possible’. That makes it even more exciting for me to look at it in detail. »

As a child, you were a fan of …

EISINGER-SEWALD: « … always Ayrton Senna. The way he approached things and his daredevil attitude impressed me. Similar to a James Hunt, who could go out and have fun the day before and still be invincible the next day! »

Stefan Eisinger-Sewald came 2nd in last year’s SUPER LIGHTS standings

Photos: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

Review: Nürburgring 2024

Posted on juin 4, 2024 by - 5, General

Three weeks after the season opener in Hockenheim, the BOSS GP Racing Series resumed its season at the Nürburgring. Among other things, there was a thrilling duel for FORMULA victory and Pizzonia’s record-breaking drive.

The return to the legendary circuit in the Eifel offered drivers and fans plenty of excitement and thrilling motorsport. This time, the Grand Prix circuit with the smoother motorbike version in the Veedol-S was used. Rock concerts, a huge firework’s display on Saturday evening and an illuminated Ferris wheel in the paddock attracted thousands of visitors to the Nürburgring Classics just one week before the 24-hour race. At the Grid Walk before the BOSS GP races, many fans were able to get up close to the cars.

F1 and OPEN

F1 driver Ulf Ehninger (GER, ESBA-Racing) and OPEN driver Antonio Pizzonia (BRA, HS Engineering) scored maximum points for the championship twice. Ehninger enriched the event with his Benetton B197, which had already competed here at the Grand Prix of Luxembourg in 1997. ESBA-Racing also put Alexander Wurz’s 1998 Benetton on display.

Benetton’s 1998 (le.) and 1997 (ri.) F1 cars

Pizzonia caused a sensation with an outstanding qualifying lap in the World Series 4.5: With a time of 1:38.135 min, the ex-Formula 1 driver set a new lap record for non-Formula 1 cars, once again living up to the reputation of Europe’s fastest racing series.

Antonio Pizzonia on the way to his record lap

FORMULA

The FORMULA category, which this time featured exclusively GP2 cars, was hotly contested. Reigning champion Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) won both races, but was under a lot of pressure, especially in the second race. Japanese driver Juju Noda (MM International) tried to pass her team-mate several times. The two top drivers showed each other no mercy and were side by side several times, especially in the first corner. However, Noda overshot the braking point on another overtaking attempt and subsequently spun.

The fact that she was able to compete at all is thanks to the spirit of solidarity within the BOSS GP family. After an engine failure on Friday, the neighbouring team Scuderia Palladio provided a spare car shortly before qualifying. She thanked them with third place in the first race.

Marco Ghiotto from team Scuderia Palladio (li.) helped out Juju Noda (re.)

Meanwhile, everything is going according to plan for Simone Colombo. After three wins in a row, he is leading the overall standings by nine points from Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio), who also had a successful weekend with second and third place. Michael Fischer made a strong debut with 4th place in the first race. In the second race, the Austrian with monoposto and GT experience was able to improve once again and celebrated second place behind Colombo. The best German in the races turned out to be Alexander Seibold (Seibold auto + sport) in both races.

Great racing in the SUPER LIGHTS category

SUPER LIGHTS

Stefan Scho (GER, Scho) celebrated a perfect debut. In his first appearance in the BOSS GP Racing Series, the experienced German in the Lola Formula 3000 was able to prevail against the increasingly strong competition in terms of quantity and quality in the SUPER LIGHTS and clinch victory twice. Swiss driver Stephan Glaser (Jo Zeller Racing) in the World Series car, who scored good points again with second place in the first race, retains the lead in the standings. Henry Clausnitzer (GER, WF Racing) also remains consistent, finishing third twice. Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (AUT, Red Rose Racing) also finished on the podium in his Formula 3000. Once again, it became evident how diverse this still young class is this year.

The next two races in the BOSS GP Racing Series will take place at the Red Bull Ring Classics from 7 to 9 June 2024.

Photos: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP