VPD Racing announced today that they will support Dutch junior Dave Blom throughout the new season as part of the continuing partnership between Martin Reuvers [Geruco Motorsport, Spain], Intrepid Force Rotax and British partner HRS Racing Engines. It was also only the week before last that the Austrian-based team signed another former Dutch and European Junior Max champ Mats van den Brand to lead their 2011 international assault.
The fifteen-year old has only been racing karts for a total of three years now, but in 2010 Blom rose to the top. He started on P3 for the final of the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals in Italy last month where he finished 11th in a showdown to the flag against many of the world’s best juniors. The tiny Intrepid driver qualified for the prestigious event after he claimed the 2010 BNL Karting Series title, while finishing as vice champion at both the inaugural Rotax International Open in Spain recently and the Netherlands Rotax Max Challenge.
The emphasis in 2011 is primarily about further developing Blom’s racecraft in building on his limited experience and with potential titles well within his reach, it’s an important season before he progresses to the next stage in his racing career – karts or cars. Running under the guidance of Martin Reuvers as his personal mechanic, Blom is confident that it’s looking very promising, “We have a very good package with the combination of Martin Reuvers from Geruco Motorsport, VPD Racing and HRS Engines for the Rotax Winter Cup, Euro Challenge, International Open and the BNL Karting Series. I’ll also do the U18 World Championship and the European KF3 championship supported by Martin. I’m really looking forward to a busy season, but it should be great!”
Reuvers comes with a qualified history; currently the technician for 2010 World & European KZ1 champion Bas Lammers as a winning partnership that's been practically unbeatable in the factory Intrepid team. The Geruco Motorsport team manager has also secured two Rotax world titles in Senior Max with Luuk Glansdorp (NED) & Junior Max with Omar Martin (ESP), multiple Spanish Championships, while assisting drivers such as F1 young gun Jamie Alguesuari in the CIK-FIA World Cup through to IFR's Stefan Riener on the podium at the final round of this year's Under 18 World Championship. Ironically, Reuvers and IFR team manager Ernst Penninger were once rivals in the ICA European series, now working together for a third year within the IFR team structure.
“We’re pleased to include Dave Blom together with Martin Reuvers as part of IFR’s 2011 European line-up,” declares IFR team manager Ernst Penninger. “By providing our technical support in conjunction with our partner HRS, our main objective will be to assist him to be one of the top-ranked drivers fighting it out for the European title. Over the past two years, I believe Dave’s been one of the stand-out rookies in the Junior Max field and has continuously improved his racing skills and showed his obvious commitment to achieving his best.” He added, “VPD Racing helps to provide the ideal platform for many young drivers who aim to make Motorsport their future career, which is also the case for Dave as he too has his sights firmly set on Formula One.”
Winter testing in preparation for the 2011 European season-opener in February gets underway immediately after Christmas – as the ‘Race To Get There’ begins!
IFR news and updates can be found on the team's official homepage - www.intrepidforcerotax.com
All VPD Racing news is online at www.racetogetthere.com
www.daveblom.nl |
