The red cars are ready to race in Pau as Romeo Ferraris head into the inaugural season of the FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup with a superb driver line-up aiming to be fighting for success at every turn.
The Opera, Italy-based manufacturer’s Giulia ETCR will be graced by three newcomers and one familiar face as Italian Luca Filippi has been joined by Belgian Maxime Martin, Canadian Bruno Spengler and Italian Giovanni Venturini.
In 2021, Romeo Ferraris finished second in the standings, with the victory in the Copenhagen round as the highlight of its campaign, showing its competence against opponents that were important automotive groups.
In addition to being extremely competitive, the Giulia ETCR is an example of a sustainable racing car: not only for its electric propulsion but also for the use of innovative materials such as hemp fibre introduced for some components of the bodywork and the interior fittings of the car.
During the race events, the pairs of drivers who will take turns driving the two cars between one session and the next will be respectively the all-Italian Filippi-Venturini and the Martin-Spengler ones.
Luca Filippi
I have never raced in Pau before so I’m really excited to finally come here and I’m really looking forward to racing here. It’s the first race of the season so there’s a big question mark for all of us. The level of drivers has gone up so much; there’s an amazing standard this year. It’s a big challenge for me and I’m really pumped up about it. All the drivers are super good, super professional with an amazing history of motorsport. So basically, you have to be there is every single battle; it will be very tough! From the other point of view, I think all three manufacturers did their homework very well, or at least, it looks that was, so anyone can be really, really fast.
Giovanni Venturini
It’s my first time racing an electric car as usually I drive GT3 cars or in the past formula single seater cars so everything is a surprise for me! I learnt a lot during pre-season testing so we will have to see what happens during the season! I hope it will be nice but Pau will be very interesting as it’s a street circuit. I hope it will be nice to me!
Bruno Spengler
I have experience from Pau about 20 years ago in Formula 3! It was a long time ago so it’s almost like no experience and today you can forget it! I’m going to have to re-learn I am going to have to learn to track again because of course 20 years ago with Formula 3 and today with this car it’s very different. I’m looking forward to getting out on track as I remember that it was a fun track to drive and I think in this car is going to be even more challenging in these cars!
Maxime Martin
I think Pau will be the biggest challenge for me and it’s really going to be a challenge for the first time driving qualifying with 500KW. I have to learn the track because it’s my first time here and it will be a big challenge.
Michela Cerruti, Team Principal Romeo Ferraris
We are impatient to get on track in Pau and to start the 2022 FIA ETCR season. The series has grown for this second edition, but we too have grown as a team, continuing the work of developing and fine-tuning the Giulia ETCR and involving three top-level drivers such as Maxime, Bruno and Giovanni, who joined Luca, already part of our project.
Last year we were able to demonstrate our skills by winning the Copenhagen round and finishing in second place in the overall standings, overcoming all expectations. Now we no longer want to surprise, but to confirm ourselves at the highest level with the idea of regularly fighting for success and collecting as many points as possible at every opportunity.
