Grove Racing is one of the benchmark teams in the GT3 category in Australia. And this is evident with the ambitious program that is outlining the formation of Stephen Grove after disputing the 12 Hours of Bathurst. After closing the last fringes, Grove Racing has confirmed that it will debut at the 24 Hours of Spa with a Porsche 911 GT3 R that will be entered in the Pro-Am class.. The team will have the technical and logistical support of Earl Bamber Motorsport (EBM) to face this new challenge.
The team is looking to emulate its Pro-Am triumph at the 2020 Bathurst 12 Hours in an equally iconic, but even more complex setting. To fight for the honors of this Pro-Am class at Spa, the team will have technical and operational support from EBM, structure with enormous experience in the Ardennes. Although Grove Racing will relocate some of its staff to Belgium, EBM will be in charge of the direct management of the Porsche 911 GT3 R with which Stephen Grove and his son Brenton, Matthew Payne and Adrian D’Silva will compete.
Team owner Stephen Grove and Adrian D’Silva are the bronze drivers necessary to compete in the 24 Hours of Spa within the Pro-Am class. A Grove Racing line-up that has Ben Barker dropped from the ‘Pro’ part of the squad. Although Barker has been a long-time driver for the team, Ben is committed to Barwell Motorsport as part of the team’s line-up in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Gold Cup.
Regarding this challenge, Stephen Grove said: “Herberth Motorsport has been our partner in Dubai, but for Spa we will have EBM driving the car. We are sending our Porsche 911 GT3 R to Europe after the Bathurst 12 Hours. We will have a two-day test ahead of the Spa 24 Hours and then we will use the car at the Belgian event. I think he will stay in Germany afterwards, so our program in Australia will be limited.although that is not a problem.
The team thus draws a season in which they have made a round of the GT World Challenge Australia, the 24 Hours of Dubai and Bathurst, in addition to competing in Spa. Besides, Stephan Grove and his son plan to represent Australia at the motorsport ‘Olympics’ to be held in Marseille in October, a scenario in which they could well compete with the same chassis as the Porsche 911 GT3 R. It is also appreciated that EBM can assist both in this event.
Photos: Intercontinental GT Challenge