Leitch set to race Lambos
Southland driver Brendon Leitch is back in Europe and all set to take on the Leipert Motorsport GT3 Lamborghini Huracan Evo in three major endurance races.
Leitch will pilot one of the Leipert entries in the Hockenheim 12-Hour and Portimao 24-Hour races with a third event still to be confirmed.
The 24-Hour Series pitches GT3 machinery against special GT and silhouette cars (in a class known as GTX), Porsche 991 Cup cars and GT4 cars in events around Europe.
The races also include classes for TCR and other eligible touring cars. Some big names have competed since the series began in 2008.
Leitch, 25, finished second in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia – Pro-Am class with Leipert in 2019 but raced only in New Zealand during 2020 because of the pandemic.
He partnered former Indy Lights racer Cristina Orr-West in an early generation Audi R8 Ultra in the South Island Endurance Series as the duo completed a giantkilling championship in third overall, having beaten some much newer machinery.
Leitch also competed in January’s New Zealand Grand Prix, fighting hard with eventual winner Shane van Gisbergen.
He also finished fourth in the 2019 Asian Formula Three Championship.
Leitch will be backed by longtime supporters Dayle ITM and also Lamborghini Auckland.
He said despite the long layoff from international competition he has been busy.
‘‘I hope my Grand Prix performance reminded everyone that I intend to pick up where I left the international scene before Covid came along, which is fighting to be at the front and winning podiums and races.
‘‘The circuits for the campaign are all new to me but I’ve been finding my way around them on the [simulator] and I’m super excited to be stepping up to international GT3 competition.
‘‘The opposition in the 24-Hour series is going to be very tough but I know the team well, and I’m confident we’ll have a strong team and a strong car.’’
Leitch will be one of a team of four drivers.