Maxxd.com

Round Nine – Interlagos, Sao Paulo, Brazil: 26th – 28th November 2010
Round Ten – Potrero de los Funes, San Luis, Argentina: 4th – 5th December 2010

It’s the grand finale to what has been an outstanding first year for the Sumo Power GT team in the FIA GT1 World Championship, as they prepare for the last two rounds of the season. Held on consecutive weekends in South America, the first sees the team travel to Brazil and the legendary Interlagos circuit on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. Then, following a 1600-mile journey southwest, the tenth and final round takes place at the unique Circuit Potrero de los Funes near San Luis in Argentina.

The eight-points that are awarded for winning each of the two Qualifying races, coupled with the 25-points scored for each of the two Championship races, means there are 114 teams’ points still up for grabs. Therefore, with Sumo Power GT currently lying third in the Teams’ Championship, 28 points behind Reiter Lamborghini in second and 46 points away from Vitaphone Maserati in first, the only UK-based entrant in this global series has vowed to ‘give its all’ for the remaining four races that make up the concluding two rounds of the season.

As for the team’s four drivers; Michael Krumm and Peter Dumbreck in car 23 are currently 10th in the Drivers’ standings, with Warren Hughes and Jamie Campbell-Walter in car 22 lying 11th. Consequently, with 66-points still available for each, good results in South America could see all four drivers finish in the top five.

In order to achieve this, the team has done all it can to prepare for the final two rounds, analysing its strategies, studying data and rehearsing its pit-stop procedures. Added to this, all of the drivers have practiced the tracks ‘virtually‘ on a racing simulator based in the UK.

Having assessed the circuit layouts, the team is also hopeful that its two Nissan GT-Rs will be suited to the characteristics of the tracks, as history has shown that undulating topography coupled with fast sweeping corners, has suited the power-delivery and handling of its cars. However, even after achieving an impressive seven top-three finishes so far this year, the team is very aware that it is impossible to predict what the final outcome will be. It will therefore be doing all it possibly can to ensure the odds are stacked in favour of Sumo Power GT.

Track Profiles:

Interlagos
The Autódromo José Carlos Pace, named after Brazilian driver Carlos Pace who died in a plane crash in 1977, is still better known by the area in which it stands; Interlagos. The track was built in 1937 and inaugurated in 1940. The current 4.97-mile (7.96km) circuit was constructed in 1990 and now famously hosts the Brazilian Grand Prix. It is one of the world’s few non-oval circuits that runs in an anti-clockwise direction.

Weekend Timetable
Friday 26th November
Free Practice: 10.55 – 12.15
Pre-Qualifying: 15.30 – 16.30

Saturday 27th November
Qualifying: 09.00 – 10.00
Qualifying Race: 14.30 – 15.30

Sunday 28th November
Warm-up: 09.20 – 09.50
Championship Race: 15.00 – 16.00

San Luis
Nine-miles from the centre of San Luis, capital of the San Luis Province in the Cuyo region of Argentina, the circuit Circuit Potrero de los Funes was originally constructed in 1987 by modifying the 3.9-mile (6.27km) road that runs around the perimeter of a volcanic lake. It was later rebuilt in 2008 and is now capable of hosting all categories of racing outside of F1, with the FIA GT1 World Championship the highest status series to visit the circuit.

Weekend Timetable
Saturday 4th December
Free Practice: 09.00 – 10.20
Pre-Qualifying: 12.05 – 13.25
Qualifying: 17.15 – 18.15

Sunday 5th December
Qualifying Race: 09.15 – 10.15
Championship Race: 13.25 – 14.25

Follow the team’s progress with its latest news stories and blogs – plus watch all four of the races live at www.sumopowergt.com