Guilherme Oliveira and Miguel Ramos started off as the fastest in qualifying for the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup calendar opening race, which took place at the French Paul Ricard track.
In the race, the Portuguese were in the running for the podium places, but a problem with the alternator of the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO forced a long pit stop, which relegated the drivers from the British Garage 19 to last place in the Bronze Cup.
If the result fell short of expectations, the truth is that Guilherme Oliveira and Miguel Ramos confirmed, in Paul Ricard, that they are strong candidates to win the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, among the Bronze Cup teams.
“We weren’t happy in the race, but in France, we confirmed that they have to count on us in the fight for victories in the Bronze Cup. The line-up is excellent, the car is competitive and the team is very professional”, highlighted Guilherme Oliveira.
However, as the young driver admits, the outcome of the inaugural race of the most competitive GT championship in the world “did not live up to expectations. After being the fastest in qualifying among the Bronze Cup teams, we were expecting to achieve (at least) a podium result. On the first lap, Miguel Ramos (who started the race) was hit and the car suffered bodywork damage and was quite unstable on fast corners. When I took my turn at the wheel, I decided to set off determined to fight for the front places and when I was already in virtual third position, the McLaren’s alternator gave out. The problem was only resolved with a long pit stop and when we returned to the track we were already more than 30 laps behind the leaders. Races are like that, but I know that in the next ones, we will be happier.”
Miguel Ramos said: “We started the race in first place in the Bronze class, but on the first lap we were hit and dropped to last place. Despite the damage to the front splitter, which made driving in the high-speed corners very difficult, we made a good recovery. A podium finish was possible, but due to an alternator failure, we were forced to pit. It wasn’t a good day for us, but thanks to my two teammates, Tom (Fleming) and Guilherme (Oliveira) for the good work. I’ll be back in the Algarve from April 25th to 27th for the first race of the International GT Open…”
Guilherme Oliveira, Miguel Ramos and Thomas Fleming, the British driver who completes the team racing with the number 188 on the McLaren, are back on the track on the 13th and 14th of May, for the Prologue of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
Guilherme Oliveira
At just 20 years old, Guilherme Oliveira is one of the most talented young people in motorsport. Born in Vila Nova de Gaia, this young driver has been building a solid and impressive career, standing out for his speed, consistency and maturity on the track. After a successful career in karts, prototypes and, more recently, GT racing, Guilherme Oliveira represents the new generation of Portuguese drivers who are reaching the top of world motorsport.
Miguel Ramos
With a 35-year career, Miguel Ramos is one of the unavoidable names in motorsport. Born in Porto, this businessman and driver has won titles and victories on the tracks. Interestingly, first on dirt tracks in the autocross category and only from 1994 on asphalt tracks, having participated in single-make trophies, touring races and even single-seater races. Since 2002, he has dedicated himself to GT racing. Over the years, Miguel Ramos has built up an enviable list of achievements, becoming one of the most successful and experienced drivers in the paddock, a reference in GT competitions, as the numbers confirm: 77 victories, 209 podiums and 61 pole positions.
The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup
GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS is the world’s premier GT championship, with an impressive 59-car field in the Endurance Cup. All nine manufacturers that competed last year return, with Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche all strongly represented. The big news is Corvette, which is present for the first time since 2014, thus completing a total of 10 brands for the current season.
The #188 McLaren remains in the Bronze Cup class, with Miguel Ramos as the only driver to remain in the lineup. The Portuguese, one of the fastest and most experienced Bronze pilots, is paired with Guilherme Oliveira and the Englishman Thomas Fleming.
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