Former European champion Mats van den Brand has been confirmed as the latest driver edition to the 2011 Intrepid Force Rotax team, powered by the newly founded Austrian company VPD Racing GmbH. The significant announcement comes after much speculation as to who the Dutch Senior Max driver would sign with for the next season following several very interesting offers.
The 19-year old admits that his decision was clearly the one his heart was set on as the best option for his prospects of winning the European Rotax title in the forthcoming year, having narrowly missed out in 2010 when he finished 3rd. Van den Brand claims: “It’s a great team with loads of experience at Euro level using competitive equipment, which is what I was looking for and I think with my own personal experience in international competition, it can only make this a really good combination. With IFR, I feel that I can have good support and we can do a great job together, as well as having fun... which is important to enjoy my racing!”
Another very positive aspect that the five times Dutch champ brings to the Salzburg-based team is his own racing know-how including being the Junior Max European title holder in 2007 and always a regular front-runner on the podium in the closely-fought national series’ in the Netherlands, through to being a round winner at the Euro Challenge, plus the Vice Champion at the Rotax Winter Cup and recent Rotax International Open in Spain. He is currently supporting a local micro-max driver as a mechanic and trainer, which is a commitment Van den Brand totally enjoys. As the most senior driver in the IFR line-up, his new role also involves being a mentor in the development of the younger members who’ll race with the team.
An awesome partnership...
VPD Racing is also extremely pleased to additionally confirm British mechanic William Allen as IFR’s new technician within the Salzburg outfit, who will work personally with Van den Brand at all the international events, making this a formidable partnership that can only enhance the 2011 campaign. At 26 years and in the sport originally as a driver for just on a decade now, Allen has been the full-time mechanic over the past two seasons for Britain’s Edward Brand, one of the most dominant drivers today in Rotax, having initially worked for the formerly-known HRS Motorsport team.
Not only is Allen gearing up for some perfect skiing in Austria, he’s quietly confident in his decision to join IFR, “This is an excellent opportunity for me with the prospect for a great future within this young team as they begin a new stage in the company’s growth, which is very positive. I’ve worked with IFR in Austria and Germany this year on several occasions, so I am already quite familiar with how they operate and I am also looking forward to working with Mats, as I believe he’s a very capable as a driver.” Both Allen and Van den Brand coincidentally make the move to IFR from working alongside each other as opponents within the same prominent UK team.
Now in its seventh season, IFR has attained five Rotax World podiums along with some European, plus they have collected numerous international, Central European and national titles. The achievements and constant progress are a result of the concerted efforts of the team members and the ongoing support of the partners who have assisted them. Team manager Ernst Penninger says he welcomes the new partnership at a time when IFR continues to gain considerable interest from many who share their passion for racing, “I believe that it is actually ideal timing and exciting for us to sign a driver like Mats van den Brand for our team in 2011 who I have watched for some years now, and I am convinced that he’s become one of the most professional drivers in his class. Furthermore, it provides IFR with a driver who can encourage our younger team drivers through his passion and dedication in a positive way. The chance as well to have a knowledgeable mechanic such as William Allen come onboard can only influence our success through his own experience, giving us confidence for a very promising future. Together, we can continue our technical development and work towards the best results possible at the highest level in Rotax competition.”
As part of the philosophy behind VPD, everyone who is part of the team in any capacity is encouraged to share in their winning formula for success – which in IFR’s case is ‘Race To Get There’. It gives every individual the opportunity to use ‘racing’ as the way for them to achieve their own future goals and aspirations.
V=[p.d]² Victory is a function of Performance & Power – it is driven by Desire & Dedication
The physics of success, the formula of winning; against others, or first of all against yourself. This is the way to get there!
IFR team news and updates can be found at - www.intrepidforcerotax.com. All VPD Racing news is online at - www.racetogetthere.com |
