SMP Racing, a new team in town

While Kox Racing has lined up one Lamborghini Gallardo LP600 GT3, additional Ferrari F458 Italia GT3have been entered by SMP Racing. The Russian team is putting together a global young Russian driver experience, involving three cars in the European Le Mans Series, several entries in the Blancpain Series, GT Open, but also in different go kart and single seater formulas such as Formula Renault  Alpes 2 .0 and Formula Renault FR 3.5. The main objective of the team is to give young Russian drivers the opportunity to gain experience on the international stage in the different motorsport categories.

In the European Le Mans Series, SMP Racing has entered three Ferrari F458 Italia GT3,and will be fighting hard to gain good results and success in the GTC category.

Amongst the seven Russian drivers involved in the ELMS Imola round, Kirill Ladygin already has an experience in European racing, having completed a full season in the FIA GT3 European Championship in 2012. Eleven times Russian Go Kart champion, and twice champion of the Russian Proto Lada Revolution, Kirill Ladygin has also been a driver selected to compete in the Russian "Race of Stars" which welcomes every year the best drivers in all categories. He has been driving against established stars such as David Coulthard, KimiRaikkonen and current French Formula One driver Charles Pic. He will be racing with fellow driver Viktor Shaitar and local Italian star Fabio Babini in the n°69 Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 car.

"I am very happy and very proud to be part of the SMP Racing team at ELMS in Imola this week-end, and to be driving in an international series. It's always very motivating to get new experiences, and it's the first time for me to drive in such a race where you have to drive and share the track with prototypes, as well as GT cars. After yesterday's two free practice session it's still a little early to say exactly how the race is going to go, but what matters is that I feel great here and happy to race on one of the most beautiful tracks in the world."

His teammate, and also somehow rival in the race, Alexander Frolov will be driving the n°68 Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 with YuryEvstigneev and Devi Markozov. He can't wait until the race gets started :"I am very excited to be here. It's the first time I have a chance to compete at an international level, and everyone told me Imola isa legendary track. We've had to gain track time as we did not know the circuit, but I can't wait to race here. "