Fontana: Start of a varied season
VERSATILE Alex Fontana from Ticino danced at several weddings in 2019. In China, where he also drives for KIA, his first GT4 season began with a victory. At the Nürburgring, he will be racing for Nissan. Last year, Alex Fontana made a name for himself in Europe as one of Emil Frey Jaguar Racing's three drivers in the Blancpain GT [...]
Last year, Alex Fontana made a name for himself in Europe as one of the three Emil Frey Jaguar Racing drivers in the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup. Together with Adrian Zaugg and the Canadian Mikael Grenier, he won the Silver Cup, the overall classification for drivers with a silver rating, in the Emil Frey Jaguar.
Start for KIA in China
Of this trio, only Grenier is allowed to continue driving for Emil Frey Racing (now in a Lamborghini in the GT Open). While his colleague from Bern is still looking for a cockpit, the man from Ticino has been able to put together a versatile package. His fame in Asia, where he has been driving and winning for KIA Motors in the Chinese Touring Car Championship for three years, is helping him here.
In 2019, Fontana will be tackling his fourth season in a Kia K3 with a 2-liter turbo engine (virtually according to TCR regulations). As foreigners are only allowed to compete sporadically in the CTCC, individual race wins are his personal goal.
Victorious debut in the GT4 Mercedes
The driver from southern Switzerland will also be competing in the China GT for the first time in a Mercedes-AMG GT4. Together with his Chinese partner Chris Chia, Alex won the first of the two races on the Sepang GP circuit last weekend. Fontana finished the second race, which Chia started, in third place after a race to catch up.
In the Nissan GT3 on the Nordschleife
The 26-year-old with Greek roots has high hopes for a new GT3 commitment. Fontana will drive one of two works-supported Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3s at the Nürburgring for the Hong Kong-based KCMG team. Initially, he is only nominated for the first VLN race next Saturday.
This could certainly lead to more.
Alex Fontana: "I hope that I will be able to compete in more VLN races after this and thus recommend myself for the Nürburgring 24 Hours in June. I'm also looking for a driver's seat for the 24 Hours of Spa. Then there's my job as a TV co-commentator for Formula 1 races. So I have enough work. "
