Former Formula 1 driver and recent Monaco Historic Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Alex Caffi unveiled on Tuesday, May 24 in Monaco his plans to enter the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series with his newly founded Alex Caffi Motorsports team.
The first ever NASCAR Whelen Euro Series team from the Principality of Monaco will field the #23 Ford Mustang starting from the Italian Semi Finals at the Adria International Raceway and plans to expand to two cars for 2017. The car, featuring an important partnership with the Star Team For The Children charity, was presented in the context of the 24th World Stars Football Match. It will be driven by Alex Caffi in the ELITE 1 Division and the Star Team General Manager Mauro Serra in the ELITE 2 Division.
For Caffi, whose eclectic career spans from Formula 1 – he took part in 59 GPs – to the Dakar, through prototypes, GT, Rallies and historic racing, the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is the perfect proving ground both for himself and for young talents looking for a professional career in motorsports.
“I drove almost everything in motorsport and I strongly believe the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series features a winning formula, because of the American concept behind it, with low costs, spectacular races and a great experience for the fans, and because of the car, which gives the driver the opportunity to make a difference. It is something you don’t see anymore in Europe,” said the 52-year-old, who also won the European Formula 3 Championship, the Italian GT2 Championship, the French NGT Championship and the NGT class in the Spa 24 Hours. “This series gives young drivers the opportunity to build themselves a career as true professionals in NASCAR, win a race in the US and even receive money prizes, which is almost unseen in Europe nowadays, all requiring a very low budget to compete at the highest level.”
The partnership with the Star Team For The Children will focus on raising money for the charity founded in 1993 by Prince Albert. Caffi, who lives in Monaco since 1987, is a longtime member and looks forward to bring the Star Team For The Children to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series events all over Europe.
“Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of my move to Monaco. I have built a lot of great memories here, from my best result in Formula 1 to the recent Historic Formula 1 Grand Prix win and I am really happy to have the Monegasque flag next to my name on the car,” he said. “Since Prince Albert founded the Star Team For The Children, I joined all sorts of initiatives and it just seemed the right thing to combine the sporting side with something good to help the children,” said Caffi.
Alex Caffi Motorsports will count on the impeccable technical support from Villorba Corse and will undergo a series of tests during the summer to be immediately competitive in its Adria International Raceway Semi Finals debut on September 17-18.
“To be a team manager will be a new step in my career, a dream come true and I can’t wait to put the wheels on track for the first time as Alex Caffi Motorsport,” concluded Caffi.
The next event of the 2016 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series season will take place at Brands Hatch, UK, on June 11-12 and will be streamed live on Fanschoice.tv.
