Vitaphone Racing 2004 plans

Vitaphone Racing Team signs Uwe Alzen and Michael Bartels for the season 2004
Full program for the ex-DTM stars on national and international stage

Mannheim (17th March 2004). The new founded Vitaphone Racing Team around the two ex-DTM drivers Uwe Alzen and Michael Bartels starts with a marathon program in the season 2004. The team uses different cars made by Porsche and a chassis of the American producer Saleen in the FIA GT Championchip, the Le Mans Endurance Series, the 24h race at the Nurburgring, in the BFGoodrich Endurance Championship Nurburgring and in the 24h race in the Australian city Bathurst. AB Racing Performance takes responsibility for the organisation and logistic in the races.

"We have resolved to do a great job in the coming season", reveals Michael Bartels. "The Vitaphone Racing Team trust in the professional set up of top sportscars. Combined with Uwe Alzen's and my know how we both bring in, we should be successful." The first evidence Uwe Alzen offered at the official testing of the FIA GT Championchip in Monza (Italy) in the beginning of March. Uwe Alzen puts his rivals in their place having the absolutely fastest lap of both days of testing with six hundredth of seconds.

Stamina sports with 650 hp With the beginning of the season of the FIA GT Championchip at the "Autodromo Nationale di Monza" (Italy) on March 28th the starting shot for the Vitaphone Racing Team is given. "At present the FIA GT Championchip represents the highest level in the european sportscar sector and over that", Uwe Alzen explains. He and his team-mate Michael Bartels had driven in the championchip in 1998. In the coming season 2004 two races placed in Germany are part of the program, one in May at the Hockenheimring Baden-Wurttemberg and the other in September at the Motopark Oschersleben.

Tradition obliges - the revival of the 1000-kilometres-races Following the successful sportscar era of the 70th the organisation of the 24h race in Le Mans initiates the Le Mans Endurance Series this year. Four races reach over the classical distance of 1000 kilometres set in Monza (Italy), Nurburgring (Germany), Silverstone (Great Britain) and in Spa Francorchamps (Belgium).

The "Grune Holle" is calling - season's highlight at the Nurburgring The 24h race, 10th till 13th of June at the Nurburgring, is the highlight of the year for the Vitaphone Racing Team. 2003 more than 194.000 enthusiastic spectators visited the legendary Nordschleife when Uwe Alzen and Michael Bartels reached the pole position with their 700 hp Porsche 996 Turbo. Last year restricted by a technical defect they will take revenge against the strong factory teams of Audi, BMW and Opel this year.

"2000 Michael and I have celebrated our first common victory with a Porsche GT3 in the 24h race", Uwe Alzen remembers. "The following year Michael won again. We know how it works. I think our chances for another success are not bad." Michael Bartels is confident too. He adds "the 24h race at the Nurburgring is our home race. Especially at the demanding Nordschleife experience and an excellent prepared car are important. We've both." Further starts at the Nordschleife are part of the program of the BFGoodrich Endurance Championship.

A strong community - Vitaphone Racing Team has taken on much "I'm proud that we have won Uwe Alzen and Michael Bartels, two remarkable drivers over to our project", says Vitaphone manager Matthias Quinger. "Both enjoy a good reputation in public and are regarded as uncompromisingly fast pilots. With the national and international participation in long distance sport our racing team is able to proof its competence to a wide public. It's obvious that this will help Vitaphone to raise to be wellknown."

Quinger continues: "For those races where we need more than two drivers, we'll step up our team with renowned racing drivers. We stay in contact with several drivers already."

The first official appearance of the Vitaphone Racing Team will be at the CeBIT 2004. Uwe Alzen and Michael Bartels will be guests at the stand of Vitaphone GmbH in hall 17, stand number G06 with their Porsche racing car on March 21st and 22nd.

-vrt-