MTECH head to Belgium for the Spa 24 hour classic

Leading British GT racing team and Ferrari specialists MTECH head to Spa Francorchamps in the Belgian Ardennes next week for next weekend's annual 24-hour race. The event, which takes place on the famous 4.35 mile-long Grand Prix circuit, is the jewel in the crown of the Blancpain Endurance Series and it is one considered by many to be the world's top GT sportscar race as well as one of the toughest.

MTECH will be running an all-new Ferrari 458 Italia at Spa, the newly acquired car being in full 'endurance' specification as opposed to the 'sprint race' specification car the team has campaigned so far this season in both the Blancpain series and also the Avon Tyres British GT Championship. Regular drivers Duncan Cameron (Chester, England), Matt Griffin (Cork, Ireland) and team owner Mike Edmonds (Tamworth, England) will again team up to drive the new 458 Italia though for the Spa classic the trio will be joined in the car by 34 year-old Italian Niki Cadei.

Cadei is the reigning GTS3 Superstars Champion and in June this year he teamed up with Griffin to race an AF Corse-run Ferrari 458 in the Le Mans 24 hours. Significantly too, he teamed with Griffin last year at Spa where again in an AF Corse-run Ferrari 458 Italia the pair finished a very creditable 9th overall and third in Class out of the massive 62-car entry.Pg 2/2

Mike Edmonds: “ Here at MTECH we are so much looking forward to racing in the Spa 24 Hour race for the first time. We've raced and won there before with the British GT Championship on its ?away' round but this time we'll be up against not only top British rivals but also some of the very best sportscar teams in the world so we know that it is going to be tough challenge.”

“ I'm very pleased that we've been able to sign Niki Cadei to drive with us. He is in effect a Ferrari ?works' driver and a top driver too at Spa. He and Matt Griffiin know each other very well of course having driven a few of these 24 hour races together already and while the primary aim will be to finish, if we can improve upon Matt and Niki's 9th place last year I will be very pleased indeed.”

Source: MTECH