Alex revved up for new season (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Over Wallop racer is chasing titles

1:07pm Wednesday 27th February 2013 in Andover By Sports editor Kerry Miller

OVER Wallop motor racer Alex Drabble is revved up and eager to accept the 2013 Ginetta GT5 Challenge with leading GT team Scuderia Vittoria this summer. The series is famed for its closely fought battles and constantly full grid and supports the British GT and F3.

Twenty-year old Drabble raced in the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship last year, finishing fourth in the Duratec Class and was season highest Duratec overall race finisher. However, for this coming season he has moved to closed wheel action as he pursues a career in GT and endurance racing.

Along with many others, Alex has been frustrated by the weather which has put paid to much of his testing and practice in his new machine although he has been posting some good times.

“Being a single make series and well known for its close racing I saw this as the best training ground for GT racing” said Alex. “This is only my second full season racing but I am confident that Scuderia Vittoria’s experience and success in GT racing will give me the best possible advantage.”

The busy schedule begins at Oulton Park on Easter Saturday then moves to Rockingham on My 5/6 then Silverstone GP circuit over the Spring Bank Holiday.

Snetterton follows on June 15/16 before the eagerly awaited weekend in Belgium at Spa Francorchamps.

The package returns to England and Brands Hatch on August 10/11 and concludes at Donington Park on October 5/6.

In addition Alex will also be competing in the HSCC Guards Trophy in a Merlyn Mk6a Sportsracer at the Silverstone International Trophy on the Grand Prix circuit on May 18/19 and the Autosport 3 Hour endurance race on the Snetterton 300 circuit on June 1/2.

“I had not planned to race in historics this year but the two HSCC rounds are high profile meetings and in the case of the Autosport 3 Hour, a race I have previously had a class win with the Merlyn.” said Alex.

“I am also racing at both circuits soon after with GT5 Challenge so the rounds will form part of my testing programme which starts this month before the opening round at Oulton Park. The championship is very tightly contested at the front and I need to be on it from the off if I am going to be in with a chance of winning.”

As an extra incentive if Alex finishes the season in the top three in the GT5 Challenge, Scuderia Vittoria have offered him a free test in the team’s Ferrari 458 GT3 with a view to driving it in British GT in 2014.