Preview: iRacing NEC Round 1
For Fischer Motorsport, this will mark the fifth season in the series and yet things will be quite different this time around.
As announced by the team on Thursday, Fischer Motorsport returns to GT3 competition with BMW, after the merger with Mayer Simspeed Performance. And thus the team will be back to battle in the highest category of the series.
The team most recently competed in the GT3 class of the series in the year 2016 and was able to take one overall victory that year.
This weekend the team will enter two BMW M4 GT3, with a strong lineup of drivers on top. Manuel Mayer, who will substitute for ill Benjamin Fischer, will team up with Florian Volk to pilot the No. 84 BMW M4 GT3.
The Teisendorf, Germany native can rely on GT3 experience with Volk, after the two competed together in the IVRA GT Sprint Series this past winter. And now he’s looking to return to the highest GT category in the “Green Hell”.
“Well, after running two seasons in the 911 Cup, running the M4 GT3 around here, it feels like the car drives on its own. You have a whole lot more downforce, thanks to the GT3 aero package. You really sense that at every corner. That makes the driving a whole lot easier and helps to avoid mistakes. But pushing to the top times, that isn’t necessarily easier.”, said the 32-year old.
For team-mate Florian Volk, this will be a very special day as he makes his NEC series debut with Fischer Motorsport.
“I’m excited. I’ve got a good feeling. The setup feels good and I’m quite confident, that we should be able to get a good finish here. We’ll see.”, said Volk.
With a heavy heart, Frenchman Y. Hignet will join the grid this weekend. The 26-year old Paris native arrived at the track just Saturday evening, after on Thursday he was shocked by the sudden loss of long-time friend Belaid Younsi.
Visibly emotional, Hignet said on Saturday: “I want to dedicate Sunday’s race to Belaid Younsi and his family. Belaid – it was an honor to have crossed your path. Allah y rahmou! I’ll drive for you on Sunday!”
The BMW M4 GT3 of Hignet will feature a special sticker celebrating the live of Younsi.
“We’re right behind Y. in this difficult time for him. Many people have lost friends and family these days and know how painful this is. If we can comfort Y. only a little bit in this difficult time, it is already worth a lot.”, said team manager Benjamin Fischer.
The 24.43 km (15.2 mile) long Nürburgring Nordschleife will host the first four-hour race of the new iRacing NEC season on Sunday 15:45 CEST / 9:45 am EDT, as the season will carry from April through October in nine championship rounds and five different car classes.
Thanks to the return to GT3 competition, Fischer Motorsport will have two cars battling for overall victories and the series championship this year, even though competition will be more than tough.
Both cars of Fischer Motorsport will be equipped with an onboard camera, to provide an exciting onboard live stream on the YouTube channel of Fischer Motorsport. This will allow fans to watch the race live, from start to finish.