International motorsport is once again the focus for the engine care experts at STP through an alliance with the Italian AF Corse team.
Forty years since STP last officially competed in Europe – when Ronnie Petersen piloted the STP March 711 to second place in the 1971 Formula 1 World Championship – the fuel additive company returned to the tracks in the FIA GT3 European Championship.
The 12-round series continues at Silverstone on the weekend of 4th/5th June.
As part of STP’s first official involvement in a European-based series, the unmistakable STP oval will appear on the number 51 AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 driven by Daniel Brown (19) and Glynn Geddie (20) from Great Britain.
Having been involved in the British GT Series in 2010 with the Chad Racing Ferrari F430 Scuderia GT3, STP’s progression into Europe is a return to the forefront of motorsport outside the USA, following a rich and successful history across many formulae, from F1 to NASCAR, Indy to World Land Speed Record breaking.
With the 2011 race series visiting six different countries including Russia’s first international race, the FIA GT3 European Championship represents an ideal opportunity to bring the brand with a legion of motoring enthusiasts.
STP’s association with the AF Corse team from Piacenza, Italy, is thanks to four consecutive team titles from 2006 in the FIA GT2 Championship, which reflects a shared determination to remain at the pinnacle of the sport.
Equally driven to succeed will be the youngest driver duo on the GT3 grid, with both 19 year-old Daniel Brown, and 20 year-old Glynn Geddie bringing significant experience and success in former race series.
Indeed, despite mechanical problems throughout the first race weekend at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, in Portugal, Brown (qualifying the number 51 F458 in sixth place for race one) and Geddie posted a strong eighth place finish that promises well for the future.