I just got a call to race at Spa

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South Africa
South Africa
david_perel
Hey everyone,

As promised I said I'd keep you in the loop with all my racing exploits.

Having just arrived back in South Africa last week (after a three week trip racing in Italy) my plan was to take it easy and focus on my business, as there's now a 5 week break in the Italian Champs.

That all changed on Sunday though as I received an SMS from my team manager, late in the evening, requesting I catch the first flight to Belgium in order to race for them at Spa.

.....Say what?!

So in a few hours I'll be boarding a plane to compete in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship at the most legendary of race tracks. To top it off I'll be sticking around with the Official Lamborghini GT3 team while they compete in the 24 hour race (which starts on Saturday).

The significance of this particular invite is that it's first time I won't have to pay to race a GT car.

Just last week I felt like there was no hope. Despite making the huge jump from Gran Turismo to real life racing it still felt like there was a wall in front of me that could not be scaled - I'm almost out of cash and finding sponsors in my country is proving almost impossible. To say I'm grateful and excited would the understatement of my life.

So if you're losing any hope... don't give up, keep knocking on doors, keep doing what ever you can to get into a racing car. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.

:)
 
Hey everyone,

As promised I said I'd keep you in the loop with all my racing exploits.

Having just arrived back in South Africa last week (after a three week trip racing in Italy) my plan was to take it easy and focus on my business, as there's now a 5 week break in the Italian Champs.

That all changed on Sunday though as I received an SMS from my team manager, late in the evening, requesting I catch the first flight to Belgium in order to race for them at Spa.

.....Say what?!

So in a few hours I'll be boarding a plane to compete in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship at the most legendary of race tracks. To top it off I'll be sticking around with the Official Lamborghini GT3 team while they compete in the 24 hour race (which starts on Saturday).

The significance of this particular invite is that it's first time I won't have to pay to race a GT car.

Just last week I felt like there was no hope. Despite making the huge jump from Gran Turismo to real life racing it still felt like there was a wall in front of me that could not be scaled - I'm almost out of cash and finding sponsors in my country is proving almost impossible. To say I'm grateful and excited would the understatement of my life.

So if you're losing any hope... don't give up, keep knocking on doors, keep doing what ever you can to get into a racing car. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.

:)

Living The Dream!

Good luck! Always been my dream to race professionally, but mehh.. expensive sport to break into.

Happy motoring. :D
 
Update from day one!

P2 in free practice one, P1 in free practice two.

Today is qualifying and race one. I'm hoping to get a good quali position then will see how the start goes and take it from there.

It's an honor to be at the Spa24, even though I'm not competing in the main race I'm proud to be taking part in the curtain raiser. It's also strange seeing the GT Academy drivers here and wonder what could have been :)

If you'd like more up to date results / photos you can follow my Facebook page facebook.com/davidperelracing #shamefulplug
 
Thank you everyone for your kind words!

It was an awesome weekend, front row start (missed pole by 0.1, bummer!), two race wins and fastest lap.

I really cannot complain about anything. The experience was incredible and I'm so grateful to my team for asking me to race.

Race two was pouring with rain and we were in last place after the pit stop / driver change but I managed to get comfortable relatively quickly and got the lead on the last lap on the exit of Pouhon.

I am not sure if I'll get to test the GT3 but I'm doing whatever I can to make myself noticed.

Thanks again :) I'll update you all after my next race which is in September in Italy in the Italian GT Cup Championship (same car, same team).
 
Thank you everyone for your kind words!

It was an awesome weekend, front row start (missed pole by 0.1, bummer!), two race wins and fastest lap.

I really cannot complain about anything. The experience was incredible and I'm so grateful to my team for asking me to race.

Race two was pouring with rain and we were in last place after the pit stop / driver change but I managed to get comfortable relatively quickly and got the lead on the last lap on the exit of Pouhon.

I am not sure if I'll get to test the GT3 but I'm doing whatever I can to make myself noticed.

Thanks again :) I'll update you all after my next race which is in September in Italy in the Italian GT Cup Championship (same car, same team).

Well done 👍

If 2 wins at Spa, including one in the wet, doesn't get you noticed I suggest running naked down the pit lane!
 
Hey everyone,

As promised I said I'd keep you in the loop with all my racing exploits.

Having just arrived back in South Africa last week (after a three week trip racing in Italy) my plan was to take it easy and focus on my business, as there's now a 5 week break in the Italian Champs.

That all changed on Sunday though as I received an SMS from my team manager, late in the evening, requesting I catch the first flight to Belgium in order to race for them at Spa.

.....Say what?!

So in a few hours I'll be boarding a plane to compete in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Championship at the most legendary of race tracks. To top it off I'll be sticking around with the Official Lamborghini GT3 team while they compete in the 24 hour race (which starts on Saturday).

The significance of this particular invite is that it's first time I won't have to pay to race a GT car.

Just last week I felt like there was no hope. Despite making the huge jump from Gran Turismo to real life racing it still felt like there was a wall in front of me that could not be scaled - I'm almost out of cash and finding sponsors in my country is proving almost impossible. To say I'm grateful and excited would the understatement of my life.

So if you're losing any hope... don't give up, keep knocking on doors, keep doing what ever you can to get into a racing car. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.

:)
At least you just have a wall. I have a 🤬 mountain. :lol:
 
Just finished editing the video from Spa:



Enjoy :)

Free ride in a Lamborghini. Wow so lucky. :lol: So what license do you have? How did you get yours? I'm going to start moving deeper into racing soon.

Well done 👍

If 2 wins at Spa, including one in the wet, doesn't get you noticed I suggest running naked down the pit lane!

Has anyone tried that before? :lol: (Not counting general spectators, Ricky Bobby is also DQ'd :D) IM ON FIRE!
 
Here's how I got into it mate

I have a standard International circuit racing license. I haven't been graded yet but because I've had my license under a year I suspect I'd get a Bronze grade.
I don't have a racing license and I probably won't have one by GT Academy 2016, but I will be possibly 75% done with getting one, so I'm going to try to win GT Academy again. If I fail in GT Academy in 2016, I will complete my racing license the regular way and then participate in some regional racing. I'm also in a karting league that does a championship style format. The 2nd race of the season is this weekend. And in my first ever kart race I placed 6th out of 7th (2nd time in a kart). GT is a REALLY helpful tool in learning how to drive really fast. :cheers: You're way ahead of me. 👍

You never know if you can make it if you never try, right?

24th place in this years GT Academy btw, top 20 made it to a track.
 
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