Marc VDS aim for the championship in Spain
Navarra, Spain - The Marc VDS Racing Team go into the final round of the Blancpain Endurance Series in Spain leading the drivers' standings and lying second in the teams' classification.
Bas Leinders, Maxime Martin and Markus Palttala saw their lead in the drivers' chase cut to three points at the Nürburgring after a non finish but the trio are confident they can push for the championship in Navarra.
Just two points separate Marc VDS from the teams' title and both cars will be aiming for strong finishes to secure the victory.
Nick Catsburg comes into the #4 car alongside Bert Longin and Henri Moser, replacing season regular Mike Hezemans who has business commitments this weekend.
The #4 scored seventh in Pro at the Nürburgring, and will be gunning for the top six to round their season out on a high. Catsburg joined the team at the Zolder 24 Hours and greatly impressed with his pace and attitude and will be a perfect fit in the team.
The Navarra region of Spain is both picturesque and full of history. The capital, Pamplona, is famous for the running of the bulls - the team can expect a bullfight at the tight and technical Spanish track.
There is very little straight line running, so the BMW Z4 GT3's restricted power will not be a problem. Instead, the car's real strength, its handling, will be brought to the fore.
As with all endurance races, the drivers must also rely on their pit crew for success, but they can expect the best from their pitstops. The Marc VDS Racing Team's stops have been a key factor of their success this year.
The three hour race is live on the series' website, blancpain-endurance-series.com from 14:30 local time (CET). You can also follow the team's progress on twitter - @marcvdsracing
Nick Catsburg (#4 BMW Z4 GT3): "I am very happy to be back with Marc VDS Racing. Although the 24 Hours of Zolder didn't go according to plan, it was still a great first experience with the team.
It's exciting to get this late call because the car I have driven in the season was too badly damaged at the last race to be able to race here.
So thanks to Bas Leinders for calling on me! My goal is to try my best to support the team claiming the drivers' and teams' championships and do a good job without making mistakes."
Markus Palttala (#3 BMW Z4 GT3): "For me personally, I'm very excited to be going to Spain leading the championship. Of course, being in the lead means there is pressure but that's normal.
We make a good team - on the driving side, Max and Bas have both been fantastic this season and on the technical side I believe we're the best in the series. I'm feeling extremely confident in the team.
After the disappointment of Nürburgring, we're all motivated and ready to race for the championship."
Bas Leinders, Team Principal: "This is a huge chance for us as a team. Perhaps there's a little more publicity around the drivers' title but that doesn't make the teams' title any less important to us.
To be on top at the end of the season would mean so much for everyone in the team, so we hope we can deliver the best result. We've worked hard for more than a year to make sure we were in the best position to win this series.
Yes, there is pressure but that goes with being at the top of the sport. We'd like a clean race, just good competition - it's been a fantastic year so far and I hope it can end the same way."
Source: Marc VDS Racing Team
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