I am beyond excited to announce that I’ll again be competing in the Blancpain Endurance Series for the 2017.
Kessel and I have been working on a deal since the last race of 2016 in Abu Dhabi, and finally came to an agreement on Monday last week. I was busy testing a Ferrari 458 Challenge for Kessel in Barcelona when I got the call from Ronnie to fly to Switzerland after the test. The deal was ready to be signed.
“We are incredibly happy to have David continue with Kessel Racing Ferrari for 2017. The 488 GT3 is a fantastic car that we used to win the Blancpain Pro-AM Championship in 2016 and I expect David to deliver a similar result this year in the AM Championship.”
~ Ronnie Kessel
The car I’ll be competing in will be a brand new Ferrari 488 GT3, a beast with over 550bhp and enough downforce to stick to a roof while driving upside down.
What a beast!
In Endurance Racing it’s important to have competent co-drivers and this year I’ve got a pair that are perfect for our assault in the AM category. Joining me are Marco Zanuttini – a charismatic Italian, and Jacques Duyver – a fellow South African. We raced together in 2016 Gulf 12 Hour and ended up winning, so we are already familiar with each other and keen to get going.
Zanuttini also happens to be the reigning Blancpain Endurance AM Champion and Spa 24 Hour winner. So it’s safe to say we have a fighting chance this season!
Where will be be racing?
The Blancpain Endurance Series will take us to five different F1 tracks across Europe:
- 22 – 23 April: Monza – 3 Hour
- 13 – 14 May: Silverstone – 3 Hour
- 23 – 24 June: Paul Ricard – 1000km
- 27 – 30 July: Spa – 24 Hour
- 30 – 01 October: Barcelona – 3 Hour
Our first test is in a few weeks time at Paul Ricard where I’ll get my first taste of the new 488 GT3. A car very few people in the world have been able to drive.
A huge thank you to Ronnie Kessel, Macdonald Motorsport and Giacomo Piccini for putting this deal together. It hasn’t been easy but we made it work and I’m proud and excited to continue with the team.
What’s it like?
Want to know what it feels like to sign a contract with one of Ferrari’s biggest teams? Watch my behind the scenes video below to find out!
