Griffin feeling positive ahead of Round 2 of European Le Mans Series

Irish GT driver Matt Griffin, is feeling good ahead of this weekend’s European Le Mans Series (ELMS) race to be held at the famous Imola circuit, Italy. This meeting is the 2nd round of the 5 ELMS events in the 2015 calendar.

Griffin will be piloting the # 55, AF Corse entered, Ferrari 458 in the LMGTE class along with teammates Duncan Cameron and Aaron Scott, and the Irishman is feeling confident after finishing 3rd and setting the fastest lap in round 1 at Silverstone in April.

“At Silverstone, we were very fast, things didn’t really go our way in the race but we still came out with a 3rd position which was great. Imola presents a contrasting challenge as the track is very different from Silverstone, but racing a Ferrari for AF Corse, in Italy and around a track like Imola will spur me on” Matt said.

The Cork based driving ace has a good history with Imola circuit having raced there five times previously. 2013 saw a pole position and race win, en-route to taking the ELMS title that year. In 2014 Matt had speed but an issue mid race cost the team a chance to finish on the podium, despite this, Griffin still managed to set fastest lap in the race.

“I have a good history at Imola; it really is a great driver’s track and rewards you for being really aggressive. The plan is to go back and repeat what I did in 2013, but the competition will be fierce. I think it will be very important to get the Dunlop tyres working well as the temperature will be very different compared to Silverstone. I have full confidence in my AF Corse engineers and I am sure together we will get my Ferrari 458 GTE singing” explained Griffin.

2015 has been busy for Matt. Since his success at rd 1 of the ELMS, Matt has finished 2nd at the Blancpain Endurance Series opener at Monza as well as having a very strong race in rd 2 of the World Endurance Series at Spa, mechanical failure at the Belgian circuit however, meant the team were unable to convert it to a result.

Griffin’s season is just coming in to its peak time seeing him racing every weekend between now and August, this includes the 24 hours of Le Mans in only four weeks time and 24 hours of Spa in July.

“Obviously Le Mans is looming, it is the biggest race of the year so it’s something I am thinking about a lot. We have the official test in a couple of weeks, but at the moment I am fully focused on the European Le Mans Series and Imola this weekend”.

The weekend starts with practice sessions on Saturday 16th May. Sunday 17th May is the main event day where qualifying for LMGTE will start at 10.00 CET, the 4 hour race starts at 14.00 CET. Live coverage of the race can be found on Motors TV starting at 12.45 GMT. More information can be found at http://www.europeanlemansseries.com.

About Matt Griffin

The 32-year-old, 2013 European Le Mans Series Champion, has made quite an impact on international GT racing in the last couple of years, competing successfully in championships ranging from the FIA World Endurance Championship to International GT Open as well as racing closer to home in the British GT Championship. In the last five years he’s never competed in less than 24 races, all in a Ferrari, and in 2012 raced in 8 different series.

He has also broadened his experience in the last two years, taking part successfully in endurance races in Australia, Malaysia and Dubai.

In all of these he has been behind the wheel of a Ferrari, and has worked closely in testing and developments with the Italian marque’s GT development partner and constructor, Michelotto Automobili.