Austria’s second highest ranked racing team, Zele Racing, presented itself to its home fans on Monday. The team, which is racing in the AutoGP World Series this season, held its official team presentation at Seepark Hotel in Klagenfurt and fans, former motorsport-boffins and the media all turned up in numbers.
Zele Racing introduced its drivers, former F1 star Narain Karthikeyan and reigning F2 world champion Luciano Bacheta, as well as its 600 HP racing cars to the crowd. Following an autograph session, the roaring engines excited the fans, before the press took their shots of the drivers, VIPs and sponsors. Motorracing legends like Walter Penker, Hubert Stromberger or hill racing champion Hermann Waldy were delighted. “What Michael (Zele) has managed to set up, is highly impressive”, Penker said, who used to run successful F3 and Formula 3000 teams himself.
Zele started servicing race cars in the late 1990ies and entered motorracing himself in 2001. This year, the Carinthian scuderia is well positioned, „because Luciano is super talented and Narain has been a friend for years. We have always wanted to do something together and I am happy that it has now worked out.” The Indian former Jordan F1 and HRT F1 driver feels at home with the Bleiburg-based team saying: “The atmosphere in the team is excellent and it’s a lot of fun being part of it. AutoGP is a good platform for me after the continuation of my F1 engagement fell through last minute, when the team pulled out.”
Zele Racing is now preparing for the next race at the start of June in Silverstone. “We all know and love Silverstone. Thus, expectations are high”, Luciano Bacheta said, who already won in Marrakech this season.
