Podium for Black Falcon in Paul Ricard 1000km

Black Falcon had a bittersweet weekend during the third round of the 2015 Blancpain Endurance Championship, the Paul Ricard 1000km, with the team’s #18 car finishing on the podium and the #21 car failing to cross the chequered flag.

The team went into the race weekend aiming to fight for front-running positions with its two Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 racecars, in addition to collecting important data for July’s Spa 24 Hours race.

The preparation for Spa is looking good.

Sean Paul Breslin

On Saturday morning, Abdulaziz Turki AlFaisal (Saudi Arabia), Hubert Haupt (Germany) and Yelmer Buurman (Netherlands) managed to put the #21 Mercedes in a solid P9 in Qualifying, while Oliver Morley (United Kingdom), Maro Engel (Germany) and Sean Johnston (United States) ended up just one position behind in P10 in the #18 Mercedes.

Both cars took advantage of their qualifying positions during Saturday afternoon’s race to enter the fight for the lead in both Pro and Pro-Am categories.

The #18 Black Falcon lead the way in the Pro-Am class, but the #21 car’s race was short-lived due to a technical failure while its drivers were fighting in the front of the field.

Despite losing the Pro-Am class lead during a safety car period, the #18 Mercedes fought on to take a great second place in its class and its first podium position in the season.

At the end of the 1000km race, Black Falcon’s team principal Sean Paul Breslin commented: “This was a great step forward for the team and we are very happy to be competitive. The preparation for Spa is looking good. The loss of car #21 so early was a massive shame for the whole team who worked hard to have a fantastic car. However, we are very happy to get the first Pro-AM podium."

Black Falcon leaves Paul Ricard with a podium in the bag and valuable race data, which bodes well for the team’s chances in the Spa 24 Hours.

The Spa 24 Hours is scheduled between the 23rd and 26th of July, and it will take place on the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium where the team hopes it can demonstrate its expertise in 24-hour races and fight for the win.

Black Falcon